The third baby

[Anonymous]

I have a bigger age gap, mine were 4.5 and 6.5 when our third was born, so we had a booster, high chair and infant seat. Volvo xc with built in booster FTW! Our third is really easygoing and the older kids love her. Life is stressful because our middle has some anxiety/adhd issues and work is crazy. If our middle was more easy going, it would feel doable. I could NEVER have done it if there was a closer age gap. I know several families that have 4, and the oldest is 5. How they function, I’ll never know.

[Anonymous]

Mine are 9/7/5 so not quite as big a gap and I'm not at the teen years yet.

I can ABSOLUTELY see how all three needing to get to their extra curriculars will be a pain. We moved out of the DC area to a smaller town and I think that will really help on that front but it will certainly be a challenge.

Definitely agree the hotel rooms/accommodations/cars/restaurants thing is real, the world is built for parties of four, but you make it work. Mine genuinely get along really well and really love each other (certainly they fight but the foundation is good) and that helps a lot.

I think with one we were still living adult life just had a cute kid along with us. With two we had a foot in both worlds and with three we are really in kid world and only occasionally get to carve out a sliver of adult life here and there. Our whole setup revolves around the schedule and the routines etc. I think people are unhappy if they want to hold onto that adult life more tightly and realize that if you're trying to do that with a lot of kids it just isn't enjoyable for anyone.

[Anonymous]

Buy a minivan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have three across in a small Toyota suv and also our older Honda Civic. It’s possible

We had 3 across in the middle row of our minivan and in a Subaru Outback. Now that my kids are older/out of any seat (in 2 cases) and they sprawl all over the minivan I kind of miss having them crammed close.

It’s possible and the norm outside the US.

[Anonymous]

For us the flights abroad are more expensive with a third. Our immediate family lives abroad so these trips are necessary. Vacations are either to Asia or driving somewhere usually unless I get a cheap flight and take them out of school for a few days.