For ANYONE who thinks having 2 dcs is hard work (or even 1)...

[phlossie]

There have been a few posts on here recently from people expecting their second dc and worrying about how they'll cope. I have two and very low standards of cleaning etc - my house is scummy, and the children and I often wear slightly grubby clothes.

If you're like me I don't know if this will inspire you, comfort you or just make sure you reach for your contraception next time you and your dp get friendly (how do they even find the time and energy?)!!

but where do they all sleep??

My mil was when we said we want at least one more after this baby(#4)
I must make her watch this programme

ah,but if you have teenagers to help out with the lo's,its alot easier.i personally find having 5 easier than having 1 or 2.in fact i'd say having just one was the most difficult time of all,even though it only lasted 11 months.

i would like to know where they put them all though,i have a 4 bedroom house and it seems to small!

Hmmmmmm.

There is no way, even with 'careful budgeting' they manage on his salary, especially when it says "Derek's colleagues were a bit surprised when he downshifted his promising career after their sixth child to work partly at home."

Whatever, it sounds like the woman has no life of her own outside of her kids. Fair enough, but that is her decision. It shouldn't be a reason for parents of fewer children to feel guilty that they are not this 'supermum' figure.

Ditto, how on earth does this work financially? There is not a cat in hell's chance that they get through just on Derek's flexi-time salary even with 'careful budgeting'...

From the article, the food costs alone are about £2,500 per month and pocket money is £240 per month. Christ knows what the utility bills must be for a house with that many people, but they must be paying over £3,000 per month before they even think about things like mortgage, council tax, clothing (which they buy new) etc, so let's conservatively say about £4,000 per month, or £48,000 per year AFTER tax.

If Derek's flexi-time job (which allows him to wander in and out the office) is paying over £60,000 per year then can someone please tell me what it is and I'll sign up right now!

Well done to them. Whether or not any of us believe the figures, or agree with the life choices it has entailed, they are raising a family and they deserve congratulations as being parents is an awesome thing with huge responsibilitiy whether a family has 1 child or 25. This isn't recognised that much in the media or given the true status it really should be afforded from society imo.

(But will admit I'm looking around the horror zone of my house and the panic is ever rising at how on earth I'm going to cope when our second baby arrives in 7ish weeks time! What a woman Debbie must be)