Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hadn't realized that with four we would divide them into "the big kids" and "the little kids".

When we had a second marriage that resulted in a total of six kids, I hadn't realized that I'd go from trying to coddle each to teaching them all to be more easy-going. So I will totally say things now like "Who wants to be my favorite by finding my keys?" and 3 or 4 kids will start laughing and running to find my keys.

I think this isn’t as funny as you think it is.

Hey, I'm not here to be a stand-up comic. I'm here to find my freaking keys so I can take them to their best friend's birthday party. And if this is what I have to do to get them there on time, so be it. I don't raise super sensitive delicate kids. They can take a joke.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no clue what a breeze it would be having a third kid years after the first two (they were 7 and 9 when he was born). They thought he was adorable and all their friends did as well. It truly was like having a little village raising this one very easy child. He conked out early from 6 weeks onward, exhausted by all the attention.

Some of this comes down to temperament, obviously, but we still can’t believe how easy it has been (11 years later) compared to the stress of dealing with a baby and toddler at the same time.

Your post bring back some amazing memories. My younger sister and I were 7 and 8 when my brother was born. He was our baby. We wanted to do everything for him. We changed him, fed him and played with him all the time. Those were some of my best memories as a child.

He is in his twenties now, and he is still our baby.

Anonymous wrote:Before I had #1, I literally didn’t know anything. Like, I thought you could just put them in their crib when they were tired and they would sleep. Hahaha.

Before I had #2, I thought I knew everything and that if I did everything the same as I did for #1, I would get a similar outcome. Hahahaha.

Before I had #3, I did not realize how important the relationships among our family members were. It wasn’t just parents’ individual relationships with each child, but also ensuring that the kids all were able to appreciate each other, play together, help each other, and so on.

Before I had #4, I underestimated my kids’ desires to love on and hold and care for a new baby. It might just be the age spread of my particular kids, but I swear the baby is never put down. If I put him on an activity mat or blanket for a moment, a kid will come along and just scoop him up. It is incredibly sweet how much they all want a part in caring for him.

Anonymous wrote:I had no clue what a breeze it would be having a third kid years after the first two (they were 7 and 9 when he was born). They thought he was adorable and all their friends did as well. It truly was like having a little village raising this one very easy child. He conked out early from 6 weeks onward, exhausted by all the attention.

Some of this comes down to temperament, obviously, but we still can’t believe how easy it has been (11 years later) compared to the stress of dealing with a baby and toddler at the same time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hadn't realized that with four we would divide them into "the big kids" and "the little kids".

When we had a second marriage that resulted in a total of six kids, I hadn't realized that I'd go from trying to coddle each to teaching them all to be more easy-going. So I will totally say things now like "Who wants to be my favorite by finding my keys?" and 3 or 4 kids will start laughing and running to find my keys.

I think this isn’t as funny as you think it is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:before I had my third I thought my kids came in Type 1 and Type 2 (artistic, less artistic, and stubborn and less so - like there were two ways to be). Then I had #3 and I was like - oh, they are all totally individuals! and it's not like one is sporty and one isn't, or whatever, but they're all completely individuals with some things in common and some not, and some a little.

IDK if that makes sense, but I essentialized their personalities when I only had 2. It took #3 for me to realize they were all completely their own little people. Sad but true that it took me til #3 to realize this!

My second taught me this lesson. I thought my little rule-following neatnik was the product of my awesome parenting. Then we had his sister. Oy vey, was I wrong! She’s a mischievous mess-maker. Same parenting, turns out they’re just totally different humans.