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First let me say not a ton of desire to have more than 2, we already have a 4 year old boy and 1 year old girl, both happy and healthy. Most times I think I'm absolutely done, when I'm friend from work and the 2 kids are going wild. However, I'll often have moments when I think about what life is all about and love the idea of having a bigger family so that when we are older they will all want to come home for the holidays and have wonderful memories. However, I know there are many changes that would happen between 2 and 3. We have 5 bedrooms in our house right now so that isn't a problem. We have a Prius and a truck, so I'm not so sure how that would work.
Travel is much harder with 3 kids over 2...just hotel rooms, cruise ship rooms, travel packages.
I think you have good age differences with your oldest being 4, so by the time #3 came, they would easily be 5 or 6 years old and could help out/wouldn't need constant attention and would be in school.
I would think you would need a larger family vehicle. I had a Prius and ended up getting something larger just when my kids got older. There wasn't enough room for them to be comfortable and then all the gear that comes with life with kids. Plus taking a vacation with luggage...we started having to take 2 cars. So we got a much larger family car.
Scheduling becomes really important with more then 2. I could easily schedule 2 kids, but when I had 4 or 5 at home, I had to be meticulous with my calendar.
That's all I can think of. I still want one more but I know it isn't going to happen.
I'll often have moments when I think about what life is all about and love the idea of having a bigger family so that when we are older they will all want to come home for the holidays and have wonderful memories.
Is that your only reason for having another child?
First let me say not a ton of desire to have more than 2, we already have a 4 year old boy and 1 year old girl, both happy and healthy. Most times I think I'm absolutely done, when I'm friend from work and the 2 kids are going wild. However, I'll often have moments when I think about what life is all about and love the idea of having a bigger family so that when we are older they will all want to come home for the holidays and have wonderful memories. However, I know there are many changes that would happen between 2 and 3. We have 5 bedrooms in our house right now so that isn't a problem. We have a Prius and a truck, so I'm not so sure how that would work.
Thoughts?
The family world is designed for 4. Everything for families comes as a base with 4 tickets, 4 meals, etc.
You would need a bigger car, you would be out numbered, and you would have a harder time physically holding on to everyone at the same time. Actually, a single parent trip the supermarket comes a bit harder when you can't physically keep a hand on each child at the same time.
Otherwise it's much easier to go from 2-3 than it was to go from 1-2.
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We had 3, and although I do echo the concerns that it makes hotels a little harder, and I had to have a van instead of a standard car, I think the dynamics with three are better. Three kids kind of turn into a team, and so in my observation sibling rivalry was less than what I've seen in families with just two.
It does depend on the roll of the dice, though, and what personality kids you have. I firmly believe kids come basically with their entire personality set for life, and you work with what the child is born with.
I have three. Mine are fairly close in age. There are 22 months between the first two and 19 months between the last two. Your oldest will be in school by the time you would have another. I have a feeling with your spacing, it will be harder. You're going to repeat the same stage of life every three years. When #1 is doing high school things, you still have a child in elementary. At some point, you will have kids in three different schools. We had a year of that. It's hard to juggle and I'm a SAHM. I'm doing pickup next week for bandcamp for another mom and she only has two. There will always be something that doesn't fit right. You just need to figure out a way around it. In my case, I can sometimes drop a bike off at school and let the older ones bike home if needed.
We did the three car seat across thing. We had an SUV so they fit. As they got older, the two oldest were put into the backseat and the youngest in the middle side seat so that I could open the door and get them in the back. We did need three rows of seats.
I used a double stroller with my kids for containment purposes when they were younger. The oldest demanded a seat so he was in front and the baby in the backseat. #2 liked to stand on the back and wear a cape. Whatever works. Lol!
Your family will adapt to whatever situation you have. You just need to make sure you are up to the task as a parent. One thing I've found is my energy levels decreased with each baby. I had more energy with #1 than four years later with #3. I was in my thirties when I had children. I had healthy pregnancies each time.
You will be outnumbered and they will always run in opposite directions.
Have one vehicle that they will all fit in, and one that they will not all fit in. "Sorry honey I'm taking the sedan and they won't all fit. Gotta leave Tornado Boy with you this time."
I don't have kids but everyone I know who has 3 says that the change from 2 to 3 is enormous.
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