Parents of 3 under 5/6, How the hell do you get out?

[sneakapeak]

Im just curious.

I have 2 DC's, aged 3.5 and 1. I find everything from washing, dressing, feeding and leaving the house to bath time absolutely caotic.

I feel sometimes that I spend my time in a guddle. Just wandering around with one sock or one glove looking for the other whilst one screams and the other misbehaves then I somehow get distracted and im emptying the washing machine then distracted again then I remember im meant to be dressing the one socked child.

I then (god knows why) find myself wondering about a third then come crashing back to earth when it's screamingly obvious I barley cope with 2.

I just can't imagine 3 little ones with only 2/3 years (or less) between them all and how on earth you get them all ready and out the door every morning without loosing it.

Is there a secret to calm parenting of small children.

Any tips or advice for a very unorganised mum?

Mine were 4 and 2 when i had my 3rd they are now 6,4 and 2 i just do cope we are not the most organised but do little things like look out all clothes hats scarfs gloves etc for next day, plan meals and social activities carefully and know where we are supposed to be and when. I also pin all forms for school and events up on board and check daily not really any advise we some how just muddle through very busy but lots of fun

You do have to be very organised.
I know a lady who has 7 kids (age 0-12yo, 3 under 4 at the moment) and she is NEVER late for school. Has set routines (gets up at 5am). Lives 1.5 miles away from school and has to walk everywhere as she doesn't drive. She never loses her rag with them, either (not like I do, anyway).

mine are 5.5yrs, 3yrs and 18 months

i guess it is pretty chaotic but we manage, usually get to school on time too lol

i lay out all their clothes the night before. my eldest can dress himself (with a lot of encouragement ) and so i just have the little 2 to get sorted

if we're walking anywhere i get the baby ready first and strap him into the pushchair, then get the eldest done as he's less likely to randomly take bits of clothing off, then the middle one last.

i keep gloves in coat pockets so i know they alwayts have a pair on them.

shoes are my bugbear. used to be fine, but ds3's new favourite game is emptying the shoe rack

Mine are 5.11, 4.6 and 1.11 and am pg again.

We just go out, we don't drive though so we are always clamouring onto buses and dragging kids along. its just normal once you have them!

I have 3 DC, DS1 was 3.5 and DS2 was 23 months when DD was born... It was and still is hard but you just have to be really organised. I still went out a lot but then I am a list maker and slightly anal!!
It is actually harder now that they are 6,5,3 as they fight constantly and school adds so much more logistics to the mix... When DD was born none of them was at school so we had no deadlines roll on a year and we had to be out of the house by 8.45.... that hurt,

mine are 2 & 1 and expecting a 3rd one i was hoping 3rd one wont be much harder just fit in with the others, my oldest one will be 3.2 when i have the third, seems like the most difficult thing would be not able to just put them all into a double buggy and go quickly like you can with two.. but will be good to see everyone's tips and hopefully more people will say its not that hard

Mine are 6, 4 and nearly 1 and unlike the others on here we are not very organised! Just wing it, mostly :) I guess it helps that my oldest is mostly very sensible (poor child, she has to be) and can not only wash/dress/find things herself but help #2.

Mine are about this age. I keep everything by 'the door in baskets.

That said, there needs to be a certain amount of
shouting encouragement if we are all to get to school on time.

PS I mostly don't find 3 any worse than 2 - just sometimes if they are all crying at once it gets a bit much

I don't know what's worse: the crying or the shrieking (have three girls)

How about the wailing? (three girls also :) )

I had three under three, a baby, an one year old and a two year old, it was great and I actually think a lot easier than having a bigger gap. Even when number three arrived I still didn't have a school run and never had to be anywhere I didn't want to be. I think bigger gaps, say two or three years between each looks a lot more work.

As mine are all so close together I do sometimes have them all crying together. Once they where all tantruming I had they all lined up like Riverdance.

were

at Kendodd.

I have a 6 year old, a 2 year old and a 4 month old. It's hard.

dd1(3.5yrs), dd2 (1.9yrs) ds1 (4mo)- i am pretty organised, like to get everything done in the mornings b4 we go out, usually about 10 (for my own sanity ), so just never sit down . that way when i drop dd1 at nursery in the afternoon, if the little ones both have a nap at the same time i can feel guilt free about doing nothing. frequently don't get up b4 8 either- but just go like a mad woman for those 2 hrs, and do alot of counting to 10 under my breath .
actually i think u end up treating the older ones MUCH older than they actually are, dd1 dresses herself (most of the time) and dd2 can make a good effort with legging, socks etc. dd2 will also help dd2 to get coat, hat etc on.
the upside is that now when i 'only' have 2 of them, i find it piss easy {grin].

I've got three under five and it boils down to being organised, picking your battles and allowing a certain level of chaos we have a bag by the door for gloves etc and do toothbrushing and other morning ablutions downstairs. Ivdo however get them all dressed before coming downnin the morning otherwise they run riot and it takes ages.!!

God your all supermums .

What about that mum of 7? Bloody hippy, she must be. Who the hell can get 7 kids to school and NOT be shouting .

Right Im going to get a basket today and stick it at the front door. Good idea.

I also agree with washing and dressing DS before he is let loose.

It's just that DD and DS wake at exactly the same time and DD does not want put down all morning .

I need to think this through and plan to get at least DS completely ready before I attempt the rest of our morning.

I don't get their stuff ready the night before either which seems so bloody obvious.

I end up faffing and cleaning for ages until I fall into a heep on the sofa around 8.30pm and sit like a guppy infront of the TV!

Thanks for all the tips and good luck with all the new babies .

What I found/find hardest about getting out and about was when we had to be on time somewhere.

When DS3 was born, DS1 was 5.5 and DS2 22 months. DS1 had to be to school on time and he was never late, but I had to be ultra organised. I still have to be, now that I work 3 days and DS1 & 2 need to be in school and DS3 at nursery.

I have six, although oldest is seventeen so looks after himself. The others are 9, 7, 4, and twins who are 10 months.

I find being first up and making sure i am washed and dressed before the rabble descend is vital.

We have never once been late for school, or anything actually. It's just about being organized, knowing where things are and having a routine.

Ladies, my 6yo DS can out-wail any 3 of your girls (simultaneous), I dare say. (Boy is he LOUD).
I have 4, I am often late to get to places. But I just muddle thru and we are mostly ok (sometimes quite early!!). I get everything done the night before or as soon as I think of it, as a rule. Like loading up the buggy with bags and lunches and nappy bag the night before. I write constant lists of what to be doing next.

Have got 3 DS (5, 3 and 13 weeks)

I haven't found it as hard as I thought gettin gthem all ready and out the door for the school run BUT can feel the difference between now and when I had DS2, was much easier then as it didn't matter what time we were up and about.

Before the baby was born I practised and perfected getting myself showered and sorted as quickly as possible, did things like keeping all my cosmetics etc in basket by the bath so I literally get out of the shower and can be ready in less than 5 minutes.

As soon as the baby is dressed and/or fed I load him into car seat or pram so he is ready to go and as soon as the others have eaten breakfast I make them put on shoes and coats.

This means I can let them watch Cbeebies and do a few quick chores (loading the dishwasher etc) and as soon as it's time to go everyone is ready to walk out the door.

I must admit I have lowered my standards with some things, for instance I'm not worried about whether socks match anymore, as long as they're clean then we're good to go.

And I don't beat myself up if the house is spotless, I'm more worried about whether or not the kids are happy and tended to.