well, I had a fairly long winded post but I opted to delete and attempt a more generalized post.
I could totally handle having Octuplets! SERIOUSLY! I worked in a daycare and 5 days a week I took care of 8 2yr olds 8 hours per day. IT was way easier than you think. I could totally handle it!!!
Seem like a ludicrous assumption?? Yes, I think so too! I would SO TOTALLY go crazy if I had 8 2 yr olds :o)
Same goes:
If you have a 2 year old and NB and are temporarily babysitting another 2 year old IT IS NOT THE SAME as having 3 kids.
If you have a 2 yr old and infant and are babysitting a 2 yr old and 4yr old IT IS NOT THE SAME as having 4 kids.
If you have a 4 yr old an 1 yr old and your 4 year old is "hyperactive" IT IS NOT the equivalent to having 3 kids!
If when you were a kid you had 4 younger brothers and sisters its NOT THE SAME as having 4 kids of your own!
OR
When Julie or Steph bring their 2 kids over to my house and things go pretty smooth. I do not for a minute the "oh adding to is easier than adding to 2" How would I know?
Next time you think about saying this STOP. Consider what it is you are saying. THINK about EVERYTHING you do EVERYDAY for the children you have. INCLUDING the sleeping hours. Don't think just physical. Think emotional and mental. Think about how much you worry? Think about how much you love! Think about how much laundry you have LOL
Make a list of EVERYTHING you do for your existing children. When it is complete you probably look at it in amazement that you even have time to breathe some days! Even when it is just 1 child.
Take that list and multiply it by the number of children you have... THAT'S A LOT of work! NOW imagine the scenario that one of the children get the flu. In a house with multiple children its likely that EVERYONE will now get the flu. SO now you have say 4 kids puking and pooping everywhere that still need fed and changed and loved and taken care of. They all need medicine and doctor visits and constant care. Now mom adds a boatload of worry to her list (is he dehydrated, is he losing too much weight, should we go to the doctor, etc etc)
As a parent of 1, 2, or 3 its a tiring job...
BUT as a parent of 4 I cannot be the only person who takes offense when someone with 1 or 2 kids mention how easy it would be to add on to the family.
I have 4 kids and "easy" is not a way I describe my life. Rewarding is a way I describe my life but NOT easy (then again when I only had AJ it wasn't easy then either) and for someone to assume after 1 afternoon with 3 or 4 kids that it would be easy is offensive! AND NO It's NOT just because I have 2 infants. I am sure parents of multiples can't be the only people who feel this way!
Oh I don't think adding to our family would be easy!! (I know have said the above statements ;o) )
ReplyDeleteWhat I actully mean when I say it is...I think that going from taking care of my 2 for the day (which is exhausting for me sometimes) to watching 4 for the day was easier than I expected...I may say it's easier to add to 2 than 1,but that's because when I had just 1 it was hard to mutli-task for multiple kids when I watched them, now with 2 of my own it's so much easier to manage because I am used t dividing my time up between multiple kids.
I do not in anyway think your job is easy and although I would love love love any other children we could...but won't...have as much as the ones we already have...I think I'll let you be the family of 6 and we'll stay a nice small family of 4...just for my sanity! :o)
no worries Lindsay :o) I think the most annoying was when someone told me that that their 2 were just like having four because their son was hyper and had issues....REALLY 2 and 4 DIFFERENT numbers LOL :o)
ReplyDeleteSometimes I may be too sensitive LOL
I do NOT THINK your job is easy by any means!! I thinks all parents have hard jobs no matter how many ids there are BC all families deal with different issues... :o)
Side Note: I think your sanity has survived what it has...being a family of 6 would be nothing LOL!
My 2 cents: I KNOW your job isn't easy because just adding Trent to my life for 6 hours a day 4 days a week (basically one total day) has tremendously increased my work load and I find myself watching the clock til his mom comes..... and he's a really good kid! LOL.
ReplyDelete*Danielle*