If you made a deliberate decision to have 3 children how is it?

[headinclouds]

as a follow on from the really interesting (thanks concordia) thread re: stopping at 2 children, for those who went on and had 3 how is it?

It's a nightmare!! I have had 3 under 5, now they are 3, 5 & 7 and I feel like I am just emerging from the chaos. I think it was Fennel who was spot on when she said you can't appreciate the calm of 3 over 5 until you have had 3 under 5. Needless to say, when it is good it is very very good and when it is bad it is - well I don't think a word has been invented which describes it

i had 3 under 4. looking back, it was all a daze. And the community mental health team were involved! (only slightly). But underneath it all, i always thought, i've got it over with in one go. it can only get better from now on!

They are now aged 12, 10 and 9 respectively. It is slightly easier,the challenges are more emotional than physical. (yes i know it feels v.v. emotional when they are little,but wait til you have puberty on your hands)!

But...... three is a magic number. Very special indeed. I don't regret it, not one tiny little bit

i had 3 under 4. looking back, it was all a daze. And the community mental health team were involved! (only slightly). But underneath it all, i always thought, i've got it over with in one go. it can only get better from now on!

They are now aged 12, 10 and 9 respectively. It is slightly easier,the challenges are more emotional than physical. (yes i know it feels v.v. emotional when they are little,but wait til you have puberty on your hands)!

But...... three is a magic number. Very special indeed. I don't regret it, not one tiny little bit

I didn't deliberatly choose to have 3 but wouldn't chabge it now

Its easier in some ways and harder in others.

For example - weaning was a LOT easier,
mine are nearly 6, 4 and 1 so all have very diff needs.

I am much more relaxed about things now...ds1 was pfb so i rushed to him the second he cried, ds2 was (and still is) a NIGHTMARE so ds3 just sits somewhere in the middle haha! Still not sleeping thru though

Love it. Adore seeing them all together. Can't believe I have 3 gorgeous girls.

It's bloody hard work. They often drive me bananas. Very hard to organise childcare/babysitters/activities they all enjoy.

Wouldn't change a thing.

Just reading through the thread soooooo many people have 3 girls - strange!

yes, mine are all DDs

I am the eldest of 3 and always wanted 3 children myself (well actually wanted 4 but I'm now 42 so have left it a bit late ).

Now have 2 dd's who are 4 and 3 and ds1 who is 15 weeks.

I feel absolutely complete and have never been so content and happy in my whole life.

However, I think I am lucky as they have all been good sleepers and eaters - though have had their fair share of the grumps etc! .

DP is also booked in for a vasectomy - seems like he is not alone!

nope 3 ds's...but having 3 the same sex seems to be a common theme....

3 ds here and I admit I am finding it very very hard. They are 5 3 and 11 months. Now ds3 is climbing and into everything its so much harder. He has been the hardest baby too. the most whingy out of the 3 so 3rds are not always easy. His big brothers adore him though and of course I could never regret having him but whether I am enjoying it I am not sure.

mine are 9,3 and 2

was rather hard work when the gecko was tiny but they are now starting to play together (the little two)

also now that gecko is toilet trained and can so easily tell me what she wants, it is easier

but she wakes through the night at least every two hours which sucks to the back teeth but I want another one

You can find various old threads from me 3 or 4 years ago saying that 3 was too many. When we had 2 or 3 tiny children things like taking them swimming on your own was just impossible, and I used to dread a whole day with them on my own. It could be utterly grim.

But today, dp has just taken all 3 dds swimming. I get to stay home and potter around on my own. And later he's going windsurfing and I will take the dds out somewhere and I even look forward to that these days, rather than dreading it. It does change.

And friends with bigger age gaps or fewer children are always desperately phoning us at weekends to borrow a child to entertain theirs, whereas we never need to entertain ours at all, they just play together.

i was desparate for my third. the first year was just fantastic...i enjoyed him more as a baby that i did with my first two...i was more confident, laid back, happy to trust my instincts more, and that was truely wonderful.

now my kids are getting older (8, 5 and 2) its getting harder in every respect....trying to balance everything. giving time to the older ones, finding activities which suit everyone so we can spend happy family times together etc, looking out for 3 kids when they run in different directions etc...

having said that, i love it....it feels like other posters have said...kind of "untidy" and it feels good!

no regrets at all, but it does make life just that bit noisier, more chaotic, more expensive and sometimes difficult.

Fennel
There is light at the end of the tunnel!! I have to say DP can manage older 2 DDs and i take DD3 and it works great, and i feel its a break too. Looking forward to DP taking all 3 and pottering around the house..
I def go through the grim days but great to hear it gets better...

well...am really hoping that we have had a major breakthrough....because ys and ms have been, mostly, playing lovely the last couple of days...bless...
but yeah, them getting older will make things easier....hmm...but es is going into Teenagehood, lol...suppose ms and ys are going through that at similar times, eh