Anyone have three children close in age?

[Mog]

I'm really finding it hard going at the moment. Oldest was 3.3 when the youngest was born. She's now 5 and ds1 is 3.5 and ds2 nearly 2. We've just come back from holiday, which was all inclusive and we took grandparents too, and I think I had a taste of relaxing and now I'm thrown back into the chaos.
Dh works long hours so I'm largely in charge of childcare. Dd is at school and ds1 goes to nursery three mornings, but I still find when they are all together I don't get a minute to myself. The house is always a total tip and I think I'm getting a bit stir crazy as I gave up work when number three came along.
Can anyone identify, tell me there is light at the end of the tunnel or give some coping tips. Life just seems to be such a roller coaster at the minute. Also have no family close by to help.

i can - it gets better when they are all at school.

Were yours close in age custardo? I just find all that neediness overwelming. Makes me shout at them far too much.

mine are all twelve months apart-literally!
and my hubbie works away alot-infact he worked abroad for my first two pregnancies. i must admit though, i sometimes find i'm probably more organised than some people with less kids. probably because i have to be....school bags lined up at front door;shower like a conveyor belt-one in,one shampooing,swap, rinse,take 1 out,put 3rd in etc!!!!but i wouldn't swap them for the world cos when they're playing altogether they're my 3 little angels...lasts about 10 mins.until 2 turn against 1!!!!seriously,you'll cope cos you have to.just make sure they know you love em.

mine are all twelve months apart-literally!
and my hubbie works away alot-infact he worked abroad for my first two pregnancies. i must admit though, i sometimes find i'm probably more organised than some people with less kids. probably because i have to be....school bags lined up at front door;shower like a conveyor belt-one in,one shampooing,swap, rinse,take 1 out,put 3rd in etc!!!!but i wouldn't swap them for the world cos when they're playing altogether they're my 3 little angels...lasts about 10 mins.until 2 turn against 1!!!!seriously,you'll cope cos you have to.just make sure they know you love em.nothing else matters!

mine are all twelve months apart-literally!
and my hubbie works away alot-infact he worked abroad for my first two pregnancies. i must admit though, i sometimes find i'm probably more organised than some people with less kids. probably because i have to be....school bags lined up at front door;shower like a conveyor belt-one in,one shampooing,swap, rinse,take 1 out,put 3rd in etc!!!!but i wouldn't swap them for the world cos when they're playing altogether they're my 3 little angels...lasts about 10 mins.until 2 turn against 1!!!!seriously,you'll cope cos you have to.just make sure they know you love em.nothing else matters!

WOOPS! sorry to repeat myself!(but i'm used to that having three of em!!!!)

eldest was 3 when twins were born. its a fuckin nightmare - many many sympathies!!

i find it best to give them something messy in the garden sit on a chair - watch them get all mucky - and love it. and just enjoy the 15 mins peace you get.

either that or i used to walk a lot - walk them a lot hopefully tire them out

am thinking stuff like - get a roll of wall paper and let them paint on it - right accross the garden. anything with water - planting stuff - diggin mud.

or alternatively put your mp3 player or equivalent in - give them pots and pans and spoons - and pretend to listen to them play the drums - i sued to do that.

the feeling is normal

fuck the houework- it will always be there.

'eldest was 3 when twins were born. its a fuckin nightmare - many many sympathies!!'

Damn, custardo! I'd have been permanently drunk and had them in the garden so I could smoke myself into an early grave.

My children are exactly the same age as yours Mog!

I know exactly how you feel but you just have to let the house go a bit and cling on to the fact that in just a couple of years they'll all be at school!

Thanks to those who know what it's like. I'm seriously looking into going back to work (logistics a nightmare though) to give me some sort of break. Just find I'm run ragged every day and yet everything is still in chaos. And don't get me started on whining. should deffo be used by our armed forces as a form of torture.

I so know what you are talking about, my eldest was 20 months when the twins were born, and they are now 3years and 20 months.

