Let me encourage you- I have 10 between 2&13

[MyGlorylife]

Just wanted to send out some encouragement to a lot of you mamas who still have soooo many little ones. Little back ground: We are a blended family- I brought 7 into the world he brought 3 and yes we are planning on having more.

I remember the days when everyone was little and often I tell other moms "the hardest was when there was 3 under 3. Everyone was either crying, trying not to cry, about to cry or making someone cry. The house was never clean, dinner was never on time, laundry was never done, sleep was... interesting"

Then this amazing thing happened. I woke up one day and had a 7yr old and from there life began to get sooooo much easier.

Partly because I spent time training and teaching and naturally the older children began training and teaching too.

Within the last year things have become even easier because I have babysitter who lives in my house- amazing!

We are a team- these children and I- together we keep the house, mind the babies, tend the outdoors and get school done.

No longer do I have days where because I was dealing with the 2yr old dinner burned- because the 9yr old was minding the kitchen. The laundry got put away because the 11yr old did it. The toys got picked up because everyone under 7 did that. I was able to make it to an app ontime because the 13 yr old was babysitting. The teddybear missing an eye did not go blind because the 7yr sewed it back on for the 3yr old. TEAM! and game night is so super fun you couldn't even know.

Often I tell my kids that they are practicing ad children what is acceptable/what they should do as an adult. They are learning to be good husbands and wives, mommies and daddies. The most favorite "chore" in the house is to be on the crew that does circletime with the littleones in the morning. We foster our relationships and we enjoy eachother.

We still have hard days- I still have hard days but it is soooooo different from when they were all little and I didnt have any big kid helpers.

SO- hang in there!!! One day you too will wake up and realize that having a big family really isnt that hard, it just takes a few years to get there.

=) Minda

[oneduckstuck5]

Love, love, love your post! I have 6 ages 13 down to 5 weeks and I agree...it's so much easier now than when I had 4 children 6 and under (2 who were under 2). It makes such a difference to have big helpers. When they're all little you feel like you're in the trenches most days.

We moms need all of the encouragement we can get and I am very passionate about reminding them that this is such an important job. As a big family I personally feel more negativity directed toward us because of our family size. Just wanted to thank you for chiming in with your story.

Oh, and I love the analogy of a team. We need some team building around here right now (I think because we have a new baby) so I'm going to use that one to remind mine that we all need each other.

Sarah

[HeatherlovesCDs]

Our license plate is TM (team) and our last name.

But, I still consider myself in the trenches. My oldest is 6, almost 7. Then I have 4.5 year old twins, and almost 2.5 year old twins. I'm 35wks pregnant with my 6th. When my second set of twins was born, I had a 4 year old, twins who were 26 months and newborn twins. So, 4 who were barely 2 and under.) Honestly, a lot of days, I think this is harder. My twins who are currently 29 months are so much harder than my older set of twins was at this age. And, I'm trying to homeschool my oldest for 1st grade this year (only 1 doing a formal curriculum still.) However, on the flip side, my almost 7 year old is VERY helpful and so are my 4.5 year olds. So, really, I feel like it's a toss up right now.

But, I do see the light at the end of the trench!! I am at the point where I can see and smell that it is going to get easier and easier and more and more fun too! I'm really looking forward to when I can look back on this time and realize that I'm through it. Although, I don't want to wish their childhoods away either.

Thanks for your encouragement!

[shortcake2386]

thanks soooooooooooooo much i have 4, 6 and under with the 2 month old being high needs/special needs. somedays i just want to quit but yes, we've always wanted 6 so ill hold out hope that it gets easier

[shortcake2386]

Originally Posted by HeatherlovesCDs Our license plate is TM (team) and our last name. But, I still consider myself in the trenches. My oldest is 6, almost 7. Then I have 4.5 year old twins, and almost 2.5 year old twins. I'm 35wks pregnant with my 6th. When my second set of twins was born, I had a 4 year old, twins who were 26 months and newborn twins. So, 4 who were barely 2 and under.) Honestly, a lot of days, I think this is harder. My twins who are currently 29 months are so much harder than my older set of twins was at this age. And, I'm trying to homeschool my oldest for 1st grade this year (only 1 doing a formal curriculum still.) However, on the flip side, my almost 7 year old is VERY helpful and so are my 4.5 year olds. So, really, I feel like it's a toss up right now. But, I do see the light at the end of the trench!! I am at the point where I can see and smell that it is going to get easier and easier and more and more fun too! I'm really looking forward to when I can look back on this time and realize that I'm through it. Although, I don't want to wish their childhoods away either. Thanks for your encouragement!

omg im homeschooling a first grader also and like 3x a week i consider public school

[MyGlorylife]

Originally Posted by shortcake2386 omg im homeschooling a first grader also and like 3x a week i consider public school

I homeschool too- dont stress out! I pretty much only taught reading for K-2 with basic math and the rest "free learning" and all my kids are doing excellent. Infact I wish I had been easier on myself then because now as a more experienced mother and homeschooler I realize that I put way too much pressure on myself. Its HOMEschool it shouldnt look or function like a public school so relax.

[calapitters]

Thank you for this! This is such great encouragement and an awesome reminder of how families need to work together!

[HeatherlovesCDs]

Originally Posted by MyGlorylife I homeschool too- dont stress out! I pretty much only taught reading for K-2 with basic math and the rest "free learning" and all my kids are doing excellent. Infact I wish I had been easier on myself then because now as a more experienced mother and homeschooler I realize that I put way too much pressure on myself. Its HOMEschool it shouldnt look or function like a public school so relax.

This is what we focus on. I do have a full curriculum from My Father's World. The Bible is very integrated into the phonics/reading and we do math. We get in science whenever we get it in, usually about once a week. We do some of the activities, but I don't stress about it. (We basically unschool for science, like we just hatched baby turtles for fun...and learning. ) I was putting a ton of pressure on us and feeling pretty stressed. Now, I realize, it's only 1st grade. He needs to learn to read and get math basics and he'll be good. We also school year round so we can be more relaxed about going slow if we can't get it in.

However, I do still have stressful days during school time because he is hard to focus and the younger kids derail us all the time. But, I try hard not to worry about it.

[kannondicarpo]

Thank you for the encouragement. Though I do ok most days these last few weeks of pregnancy while trying to homeschool a 5yo, semi-homeschool a 3yo and entertain a 23mo, sometimes get the best of me!

I love this stage though. I love when they are little. I can't imagine my oldest being 7 and yet he is 5 already. 5!!!

Back to my appreciation for this post. It's a good read.

[MyGlorylife]

on the homeschooling part just get creative. I used to do handwritting during bath time- shaving cream on the tub wall and their writing finger. Reading lesson during bedtime reading time. we make our own basic books or "reading folder" using the method from teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons.

Circle time was then and is still now the favorite "school" thing to do. even the 2 yr old is in on the action.
we have reading cards that they each take a turn reading the letter again in the system from the reading program. Match game made from wood cutouts and stickers from the dollar tree, preschool songs, roll the dice and count etc. I don't run circle time anymore- the older kids do and its their favorite thing to do with the littles. Maybe I should make a youtube video lol.
When the little ones go to bed is when I tend to do any learning that goes better when they are sleeping, everything else we incorporate with the littleones.
Bookwork as a general rule of thumb is for fun for the younger grades and doesnt really get worked in until more like 3rd grade (with the excpetion of a math book and sometimes handwriting but even that with some of my kids went over better when they were closer to 7) get creative thin outside the box and k and 1st really should take up more that 30 minutes at the most. Remember that doing chores, helping with babies, discovering things outside, cooking with you is all school. count it!