Top 3HARDEST Parts of having 3CHILDREN?

[Normal2feelthisway]

Firsly how old are they?

Then the 3.

Ill start...

Mine are 4.5, 2.5 and 10mth.

1 - the guilt of feeling im never giving each child enough individual Mummy time.

2 - Combating homework with my eldest

3 - Struggling to run the house in combination with caring for the children..always feel like im a step behind

oh no i neeeed a 4th...

lostinwales I am feeling your pain on the socks front.

Since having DS3 have become so slovenly that if we can't find matching socks then 2 odd clean ones will do.

This used to bother me and then one morning I just thought f**k it, who cares as long as they're clean!

To stop DS1 being picked on at school for odd socks I just bought loads of grey school socks so he can just grab a couple out of the basket and go.

I had 3 dds. One is 8, one is 5 and the other is 8 months.

My top 3 is:

1. Trying to cook tea for the older 2 while they youngest is screaming fit to bust.
2. Managing to bath all 3 more than twice a week.
3. The mummy time issue with the older two (thr youngest gets plenty while they are at school).

I could add to that never getting housework done because dd3 is extremely demanding but I think that it would be the same if she were the first :)

Ooh - just have to say that I agree with lots on here too - we have virtually abandoned the car (which is better for the environment I guess) because it's often just quicker to walk than load them in and out. Clubs are also endless hassle and usually accompanied by a screaming baby. Bedtime can be tricky when I'm on my own and the baby is cross.

Cat - thanks for that, need to hear a positive!
Mine are 7, nearly 5 and 2.5

Top three same as most on here

Plus a really stressful day followed by a bath time is a killer!

Its just me and them so atleast I know that that!

Re the kids' activities - that is something that does get easier as they get older.

DS1 and DD are old enough to stay in the house while I drop DS2 at Beavers etc.

And the older ones' activities (Brownies, Cubs, Scouts, karate, Junior wardens) often finish late enought that DH is home! so no need to drag all along hurrah!

On the socks front guys, the secret is grey for all. Or if you can be bothered, black for one and grey for the other. Then you don't need to botehr about the M&S hidden sizes (which I heart)

Yay happy to hear it gets easier after pushchairs and car seats

Re out of school activities..dd1&2 do swimming dd1 used to do ballet too but i could face another activity on another night ...i dread mondays (swimming day)

Do feel a bit bad though as dd1 loved ballet BUT im not sure i could have contiuned to afford more than one out of school club esp as dd2 was desperate to start ballet too!

Im amazed how many clubs some manage..1 energy wise. 2 cost!?

Ah yes, well, clubs, hmm

Cubs, Brownies, Scouts and Beavers are pretty cheap actually.

Swimming is the killer in cost terms.

In energy terms, as I say, DS1 takes himself to a lot; I share a lift for DD's ballet class; most of the things we do we walk to (10 mins) anyway.

I just take the view that if I come in from work and haven't got to go out again within the hour I'm winning

swimming is extortionate and I have decreed the drool household will only allow one child to learn to swim at a time.

dd1 and2 swin at a local school and its £40 a term so not bad but when we were doing ballet aswell and all everything had to be paid termly it soon started to add up.

Esp ballet...shoes, ballet wear, costumes etc!

I have to go in with dd2 atm the moment for her lessons but dd1 goes in alone now..cant wait till dd2 does too ...although that will be the time that ds will start so ill be in again lol

Havent looked into brownies..how much is it?

Bloody ballet. They keep growing and needing more bloody ballet shoes. £80 per term for 2 kids.

Swimming - lessons are expensive, she has them privately on a sat morning mainly because she can walk to the baths and 'the times 'fit in.'

I know..well the swimming was 80per term for two..then ballet on top and dd2 was asking desperate to start aswell!

I quickly ran. 1 - dd1 was about to move up meaning 45minutes (half ballet and half tap) that meant tap shoes too!

2 - dd2 wanted to start would have meant 1.5hr of dance after the school run, with a baby to keep happy, late dinner, late bedtime, unhappy girls, unsettled baby.

Much easier to walk home after school t a nice snack and cup of milk followed by a little time before dinner

I struggle to fit homewk in too thats without after school clubs

I have four dd1 8, dd2 5, dd3 2 (3 on friday) and ds1 7 months.

at going to the post office can seem like climbing mount everest without oxygen.

1. getting 4 sets of gloves, scarfs, hats, wellies, snow boots, extra sets of socks, blah, blah, blah. Just to take two of them to school!!

Now weather is 1 above freezing I have declared that there is no need for hats, scarfs etc.

1. Sorting packed lunches, uniforms, clothes, school bags, nursery bags every night.

1. Everything else really. Washing, cooking, cleaning, homework, individual time.

I found 1-2 hard, 2-3 hard, 3-4 hard. Can you guess?

Think I need to stand back more and be grateful for what I have. Just seems like a hard slog at the moment.

Hope I haven't killed the thread

Dd is 9, ds 6 and dd2 10 months.

On the whole the big gap between the first two and the baby is working for us. They are fantastic with her and I find having three easier than two.

1 the fights between the eldest two drive me crazy

2 things like bike rides are harder with three

3 meals....that suit everyone and can be mashed for baby too, this is hard work and I really have better things to do....So we eat out far too much at the wonderful gastropubs in the surrounding villages!!

DS1 6
DD1 3
DS2 3 (9 months later)

1. Going to the toilet is no longer somewhere you go by yourself
2. I can't just "pop" or "nip" anywhere
3. There is always someone saying "Mummy?!?!" or hanging off one of my limbs!

Colie - respect. DP practically ran to the GP and begged for the snip after DD3. With 4i would be a gibbering wreck.

mine are 5,3 and 8 months

1. Having enough time for dd1, to help her with school work, talk to her about feelings etc. I am guessing as the other 2 get older,I will feel the same about their one-to-one time
2. The school run and logistics of taking one to a party / clubs etc. We live rural area so no chance of sharign lifts. public transport etc
3. Currently, my no. 3 would be lack of intimacy with dh due to tiredness and sometimes we can barely converse!

8 and 6, both girls

1 keeping the house tidy

2 organising birthday parties

cant think of a third at this age, its quite a nice age really.

CommanderDrool - Dh did run to the gp even before dd3 arrived. He got the snip when she was just 2 weeks old.

Dc4 was a bit of a shock to say the least.

Our little boy was obviously meant to be!! I feel more hopeful as a previous poster has said it does get easier when they get older.

My life can't be that bad. i have sat on mumsnet now for two hours

cat64 I just paid for this term's swimming lessons - £130 for two of them including discount for second child.

I think it's gone up a bit with VAT rise and to be fair DD is at Bronze level so her lesson is an hour. That's city council pool btw.

Still a bit more than DS2's Beavers' subs - £21 for the term!