Dividing Time with Multiple Kids

Like many people with multiple kids, sometimes I have trouble juggling their interests and schedules. My daughter, for example, likes to play gymnastics, but my son is too young. While I'm teaching, I can't entertain my toddler. My son likes to go to the toddler story time at the library, but it bores my daughter. I sometimes have to divide my attention, caring for one, while letting the other child do their own thing. Despite the differences in their ages and tastes, I've found that making time for both has its benefits.

Watching my daughter during sports is not my son's idea of a good time. He's too young to stay home alone, and Daddy is often working, so he has to come along. There always seems to be another toddler there in the same predicament, and he is able to make friends. While he sometimes tries to climb the bleachers and turn off the lights in the viewing room, he has found that there are other children out there, and it is fun to share toys.

Having multiple kids means that sometimes your child has to find a way to entertain themselves. I was thrilled when my son found some toys to play with while I was teaching my daughter. While sometimes I let him watch Thomas and Friends, I'd prefer that he doesn't get addicted to the television. Similarly, my daughter has found a way to keep boredom at bay while I my son enjoys story time at the library. I let her log into a computer and visit her favorite web sites while we are there. If she gets bored at the computer, she can sit in the children's area and read a book.

I don't know how people with three or more children do it, but I suspect that they juggle their kids a lot like I do with my two. When we go to a friend's house, they have to include each other. When my son gets older, I'll try to get him interested in gymnastics as well, so they can take classes at the same time. Can people with multiple kids spend as much time with each child as they can with only children? No. But my children learn to get along with other people, find things to do on their own, and put the needs of their sibling above their own at times. I suppose those are benefits that you can't get with the extra attention an only child does.