3 Kids Can Be a Handful: How You Can Successfully Parent 3 Kids Like a Pro
- Author: William Asher
- Posted: 2024-06-10
Being a mom in general requires a certain amount of time management skills mixed with a lot of patience. Being a mom of three kids takes a special type of talent balanced with the ability to prioritize and focus your time and energy on the things that really matter. Here are a few of the best tips and tricks to help you to successfully parent three kids.
Hire Out What You Can Afford
You should not feel guilty about hiring help to assist you in managing a household if you can afford it. Where you choose to funnel these resources will largely depend on your personal lifestyle and needs. Working moms may want to spend their extra money on a weekly cleaning person or someone to help them run personal errands. Moms that stay at home with their kids may benefit the most from the use of a weekly babysitter to give them a break and allow them to get things done outside the house with kids in tow.
If you cannot afford this extra help, consider swapping services with another mom in a situation similar to yours. Do not feel shame for admitting that you cannot handle it all on your own. It is money well spent if hiring a little help every now and then helps you to be a more relaxed parent.
Lean on Older Children to Help
Just as you should not feel guilty about paying for help when you need it, you should also feel no shame in asking older children to help around the house. Even if this is something as simple as keeping the younger kids entertained while you make dinner, take advantage of having an older sibling around to make life easier. If you make your older kids feel honored to help out, they will see this as a privilege and will be less likely to complain. As a bonus, older siblings will feel empowered and confident if they know they are being useful.
Give Individual Attention
It can undoubtedly get chaotic with three kids under foot, making it difficult to give each child the undivided attention that they deserve. Being purposeful about setting up individual time with each child can go a long way in making everyone happy. Perhaps you want to set aside an hour or two each week for each child to get special time with you or your partner? It does not have to be a fancy or expensive outing. Even time playing board games over hot chocolate can help to build meaningful connections.
Shop Online
One of the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic is that you can buy virtually anything that you want online. From groceries to full meals to wine delivery, shifting your shopping habits to the online format can save you loads of valuable time. Instead of spending time making a grocery list, fighting through traffic, and dealing with shopping in a store, spend the extra bit of money for a grocery delivery. You can easily build your grocery list online throughout the week, ensuring that your cart is ready to go when you need it. This will also save your sanity if you do not have to drag small children around on all of your shopping errands.
Prioritize a Flexible Job
If you are working outside the home, there is a good chance that your job is taking a significant amount of your time and emotional energy. Depending on your career, you may find success in prioritizing finding a flexible job. In today's modern workplace, many employers are allowing workers to create a flexible schedule to fit their parenting needs. Working at home a few days per week can also save you a significant amount of time, particularly if you have been dealing with a long commute. Give yourself grace to not always put your career first. This is a busy season of life and you should not feel guilty for stepping out of the rat race for a bit.
Parenting three children is extremely rewarding. With the right skills and mindset, you can make the most out of this special time in life while giving the best that you have to your children.