When you announce a pregnancy, family and friends congratulate you, encourage you, and make you feel special. What you might have noticed is that they sometimes also warn, scare, or worry you with horror stories and unhelpful comments such as, “Enjoy your sleep while you still can!”
If you are having multiples, don’t be surprised if you encounter a lot of negativity and fear from people around you.
Many people are not used to the idea of raising multiples, especially triplets and beyond.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to feel negative or afraid about your life as a triplets mom or dad.
There are MANY things to appreciate about being a parent of multiples. Gratitude is usually an effective antidote to the worries and fears that come with becoming a parent (or with any situation!)
Humor is another way to lighten the mood in spite of all the challenges.
So, here are 10 reasons you are LUCKY to have triplets (or multiples), and will hopefully make you smile!
1. You have an excuse to say “no” to unwanted visitors.
You have good reason to kindly excuse yourself from hosting family get togethers or parties. You also can probably assume that most people won’t try to drop in on you unannounced.
And if they do and find you wearing yesterday’s pajamas, sitting next to a laundry mountain and toys scattered across the house as if a tornado blew through, they will (hopefully) understand why.
2. You become an expert at solving mysteries.
Have you ever wanted to be one of those people who can guess “Who done it?” with stunning accuracy? If so, you’re in luck!
Triple the troublemakers means you will become an unparalleled investigator of household incidents. Not only that, but you get triple the practice in your reactions and providing discipline.
3. You get to see three unique personalities develop at the same time.
Amongst the investigations and through play you see how interesting and remarkable human development truly is! It can give a whole new perspective on social interactions and personality development.
4. You will have plenty of “art” on the walls.
Crayon, marker, paint, sticky fingerprints… It’s not dirty, it’s art! If you can’t fight it, might as well embrace it.
You can even place an empty frame around it like this couple did, ha!
5. You will learn an incredible amount of patience.
Have you ever reacted too quickly and wished you had more patience? Then take a moment to love the fact that you now have triplets to give you the patience of a mountain.
You might notice that things that used to take seconds now might take fifteen minutes or more. Before kids, you might have been able to get out of the house, get groceries, and come back in less than an hour. After triplets, it might take an hour just to get everyone dressed and buckled into the car!
Not to mention three times the diaper changes, baths, feeding, and potty training. It’s a ton of work but look at this way: you are a stronger person every day because of it!
6. They can entertain each other.
While your singleton parent friends are worrying about how much their child is socializing with other kids, you can kick back and binge watch your shows as your kids play amongst themselves. You might have to intercept a few fights, though!
7. You only have to plan one birthday party a year.
While some parents feel like each year is just a whirlwind of planning party after party, you can get it all over with in one shot!
8. You learn to buy in bulk.
With three little ones, you can guarantee you will be going through household items, diapers, and food as if you were taking care of an army. Buying in bulk is cheaper and much more efficient than making a hundred trips to the grocery store every week.
Other things you can “buy in bulk” so to speak are private lessons. Some extracurricular activities require a minimum of three students to schedule a class so you can instantly get a “private” lesson for the price of a regular class. Or you might be able to swing a discount for registering three at a time to bigger classes.
9. You get to redecorate often.
Make your Pinterest dreams come true year after year! With all the stains, spills, and damages you might need to buy furniture and decorations more often than other families.
Though it may seem like a hassle, think of it as your chance to really enhance your interior design skills. You will certainly get a lot of practice! Alternatively, you could learn how to repair and refinish furniture to get your favorite pieces looking good as new (at least for a little while).
Plus, it might really bring out the sales person in you when it’s time to sell all the high chairs, cribs, bouncers, bassinets, etc.
10. Last but not least, you get triple the love!
Raising triplets is a truly unique and amazing experience that not many people get to have. As huge of an adjustment as it may be, you will discover how to make it work.
When you get all the hugs, kisses, and affection, be sure to make mental note of the abundance of love you feel and remember it when your patience and energy run low. One day, your triplets will be all grown up and you will have three loving children to take care of you when you need it, too.
So, don’t take all the fear and negativity to heart.
Sure, there is a healthy amount of worrying you will do, but it is a time to embrace the amazing challenge, with all it’s ups and downs. It’s also a time to laugh often; certainly your kids will provide plenty of opportunities for that!
Do you have a funny story or advice about raising triplets or multiples to share? Tell us about it in the comments below!
