How can I spend quality time with all three kids?

Question

I have three toddlers, one 4 years old, and the other two, 2 and a half(twins). Now that each of them have grown, they've developed their own personality. I want to be able to spend time with them, but find it difficult to do that all in one shot. How can I distribute my free time to all three of them without having them fight for me?

Answer 1

maybe let them help you cook? they can all learn so that you can sit back an relax one day!

you could also go for walks to the park... it'll keep them fit.

good luck and have fun!!

Answer 2

I would suggest playing games with them-- games like candyland, etc. and have the three children against the parent(s). That way, the 4 year old can be the "role model" and help them learn colors, and shapes, etc. and the younger ones feel like they are participating on a "team" (It builds team work between with the children and teaches them to listen to each other).

Trust me, one or two times of beating a parent at a game, and they will want to have family games like that often.

Also, do other fun things (such as finger painting, and other crafts) in which they help each other with the work. Maybe start by drawing a circle and letting each child add one more line to the picture until they decide the picture is done-- maybe do this once a week, and hang the picture on the fridge for the week, so they can see their "team work".

The important thing is to teach them how to work together, so that when you are busy, they can play together and give each other quality time attention instead of always having to rely on you to give each child individual attention.

Some days though, while the 4 year old is working on something take the twins outside to play in the yard, and then when the 2 year olds are napping, take the 4 year old outside to play in the yard-- that way you are giving them individual attention and not having the others fighting for that attention.

Just a few suggestions that I picked up along the way in life :-)

Good luck!

Answer 3

My favorite way to spend time with all of my kids is by holding a "storytime." I have 4 kids; ages 11, 7, 4, and 11 weeks. I usually hold the baby on my lap and have the 4 and 7 yr old on either side of me as I read a couple books. My oldest will usually read her own books at the same time. I pick books for different ages, and let the kids point out things and ask questions. I also ask them questions about what I've read to them or what they see in the pictures. I've found that this is also a great way to calm my boys down shortly before bed. I hope this helps.

Answer 4

It's hard to do, but important. We have four boys they are older now 10-17 but it's still important to spend time together but also individually. You can easily spend more time with your oldest by putting the twins to bed even a half hour earlier than you put him to bed. The twins might be a little harder to do just yet. As they get older spend time with them doing the things they enjoy. You might even work out that once a month you spend a certain amount of time with each one on their own.

Answer 5

Such a great question, I think it is so very important to have alone time with each child, my children are 16 14 11 2 3months, I find it easy now that I have older ones to help, can't remember how i did it with my oldest but i know i did, it's always work , I don't know your life so hard to make suggestions but i do remember i had to be aware and make time and when i did not i noticed a difference in my children, you can do it make it a priority and ask people that are in your daily life for help and advice

Answer 6

I have 3 kids also...5, 18 mo, and 2 mo.. I think the best way to spend time with just one is to keep the others occupied. My 5 year old likes to play games like uno and candyland, so we do that a lot when the other two are napping or daddy's home. My 18 month old likes to play peek-a-boo and have me chase her and tickle her, so I can pretty much do that anytime..and I cuddle my baby at nighttime when the other two are sleeping. I would suggest setting your 4 year old up with one of the twins while you spend time with the other. You could have them color or play with playdoh or even watch a movie for awhile...it won't hurt them!! When you want to spend time with your 4 year old do it when the twins are napping or when daddy's home to occupy them! And I think your children would be happy if you just sat down with them all to color or whatever too!

Answer 7

The best thing is to get them involved in an activity you all can do together. If you don't have any get some cardboard boxes and "build" a fort or a pirate ship or space ship together then take a trip in your space or pirate ship and use your fort...in other words PLAY with your children. Become a toddler yourself. Run through sprinklers in the summer, stomp through water puddles when it rains. Turn on the stereo and dance. Make up silly words. Make up stories (yeah I know 2 year olds...don't know many stories but that's not the point), go to the craft store and get some dowls long enough for "fishing poles" attach a length of embroidery floss to each then attach a magnet to the other end of the floss. Look for some "fish" cut outs at the craft store, attach a magnet to them and "go fishing". Drag out the blankets and sheets and build an indoor fort/tent of the dinging/kitchen table. and "camp out" at nap time. Get CREATIVE

Answer 8

If you have family that can help you out once in a while, taking time with your children one on one is a great way to give them time with you. Time with you as a foursome is good too. Quality time can be a simple as going to the park and playing WITH the kids. Playing hide and seek with them. Make forts together. Let them help you mix up cookie mix. Let them take turns measuring with you, and mixing the mix. Have milk and warm cookies when they are done. Include your children in sorting the laundry. Your four year old is old enough to help fold some things like towels. The younger ones can help you identify who different laundry items belong to. It's not so much about finding free time as it is finding ways to include them in everyday moments.

Answer 9

i don't what u are doing is right. first of all if i was ur bf & if we were going together for 2 yrs & i just met ur daughter when we were about to move in together i would've dumped u like a bad habit and move on. on some level u hid something very important from him that he may not have been ready for. u forced it on him. that's straight up not fair. also u can't expect just anyone to be ok that u have a child. its ur repsonsibility & ur problem no one else's. u can't also expect a single guy w/ no kids to instantly become a dad at the drop of a hat its not fair to him. its not his child, not his problem, & he isn't the father. i know its a shock people but NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO HAVE CHILDREN!!!!!! u didn't allow him to make a choice but u sprung it on him at the last minute. he probably felt guilty if he didn't take the kid & u into his home so he let u guys move in. do u know why he probably doesn't want to interact w/ the kid, because he thinks ur looking for a daddy & not a partner & will tolerate him. if u didn't want him why have u lived w/ him for 3 yrs??? ur using him plain & simple. somethign happened to where he was the sucker & u moved in w/ him so he could provide u security instead of love. if i were him i would give u 60 days notice to find ur own place & kick u out. stop trying to pawn off ur responsibilites of raising ur kids on someone else. its ur bed & lie in it!!! this is the main reason why people that don't have kids should never ever date anyone that has them!!!!!

Answer 10

Try things that you can all do together.

Playing ball....tossing it around the circle, rolling it back and forth, kicking it around.

Imaginative play. Get a laundry basket or a big box that they can pretend with. It can be a pirate ship, a car, a rocket, a train, etc.

Lay out all the pillows in the house end to end to build a "train track" and all of your crawl around on them pretending to be trains.

Use all the pillows as "bricks" to build a fort to play in.

Make tents with sheets, blankets, chairs and table.

Take walks together.

Read stories together.

Make up your own stories that you tell together.

Put on music and dance. Gather a box of musical instruments or make some out of stuff you have at home. (Pie pans taped together with beans or rice inside to shake.....pots and pans for drums, etc.)

Pretend your bed is a pirate ship that you are all sailing on together.

Lay out a blanket on the floor and pretend to take a ride on a magic carpet.

Have a picnic in the living room floor for lunch.

Practice taking turns in the games that you play. If they younger ones seem to take a lot of your energy, let the oldest stay up a bit later than them so you have a half hour or so of focused time to cuddle or read together.

Answer 11

You could have 2 different activities, one for the four year old and one for the twins. The four year old could be cutting cookies using a cookie cutter while the twins put sprinkles or help with the frosting. The four year old could water color and paint pictures for maybe 15 minutes while the twins scribble and glue. Think similar projects but different developmental levels. Otherwise, if you have a friend or relative that could watch one of the kids...maybe a trusted adult who is a favorite of the four year old could hang out with him while you spend time with the twins.