Tag: family of five

  • Why I Love Being a Parent: 11 Honest Reasons

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    Having children is increasingly treated as one option among many rather than a natural part of adult life. That is a valid shift. But the case for parenthood deserves to be made honestly, so here it is. Why bother at all Many people today choose not to have children, and living for yourself is genuinely…

  • My Controversial Parenting Principles: An Honest Take

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    Someone called my parenting opinions “ragebait” recently. I laughed, because I genuinely had not intended it that way. But here we are. These are my controversial parenting principles, and I stand by all of them. A little context first I have three children under five: Ms, who is four, Mr, who is two and has…

  • When Motherhood Feels Like Too Much: An Honest Confession

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    I usually write about our days and find something good in them. Today I want to write about what is underneath that. The honest version Things are not going well with me. I want to write that plainly because this blog has always been about honesty, and the honest version of right now is harder…

  • Our First Summer as a Family of Five: Real Life Update

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    Our first summer as a family of five has been intense. Here is an honest snapshot of what our days actually look like as it draws to a close. How mornings begin Mr wakes first, somewhere between six and seven. B usually follows immediately – though having nursed through the night, he is not hungry…

  • End of Summer: New Routines and a Four-Month Birthday

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    Looking out the window it is clear that autumn is not far away. Here is what the end of summer as a family of five looks like – and what is coming next. What autumn means for each of us The end of summer brings changes for everyone in this house. Ms, who is four,…

  • Family Events with Three Kids: Our Summer in Review

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    We have been a family of five for three months now. Here is what family events with three children actually looks like – the proud moments, the logistics, and why we keep doing it anyway. The lesson we learned at the first event Our first large family event with three kids this summer was a…

  • Summer at My Childhood Home: Surviving Three Kids Alone

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    I thought we would manage. We did, technically. But surviving three kids alone in a summer cottage with no running water and a toddler who climbed into a fireplace is a story I need to tell honestly. The place and the plan Every summer I spend time at my childhood home. It is an uninsulated…

  • Three Months Old: Cake, Chaos and a Summer to Remember

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    B is three months old today. The plan was to bake a cake first thing this morning. The plan, as usual, did not survive contact with three children. A birthday morning that went its own way My three months old baby update starts like most of our mornings – with the best of intentions and…

  • A Typical Day with Three Kids: Our Summer Routine

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    People sometimes ask what our days look like. Here is the honest answer – a typical day with three kids from the first night feed to the last bedtime song, and everything in between with our 4-year-old daughter, 2-year-old son with Down syndrome and 2-month-old baby son. How we sleep My partner sleeps in the…

  • Raising Kids in the Countryside: Honest Pros and Cons

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    We are four months into village life with a newborn, a toddler with Down syndrome, and a four-year-old. Here is what raising kids in the countryside actually looks like – the good, the hard, and everything in between. Who we are and where we live We are a family of five. My partner and I,…