Comments on: Does It Really Get Harder????? http://planningwithkids.com/2009/11/04/does-it-really-get-harder/ 2 parents, 5 kids, organised chaos Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:10:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Christiehttp://planningwithkids.com/2009/11/04/does-it-really-get-harder/comment-page-1/#comment-13298 Christie Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:55:34 +0000 http://planningwithkids.com/?p=4376#comment-13298 i don't really know about it getting easier as my kids are still only 3 & 5, but it is nice to be out of nappies & at least one child can get dressed on their own, while our youngest isn't far off. we still have the pain of getting 2 in & out of carseats, but I rarely use the pram now, so i don't have to deal with getting that in & out of the car too. next year i will even get some time when they are both at school (kinder)so i will be able to run some errands kid-free, that will be nice! i don’t really know about it getting easier as my kids are still only 3 & 5, but it is nice to be out of nappies & at least one child can get dressed on their own, while our youngest isn’t far off. we still have the pain of getting 2 in & out of carseats, but I rarely use the pram now, so i don’t have to deal with getting that in & out of the car too.
next year i will even get some time when they are both at school (kinder)so i will be able to run some errands kid-free, that will be nice!

]]> By: KylieMhttp://planningwithkids.com/2009/11/04/does-it-really-get-harder/comment-page-1/#comment-13196 KylieM Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:42:46 +0000 http://planningwithkids.com/?p=4376#comment-13196 I think it gets different .. mine are 6,7 and 11 now and although them being all at school now things have become easier .. things are busier! All three of mine do three activities each, and the older one has just started volunteering at Landcare as well. So we have Joey Scouts on Mondays, Scouts on Tuesdays, Swimming on Wednesdays (luckily at the moment they all have lessons in the same hour!), Cubs on Thursdays, Guitar lessons on Fridays, Little Athletics & Landcare on Saturdays. Throw into that a camp or two (my older scout attends camp about 2-3 times a term). Then there is homework, reading etc. My boys also for the most get along, but now the squabbling is rougher and louder. Often at the end of the day the older two are screaming at each other, one day we are going to have black eyes I am sure. The positives, my 11 year old is very responsible so I am able to go grocery shopping without them, he will look after them fine. For the most pat they get themselves breakfast and keep entertained on the one day we have a chance to lie in. They can sleep over at friends houses, and if you time it right all of them are gone on the same night! I have just got back to work, two weeks ago in fact, after a few years off its been a learning experience, and we are still finding our feet .. but organisation is our key to make it all less stressful! I have a set of 12 large plastic drawers at the front door, the children have 1 set of four each, they are labelled with school, scouts, swimming, athletics etc .. whatever is relevant to that child .. and in it is all the things they need ie/ uniforms, books, charts whatever, even their towels and swimmers go into their swimming drawer, so for any activity they go to their drawer and its there ... it has saved us from ' muuuum have you seen my goggles/bathers/musicbook/joey uniform/scarf/woggle' .. LOL So is it easier/harder? not sure really .. it is different, but I am mighty glad I am over the in and out of car seats thing! I think it gets different .. mine are 6,7 and 11 now and although them being all at school now things have become easier .. things are busier! All three of mine do three activities each, and the older one has just started volunteering at Landcare as well.

So we have Joey Scouts on Mondays, Scouts on Tuesdays, Swimming on Wednesdays (luckily at the moment they all have lessons in the same hour!), Cubs on Thursdays, Guitar lessons on Fridays, Little Athletics & Landcare on Saturdays. Throw into that a camp or two (my older scout attends camp about 2-3 times a term). Then there is homework, reading etc. My boys also for the most get along, but now the squabbling is rougher and louder. Often at the end of the day the older two are screaming at each other, one day we are going to have black eyes I am sure.
The positives, my 11 year old is very responsible so I am able to go grocery shopping without them, he will look after them fine. For the most pat they get themselves breakfast and keep entertained on the one day we have a chance to lie in. They can sleep over at friends houses, and if you time it right all of them are gone on the same night!
I have just got back to work, two weeks ago in fact, after a few years off its been a learning experience, and we are still finding our feet .. but organisation is our key to make it all less stressful! I have a set of 12 large plastic drawers at the front door, the children have 1 set of four each, they are labelled with school, scouts, swimming, athletics etc .. whatever is relevant to that child .. and in it is all the things they need ie/ uniforms, books, charts whatever, even their towels and swimmers go into their swimming drawer, so for any activity they go to their drawer and its there … it has saved us from ‘ muuuum have you seen my goggles/bathers/musicbook/joey uniform/scarf/woggle’ .. LOL

So is it easier/harder? not sure really .. it is different, but I am mighty glad I am over the in and out of car seats thing!

]]> By: Gypsyhttp://planningwithkids.com/2009/11/04/does-it-really-get-harder/comment-page-1/#comment-13143 Gypsy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:16:28 +0000 http://planningwithkids.com/?p=4376#comment-13143 I am on a commenting roll today! I have been thinking about this and the 'simplify' motto, one thing that has really simplified our lives is only having one car. I live in a neighbourhood where I can walk to most things - a supermarket, library, community playgroup, cafes, village shops. I have a double mountain buggy that stores everything I need underneath it, and if I can't walk to it, I can't go! On the odd time I need a car I can drop hubby at work or he gets a lift, but it has cut out so many 'important' things that I used to think I 'had to do'. Walking is much slower, but much calmer and easier than driving ... and better for the environment, the wallet and for building community. When Munchkin starts school we will be able to walk there too ... and I can really see this will make life simpler because it just cuts out options and lets us focus on what really matters. I am on a commenting roll today! I have been thinking about this and the ‘simplify’ motto, one thing that has really simplified our lives is only having one car. I live in a neighbourhood where I can walk to most things – a supermarket, library, community playgroup, cafes, village shops. I have a double mountain buggy that stores everything I need underneath it, and if I can’t walk to it, I can’t go! On the odd time I need a car I can drop hubby at work or he gets a lift, but it has cut out so many ‘important’ things that I used to think I ‘had to do’. Walking is much slower, but much calmer and easier than driving … and better for the environment, the wallet and for building community. When Munchkin starts school we will be able to walk there too … and I can really see this will make life simpler because it just cuts out options and lets us focus on what really matters.

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