As a momma of a 20-month old and 4-month old, I get a lot of strange, appalled and pitying looks when I go out in public. I bet you, since are reading this, get a lot of those looks, too!
Sometimes, a few brave ones will get up the nerve to approach me and ask me how I “do it.” I can only assume by “do it” they mean “how do I maintain sanity with such small children.” And, perhaps, you too are wondering how on earth you can maintain sanity while caring for two kids 18 months or less apart?
Today is your lucky day! I will impart all the knowledge you need to know to successfully master the art of Baby Bunching. (Well, I’ll try anyway.)
#1. Maintain a sense of humor. This is especially important when your older child vomits during his nap, but you don’t know about it till you get him up. Then you have to clean him and his crib up while the small one wails and your husband is either at work, or teaching a piano lesson in your home downstairs. Oh, and then both of the children have rather, um, interesting diapers that must be changed.
#2. Take some time for yourself. Seriously. I don’t know how it will look for you, but it is so important that you take some time to rejuvenate your spirit. A break is a good thing for everyone.
#3. Stay organized. I have found that if I have a flexible, but fairly regular daily schedule, things generally flow much, much easier and the babies are much more content and happy.
#4. Make sure you and your significant other are on the same page. If my husband and I aren’t communicating about the boys’ needs and what goals we have for the coming months, things tend to go awry.
#5. On the same note, DATE NIGHT, DATE NIGHT, DATE NIGHT. Oh, and did I mention DATE NIGHT?
#6. Find playgroups or mom’s groups to attend. Having a community of other mommas (Baby Bunchers or otherwise) is so important. Your friends can be some of your biggest cheerleaders and offer some of the best support when things just aren’t going right.
Of course, I could go on, and maybe later I will (lucky you), but ultimately, you know what will work for you and your brood. Hopefully some of these (admittedly tongue-in-cheek) tips will help if you’re newer to Baby Bunching (like me!) or just remind you of some things you can do to keep your blood pressure low.
[Editor's note: We agree on all points!]
Amen, sister. ;-) Love it!
Posted by: Katy | Feb 07, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Fully agree with your tips. The only one I would add, and this is something that it's taken me awhile to embrace: Learn to Let Go.
If I dwelled on all the things that have gone wrong during the past 6 months (daughter is 6 months, son is 20 months) I would drown in a pool of regretful tears. I try to focus on the funny, good stuff. (like you said, a sense of humour is essential!)
Posted by: Stacysinc | Feb 07, 2011 at 01:06 PM
And take lots of pictures! Take 'em when the kids are smiling and when they're screaming. When you're having a rough day full of tantrums, looking at happy or funny pictures of the kids can really help your mood!
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