I am excited to welcome Amber Bell, a mama of quadruplets and the author of the blog, Texas Tales. She is doing a special guest post sharing her 10 Tips to Make Life “Easier” with Multiples. I really need to try tip #4! Socks have been one of our weekly challenges. Find our more about Amber in her bio on the bottom of the post and follow her on social media.
10 Tips to Make Life Easier with Multiples
As
pretty much any quad mama can attest, we certainly weren’t planning to have
four sweet little babies all at one time! We went through the appropriate
phases of shock, acceptance, more shock, then praying and planning. Now, my
husband, Mike, and I are the proud parents of nearly four-year-old quadruplets
(three girls and one boy). We strive to raise healthy, happy, strong,
independent kiddos and also to navigate this journey in parenting as well as we
can. Finding ways to either simplify a daily task or encourage independence are
key to our success—and sanity!
1. NO
SHORT ORDER COOKING. Since the kiddos are nearly four years old, I get asked
quite often what some of their favorite meals are. Sometimes people seem
surprised when I say foods like salmon, grilled chicken, pesto pasta, fruit and
roasted veggies. Before the kids were born, I vowed I would never make multiple
meals for any occasion and that my kids would know what real food is. Being a
short order cook and making separate meals for the kids can certainly add more
stress and more legwork for mama in the kitchen and I’m no fan of that! I need
efficiency wherever I can get it. My kids aren’t perfect eaters by any means,
though. There are things they don’t care for and they go through phases where
they decide they don’t want something they previously ate just fine—like
scrambled eggs or oranges. Basically, I make sure there’s at least one item on
our plates that I know the crew eats well and the rest is up to them! If they
don’t want to eat sometime, it doesn’t get replaced with something else. And
the times they say they don’t want to eat anything, they still have to remain
seated at the table while the rest of the family finishes their meals. I’ve
never seen anyone make it through mealtime without deciding to finally gobble
up several bites of food in the end!
SHORT ORDER COOKING. Since the kiddos are nearly four years old, I get asked
quite often what some of their favorite meals are. Sometimes people seem
surprised when I say foods like salmon, grilled chicken, pesto pasta, fruit and
roasted veggies. Before the kids were born, I vowed I would never make multiple
meals for any occasion and that my kids would know what real food is. Being a
short order cook and making separate meals for the kids can certainly add more
stress and more legwork for mama in the kitchen and I’m no fan of that! I need
efficiency wherever I can get it. My kids aren’t perfect eaters by any means,
though. There are things they don’t care for and they go through phases where
they decide they don’t want something they previously ate just fine—like
scrambled eggs or oranges. Basically, I make sure there’s at least one item on
our plates that I know the crew eats well and the rest is up to them! If they
don’t want to eat sometime, it doesn’t get replaced with something else. And
the times they say they don’t want to eat anything, they still have to remain
seated at the table while the rest of the family finishes their meals. I’ve
never seen anyone make it through mealtime without deciding to finally gobble
up several bites of food in the end!
2. BRING
SNACKS. This is a hard and fast rule with me! I always, always, always bring snacks and drinks with me when doing
errands. Sometimes it feels like I have to pack an arsenal of supplies just to
get in a trip to Target or the grocery store, but when I have the whole crew
with me I need all the backup I can muster! (Though I follow this rule even if I’m
just taking one kiddo somewhere. It’s that
helpful.) Snacks can be as simple as mini bags of pretzels or goldfish or a
squeeze pouch per kid. Or bring all the snacks, who cares as long as you have
food for the pint-sized terrorists that always manage to threaten a scene on
the busiest aisle! I don’t hand out the grub as soon as we get to our
destination since the crew is usually good for a little while. When they start
getting restless, out comes the food! “Because I’d like to shop for groceries
to the sound of non-stop whining and bickering from my kids who are hog-tied
down to the cart,” said no one ever.
