If you've got three or more kids

[Mog]

just how exhausted are you? I feel completely done in at the moment. dh is working away from home and have children of 6, 4.5 and 3. Is this normal? Just feel there is never a moment spent not meeting their needs.

MrsW but do you point out car transporters before looking round and realising you are alone in the car (or worse, driving with a grown-up colleague)?

Congratulations, ggg. Was thinking about you and your family only last night, so nice to hear your good news.

Whne my dcs are teenagers they will say things like, 'Mum, can I help with the ironing?' 'I'm not going out tonight, I have a Penguin Classic to finish' and 'I've got a Saturday job, can I give you any rent?' Given the way dh and I behaved as teenagers it's a certainty.

well we went from 0 - 3 in one swoop and oh my god, i am so tired all the time, by the time they are in bed i often follow. am so looking forward to september when they will be in school or nursery so at long last will have 3 days all to myself.

my hubby is a postman so gets up v early and is so tired when he get home that he gets ratty quite quickly i know he doesn't mean to.

my middley also has SN so that makes it harder for me to cope with.

still wouldn't swop and who knows might go another one if they came along

permanantly fucked!!

sorry but I am
dd's are 7, 2 and 7 months
and I am totally drained all the time

and i can't even spell permanently ugh...thats still not right

ggg - and I quote you exactly "teenagers are a natural contraceptive". And yet.... CONGRATULATIONS!

So to sum up, we all find it hardest when there are under-2's in the house, particularly multiples/SN and especially babies? And teenagers.

To the OP: on a scale of 1-10, I am on 11.

TBH I was better when the smallest was a baby for some reason. It seems to get worse when they get older. Or perhaps it's just my children. Or working as well. Don't know but I was fine until DS~2 was about 18months then it all started to take it's toll.

congratulations GGG

Clary umm yes I've done that and I even did it on the bus once when the kids were sitting several seats back (it wasnt obvious they were mine) I'm sure I saw people edging away from me that day

I have 5 and i am so tired it's ridiculous i think i'm up late if it's past 10 I love them all dearly but wouldn't recommend 5 to anyone

I have three and its constant. I guess thats the choice we made when we decided on each one.

just been oh holiday with 5

15,13,11 4 and 1 and alongside ggglimpopo i would say babies much easier!

teenagers drove me to tears more than once

We have a 9 yr old, 8 yr old and 5 month old. I'm mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted all of the time. The wee man is great fun, and I'm loving being a mum to a baby again, but bloody hell, I'm knackered.

Had a lovely morning this morning. They all piled into bed with me and the older 2 were teaching the baby new words and all of us were in hysterics. that's what gets you through the hard times.

Obviously anyone who is foolish enough not to work full time has only themselves to blame if they find a lot of children 24/7 difficult. It's unnatural. So I recommend going back to full time work and ensuring some equality in your marriage too. Works for lots of us.

Lol Xenia! The main reason I'm a SAHM is b/c I got screwed up by my mum having a full-time and very rewarding career and she just wasn't there when I needed her. I'm dead proud of her but that hasn't stopped me choosing to stay at home.

I feel like I need a lie-down after just READING this thread

I am aware that I will need dark glasses when taking dd1 back to school next week b/c of weeping at school gates. That probably is a bit unnatural!

I didn't think it was possible to be this tired and still function (dcs are 7.5, 5.5 and 1.5). Thank God for caffeine and CBeebies...

I am shattered but happy. Some weaks my trio really take it out of me then other weeks it is a doddle and I think'ohhh what if!!'
Mine are 3.10,20m and nearly 8m. Must say so far the youngest is proving by far to be the hardest as she is very demanding and clingy.

Hi, I have 3 x ds ( 9,6,22mnths )haven't read all the posts Sorry but the op rang a chord.

Went to doctors 3 months ago as was so tired could hardly talk. Did all the tests, nothing wrong. Got the how much time do you have for yourself? talk. Thought what a load of crap but decided that it was a good way of getting out of housework without husband complaining, the doctor told me I had to do it!! - going to gym (baby in creche) going to mum & toddler groups, wandering around shops for a while ( DH babysitting) getting up early and going for a run , alloting yourself an hour to read book, talk to MN etc etc.

I can honestly say that apart from a couple of occasions after long days, times of the month etc I have not felt too tired to do anything.

I don't know wether its a change in attitude or what but works and I still manage to do all the stuff I did before and more.

i had 3 children one after the other, it all went by in suchn a blur i cant really remember it. waited 10 years then had another one! but i must say i enjoyed my son so much. i have had so much more time to spend with him and get to know him better i guess. i think when you have lots of kids too close its kind of hard on everyone. and yes i was constantly shattered. if had time over again would have about 4 years between each. x

I have 2 - 4yrs & 2.5 yrs and an expecting number 3 in the new year, drven by the nagging sense that someone was missing - certain I will stop at 3.

I am not as brave as many mn regulars and am only contemplating it because I have an amazing hands on husband (who is out with them both now and has been for the last 2 hours on some kind of nature ramble/adventure!) and is home for bath/bed time 95/100 times.

Anyone who goes it alone - I salute you x

Rapunzelle Can I use you as my mentor please?! I've got ds 3.5 and dd 2 and am planning to have another one next year. Would love to hear how you get on!

Petitfilou I am delighted to be your guinea pig