twins mum Having a good moan & getting everything off my chest.

[Jemeraldx]

Okay so twins (Mason & Josh) have just hit terrible 2's (In fact I'm absolutely positive they've stepped it up a notch since I found out I was pregnant) they're into everything & listen to no one. I'm only 24 weeks but it doesn't help that I feel knackered all the time my house is a constant mess (which I don't mind too much I know I'm not super human but I have a mother that helps me physically i.e she does the kids washing but is mentally draining - more than the kids- with all her put downs & criticism's. To put it one way according to her I should be like a 1950's house wife always looking my best, house immaculate, doing the washing up while simultaneously hoovering & watching the kids & have a hot meal on the table for my other half what really pisses me off is that no one in my family as had twins & I don't feel they have a right to criticise she's always asking when the house is going to be clean enough for my nan to visit. My other half works nights everyday of the week except saturday (& if hes lucky he gets every other tuesday off) I feel like a single parent already I get them up in a morning & put them to bed at night. I bath them alone, I feed them alone & it doesn't help that he does nothing round the house I know he works nights but by this I mean just clean up after himself he drops clothes wherever he takes them off ( this could be the stairs, on the couch or infront of the washer) he leaves bisquit wrappers/pop bottles/sweet wrappers wherever he ate them I always have to move them out the kids way incase they put them in there mouths (the same goes for change). My number one pet hate is grease he fries everything the kitchen stinks of fried food, he always cooks things that make a lot of mess (because he doesn't have to do the pots) I have to ask him to do anything & a lot of the times he moans about it (this includes watching the kids) I wish he would just come down stairs & take over. somedays I feel so run down & depressed I feel like I'm trying to please everyone else I feel guilty because I feel I should be doing more with the kids everyday I say I'm going to take them to the park & I end up cleaning 'just in case' someone pops by. So now weve got baby number 3 on the way which was a complete accident I am happy (although it took me a while to get my head round) but scared because I don't feel like I have back up behind me. sorry to rant but I had to get that out do all twin mums feel like this or is it just me?

When mine were 2 I read them a lot of books - it stopped the fighting and ensued a bit of calm. I got the books from charity shops/carboots/library. If you get the kids tickets then there are no fines if the books are on their tickets when they are inevitably late back (or that might just be me).

Take the kids to the park and stop the cleaning! And get a dishwasher.

I'm sorry your partner is a slob. One of the benefits of being a single parent is that I didn't have to deal with this as well as twins. Who is who does the shopping? If it's you then don't buy the frying stuff, job done. Or get one of those George Foreman type things which fry inside a thingy instead of on the stove.

And don't buy the biscuits etc. He is acting like a child so treat him like one.

I agree with Lottie... perhaps the problem is less the twins, and more your help'. I have 19month twin boys and baby #3 is due in the next couple of weeks. I find when I'm knackered, even normal' behaviour can be wearing and they pick up on my mood & it spirals down from there. We don't have anyone local to help out at all.... but neither do we have anyone to interfere or criticise. I imagine having that negative input is stressful and not what you need. To be fair, my dp is pretty good at support (despite my whinges) & I know he appreciates my limited efforts. Our motto is `harness the power of low standards'. The house will always be there, untidy or otherwise. The children being small won't. Personally I'd rather be doing stuff with them than spending all my time doing housework or trying to keep everyone else happy. If others don't like it... tough !