3 Kids- Yay or Nay? Did you wish you stuck with 2?

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Replies

  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I was a nanny, but their 3rd was quite possibly the easiest of the bunch. You never know what the genetic lottery has in store for you.
  • tc1333
    tc1333 Posts: 4,033 Member
    The more the merrier
  • LisaHeb1979
    LisaHeb1979 Posts: 219 Member
    My third was s huge surprise, but I can't imagine life without him. Having a teenager and toddler at the same time can be brutal, but it makes life do much more fun.
  • EmbeeKay
    EmbeeKay Posts: 249 Member
    I had two boys and then my third was a girl, so YES I am definitely glad I had #3. Would life be easier and quieter with just the top two? Yes! Would I give her back? (Or her little brother?) Nope. :)
  • Sunshine_And_Sand
    Sunshine_And_Sand Posts: 1,320 Member
    I have two, one boy and one girl. Both DH and I would be ok with a third, but we decided to stop after two because I am apparently not good at being pregnant. I had lots of pregnancy complications both times and a miscarriage in between.
    The fact that we already have one of each does help with the decision to stop at two.
    Also, they were both pretty easy babies and toddlers, so I doubt we'd have that kind of luck a third time in a row.
    Now as bigger kids, I have to say that for us, the boy is WAY easier than the girl, but she's a middle schooler so maybe she'll grow out of all the theatrics...
  • avatar1003
    avatar1003 Posts: 20 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    Decided to stop with one mainly because that is what we felt we could afford and could parent.
    We made a pro and con list but in our hearts we knew we did not have more to give another child. It was the right decision for our family then and now to stop having children.

    There are plenty of families who are happy with 2 or 3 kids. I would talk with your partner. Think about it for awhile.

    Well, it took us 7 years to get pregnant with our first. During that time it was very difficult and we decided that whatever God had in store for us was what was meant to happen. We never thought we would get a 2nd and BAM, we did. I will be 40 in June, so time is running out. The 2nd one is a handful only because he will try and try and try to do something until he succeeds... Which at this age means everything he is not supposed to do. This will be a good trait when he gets old, just exhausting now (he is 15 mths).

    If it happens it will happen and we will have a 3rd- my partner and I are on the same page. Neither one of our kids sleeps very well so we are just tired!

    I was just curious what the general consensus was for anyone with more than 2 kids.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    avatar1003 wrote: »
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    Decided to stop with one mainly because that is what we felt we could afford and could parent.
    We made a pro and con list but in our hearts we knew we did not have more to give another child. It was the right decision for our family then and now to stop having children.

    There are plenty of families who are happy with 2 or 3 kids. I would talk with your partner. Think about it for awhile.

    Well, it took us 7 years to get pregnant with our first. During that time it was very difficult and we decided that whatever God had in store for us was what was meant to happen. We never thought we would get a 2nd and BAM, we did. I will be 40 in June, so time is running out. The 2nd one is a handful only because he will try and try and try to do something until he succeeds... Which at this age means everything he is not supposed to do. This will be a good trait when he gets old, just exhausting now (he is 15 mths).

    If it happens it will happen and we will have a 3rd- my partner and I are on the same page. Neither one of our kids sleeps very well so we are just tired!

    I was just curious what the general consensus was for anyone with more than 2 kids.

    I think you will find very few regret having 3. However, if you decide not to, you may always wonder.....
  • Rockingon
    Rockingon Posts: 4 Member
    I have 3 and its hilarious to watch my youngest who is two trample on his older siblings.
  • workhardplay85
    workhardplay85 Posts: 60 Member
    I have 2, not sure I am emotionally equipped to have a third.
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    I have three kids - boy, boy, girl. Third was a surprise, but a happy one. For me, going from 1 to 2 kids wasn't too hard, but 2 to 3 was a HUGE transition. Granted I did have 3 kids in 3 years so for a couple years going anywhere was hard.
  • Keto_N_Iron
    Keto_N_Iron Posts: 5,385 Member
    Gimme all the babies!

    I hear quite often, that the switch from 1 to 2 is most challenging and everything after that is a cake walk.

    HAHAHAHAHA no. the most challenging is the switch from 1 to 3 ... I know this.
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  • CoffeeAndContour
    CoffeeAndContour Posts: 1,466 Member
    Gimme all the babies!

    I hear quite often, that the switch from 1 to 2 is most challenging and everything after that is a cake walk.

    HAHAHAHAHA no. the most challenging is the switch from 1 to 3 ... I know this.

    :D you have twins right?

  • Keto_N_Iron
    Keto_N_Iron Posts: 5,385 Member
    Gimme all the babies!

    I hear quite often, that the switch from 1 to 2 is most challenging and everything after that is a cake walk.

    HAHAHAHAHA no. the most challenging is the switch from 1 to 3 ... I know this.

    :D you have twins right?

    yes Ma'am :)
  • AmyC2288
    AmyC2288 Posts: 386 Member
    Stopped at 2 and hubby had a vasectomy. No regrets! Financially and just time management wise we couldn't imagine having another.
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
    avatar1003 wrote: »
    Pros and Cons to having a third...

    This is my second biological child but my 3 kid in general. One stepson. It’s hard. We’re outnumbered and cars jam packed. But mainly hard but my two kids are so close in age. Ones 2 and the other one is 2 weeks but we chose to do it that way so we get the baby/toddler stage out of the way at the same time. But I’d definitely chose to do it again if I had the choice.
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
    Reckoner67 wrote: »
    My littlest guy has a buncha medical challenges so he's definitely been the most "difficult" in that way (nothing life-threatening, thankfully, just quality-of-life stuff) but otherwise he's pretty chill. Definitely the baby of the family, if his bedtime was later we could cancel Netflix and just watch him.

