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I have been right at 6-7 enrolled until about 1 month ago when I lost 3 kids in a matter of a month, 2 lost jobs one left because of school. So I keep getting alot of calls for infants, infants are nice especially when they grow with you. I have had 2 infants before, one started when she was 7 months the other started when he was 8 mo, these 2 are only 5 days apart, they are now 4 1/2 and still with me. So I had an interview for a baby who will start in mid aug and he'll be 8.5 mo old, now I have an interview (only because the other family hadn't let me know yet) on thursday for a 3 month old. I know I did it before and it was difficult at times, how many of you brave it and do 2 babies at the same time along with 4 others being between 2-5 yrs? I want to do it but then I'm also kind of hesitant. Any thoughts? would you do it?
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I had an infant in my care he started at 4 weeks back in November then stayed with me until he moved the first part of June. He was here for about a month when my own little one was a newborn. Along with a mix of other kids between 18mos and 6yrs. I found it VERY difficult. I did it, I made it work. I currently have 3 openings, but I am looking for 1 year and up because I thought it was a little too much with my own baby and the other infant. I am not sure how it would differ if neither infant was my own.
Being as the one is 8.5 months old he(?) is likely to be more mobile, and perhaps not so needy? This boy I had seemed slightly behind in his development and constantly starved for attention. I think after my DD gets to be a toddler/preschooler I'd be willing to try again with two infants, as long as neither were my own.Give a little love to a child, and you get a great deal back. -
I wouldn't take two new borns, but I think that a 9 month old and 3 month old is doable...Comment
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That's kind of what I thought, by 9 mo. they are at least playing and not so needy, and still nap alot. What about doing activities with the older kids? I remember back when I had my 2 8 mo olds I remember that on some days the schedule was off, basically I had to be more flexible with it. Part of me likes having them newborns that way they stay with you and they get "used" to you and the rules early on opposed to having a 2-4 yr old coming in. I guess I'll see how the interview goes. Thanks ladies.Comment
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I currently have 3 newborns, well 4 months now, and I love it!!! They love to watch and babble to each other and it makes my day so much easier...
The 3 toddlers sing and "read" to them... It has changed the entire tone of the group. They have become so loving and careful. They absolutely love "their babies"...:
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The youngest I've had so far come in was a 9 month old. She stayed with me until she was 17 months...I still have her sporadically (dcm switched to 2nd shift) during the day though. I interviewed for a newborn for January of 2011 but we should be deeper in the adoption process by then and the thought of us having a newborn and me having someone else's newborn is making me feel very anxious. I sort of wish I would have told new dcm that I'm not accepting but come fall, I will only have 2 toddlers and 1 after schooler on a normal basis so I was afraid of not finding another toddler.Comment
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:: I wish I had a choice about dealing with 2 newborns at the same time, but I don't. I approximately 4-5 months, I will be having twins of my own. I keep trying to figure out the logistics like nursing both at the same time, taking them and my soon-to-be 2 year old to the grocery store, etc. Life is about to get very crazy in our house. ::
But I did take on a 6 mth old when my DD was 6 weeks old. They were great together. They were basically growing up like brother and sister, until the mom got a nasty attitude with me and I had to terminate, but that's a whole other story and not worth reliving. Frankly, I'd rather have 2 infants that aren't mobile yet, than have 2 toddlers who are into EVERYTHING. I, personally, think toddlers are the most work. But that's just my opinion.Comment
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Thanks everyone, I'm just so worried about having to be so occupied with 2 little ones that the older ones are being more neglected. I know I've done it before with the 2 8 mo olds I had, it worked fine, but I was lucky with them and I'm afraid I wont be so lucky this time around. They were both great sleepers, neither of them were whiney (however one of them is alot now and she's 4 1/2). I know getting used to the schedule takes a couple weeks then I'll kind of know. I have the with the 4 week old tonight, they need care sooner than the 9 mo old so I would be able to adjust to the first one before the other started, ugh I guess I'll have to just see how it goes tonight. I definetly know I want the first baby the 8.5 mo old.
