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Parenting

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Original poster

Calling all mums of large families...

43 replies

rosylizzie · 18/03/2008 13:53

Im thinking four plus, do you ever feel your life just lurches from minor crisis to minor crisis? I have five 11 down to 8 months and as well as juggling work, builders have had 5 trips to hospital, three to Gp, two to vet for dog having pups all in past 10 days, nothing serious broken arm, tonsilitis etc..
Wondering if anyone care to join me (if you have time) as I feel all the 2 child families I know just have no notion of the chaos and unpredictabilty and FUN of a big family!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

MarsLady · 18/03/2008 13:58

will join you later (have a mere 5) but rather busy today and have a sick DD.

No dogs (thank the Lord) and currently relative (lol) peace at home.

137wallis · 18/03/2008 14:13

hi I have 5 boys between 9 and 9months, a cat that has just had 5 kittens and know exactally what you mean, touch wood no hospital trips yet, but in the 2 months around christmas we had broken fingers, elbow, emergency willy surgery and flu, and no one I know understands that a week in our house without a minor crisis is not normal! oh and just had parents eves with lurch from great to really really bad depending on whoose teacher you see, so I'd love to join!
and my barmy hubbie wants at least 2 more! lol

pedilia · 18/03/2008 14:15

Some days just seem to be crazy!! And I only have 3 (pg with number 4) but I do also have 3 horses,1 dog and 2 cats so am constantly on the go!

137- will you have more?

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137wallis · 18/03/2008 14:19

don't know, have pni at the mo, so not yet but we're both young enough to have more in 10yrs time! so maybe one day he would have them tomorrow though!

procrastinatingparent · 18/03/2008 14:22

According to a friend (who has five kids), a family of four has an average of five completely illness-free weeks a year.

But he only told me after I'd had my fourth baby. And at the moment I think five weeks a year is optimistic...

Fennel · 18/03/2008 14:27

I only have 3, not loads, but actually since dd3 was born nearly 4 years ago we have had virtually no illness in any of us. No trips to A&E ever, no broken bones, nothing except mild chicken pox all round. Hardly a day off nursery or school by any of them in that time.

I think it could be partly with more children you ignore the minor sniffles and bumps.

magnolia74 · 18/03/2008 14:29

We have 5 from age 12 down to 15 months plus 2 cats and 2 dogs. Yes life is hectic and crazy but I wouldn't want it any other way

PrincessPeaHead · 18/03/2008 14:30

I have four children, two dogs, a horse and a load of chicken eggs in the incubator... when it all works it is fine, but when they all get ill one after the other it is a NIGHTMARE

at least prime flu-season is over (I hope)

I think the puppies/kittens might be putting an additional strain on your life which you probably didn't need...!! Look on the bright side. At least your dog/cat didn't die in labour like my friend's did, which necessitated feeding 8 puppies by hand every 2 hours for weeks and weeks and weeks...

Quadrophenia · 18/03/2008 14:33

I have four children aged between 4 and 7, the biggest thing that if find a problem is the bickering. they all love eachother and are very close, but can be so vile towarsd eachother, it really gets to me. i work part time and this has put an extra strain on things and although it is good for my sanity trying to fit everything in a keep organised takes meticulous planning and sometimes I just want to sit on my arse but there is always so much to do.

magnolia74 · 18/03/2008 14:34

Oh yes Quad, its the bickering that makes me sometimes wonder why I have 5 kids

Swedes · 18/03/2008 14:38

I have four children (16 years old at the top and 8 months old at the bottom). No pets. It's wonderful as long as we all get a good night's sleep.

Swedes · 18/03/2008 14:38

I have four children (16 years old at the top and 8 months old at the bottom). No pets. It's wonderful as long as we all get a good night's sleep.

tiredmumov4 · 19/03/2008 11:21

i have four 6 4 2 and 4.5 months 1 gog and 2 gerbils ,not been to bad on the sickness front since the dreaded novo virus which we all had!
its the endless feeding that gets me i bake nearly every day and fill the fruit bowl alternate days they just never ever stop and whilst im ranting do any of you have tidy houses?

Psychomum5 · 19/03/2008 11:29

I feel as tho I am living in a 'domino' effect.

