8 Reasons Why More Children is Less Stressful

Thinking about getting better at Parenting?
The answer might be to have MORE babies! Yes! That’s right! More Children= Less stress.
Who would’ve thought?
Well we did and if you want to find out why! Continue Reading. You will be glad you did.

I’m quite excited to write this one!
As a mom of two under two, I’ve been asked so many times… how do you do it?
To which my answer is…

It is by God’s Grace and a huge thank you to the people who he has placed in our lives  because…. it has been a time!

I suppose this ought to be a thanksgiving post. After all…it has been a wild ride.
So much to share but let’s stick to eight.

1. Company
2. Less baby food goes to waste
3. Parents get some time to rest
4. The older one teaches
5. Conflict resolution right at home
6. Multitask extraordinaire
7.Extra set of hands
8. Uncharted Joy

Company

Flashback to those early days of pregnancy with our sweet baby girl, Maria. I often wondered how we would manage two children when it was so hard to manage one!
Now that we are actually living it. I can honestly say the cliche… I wouldn’t have it any other way. Surprisingly, ( I never thought I would say this) but now it is actually easier than having one.
There is one thing I certainly did not anticipate though. Well at least not this early, was that they would be playing with each other and the fact that they don’t even need me anymore to entertain.

Of course I am there watching them but they talk to each other in their own language, they laugh together (like actual belly laughs) and it would be remiss of me to forget the occasional shoves but I really didn’t know they would be such good friends, already.

Less Waste

I can’t begin to tell you how many times our youngest has finished her brother’s food and vice versa.
It seems to be a partnership. He helps her out with her formula and she chips in to help him finish his meals especially now that he is in that picky phase of toddlerhood.

Parents get time to rest

When ? Right???

All these are things i thought were impossible but if you try REALLY REALLY hard, it is possible. These are the times John and I have to be intentional in spending time with each other because that is also very important in our marriage and should not be neglected.

In order to do this, we try to have our children on a schedule. That was harder to do when Maria was a newborn but now that she is approaching her first birthday and she has started to sleep through the night, things are getting better. For this, I am grateful… extremely grateful. I really can’t say that enough but it really is the little things.

The Older Child becomes the Teacher

The other day, Adam took his sister by the hands, like a man leading an old lady and said “Walk, walk! ” I literally could not contain the joy/laughter. He realized she was not able to do something and proceeded to show her. I thought that was so loving. Not to mention cute.

The psalmist hit the nail on the head when he said Children are a gift from the Lord!

Conflict Resolution

In the moments when I’m not in awe at them, I’m usually pulling one off the other which can be in a split second after one of those belly laughs I mentioned earlier.
If you have any  experience with a toddler then you know exactly what I am talking about.
Their emotions go from zero to 100 back to zero in no time and it really is prayer that keeps me calm through it all.
It is also a helpful to remember they are still growing and this process takes YEARS.
The part of their brain that is responsible for regulation of emotion will not be fully developed until the age of twenty one, yes…21! So extend grace to them especially during moments of frustration.
Say an Our Father before you blurt out whatever first comes to mind.

It helps, trust me.

Multitask Extraordinaire

You learn to do a lot with one baby in your arm, and twice as much with one baby in your arm and another wrapped around your leg. You learn to multitask like no other.
Situations present themselves acutely and you have to respond right away.
They force you to be better and that is what we need to do everyday.
BE  BETTER and DO BETTER.

Having children will definitely teach you, although (sometimes painfully) but it is something worth looking forward to if you haven’t yet entered the space of Marriage and Family life.

Extra Set of Hands

Adam is approaching two years.
I can hardly believe it, and he is at that stage where he follows instructions. I can ask him to perform simple tasks, for eg. Getting wipes,  throwing away a diaper or turning off the fan.
I have to say, it is nice to see him help out with his little sister even sometimes without me asking.

Uncharted Joy

Pope John Paul II said ” The best gift you can give your child is a sibling” and I see it everyday in the joy on our children’s faces when they wake up, in the meals they share, and even in the “I’m sorry” after their little fights.
The family is truly the school of love.

Summing it up

I’ve shared only eight but there are so many more. These days children are seen as a chore and not the blessings that they are but there is hope!
We will get back to those days.

Thank you so much for reading, leave a comment and subscribe to my email list so you’ll never miss another blog post!

‘Til next time

Abby