As you can imagine, having 3 kids 3 and under (Hudson will be 4 in April) isn't the easiest job in the world. It requires energy, patience, planning and preparing when possible, and of course...a sense of humor.
I can only imagine what family dinners will look like when my kids are a little older.
But I made a list of a few things that help make life just a smidgen easier...if that's possible.
We have two of these and use them so much! We keep one in the kitchen by the highchairs for clean-up after meals, and we keep the other in the diaper bag so we always have one when we're on the go.
We use Pampers diapers in our house, but prefer Huggies wipes (especially the One & Done that are thick) so these are just perfect for us. They are super durable and you can refill it over and over and have it any time and place you need it.
With twins, this thing is vital. Not to mention, Hudson likes to get in there with them from time to time. We went with the big 8 panel one and I'm so glad we did. It fits perfectly in our living room and they still have tons of room to play and run around in it. Our house has a pretty open floor plan so for us, it's not really an option to just let them roam around freely just yet. Door openings are far too wide for a normal baby gate to fit, so this keeps them contained, but allows them a good bit of freedom as well.
3. Clorox Wipes
Because, obviously.
We used these with Hudson when he was younger and they are a life-saver when you're at a restaurant. They stick to the table, then just toss 'em when you're done.
Simple to use and totally worth the price, especially when you have 3 sick kids like I have had the last week. They're almost 100% now, thank goodness. But, this made it so quick and easy to check temps one after another.
A good monitor is not cheap, but it's so worth it! We use this one for the twins and we have another small one for Hudson. (Yes, I still have a monitor in his room.) This one can hold up to 4 cameras, so that's pretty awesome. The only (minor) con I've found: if it's not plugged into the wall adapter, the screen goes black after a minute or so(I guess to save the battery), making you press the top button to turn the video back on. I usually always leave it plugged in, so this hasn't really been an issue for us. Also, occasionally the Wifi will mess with the video/sound for a minute but it's not all that common.
Our Suburban has a DVD player in it, but before we got it we had a portable set like this. There was a time when I said I wouldn't have a DVD player in my vehicle.
Well, I'm smarter now than I was then. Haha!
Especially for road trips, a DVD player is definitely a must for our kids...and our sanity.
Anybody need me to quote Frozen or Despicable Me for them? No?
Anybody need me to quote Frozen or Despicable Me for them? No?
I have proclaimed my love for this sound machine many, many times. The twins have one and Hudson has one. If it weren't for this thing, they would not be the great sleepers they are. The twins would hear Hudson's loud mouth in the mornings when he's up before them, and vice-versa. For that reason, it's a must have for us.
9. Go-go juice for momma
10. And the occasional...
Hahaha!! Kidding. Maybe.
Seriously, though, when you have multiple children who are close in age, the most important things you can have are not material things....
Patience - not always easy to come by
Energy (insert go-go juice here)
Preparation - planning ahead is huge!
A sense of humor - you have to be able to laugh so you don't cry
Flexibility - not the kind where you can touch your toes or put your body into a pretzel, although that'd probably come in handy, too.
A routine - kids thrive on a consistent routine. Things don't have to be done the same exact time every day, but it helps if they're done the same way and in the same order as much as possible.
They like knowing what to expect.
So, if you're a parent of multiple children, especially younger ones, take a deep breath and know you're not alone. We're all figuring this thing out together. Practice a little patience(I say this mostly to myself), keep that sense of humor, go eat some chocolate in the closet, and get that bottle of wine ready for bedtime. ;-)
Oh and keep the Clorox wipes handy, 'cause kids are gross.
A routine - kids thrive on a consistent routine. Things don't have to be done the same exact time every day, but it helps if they're done the same way and in the same order as much as possible.
They like knowing what to expect.
So, if you're a parent of multiple children, especially younger ones, take a deep breath and know you're not alone. We're all figuring this thing out together. Practice a little patience(I say this mostly to myself), keep that sense of humor, go eat some chocolate in the closet, and get that bottle of wine ready for bedtime. ;-)
Oh and keep the Clorox wipes handy, 'cause kids are gross.
We have a portable dvd player set in our car and it's a lifesaver with the girls. They watch beverly chihuahua 2 about 34934830843 times each week. Chlorox wipes have always been my friend and with kids -- I can't live without them. We have a 1 year old and 4 year old (Leah just turned 4 last month).
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