Thinking About Another Child....

[melalyssa]

Is anyone else "on the fence" about having more kids? I certainly am!

My kids are 10 (almost) and 7 now and I'm thinking if I don't do it now I don't want to wait any longer, but then again, they are just getting to the point that we can pretty much do anything and not have to worry about if one is too small, etc...

Also, another fear of mine is that when my kids are hitting their preteen years I will have a toddler and I worry that I won't be able to give them all the attention they need at that time in their lives.

[Awesome Mom]

I am still pondering another one. I have an eight month old baby so spacing really is not a huge concern for me right now. I would love to have a girl but an kind of worried that I will end up surrounded by testosterone.

[Fidget]

My brother and I are 8 years apart my sis and I 9ish years apart. We are only now getting to be friends b/c my mother needed me to be an assistant so much (bro and sis were only 14 months apart). It made me a bit bitter.

I know other families where these gaps are nothing, the kids have always been friends and gotten along. I think it's all in how you balance things and that it can be done very sucessfully.

You do need to be prepared to have "the talk" if you havent yet b/c they WILL ownder um exactly HOW did a baby get in there? and this "Daddy gave it to me" crap just wont cut it at that age

[melalyssa]

I know where your coming from Fidget, also another reason I am worried. My sister was 7 yrs younger than me and 8 younger than my brother and we are just now starting to be "friends" with her, she is 22. I was definently bitter that my parents used us as built in babysitters and kinda of left us to fend for ourselves while taking care of her. I know I wouldn't do that to my kids, but still...


I'm leaning toward no, the only think that throws a wrench into things is that my husband doesn't have any biological children. He is a father to my two and has been since they were 2 and 4, but I know he would like one. He is also on the fence though for all the previously posted reasons. I think we are leaning toward no. Does make me sad, though....

Oh, yes, we have had "the talk" more than one talk actually. The kids actually want a baby, but you know all kids say that till they actually have one in the house!

[My2groupies]

Wow that's a tough call...
The biggest problem I see is using your older kids to watch the younger! I HATE THAT - I have a number of friends who got screwed from a childhood because of their siblings.
But as long as you recognize that is no good and you would never do that, then you should be ok. The point is to learn from others mistakes and spare our children - after my childhood (won't go into it) that is basically my number one parenting rule. If I do almost everything opposite of my parents then my kids just might be ok!
I have other friends who PAY their older kids to watch the younger and the older kids LOVE it!
I love babies - I think most moms do - and I have really considered having another years after this one (I am 21 weeks along!). Just to have a baby that I have lots and lots of time to enjoy - kinda like having your first baby all over again! Having them 2 and three years apart really makes time fly and it's not the same as having sooo much time just to enjoy having a baby!
I think you would find that it would be great to have just one more right now. Your other two are older and can help out with what they want and still get to enjoy the baby! Spoil it right along with you!
My little brother is 5 years younger than me and we were best friends growing up!
Just another mom's opinion!