For the mothers with 7 (or more!) kids!....

amother

Wed, Mar 05 2008, 7:06 am

I need advice on how to manage everything! I just had my 7th, B'H! She is 4 weeks. However, sometimes I feel like I can't handle everything, and each child needs totally different things. The baby is the easiest to take care of! I actually don't mind the middle of the night feedings...it is so quiet and peaceful! (My kids are 10, 9, 7, 5, 3, 20 months, and 1 month...they are 14-20 months apart)

Anyway, how do you manage all the homework, housework, and just all the day-to-day chaos? I'd love advice, because I feel so overwhelmed! (I am an only child, so I can't ask my mom what to do!) Especially, how do you manage those after school hours, before your dh gets home from work!

THANKS!

su7kids

Wed, Mar 05 2008, 10:00 am

The key for me was "do your best". Lower your expectations of yourself and don't overschedule yourself.

Unfortunately, we did use TV as a pm babysitter and don't recommend it.

Let the kids just chill in the afternoon, and then teach them about cleaning up and they can help you.

As for the housework, by the time I had my 5th we had a cleaning lady coming in once a week so at least I knew toilets, etc were done. It is an added expense, but its worth it.

Get a mother's helper if you can. Your oldest is old enough to help, but not really old enough to rely upon for help.

Help them all learn about picking up their own stuff, and in the long run that may help.

mummy-bh

Wed, Mar 05 2008, 10:23 am

Quote:

Especially, how do you manage those after school hours, before your dh gets home from work!

Agree with above posters, you need an extra pair of hands, although it sounds to me like you could do with a helping girl. Is there a girl near you that could come for a couple of hours to do homework, bath-time, suppers or even hold the baby?

Please dont forget that your baby is still tiny, and whilst I agree that a small baby is easy to care for, at 4 weeks you are still recovering from the birth. It does get easier!!

grin

Wed, Mar 05 2008, 10:26 am

su7kids wrote:

The key for me was "do your best". Lower your expectations of yourself and don't overschedule yourself.

absolutely - lower your expectations - a lot! You really can't manage "everything" right now, so don't expect it of yourself! Your ehalth and being relaxed with the baby is priority. The rest will fall into place with time.

su7kids wrote:

Get a mother's helper if you can. Your oldest is old enough to help, but not really old enough to rely upon for help.

Help them all learn about picking up their own stuff.

Actually, my older kids did quite a lot at that stage of the game - they can surprise you. Give regular easy jobs - taking out the garbage, setting the table, even cutting up veggies for lunch. and of course rocking the buggy and fetching things for you.
yes, as much cleaning babysiting and cleaning help as you can get. and disposable dishes, etc. - keep things simple.

and to stay relaxed - keep reminding yourself that they'll grow up soon enough - most important is a happy mommy right now.

marineparkimma

Wed, Mar 05 2008, 1:05 pm

Shalom Aleichem and how are you?

You are doing a fantastic job already managing everyone and everything all the time... Yasher Koach! Give yourself a break once a week that is for you and you only doing what you and only you want to do, whatever that may be, because you can't take care of everyone all of the time if you don't take care of yourself as well...

A gutten chodesh!

mikol halev Smile

mama-star

Wed, Mar 05 2008, 7:07 pm

wow, I know how you feel and I only have 4...my oldest is 8 and my youngest is 21 mos. everybody has all these needs all the time, and arrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh!!! it gets crazy sometimes!!

can you get a mother's helper? and ask your older kids to lend a hand, too.

raizy

Fri, Mar 07 2008, 2:31 pm

1.use plastic dishes and cutlery. and even put on a plastic tablecloth . so after a meal u just have to throw everything out. it helps .

2.get a girl or housekeeper for 2 hrs a day so u can send out all the kids with her. so u can eighter clean up or rest.

3. make easy suppers . or takeout. or bread and milk products. and eggs.

4. take it easy. lol. coming from someone who is a workaholic. and I just work and work and work. from morning to night.after 3 months it does get better.

5.tell the kids that the washing machine is a basketball hoop and everyone who throws things in it gets a point. I do that in the morning and evening. I do laundry as soon as one machine fills up I wash. etc. I dont leave any dirty laundry around. like I would wash one load p.j and one load towels etc. in the morning. at night I would do one load of clothing that the kids were wearing that day.I dont let it pile up.

6.I sweep all the floors and toys right into the toy room and that were it stays all night. no mess in my hallways and dining room.