Anyone with a 3/4/5 year old and a baby ......?

[2kidswhy]

...and find it easy?

I have a 4year old son, he's not badly behaved but wants to be entertained thou he will watch tv, needs a drink/snack/bum wiped all the time. He is noisy but can't seem to help it! DD is nearly 6 months - can be adorable but sometimes has serious tantrums if something pisses her off. I am on maternity leave at the mo but going back to work in september (am a part time teacher).

I find spending all day every day with them hard at times- one of them always needs me for something, one of them is always whinging or whining. I do make lots of effort to get out to park, beach, softplay etc and we have some lovely times but if feels like i am always 'pn duty'!

Does everyone with kids this age feel like this or do some of you find it easy? Am i making it hard for myself!

Thanks

I have 2 and 4 and another due, its hard work, i love them, but hard - we go out a lot

I have 2 and 4 and another due, its hard work, i love them, but hard - we go out a lot

I have a 3 years between mine (DD 4 1/2 and DS 21 months now). I totally feel for you, yes i found it hard BUT it is now easier, started to turn the corner at around 18 months when DS became a bit more independent and DD started to entertain him.

I went through what you are going through. Does DS go to nursary/childminder etc, could you increase his days or get a tea time person to help you.

I also take mine to lots of play centres

iv got a 5yr old, 3yr old and 8month old.
Its hard!!! Only time it is easy is when they are all asleep
You are not making it hard for yourself and if there is something that can nake it easy-peasy then Id love to hear it!
Definitley know where you are coming from with both needing different kinds of attention, I often feel like everyday is a juggling act.
Take every day as it comes, is what I do and smile at the small things the dc do/progress they make.
Btw I think you are doing well to do so many things

I think with dc this age, you are always on duty tbh. My ds has just turned 4 and ds2 is 17 weeks and there are times I just want a minute of peace (ds1 is very much in his 'mummy watch me, no watch me, noooooo watch me the whole way' phase ) but the way to deal with it is just to accept it I suppose. The weather last week was fab so we were able to get out every day so he could let off some steam, but now it's worse it's harder. I tend to let him pick a video from a passing charity shop if we're headed out, to me it's 20p well spent, I send it straight back the next week but it gives ds something to keep him occupied. We recently bought a pop up tent which has provided him with hours of fun too, the baby stays under the shade when we take it to the park, but inside it's turned into ds1's little den and he spends all day hiding out in there. He's gotten very good at entertaining himself a bit mroe when he knows ds2 needs settling down to feed for example. As for the little one, I have one word: Jumperoo Ours was cheap secondhand but keeps ds2 entertained for a few vital minutes at a time. A good sling is also a godsend, ds2 calms instantly when he's carried. You're doing a good job btw. It is relentless, but it won't last forever. I have an 8yo too and I know for sure that this phase passes

Hi thanks for replies!

DS is on hols from nursery at mo and starting reception is september so no nursery free time! He is likefuck's son and says 'mammy watch me do what batman does watch me watch me mammy o'm not finished watch me!' which drives me nuts.

I have a jumperoo for DD and she is just starting to use itv- was a godsend with Ds. Most of the time its fine but sometimes i looong for peace and quiet and time to be me. Oh well maybe in a few years!

I could have written this apart from dd and ds being the other way round.

I return to (f/t) teaching in September and am kinda looking forward to just being myself again at work! I sometimes wonder how I can handle 25+ lairy teenagers and not 2 children under 4!

Having said that, had some great advice on here about structuring your day with them (almost like at work) which seems to have really helped me survive over the past few weeks!

Adore them both but regularly mourn the lack of freedom. But trying to make the most of this time because I know I'll miss it like crazy when they don't want my company as much any more!!