Am I crap at this SAHM thing or is it just that I have too many children?

[sethstarkaddersmum]

I have dcs aged 1, 3 and 5, a cleaner for 2 hours a week, and a dh who is competent at domestic stuff if a bit hopeless at child-wrangling. Sometimes I feel like he does everything around here despite him being the one with a job.
Why is my house a mess? Why don't I get anything done? Why does my dd's best friend's mum managed to fit so much more in than me despite being disabled and having to rest several hours a day?
Why can't I manage unless dcs watch hours of CBeebies every day?

early days with new baby is different though - anything is allowed.

Gosh, sethstarksaddersmum, just re-read your OP you have THREE under 5? That will be me next year... and am trying to justify a cleaner... am planning to write off the whole of the first year tbh and certainly expect a chaotic house for ever more for a bit.

Vaguely remember 1yr as being particularly impossible to get anything done anyway - at least now (my two are 2 and 4) they will play together while I mumsnet tidy/clean. But dh does a lot too. And think that's just the way it has to be. ONe day they will all be at school and we can tidy/clean mumsnet all day!

dont be too hard on yourself. i know what u mean about being a control person - it can be hard when we want everything to be be perfect. you have to prioritise ie is there food to eat, clothes to wear and is everybody clean. if you do that first then with 3 under 5s that is a major achievement. if you want to tackle the rest do it in small steps and have a system in place - little and often. you might want to check out the good housekeeping threads on mumsnet that are full of flylady followers. and lastly take care of yourself.

3 children under 5, I'm surprised you get anything done except the basics.

I know it's annoying being surrounded by mess even if you're not Miss Houseproud, but I reckon you should chill about it for at least another year...or maybe 2. Of course, if you have more children...

"Cleaning the house while kids are growing is like shovelling snow when it's still snowing" Don't know who said it originally but it has become my mantra.

We too have the Ikea trofast units all along one wall in the dining room. All the girls toys are organised into the drawers and its kept things much tidier since buying them.

My girls are only young at 2.3 yrs and 6mths and the lounge is currently taken over by DD2's entertainer ring, bouncer, Doughnut ring thingy..and thats without DD1 getting her toys out all over the floor!
Im hoping when shes outgrown the baby things then I will begin to see more of my floor, seem tidier and Ill get my lounge back abit. I can hope anyway!

Def agree that sometimes it really is like swimming against the tide!