3 kids 3 and under

I was talking with someone at church last night who just found out she is pregnant. She has a 2 year old and an 8mth old already. She was feeling rather overwhelmed at the thought of even trying to go to the grocery store with 3 kids 3 and under. I told her some of things that I have learned that helped in that area.

1)Teaching first time obedience is essential for maintaining sanity and saving time. Knowing that your child will mind you when you tell them something brings so much peace.

2)It is good to have bye-bye toys. These are toys that you can whip out when you are desperate for them to stay quiet just a little longer at the dr.'s office or the dmv or any one of the horrid places mothers have to go. These toy do not get played to death at home and therefore have some semblance of "newness". Give one toy at a time. Do not make the mistake of thinking the more toys they have, the longer they will be entertained. Just the opposite. That would just mean they get bored with all of them at once. Let them play with and proceed to get bored with one toy at a time. It lasts longer.

3)Have special snacks for being out and about. Things they don't get at home. This will also keep them entertained for a little while and it will make them enjoy going places which will make them start off in a better mood when they do go somewhere.

4)The dreaded wal-mart. When I had 3 kids age 3 and under, I would get two buggies. I would put kids in one buggy and push it. I would get another buggy for merchandise and pull it. No, this was not the easiest way to travel through walmart but it sure made bathroom breaks(of which, there were many, ie: diaper breaks, potty training breaks, nursing new baby breaks) so much easier. I would just wheel the "kid-buggy" into the bathroom and right into the large handicap stall. It was like having a play pen right in there with me. I could get one child out at a time to deal with the needs.

5)Even on days when you keep the right attitude and things go smoothly, three kids age 3 and under still requires you to deal with a lot of things during a day. Do not set unreasonable goals. Don't set yourself up for failure. Instead, make provisions. This season of your life is very short, even if it doesn't seem like it right now. Remember that playing peekaboo, hide & seek, and building blocks are just as important as doing dishes and laundry.

One of the best things I ever did for my kids starting at this age was when all of the bed time things were done and the kids were in bed, I asked them "what was good about today" and we all reflected on the good things of everyday. That caused them to remember the good things longer and discuss why things were good. Even at three, two and one you would be amazed at the insight of a child.

This list is by no means exhaustive. I may post more lists later.