ATM they are driving me mad, heat and lack of sleep not helping me. Occasionally get argh moments when they all play together, but it is a big long slog!!

The house is totally out of control, no system, no order, just mess and chaos. I can't find time to do the basics, let alone any of the more organisational stuff.

I try not to feel taken over, or overrun (ha ha!), and just go with the flow. Kids are the priority of course, and wouldn't want to get my priorities wrong, but would be nice to actually finish a job some day!!

three born within three years and a week.
I am a worn out wreck.
I love it.

lol gdg! - I just know that no way do you follow your own advice and 'let the house go a bit' [chuckling fondly emoticon]

No you try and do it all! I'm certain of it!

my mate had a baby ........and 5 months later got pg again

she delivered a month early

so thats a 13 month gap

........

.....and they were triplets!!!
Now thats close!

oh how very unfortunate!!

i am sure they are lovley really.

Mine are 7, 5 and 3 now, oldest was 3.8 when ds2 born.
I have always found if I can take one out of the equation then it helps (eg one at nursery or school or napping).
Also I try to get some one-on-one time with each one each day (not always easy!).
I do think 3 is a big age - not a baby, no more pushhchair, nappies, different food/cups/cutlery/chairs etc. Suddenly they can do anything anyone does (I mean not suddenly, but YKWIM) and speech/patience/attention span so much better (and theirs too lol).
I have certainly found it's getting easier all the time as DS2 gets mor emature. No need to cart a huge bag of crap about with me everywhere either.
Don't wish it away tho - one day soon you will look around and wonder where your baby went....

DS was 3.10 and DD1 was 15 months when dd2 was born. It is very hard work, but now DS and DD1 are at full time school it defo. easier (DS is now 8.6 and DD1 is 6 and DD2 is 4.9) Dd2 is starting fulltime school is sept. I was quite lucky that Ds and DD1 went to a Special needs nursery and they had full time placements from the age of 3. Now the girls play together and they all entertain each other. I am still needed to break up fights and run about for them

we have 3 years 3 months start to FINISH...two lovely girls and a boy in between. First 6 months were dreadful, dd2 was always crying for a feed during tea and bath time. Now got dd1 at school half days, ds in playgroup and dd2 is 18 months...would probably have been ok if dd2 doesn't have bowel disease and always ill...and dh works ridiculously long hours so we don't see him in the week...wouldn't change it, but def wouldn't have anymore!

mog, sorry no useful words of wisdom to impart. Ds is 5, DD1 is 3 (and tantrum queen of the county!) and DD2 is 16 mos -so 22 mos bet. each. At least DS is in fulltime school and DD at pre-school. My DH is douing an MSc as well as his job and a 2hr commute so I feel like a single mum and it's been a real strain recently. Can';t be too bad ythough cos I do q. want a 4th!!

i have four close together, 6 yo, 4 yo, and 16mnth dts. I tend to ignore them as much as poss! We're making the most of the nice weather and have a garden full of toys and paddling pools and I chuck them out there most days. Then they are entertained enough so that I do get time to breath, though I can often go all day without eating. But then they all go to bed at 6-6.30 so i get wind down time in the evenings. Sympathies to you, but enjoy them.

Mine arent quite as close as some here but I had 3 under 4 at one stage, now 6y5m, 4y5m and 2y8m. Mog, my life sounds a bit like yours Mog, I never seem to get a break, my husband is a doc so does long hours and on call (though at least he has 2 half days a week in lieu which makes a HUGE difference), my house is a mess adn I never have any me time - I tend to stay up really late just to get a bit of time on my very own!
My best coping mechanism was getting a cleaner. I have her 2 mornings a week (even though I am a sahm) and it at least gives me the reassurance that the mess will be relatively organised at some point, esp for the weekend as she comes on Fri. My eldest dd is at school, my ds is at nursery 5 mornings (but of course it is the school hols here now so we are ALL at home ALL day!)
Any 2 out of 3 is OK, but all 3 together can be an exercise in cloud control adn little else.