I have 5, and it seems as tho just as soon as one os sorted, the next needs attention, and then we lurch to the next crisis!!!!

last week I couldn't see 'the woods for the tree's', so to speak, as I had DD1 having panic attacks (still ongoing so am under docs ATM), DD2 having next round of dyslexia testing, DD3 is currently undergoing a 6wk course of twice weekly blod tests for nuetropenia, DS2 was flagged for dyslexia, and then I got called into school about DS2 as he just isn;t making progress and they are worried about him, as am I because since our car accident last october his bowel issues is worse again.........

arghhhhhhh.......!!!!!!!

honestly......and then I get DH reckoning I sit about all day drinking coffee, even tho he comes home to a relatively calm and tidy house and dinner in the oven and not e frazzled me not coping.....so obviously all is easy and simple!!!!!!

he doesn't get to see me trying like hell not to pour myself a HUGE glass of wine for my lunch just to calm me down, as I cannot work out which problem deserves the most attention right now

MehgaLegs · 19/03/2008 11:31

I have four boys, 2,4,6 and 8. It has it's ups and downs. They all had Chicken Pox last month - that was fun . DS3 is off school today as he is croupy and after a scarey bout put him in hospital last Dec I am being careful.

Washing is non stop. Housework is non stop (if you want to keep on top of it). Noise is non stop but I wouldn't be without them.

ChopsTheDuck · 19/03/2008 11:33

I have four, but mine don't very often get sick, sorry! I think in total Ive prob been to the gp less than 15 times with the lot of them.
Though, last week, I did have to go pick up ds1 after he pooed his pants at school.

I have had phases of not being able to catch up at all though, jsut because of tons of random tests they needed, and seeming to spend more time in A&E than in my own house.

Psychomum5 · 19/03/2008 11:34

oh yeah....the washing!!!!

as soon as I sigh with relief as I finally have three empty baskets, so the girls clear out under their beds and they are all over-flowing again.

at least the boys try to help.........DS1 will try to wear the same filthy outfit for a week just because it has pirates on the front and that is his fave right now and he isn;t for waiting for it to go thro the wash!

ChopsTheDuck · 19/03/2008 11:34

oht he washing, I still haven't caught up. Wer've been decorating and getting new wardrobes, so that took all my child free time for about three weeks and left no time to do the usual day to day stuff.

ChopsTheDuck · 19/03/2008 11:35

lol psychomum!

ds1 gets attached to his pants. Atm, it is a rather fetching pair of stripey boxers, and they tend to stick out the top of his trousers, so the school probably think I'm not bathing him.

MehgaLegs · 19/03/2008 11:37

Yes, I have my own seat in A&E (although I have now discovered the minor injuries clinic - much quicker.)

Between them we have had one broken arm, various head injuries to be glued, broken and split nose, choking and a cut willy (ooh DS1 in a nasty paddling pool incident - the doc did a little wince)

cazboldy · 19/03/2008 11:41

I have 5 - 2 girls, 3 boys

11, 8, 6, 2 and 11 months

and my dh is a dairy farmer, and we live in a menagerie..........

my house isn't tidy, biut it is clean iykwim (that is underneath all the junk! ) actually it's not bad atm as anything on the floor ends up in dd2's mouth, so it is ultra tidy in the living room

My dishwasher has gone wrong....

ds3 is off school with tonsillitis

My mum is on holiday without my dad, and they foster 2 boys, and he is lonely, so is constantly on the phone, or "popping round" at dinner time.........

ChopsTheDuck · 19/03/2008 11:41

owowow!!

we've had, a split nose, swallowed angina tablets, a finger nearly sliced off, a split forehead, non stop vommitting, a jump out of a first floor window, half a bottle of perfume drank,

I sound like a terrible mother!! The dts are like little bolts of lightening charging roudn the house though.

cazboldy · 19/03/2008 11:43

we seem to be very lucky on the injuries front, but I don't want to speak too soon............ last trip to a&e was with ds1, who dislocated his finger carching a cricket ball on Easter Sunday 3 years ago!

ChopsTheDuck · 19/03/2008 11:45

aww!
we've had one of those too, at soft play. But then ds1 does tend to dislocate things.

does anyone else find that they are constantly getting things broken since you can't watch 4+ children at the same time? I've had so many nice things smashed or destroyed when my attention has been elsewhere.

tiredmumov4 · 19/03/2008 11:46

it does make you wonder what ya did all day when ya had less of the lil darlings though dontcha think!

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