SNACKS. This is a hard and fast rule with me! I always, always, always bring snacks and drinks with me when doing
errands. Sometimes it feels like I have to pack an arsenal of supplies just to
get in a trip to Target or the grocery store, but when I have the whole crew
with me I need all the backup I can muster! (Though I follow this rule even if I’m
just taking one kiddo somewhere. It’s that
helpful.) Snacks can be as simple as mini bags of pretzels or goldfish or a
squeeze pouch per kid. Or bring all the snacks, who cares as long as you have
food for the pint-sized terrorists that always manage to threaten a scene on
the busiest aisle! I don’t hand out the grub as soon as we get to our
destination since the crew is usually good for a little while. When they start
getting restless, out comes the food! “Because I’d like to shop for groceries
to the sound of non-stop whining and bickering from my kids who are hog-tied
down to the cart,” said no one ever.
3. ALONE
TIME. Whether you have multiples or multiple kids, motherhood is busy,
exhausting and demanding. We spend so much time tending to the needs ofthat
tiny army we created ourselves our kids that it’s hard to find the time—or
energy!—to devote any attention to ourselves. But becoming a martyr, I’ve
learned, doesn’t do anyone any favors. Especially yourself. It’s so incredibly
important to carve out alone time however possible, even if it’s just once a
week. Part of my alone time is the kid’s naptime every day. They don’t always
actually sleep but they know the drill—they are to stay in their room, play or
look at books quietly and rest until naptime is over. Often, they’ll snooze for
an hour or more. The house is quiet, I’m able to collect my thoughts and be
alone for a bit. Sometimes I power nap, sometimes I catch up with a TV show on
the DVR, other times I work on my computer. I also signed up for the kid’s club
at our local 24 Hour Fitness and I’m able to take the kids with me to the gym,
drop them off in kid’s club then head over to the workout machines or group
class and get my sweat on. We’re extra happy that the new kid’s club
coordinator is so hands-on with the kiddos and does crafts, story time and
structured play with them! The quads love it and it’s a great reprieve for me,
plus I feel better about myself for having worked out. However, whenever,
whatever you have to do…find some time to be alone!
TIME. Whether you have multiples or multiple kids, motherhood is busy,
exhausting and demanding. We spend so much time tending to the needs of
tiny army we created ourselves
energy!—to devote any attention to ourselves. But becoming a martyr, I’ve
learned, doesn’t do anyone any favors. Especially yourself. It’s so incredibly
important to carve out alone time however possible, even if it’s just once a
week. Part of my alone time is the kid’s naptime every day. They don’t always
actually sleep but they know the drill—they are to stay in their room, play or
look at books quietly and rest until naptime is over. Often, they’ll snooze for
an hour or more. The house is quiet, I’m able to collect my thoughts and be
alone for a bit. Sometimes I power nap, sometimes I catch up with a TV show on
the DVR, other times I work on my computer. I also signed up for the kid’s club
at our local 24 Hour Fitness and I’m able to take the kids with me to the gym,
drop them off in kid’s club then head over to the workout machines or group
class and get my sweat on. We’re extra happy that the new kid’s club
coordinator is so hands-on with the kiddos and does crafts, story time and
structured play with them! The quads love it and it’s a great reprieve for me,
plus I feel better about myself for having worked out. However, whenever,
whatever you have to do…find some time to be alone!
4. BAG
THE SOCKS. Our household is constantly overflowing with laundry. Piled up dirty
clothes in the laundry bin, teetering towers of clean laundry stacked in
baskets. You know the scene. Baby socks and, now, toddler-sized socks are my
nemesis. I despised having to pick them all out of the loads of laundry. My
mother-in-law actually suggested I somehow separate the socks when I washed
them and that’s when the lingerie bags came into play. It’s such an easy
solution! I throw a bag of socks in with clothes then quickly pair them up when
they’re clean. Done!
THE SOCKS. Our household is constantly overflowing with laundry. Piled up dirty
clothes in the laundry bin, teetering towers of clean laundry stacked in
baskets. You know the scene. Baby socks and, now, toddler-sized socks are my
nemesis. I despised having to pick them all out of the loads of laundry. My
mother-in-law actually suggested I somehow separate the socks when I washed
them and that’s when the lingerie bags came into play. It’s such an easy
solution! I throw a bag of socks in with clothes then quickly pair them up when
they’re clean. Done!
