With the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third child - Prince Louis - last month, we thought we’d write something about managing three children under five and we’ve taken advice from the experts.
HOME ACTIVITIES:
“Be prepared to host more home-based play dates while the baby is still small. This needn’t mean that you’re under house arrest for months, but it’s an idea to start compiling a list of fun and educational activities for home that the elder two can enjoy (either together or separately) while baby is settling into a feeding and sleeping routine.”
CONSISTENCY:
“Keep your morning exit plan consistent. To keep disruptions to a minimum, keep all bags, shoes, jackets, and anything else that is needed for the day by the door. It’s disruptive and stressful when you have to look for something at the last minute. The night before, put out everyone’s dishes, cups, and utensils.”
“At night, follow a schedule like unpack, tackle homework, sports and then get some fresh air. Try to serve dinner at the same time every night (and meal prep to make this time of day easy). Then start the bedtime routine. Rotate the kids through the bathroom so everyone isn’t in there fighting over the toothpaste. Read them a book and enjoy the quality time.”
EQUIPMENT:
“Make sure you have the right equipment for getting them from a to b. Talk to your employers about double buggies and buggy boards and see what they’re prepared to purchase for you to use while looking after the three children together.”
NAPS:
“Think about aiming for simultaneous naps or at least “quiet time” for the children who no longer nap, while the others are still napping.”
BATHTIME:
“Running a bath for all three together works a treat. A good bath seat will mean you don’t have to hold the baby and have your hands free to wash them all. They love splashing about together and it can make bath time fun for everyone, including baby. Remember not to leave any child unsupervised though.”
MEALS:
“Plan meals proactively. Leftovers, batches of frozen food, slow-cooker recipes and a breadmaker all make life easier. There is nothing worse than three hungry people at five o’clock and no idea what to cook for supper. Macaroni cheese, spaghetti bolognese, baby curry, fish fingers, good quality organic chicken nuggets and frozen veg are always in my freezer for days when time is limited. Fresh fruit, yoghurts, good quality vanilla custard or ice cream, fromage frais, frozen berries, tinned fruit and brioche are instant puddings.”
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