thanks again everyoneComment
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I wouldn't see it as a problem, but that's just me. I have an 11mo that started at 8months (full-timer) and a 8mo that started at 6mo (part-timer) and a 19mo that started when he was 8mo (part-timer). That wasn't so bad. I'm also expecting so in December I'll have my own newborn, a 1y and 5mo, a 1 yr and 5m old and my now 19mo will have graduated to toddler at 2 years. It's nice to have their ages spread out at least by a couple of months. I don't know if I could handle 2 really small infants (younger than 6 mo).
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I've done it twice. I had 2 girls that were 4 days apart in age, then a few yrs later I had 2 boys that were 7 weeks apart. The girls were together starting at 5 months, the boys were 6 mos & 8 mos. You just have to be organized and stay ahead of them. Make bottles ahead and have all supplies ready and out for diapering, etc. With the girls, since it was my first time having 2 babies and also they were only 5 months old, I had a little chart for the first couple months of who got bottles and diapers and what time. Otherwise I felt like I would mix them up. Probably wouldn't have, but it was for my sanity. I got used to it all real fast though. Each of the pairs loved "growing up" together. Had the girls until age 5 (other one stayed about 6 months longer), the boys until one was 4 and the other (who is still here) is now 7. You can do it!! Just be mentally prepared as well.Comment
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thanks, I keep thinking that I did it before but that was 4 years ago, but now that my group is almost turning over maybe starting with a couple babies would be nice again. My other 2 5 year olds that I had since they were babies just left, it was really hard. My 2 4 1/2 yr olds that I've had since babies one is leaving in august, mom's having a baby and not going back to work and the other one is leaving at the end of next summer right before kinder. So maybe having to babies would be fun. The only other concern I have is the set up of my house, since babies eat at different times from each other and the older kids, my kitchen isn't near the daycare room, I can see a portion of it but that's it. I suppose until they are eating "people" food, I can just feed them in high chairs in the daycare room. I'm already thinking
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I also wanted to tell you, unsolicited ::, that puppy training pads have made my life so much better....while caring for multiples...
The amount of laundry was becoming atrocious (power bill topped $400 this month, alone), so placing inexpensive puppy pads, covered with never used cloth diapers, under leaky newborns in their cribs saved me from using over 12 sets of sheets/mattress pads a day.... I use one puppy pad and about 3 cloth diapers each, now, per day.
I plan to continue using them under their sheets once they start rolling around. Will keep them dry and make the pack-n-plays last longer, I hope
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Sorry for the hijack, just wanted to share with you
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Wow electric bill of $400/mo
, I thought mine was bad in Jan and dec it got to $300.
Thanks for the info. I don't remember my other little ones "leaking" through but if that happens sounds like a great idea. The puppy pads aren't expensive?Comment
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Lol!! All three of mine spit up quite a bit (all preterm 4-5 lbs).... They are all on breast milk so I would not expect that, typically.
The last set of twins I had rarely ever spit up but were much larger.
I got a 50 pack of puppy pads for $12 this weekend at petco.Comment
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I had 4 babies this year and last, and now they're all over a year and I miss the babies! Two started with me as newborns, and a set of twins started when they were 9 months. I absolutely love the babies. They are more work in some ways, but I'm one that loves to be holding and rocking a little one. You will have to see how it goes yourself, but I wouldn't be too worried about it. I would let the parents know if you don't have it in your contract that their is (if you want) a probation period, so that if it doesn't work our for some reason they are not totally thrown for a loop.
I agree that having a newborn along with your own newborn would be very hard. First of all a new mother is extra tired, especially if nursing. And second of all I think that God created mothers to be so "in tune" and connected with our own babies that it would be very hard to give the same attention to another newborn.
Best wishes for whatever you decide!Comment
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