If the title made you roll your eyes
bear with me, I would have done the same a year ago.
I think it was a few minutes after dinner, when my older two kids
were dancing and chanting, “What Does The Fox Say?” to the baby squealing with
laughter in his high chair, that the fruit of my decision to have a third child
twinkled like the bright joy issuing from the baby’s eyes.
This was not an isolated moment. I’ve felt this way frequently over the last few
months.
As someone formerly overwhelmed with two kids, it’s a
complete shocker that I’m enjoying having three. There were plenty of times when I was ready
to throw in the towel convinced that God had erred when he created Mother (cue
me waving my fist at Heaven shrieking, “You are so clearly a man!” to The Man,
if you follow me.)
Having three kids is completely different. Here’s why: the older two who previously only
had each other to pick on are now channeling their energy into showering their
baby brother with love…and lyrics from silly You Tube videos as I mentioned
above. Squabbling does still happen, by
the way, I’m not saying having a baby is the magical cure to sibling rivalry. However, an infant in the house does help
them fight less over petty stuff like toys since, you know, the baby is
basically the ultimate toy now. Yes, we
have to work on “sharing” the baby.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
In short, I thought my heart grew with every kid, but my
trajectory of growth is not nearly as steep or magnificent as my kids’ maturity
into loving little people.
Their capacity to be caring individuals has absolutely
exploded. And it is beautiful. Suddenly, they are good kids. Suddenly, I like them and motherhood more.
It might sound counterintuitive but for those couples
struggling with two my advice is: have three.
You will grow but more importantly and astoundingly those
same two kids you are currently struggling with will grow. You might just start enjoying them.
Parents with three or more, what has
your experience been?
