Encouragement Please! Those of You With More Than 4 Kiddos

[SilverSabre25]

OMG I'm glad this thread resurfaced this morning !

It's been a good week, but everyone, and I mean EVERYONE is in a "mood" this morning.

DH had a job interview early so I haven't had a chance to eat breakfast and I'm still in jammies. If it's not one baby needing me, it's the other and I'm switching every ten minutes whether the one in my arms is happy or not. The other kids are going INSANE and DH drove off with my moby wrap in the car.

Hell.

I need chocolate, coffee, and some silence.

[E Daycare]

OMG I'm glad this thread resurfaced this morning !

It's been a good week, but everyone, and I mean EVERYONE is in a "mood" this morning.

DH had a job interview early so I haven't had a chance to eat breakfast and I'm still in jammies. If it's not one baby needing me, it's the other and I'm switching every ten minutes whether the one in my arms is happy or not. The other kids are going INSANE and DH drove off with my moby wrap in the car.

Hell.

I need chocolate, coffee, and some silence.

Say it with me: ITs FRIDAY!!! happyfacehappyfacehappyface

[Francine]

I have a 4 month old, a 9 months old, 22 month old, 2 1/2 and 3 1/2. To be honest as much as I love babies unless one of my existing parents has another baby I don't think that I will take another infant even when I am able. I have so many things that I want to do with the older kids that I just can't with two infants. I'm sure it has alot to do with the fact that neither of my infants are great sleepers at this point : (

[E Daycare]

My biggest mistake was taking a preschooler with a pregnant mommy (I really needed the kid) and said "yup I'll take that there infant of yours too when she comes out".

Now I have a screaming infant with a bunch of rody preschool boys and am thinking " what did I do??!!".

I'll never take another infant.

[Francine]

My biggest mistake was taking a preschooler with a pregnant mommy (I really needed the kid) and said "yup I'll take that there infant of yours too when she comes out".

Now I have a screaming infant with a bunch of rody preschool boys and am thinking " what did I do??!!".

I'll never take another infant.

This is my house too, but with two infants : ( I love them both dearly but not at the same time and not with the older kids. One would be doable but I will never to two infants at the same time again.

[laundrymom]

I have a 4,3,3,2,2, 18mo, 16mo,15mo, 11 mo & 9 mo. I've had all of them since 6 weeks. Not the 9 mo,... He's a new addition.

Then my kids, 10-20.

[E Daycare]

I have a 4,3,3,2,2, 18mo, 16mo,15mo, 11 mo & 9 mo. I've had all of them since 6 weeks. Not the 9 mo,... He's a new addition.

Then my kids, 10-20.

Do you have a private island to go to on the weekends too? To decompress and scream? Because I'd need that to have what you have. You're a saint.

Or deaf.

[KDC]

It's tough... but...

My client and I had kids 1 day apart, then 1 week apart for the next pregnancy. First set I made them wait until infant was 6 months and it worked out. I took on the second one before 3 months of age... DUMB! She had colic and would scream from 3:30 until pick-up. I was breastfeeding and had 4 more toddlers running around. It was definitely a trying time, but I feel like this thread is a public service "It gets better" announcement =) Colicky DCG is now a pleasant toddler and my son's best friend! I stay away from infants though if possible, they're so much work! I also decided to charge more for an infant

Good Luck!

[E Daycare]

Yeah I keep trucking through as eventually this infant with be a toddler and her brother will go off to school.

Next time though it's over age 1 or take up dog sitting.

[Miss Karena]

Be patient with yourself

Thanks everyone. I'm feeling better now...both babes have been fed (a couple times, ) and had a nap. The bigger kids are doing okay despite my mild distraction as I start to figure this thing out. I've never had two babies at a time, and never had such a young dck before, so I was expecting a bit of culture shock...though I was taken aback by the amount I experienced.

I do have a separate baby zone already at least--that's been in place for a long time.

I let new dcb nap in the naproom for his AM nap and I'll get another pack n play set up...somewhere...for his PM nap. Space is a bit at a premium but we'll make it work.

Turns out dcb loves to sit in his car seat and bat at toys or sit in a bouncy seat and bat at toys so I've got him solved for now. DS still wants to chew on the baby, but I think it's revenge for what his ( one month) older cousin always did to him before he was mobile.

I wouldn't have chosen this situation--wouldn't have taken on a brand new client with a baby so close in age to my own--but this is the younger sibling of a family that has been in my daycare since I opened.

This is going to be exhausting, I can tell, but I think it's going to work...once we all settle into a new status quo.

I find six weeks is what it takes to settle into a big change. During that time you may find it helpful to keep track on paper where the problem areas are, then brainstorm solutions to each one, come back to it and write how it did or didn't help. This gets it out of your head and on paper where you can look at it objectively, and feel more in control to work on solutions. Keep chipping away at it like this, and try not to keep it in the back of your mind during the day, worrying while working defeats progress. Also it may allow for easier support or input from DH? Be patient with your program during this transition. Take cues from the children too, sometimes I move in another direction by allowing myself to be less scheduled and more open to their leadings. Do ahead when yo can,lovethis even on the wkend. Make ahead a menu and prepare what foods you can ahead of time, keep your space organized! Last thought, more income, can a little go to an assistant or wkly/mo housekeeper. Even one hour can make a huge difference. (any teen neighbors?) God bless, hope it falls into place nicely!

[Texasjeepgirl]

Tequilia!! Also see: Prozac, a mbien, ever clear and espresso. Shake well and serve straight up.

I have 5 kids (only 2-3 days a week) and even that's insane. Throw an infant in that mix and I'm like "oh yeah I'm only have ONE kid"! My hubby knows when I'm going to have all the Kids that next day because I'm always a little more quiet the night before. I'm pondering how I'm going to not lock myself in the bathroom. Haha

Jk. For the most part

Those that do it every day, boy how I'm impressed. It was easier in an actual daycare when I had 12 kids then in my own home. I miss that sometimes.

VODKA.. AND... Beer.. with pretzels...
(NOT kidding .. for the most part )