The biggest secret to how we handle it

With 5 kids under 7, people often ask how we handle it all.  The biggest secret is that we don’t go very  many places.  5 young kids are much easier to handle when they’re all contained at home!  Occasionally, I’ll see a friend out at the grocery store with one, two, or three kids in tow and they usually ask where my kids are.  Are you kidding me?  I don’t take them to the store with me!  It saves me a whole lot of stress in life.  If we do go out, it is usually to take just one or two kids at a time.  And when I’m feeling very brave, I’ll take the 3 yr old twins and the baby to the store when our oldest is at school and #2 is at preschool — but only for a very quick trip!

With all that being said, it is quite a treat for the kids when we DO go somewhere.  We promised Chase that we would go bowling for his birthday and today was the day.  The kids actually did really great . . . for the first little while.  By the end of the first (and only) game, they were starting to get restless and by the time we got to the car there was one in major meltdown mode who stayed that way until he fell asleep and the 3 in the back of the mini van pestering each other.  We made some fun memories but came home really tired.  And that will be our last time out together for a while because we love these kids BUT we handle it best at home.