    My wife had to talk me into a third; I really wanted to stick to two. But dang if I ain't glad we had that one more :)

    This made my heart happy.
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    We stopped at two. My first was and is a little angel most of the time and made parenting seem really easy and no biggie. Number 2 changed our minds...he can be very sweet, but he can also be the spawn of the devil...he can go from Hyde to Jeckyll in like 3 seconds flat.

    Lmao this is my son. He’s so loving and sweet but if he doesn’t get his way you’d think i birthed a demon.
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
    Gimme all the babies!

    I hear quite often, that the switch from 1 to 2 is most challenging and everything after that is a cake walk.

    This is how I feel. I LOVE babies.
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
    TheRoadDog wrote: »
    When I met my wife, she already had two girls. She was a great Mom and I learned a lot from watching her with the girls. We discussed it and decided that we wouldn't have any more kids. Then, after we married, I heard her talking to my sister. Telling her she wanted to have a child with me. So, I gave in and we had a girl together. I thought "She's a great Mom. I won't have much to do but follow her lead." Boy, was I wrong. I thought I would be my wife's support system and I wouldn't have much to do.

    Our third child, turned out to be a major force in my life. Couldn't imagine my life without her. She's my best friend. Even talked me into getting matching tattoos.

    1i28gypgg3ei.png
    TheRoadDog wrote: »
    When I met my wife, she already had two girls. She was a great Mom and I learned a lot from watching her with the girls. We discussed it and decided that we wouldn't have any more kids. Then, after we married, I heard her talking to my sister. Telling her she wanted to have a child with me. So, I gave in and we had a girl together. I thought "She's a great Mom. I won't have much to do but follow her lead." Boy, was I wrong. I thought I would be my wife's support system and I wouldn't have much to do.

    Our third child, turned out to be a major force in my life. Couldn't imagine my life without her. She's my best friend. Even talked me into getting matching tattoos.

    1i28gypgg3ei.png

    Your daughter is so beautiful!
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
    I have 3 boys--we kept trying for a girl. They are all different and we love them all. Now that they are adults it's fun to watch them horse around. Sigh. They've broken so many things in my house over the years.

    I have 3 boys. All still young yet, kept trying for the girl as well lol. I foresee many broken things as well lol.
  • Riffraft1960
    Riffraft1960 Posts: 1,984 Member
    I started out with twin boys, so I have no idea what it is like with just 1. Third was boy, Not too much extra work. So hey what about a girl, number 4 a girl. Well shoot not too bad, so throw in 2 more boys. Well the boys really out number the girl. add 2 girls. Well that was nice so why not 2 more boys. Now I am up to 10 and have no idea how I got here. Well along the way, I took in 2 teenagers who were having family issues. So at one time I had 12 kids under roof. It has been great at time, been really hard at times, but now that all but 2 are adults and on their own, I wouldn't trade it.
  • newmeadow
    newmeadow Posts: 1,295 Member
    The cost of raising a child from birth to age 17 in 2015 was $233,610. This is for middle income families and does not include college tuition or expenses. Add approximately $100,000 to that for high income people. Again, not including college tuition or expenses.

    Weird that this hasn't been addressed in this thread yet but clearly we all live in different worlds. This ain't my world.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    The cost of raising a child from birth to age 17 in 2015 was $233,610. This is for middle income families and does not include college tuition or expenses. Add approximately $100,000 to that for high income people. Again, not including college tuition or expenses.

    Weird that this hasn't been addressed in this thread yet but clearly we all live in different worlds. This ain't my world.

    When I grew up on a farm we were 7 kids. We were fairly poor. 4 of us went to college--private ones. 1 went to a technical school. We didn't go on vacation, but did a lot of family things with our cousins. Both of my parents came from families of 10. My mother went to nursing school and got a college degree. So, I guess it all depends on your values.
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    The cost of raising a child from birth to age 17 in 2015 was $233,610. This is for middle income families and does not include college tuition or expenses. Add approximately $100,000 to that for high income people. Again, not including college tuition or expenses.

    Weird that this hasn't been addressed in this thread yet but clearly we all live in different worlds. This ain't my world.

    This for me is entirely too inaccurate. Seems very very very low. I feel like I will spend way over that before they’re 10.
  • newmeadow
    newmeadow Posts: 1,295 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    The cost of raising a child from birth to age 17 in 2015 was $233,610. This is for middle income families and does not include college tuition or expenses. Add approximately $100,000 to that for high income people. Again, not including college tuition or expenses.

    Weird that this hasn't been addressed in this thread yet but clearly we all live in different worlds. This ain't my world.

    This for me is entirely too inaccurate. Seems very very very low. I feel like I will spend way over that before they’re 10.

    I got it from a 2017 report from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture posted by CNN.money.com (And please don't think I get news from CNN. I swear I don't.)

    But yes, it seems like a low figure to me too.

  • FaabLife4
    FaabLife4 Posts: 90 Member
    I have 2 sons and a daughter. The daughter is #3 she's 18 now and my ride or die partner. My very best friend in the world. I didn't plan a third but I am extremely greatful she showed up anyways. Nothing but joy with her. My boys ran me crazy. There was joy but it was dotted in between wanting to strangle them. Lol
  • Je55ica_79
    Je55ica_79 Posts: 278 Member
    Mom of 4 here. I don't think it matters how many. I love my kids. I don't think a certain amount is easier or harder just different. Your family is what you make it.