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Monday 24 September 2007

OK, so maybe having three children is a BIT mad

I know I've vented on this blog before about people (especially Londoners) treating you like a freak for having three kids. OK, so it means you have more children than you have hands, say, or eyes. OK, so the kids outnumber the parents. OK, so it's just not as neat and tidy and compartmentalised as having two. But I like it, OK? I like the mess, the chaos, the general zooishness of home with three kids in it. I like the ever-changing dynamics between the kids. I like it when they all laugh together; when they invent games together; when they sing and dance round the living room together. Lately, however, I've been beginning to realise why perhaps so many people pursuing careers as well as trying to maintain family lives stop at one or two. Having three kids seems to have tipped me over the edge on the control front. Over the last week I've been desperately trying to get back on top of an overburdened email inbox and attempting to start at 5,000 word article on the future of publishing for a US-based journal at the same time as managing Ava's first birthday celebrations, circumnavigating the world of children's entertainers (in preparation for Eden's sixth celebrations), planning Nathan's start at nursery and trying to stay on top of Eden's new school requirements (in Year 1 they get Homework and have things called School/Home Contact Books and have to learn Spellings. Yikes). Things crystallised further tonight as I picked up some random hair clips of Eden's from the bathroom floor and mused, for the millionth time, on where all the missing hair clips go. It's the same with missing socks and the tiny parts from toys. These all seem like small things, I know, but the cumulative effect of not being in control of all these seemingly insignificant things adds weight to the other more serious challenges. Maybe it was having No 3 that sent me over the edge. Or maybe it was child No 3 that just stopped me from being a hideous control freak. Instead I am only a mild control freak. Or something. A Mum pal was regaling me the other day about how she carefully pairs all the socks for her and her kids, but refuses to do this for her partner. He throws them on opposite sides of the room when he takes them off, so he doesn't deserve the full sock-pairing service, she reasons. If only I ever got round to pairing any socks! Sigh.

6 comments:

Sonie Shaw said...

You need me to be your personal PA - I even iron my teatowels; much to the amusement/disbelief of hubby!!

Son xxx

ricoeurian said...

I pair the socks in our house - my wife won't do it. Although she obviously likes having paired socks, because she leaves all the dry, washed ones in a pile 'for the Sock Fairy'.

Dina said...

when i put my clothes on the line the pairs of socks have to be next to each other so i immediately pair them up .

Jan said...

YOu are doing VERY well to write a Blog at this stage of your life!
I think that is a minor miracle.
And even though I am quite a lot older than you and live in a tidy (hmm) childfree zone (apart from Tuesdays) because my babies have all left home to pair up their own socks( amongst other things).... BUT I can NEVER pair up socks.
They only come in 1's or 3's 0r 5's in my house.
It Is A Fact.

Jan said...

YOu are doing VERY well to write a Blog at this stage of your life!
I think that is a minor miracle.
And even though I am quite a lot older than you and live in a tidy (hmm) childfree zone (apart from Tuesdays) because my babies have all left home to pair up their own socks( amongst other things).... BUT I can NEVER pair up socks.
They only come in 1's or 3's 0r 5's in my house.
It Is A Fact.

Unknown said...

I enjoyed reading this blog. You write very well.

My husband and I are considering a third. Life seems "perfect" with two but...
I thought I might be pregnant and it turned our future visions of the family of four upside down. It was a bit challenging to alter the vision. Then we did and even became excited about the third. When we discovered it wouldn't be (this time) I am feeling sad and thinking three children seems wonderful and not as overwhelming as previously thought. Your blog gave me more to consider. Thanks!