5. EASY
ACCESS. As soon as the quads learned to put on their own socks and shoes, I
knew I needed to make those items easily accessible so they’d look forward to
being able to do it themselves. Currently, we store socks, shoes and house
shoes in the playroom. Socks and house shoes/yard shoes are in their respective
wire bins hanging off a cube storage case that holds bins of each kid’s shoes
labeled with tag with their name on it. They know exactly where to find and,
more importantly, put away all of
their shoes and it makes getting out the door a bit easier!
ACCESS. As soon as the quads learned to put on their own socks and shoes, I
knew I needed to make those items easily accessible so they’d look forward to
being able to do it themselves. Currently, we store socks, shoes and house
shoes in the playroom. Socks and house shoes/yard shoes are in their respective
wire bins hanging off a cube storage case that holds bins of each kid’s shoes
labeled with tag with their name on it. They know exactly where to find and,
more importantly, put away all of
their shoes and it makes getting out the door a bit easier!
6. EXTRA
HANDS. Since the kids were babies, I’ve always tried to have a helper come once
or twice a week to simply lend me a hand. Back in the day, it was to help me
prepare endless bottles and feed the babies. Nowadays, it’s to help me make a
dent in all the laundry or just empty the dishwasher so I can move on to
another task. Our current hired helper is a wonderful teenage gal who attends
our church and she’s finishing up her last year in high school. She’s been so
great with the kids that she’ll keep them entertained in the playroom with
books and puzzles if I need to finish working, or she’ll watch them for an hour
or two while I run to the grocery store (or get a pedicure like I did one week
when I was about to crack and desperately needed some alone time!). Even if
she’s only able to help once a week for two or three hours, it’s completely
worth it!
HANDS. Since the kids were babies, I’ve always tried to have a helper come once
or twice a week to simply lend me a hand. Back in the day, it was to help me
prepare endless bottles and feed the babies. Nowadays, it’s to help me make a
dent in all the laundry or just empty the dishwasher so I can move on to
another task. Our current hired helper is a wonderful teenage gal who attends
our church and she’s finishing up her last year in high school. She’s been so
great with the kids that she’ll keep them entertained in the playroom with
books and puzzles if I need to finish working, or she’ll watch them for an hour
or two while I run to the grocery store (or get a pedicure like I did one week
when I was about to crack and desperately needed some alone time!). Even if
she’s only able to help once a week for two or three hours, it’s completely
worth it!
7. SNACK
BIN. There’s a wire bin in our pantry that I try to keep stocked with
easy-to-grab snacks for those days I’m trying to wrap up a work assignment or
hadn’t planned on putting together a snack myself. The kids will eat yogurt,
fruit and cheese for their snacks often enough, so I don’t fret when we opt for
something out of the bin—which usually contains bunny snacks, fruit snacks,
peanut butter crackers, raisins, etc. They won’t die from an extra dose of
carbohydrates. I mean, I might if I
constantly indulged then saw the scale hence it’s a kids-only snack bin.
BIN. There’s a wire bin in our pantry that I try to keep stocked with
easy-to-grab snacks for those days I’m trying to wrap up a work assignment or
hadn’t planned on putting together a snack myself. The kids will eat yogurt,
fruit and cheese for their snacks often enough, so I don’t fret when we opt for
something out of the bin—which usually contains bunny snacks, fruit snacks,
peanut butter crackers, raisins, etc. They won’t die from an extra dose of
carbohydrates. I mean, I might if I
constantly indulged then saw the scale hence it’s a kids-only snack bin.
8.
BACKUP BAG. Ever since our babies grew into toddlers and we ditched the diaper
bag, I’ve always carried a backup bag with extra clothes, underwear and a
Ziploc of baby wipes for quick cleanup. I tend to carry a larger purse anyway,
so I am able to easily throw in a zippered pouch. There’s never a time you were
so glad for dry underwear than that time
one of them has an accident. End of story.
BACKUP BAG. Ever since our babies grew into toddlers and we ditched the diaper
bag, I’ve always carried a backup bag with extra clothes, underwear and a
Ziploc of baby wipes for quick cleanup. I tend to carry a larger purse anyway,
so I am able to easily throw in a zippered pouch. There’s never a time you were
so glad for dry underwear than that time
one of them has an accident. End of story.
