3 kids, tell me what challenges i can expect?

[contactmaya]

Going from o to 1 was hard for the first 4mths, going from 1 to 2 was harder for the the first year, what can i expect with 3 children?

I have a 5 week old baby, one almost 4 yo and one 6 1/2 year old.  Can anyone tell me/warn me, about challenges i might have in the future, compared to having 2 kids? I am hoping that the almost 4 year age gap might make things easier, but am also wondering how i am going to juggle the  different schedules  as kids  get older. 

Would appreciate any advice, reflections, stories from others out there.....

[purslaine]

My experience:

-having trouble fitting in booths at restaurants

-less "deals" for travelling - most packages assume 2 kids and 2 adults.

-hotel rooms often only allow 4 people, not five.

-3 kids in a car is a PITA.  There is a reason for mini-vans.

-2 kids might like each other better or get along better - leaving one out.  This is less an issue with 2 kids - where they get along or they don't - but none feel odd ball out.

The age span of your kids is similar to mine (although mine are older!).  For a number of years it was tricky to meet the wants (not needs) of my youngest and oldest.  Ex:  13 year old wants to go see a PG 13 movie, 6.5 yr old wants to see a cartoon movie.  We have divided and conquered for some activities for years - I see one movie with one set of kids, Dh with another.

congrats on the baby!  On the good front - having older kids when I had my youngest made life so much easier for me.  Ds could entertain the baby while I showered, etc.    My oldest and now my middle can babysit their sister - something that did not happen with my older two (I know that is years away for you - but still, knowing that in about 5.5 yrs you might have a regular built-in babysitter (I do pay my older kids for babysitting) is very cool!)

[Peony]

Divide and conquer, that is the story of my life! My oldest was 6, and the middle one was 2.5 when the third was born. I did go on to have a 4th and officially went over the edge then.  When the third child was born, we switched from doing things as a family to pairing off kids with parents. 

[OkiMom]

Mine are 5, 3, and 1.. The biggest issues with me stemmed a lot from being alone with all three (hubby was deployed so I spend from 8 months solo) and the difficulties there.. My biggest problems:

- not having enough arms to hug all three at the same time.. I have to make a conscious effort to rotate the child in the middle so no one feels left out.

- making time to spend one on one with each child.

- no one wants to wait for their turn for anything really. Again Ive learned to rotate around so everyone gets a chance to be first.

- Only two sides to me so I have to guess who is going to be the best behaved and put them on the outside so I can control the other two

- The NOISE.. My children can make more noise than I ever thought possible. They don't need musical toys (we have no battery operated toys) or noise makers, they make enough noise themselves. It gives me a migraine at times. Ive debated buying ear plugs.

- There is always someone doing something they shouldn't be doing. Its like I go to do something with the three of them and when I turn my back one has disappeared. My baby is a climber as well so its a bit scary!

- Now that my oldest isn't really "into" the baby-ish toys and activities I have to juggle older activities for her but keep them away from the baby.

- Trying to get all three to sleep at one time. I'm a bit sleep deprived!