3 dc? - Tell me it's not going to be this bad forever!

[loler]

I have 3 DC (standing for demon children) aged 2.5, 5 and 6. For the last two years I've been very smug about how fab having 3dc is, that it's no harder than having 2dc and although life can be loud it's mostly fun.

Well I take every bit of it back - For about a month I have not had a minute to myself ever. I seem to be constantly arguing with at least one of them or stopping them from fighting with each other (they do mostly get on but it's the little everyday wrangles!).
I think the main thing that has changed is DC3 begining to have a (loud) voice of his own - prior to this he was strapped into a pushchair, bribed with sweets(of the healthy type obviously)/toy/etc, now he backs up the other two - 'tag team' style.

The hung parliment makes my life seem easy - I look forward to going to work (now that is weird!).

I feel completely outnumbered - dh has been working away lots (but even when he's around things still not much better!). Please tell me this is a minor blip and things will get easier again (give me a newborn and toddlers any day).

It does get easier.

My three are 7.5, nearly 6 and 4. Now they are all in school and all fairly independant my life is a whole load easier. I found it far harder when they were all under school age, and is has gor progressively easier as they've got older.

No advice (she said helpfully!) but just wanted to yell YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

We are outnumbered and it's the teensiest bit hellish. I'm with you sister!

We are out-numbered too, with 3 dc.

It does get easier now that the youngest is in preschool in the mornings. The afternoons and early mornings are worse than ever though. I have turned into a demon of list making, so the 6 and 7 year olds can collect all their own things together. I frequently feel like I am a referee in this house.

But it is easier than it was a year or so ago.

it does get easier.i remember sobbing at how on earth i was supposed to bath 3 children-sounds silly now but with hormones etc it was huge issue to me .

i couldnt cope without my family life book though,im rubbish at being organised so that helps,you learn to only get involved in squables if you really need to and you learn to ignore them,simple!we try to make time for one child at a time as much as we can-even if its just 5 minute car journey.

im one of 4 and dh is one of 6 so we could never ever admit to familys that we were finding it hard!

im waffling-look what happens when i have no dc in the house!

don't want to be unhelpful, but mine are 9, 6 and 3....they are a bloody nightmare. in fact, i could have written your op.

no advice, but lots of understanding, and its nice to know that i'm not the only woman who struggles a bit with 3 out there!

Mine are similar ages.

I crowd parent.

I tell them they win together - or they lose together.

It's kind of the truth. If one kid is having a tantrum, then I'm not exactly going to leave him at home, and take everyone else out to the park, am I?

I'm not sure if I'm doing it right. I often feel like I'm a meany. Things get fought over = item becomes confiscated as 'causing bad behaviour' = at least two children at my feet crying - but at least they stop fighting with each other.

I also try to emphasise outcomes rather than blame. So if baby brother got hurt, baby brother got hurt, and we need to give him a hug and try to make him feel better. I think my head would explode if I got into she-did/he-did/not-my-fault-mumeeee type business.

The good side of my approach is that they are capable of pulling together and working towards a common goal (helping and coaching each other). The main downsides (besides me being a meanie mum) is that I worry that over the long term disbalances will develop where my easy-going Dd over-accommodates the tyranny of my willful youngest DS.

The thing that drives me batty is the noise level. They are individually loud - and then become louder together. Ds1 is a bit speech delayed, but does like to be heard - so he's developed a nice repertoire of roars and screams.... which Dd and the baby find so funny they copy.... and I'm yelling myself hoarse just to be heard to ask 'who wants peas with that'... Ugh, I pity the neighbours.

So, it's taken me a week to find 2 minutes to check back on here - thanks for the supportive comments. Glad to know I'm not on my own (it really does feel sometimes that no-one else feels the same way).

This week has been better - but isn't it always better when the sun is shining and you can kick the little darlings outside and close the doors to the screaming!

Have also spent a day with another mum of 3 - we had the same moans. I think I'd spent too long with 1 and 2 child families (who have a whole different set of moans!)

However - this weekend we are attempting camping so may be less possitive next week!

Thanks again for spending the little bit of time you get listening to my sorrows x