Comments on: How Much More Work Are Two Kids Compared To One?

By: fathersez

fathersez — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:07:10 +0000

Ignorance is bliss. We had our first two girls over a period of 2.5 years and just thought the sleepless nights were the norm.

Then seven years later, we had another 3 in quick succession. We never thought about it in “easier or harder” terms. It just happened and no regrets.

By: The Financial Blogger | Financial Ramblings - It’s My Birthday!

The Financial Blogger | Financial Ramblings - It’s My Birthday! — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:04:43 +0000

[...] Pillars talks about the impact of having a second child. Since my first one was a real monster when he was a baby, I was quite confident to have a better [...]

By: The Financial Blogger | Financial Ramblings - It’s My Birthday!

The Financial Blogger | Financial Ramblings - It’s My Birthday! — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:04:43 +0000

[...] Pillars talks about the impact of having a second child. Since my first one was a real monster when he was a baby, I was quite confident to have a better [...]

By: Four Pillars

Four Pillars — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:59:11 +0000

Marina – we do use the word babysitting even though it’s the parents looking after the kids. I realize it’s not the same as a real ‘baby sitter’ but it works for me.

By: Mr. Cheap

Mr. Cheap — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:24:33 +0000

Marina: Mike’s on holiday right now, but I’m sure when he gets back he’ll agree with you that babysitting was a poor choice of terms. If I can put word in his mouth, I suspect he meant “primary care giver” whereever he used the term baby sitter.

I’ve seen Mike with his kids, and he’s great (he’s AT LEAST a nanny or an au pair!)

By: Marina

Marina — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:30:43 +0000

I say this with respect, I really like your blog and I agree with your reasoning about how the mother and father adjust differently to new arrivals. But your use of the work babysitting is a bit upsetting in this context. I don’t think it’s called “babysitting” when you’re talking about your own children. That would be parenting. (If you don’t agree, turn it around: you didn’t call it babysitting when talking about your wife, she wasn’t “babysitting” the new arrival while you babysat the eldest). Parenting is full-time, if you want to babysit, you borrow someone else’s kids.

By: Al

Al — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:37:31 +0000

CC, does that mean your kids really didn’t start playing together much before the age of 2-1/2? I was expecting that much sooner. Or is that when they started playing nicely (sans regular referee interventions)?

It certainly is different times isn’t it Nancy. I realised how much more men were influencing child rearing when introduced to the ‘football hold’ for carrying kids.

By: nancy (aka money coach)

nancy (aka money coach) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:24:52 +0000

Now this is just a conversation I did not expect to see on a pf blog: a bunch of dads talking about babysitting their kids. Times have changed, indeed. Props to all of you from a single woman who only has to ensure her own two little kids are on their leash
Seriously, delightful, unexpected post.

By: Shevy

Shevy — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:32:13 +0000

As a woman, I have to agree that the change from childless to parent is the big one (though I can barely remember that far back since No 1 Son is going to be 30). Having a second child is not so tough because you have all the equipment and you know how to do things like change a diaper, give a bath, deal with a sick kid, etc.

Where it gets challenging is with number 3 and above because once they outnumber your hands in public it’s crazy. Anybody you’re not either carrying, pushing in a stroller or holding hands with can run off in the opposite direction (and usually does).

I also found it challenging to become a mother again after many years. It wasn’t that I forgot how to breastfeed or dress a baby, but I was so much more tired than I remembered being 25 years previously.

But having grown up kids living at home when you have another baby is very helpful. Would you believe it took 3 of us the morning after she was born to get her into her new car seat and get all the straps adjusted, just so we could take her 5 blocks to her naming?

Al, I hear the thing about twins is that they begin to cooperate very early to carry out tasks like getting into the top cupboards to eat the cookies. A singleton 2 or 3 year old might try to get onto the table but they won’t usually stack chairs and help each other up to the ceiling!

Excuse me, I have to go wake my 17 mo old granddaughter and get her and the 3 year old into their car seats so we can go pick up my youngest daughter from kindergarten….

By: Canadian Capitalist

Canadian Capitalist — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:42:52 +0000

Al: Our boys have started playing together for a few months now. It’s been really great — they sometimes spend hours running around and chasing each other. The worst part so far has been daycare… they were constantly sick initially. It’s more than a year now and they get sick less often.