9.
ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENCE. Helping my quadlings learn how to do simple tasks on their
own like getting dressed, brushing teeth, even taking a shower, makes things
run smoother and faster and means a little bit less that mama has to do
herself. Which actually makes me a nicer mama, so I call it a win-win for
everyone involved. I also like giving them creative independence, too. In their
playroom, I recently took my DIY crate table and stocked it with small bins of
activities like lacing shapes, large beads and ribbons, magnetic blocks, empty
Easter eggs and farm animals as well as a stash of coloring backs and a tray of
pencils, crayons and chalk. They are able to access any of it at will, and it’s
all been used daily ever since!
ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENCE. Helping my quadlings learn how to do simple tasks on their
own like getting dressed, brushing teeth, even taking a shower, makes things
run smoother and faster and means a little bit less that mama has to do
herself. Which actually makes me a nicer mama, so I call it a win-win for
everyone involved. I also like giving them creative independence, too. In their
playroom, I recently took my DIY crate table and stocked it with small bins of
activities like lacing shapes, large beads and ribbons, magnetic blocks, empty
Easter eggs and farm animals as well as a stash of coloring backs and a tray of
pencils, crayons and chalk. They are able to access any of it at will, and it’s
all been used daily ever since!
10. TOY
SWAP. Every couple of months, I swap out all the toys in the playroom. I’m not
a super organized person but I have my act together on a couple things and toy
management is one of them. Before Christmas last year, I did a major toy clean
out and got rid of anything the kids no longer played with or had outgrown.
This made room for Christmas gifts generously given by friends and family and
also organized things to fit better. I now keep bins in one of the kid’s room
closets labeled with both the name and image of the toys inside so the kids can
help with cleanup! I’ll pack up loose toys in the playroom into their
appropriate bins and haul them up to the closet, then bring down “new” bins of
different toys. The kids love it and they always play better with a fresh
selection of entertainment!
SWAP. Every couple of months, I swap out all the toys in the playroom. I’m not
a super organized person but I have my act together on a couple things and toy
management is one of them. Before Christmas last year, I did a major toy clean
out and got rid of anything the kids no longer played with or had outgrown.
This made room for Christmas gifts generously given by friends and family and
also organized things to fit better. I now keep bins in one of the kid’s room
closets labeled with both the name and image of the toys inside so the kids can
help with cleanup! I’ll pack up loose toys in the playroom into their
appropriate bins and haul them up to the closet, then bring down “new” bins of
different toys. The kids love it and they always play better with a fresh
selection of entertainment!
BONUS!
11. I am very close with four quad
mamas in particular, who are also my best friends. We chat frequently online
daily, sharing whatever is happening with us that day—good or bad! We are
constantly encouraging, empowering, and inspiring each other. And at the end of
the day, we often imbibe together, sharing photos of our glasses of wine with a
virtual “cheers” to the group! Which brings me to one of the most important ways I make my life easier with multiples:
make sure you get plenty of caffeine in the morning, wine at night and have
some quality BFF support in between!
11. I am very close with four quad
mamas in particular, who are also my best friends. We chat frequently online
daily, sharing whatever is happening with us that day—good or bad! We are
constantly encouraging, empowering, and inspiring each other. And at the end of
the day, we often imbibe together, sharing photos of our glasses of wine with a
virtual “cheers” to the group! Which brings me to one of the most important ways I make my life easier with multiples:
make sure you get plenty of caffeine in the morning, wine at night and have
some quality BFF support in between!
Amber
Bell is a freelance writer for various magazines and publishing companies, and
also creates unique jewelry and graphic design materials like birthday
invitations for her etsy shop, Texas Take . Amber and
her husband, Mike, will celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary this fall
with a long-awaited trip to Hawaii where they spent their honeymoon almost a
decade ago! Their home is a hub of constant activity and the pitter patter of
eight little feet that belong to their nearly four-year-old quadruplets. Amber
also maintains a lifestyle blog, Texas Tales. where she
chronicles their adventures with quads as well as doses of delicious cooking,
home decorating, crafts and DIY-ing.
