What It’s Like Having Three Kids

*Reality check*. The first photo captures a tender moment between two siblings I caught last night (Florence likes long hugs now) but I wanted to be real here too and share motherhood beyond photos and comedy reels on Insta because parenting three children has its challenges.

Whenever I share the realities of daily life in my Stories, they seem to resonate with a lot of you so I wanted to bring more of those musings grid-side. Yes, with every child you have, the love is multiplied but you, as the parent are divided and that’s often a tricky equation; a conundrum especially when you’re outnumbered (I never did like Maths at school). You’re only ever as happy as your unhappiest child and whilst the baby is more physically demanding (although she needs my time, attention and love and I want to give her that), my older two need me more, mentally (and some days sees my mental agility compromised from sleep deprivation and 24/7 parenting a 1 year old).

I’m not alone thankfully (huge respect to single parents) but as someone who chose to be the default parent (as I have the flexible job) some days, and nights, are exhausting.

We’re now on week 4 of the kids taking it in turns to be unwell, two were ill simultaneously as was I (parenting whilst unwell is something else) with emergency doctor visits and an 8 hour hospital stint thrown in-see Florence thinking the children’s assessment unit and ward was Disney Land! I’m not writing this for sympathy (that hospital visit brought home how hard so many have it when it comes to unwell kids and navigating difficult circumstances) but I want you to know whether you have one kid or six, this gig, parenting, is hard and that’s a fact whatever you see on social media. Motherhood to me is many things and often all at once: all-consuming, claustrophobic, euphoric, addictive, relentless and beautiful. But it’s still OK and normal to feel resentful and depleted at times.

You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t.

Tomorrow I will fill my cup with good friends and cocktails for my birthday and I’ll return a calmer mum for it. I hope you get chance to reset too.

Read another post on juggling 3 kids here.