Stay connected with Amber on:
I can't imagine how busy life would be with multiples. These are great tips for any family. The sock idea is brilliant.
Hi Shelah.
Amber has some great tips! I agree that these organization ideas would work for any family.
: 0 ) Theresa
I have 5 year old twins and am losing my mind most of the time. I'd never thought of putting socks in a lingerie bag. Great idea! I only buy one type of socks, and they are all white, so matching them is easy, but the bag would make it even easier! I'm also a fan of the emergency bag. I keep one in the minivan at all times!
Hi Jenny.
I am blown away by Amber's sock tip too. And, over the years, I have wished so many times that I started off with only one or two kinds and colors of socks! I would advise that to others starting out. We had an emergency bag too and probably should reinstate it. Ours are five years old now.
: 0 ) Theresa
These are great ideas! I need to bag my daughters socks and there is only one of her! I can't imagine having four the same age!
Hi Deanna.
I love her tip about socks. And, yes, four kids have a serious amount of socks! It is overwhelming at times.
: 0 ) Theresa
Such great tips. I have twins and an older boy, and the socks drive me crazy. Definitely getting a lingerie bag. Snacks are totally important here too.
Hi Shann.
There is something about socks! They drive me crazy too. I can't wait to try Amber's tip.
: 0 ) Theresa
Ooooo these are definitely some fantastic tips!!! I swear organization is key. And that sock idea… Omg I'm definitely going to start doing that!
Hi CourtneyLynne.
Amber really does have great organization tips! I think she is going to have lots of people trying the sock tip very soon.
: 0 ) Theresa
I have an emergency snack box in our car. It's come in handy so many times!
Hi Tamara.
I need to do that! Amber's tip on the emergency bag is a great one and I used to have that when they were smaller for diaper changes and clothing, but snacks can really save the day! I really should have clothing too in case of emergency.
: 0 ) Theresa
I'm not a quad mama, but I am a twin mama and have two toddlers as well. I love these tips! Bagging the socks is genius!
Hi Joanna.
I think these tips apply just as well for twins. Amber has some wonderful suggestions.
: 0 ) Theresa
Bagging the socks is genius! I never would have thought of that! I also refuse to make separate meals for each of my kids. Family dinner…eat it or make something yourself! Love these tips 🙂
Hi Meredith.
Amber has great tips. We also practice the 'no short order cook' tip. I choose not to make separate meals for everyone and I think that makes them more adaptable.
: 0 ) Theresa
Bringing snacks is definitely important I imagine!
Hi Jennifer.
Snacks really can save the day! That is a tip we put into practice.
: 0 ) Theresa
Great tips. I can see several of those being used with my 2. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Kimberly.
I am glad you found Amber's tips useful for your family. Enjoy!
: 0 ) Theresa
The cockscrew robot is such a cool idea and looks simple enough that even non crafty me can do this with K when she is a little older
Oops not sure why I wrote this comment on this post!
Great tips. Even moms of singletons can learn a lot from these tips
Mrs FF – I saw your comment via the email notification and was like, corkscrew?? huh? I don't remember any tips about that, except maybe a mom of multiples should always have one on hand…. LOL!
Hi Mrs. FF.
I am going to go ahead and leave your first comments on the corkscrew post because Jenny's response to it is hilarious! Love it! I agree that Amber's tips can be useful for a singleton too.
: 0 ) Theresa
Hi Jenny.
Perhaps your tip can be another bonus tip for Mamas of multiples! Love it. You cracked me up.
: 0 ) Theresa
Snacks are a great tip for any parent. My kids are ALWAYS eating. And I also don’t know how moms of multiples do it with one-on-one time. I spend one-on-one time with my 3 year old when the baby naps. The baby just gets carried all of the time so that is his one-on-one time, lol.
One on one time is a bit more challenging with multiples. Now that ours are 5 years old, we take turns taking them out on dates one at a time where they get a few hours of uninterrupted one on one time. I also squeeze in one on one time when they are playing by taking one out at a time. Also, I work on reading skills and other academics one on one. It is doable, just a little bit trickier. : 0 )
BAG THE SOCKS!!!! This would be a game changer for me! Going to implement immediately!
I hope it makes your life easier! : 0 )