Three is the New Two: Things to Consider if Deciding on a Third Child
Do you have two children and are trying to decide whether to try for a third? The average American household has around two children. According to the Paw Research Center, the number of children has been declining over the years in America with 48 percent surveyed saying two children is the ideal number. I'm not sure who said the following, but someone once said, "this world is built for two children." And I think this statement is so true. Here are some things to consider when jumping from two to three children:
Cost to Raise Three Children: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the cost of raising a child to 18 was about $245,340 as of 2013. Multiply this times three and you have your new cost.
May Need a New Car: Depending on what time of car you currently have, you may need to switch to a larger SUV or minivan to accommodate three children. We have been able to fit all three kids in our SUV in the back row with car seats. Another thing to consider is you won't be able to participate in a carpool to and from activities with no open seats left unless you upgrade to a third row.
Bedrooms: Depending on how many bedrooms you have in your house, you may need to have kids share a room. If your older two kids are the opposite sex, the new baby may need to share a room with the older child. In our home, we have four bedrooms with each child having their own room. The only issue is we lose our guest room for potential out of town guests.
Activities Galore: Once your children reach an age where they are participating in after school activities, a third adds another layer to the mix. It can be accomplished, but will take some scheduling and chauffeuring around to make it work.
Hotel Rooms: Most hotel rooms have two beds. When you add a third and they graduate from the pack in play, you'll need to adjust when on vacation. We've found if taking a car trip to simply pack an inflatable bed or asking for a roll-away bed in a hotel works.
Plane Trips: Over the years we have flown with our children and once our third was no longer a lap child, it changes the seating arrangement on a flight. Most planes either have rows of two on each side or three on each side. With now a family of five, it changes who sits where. Before we get on a plane, we have to figure out who will take two and who will sit with the other one.
Shopping Carts: If you have younger children you know sitting in the shopping cart can help make running errands faster. When you have three children and two shopping cart seats, someone will have to walk. Or a way around this is to go to a store like Target or Walmart that has shopping carts with two bench seats and a room for a third in the shopping cart top.
Don't Have Six Hands: I've heard three kids described as going from man-to-man to zone defense (basketball terminology) or for non-sports fans, simply put, you are outnumbered. I remember one of my friends telling me the whole family went shopping to Target and the kids all ran different directions. He and his wife weren't sure who to run after first. In the beginning especially, it can be a lot to handle.
Odd Man Out: Think back to when you were a kid and you had two best friends. When the three of you were together, sometimes fights would break out when one person felt like the third wheel. I notice this now that my girls are getting older. I have to step in a lot more and make sure no one is feeling left out.
Three of Everything: I often feel like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. If you enter our house, we have three stools at the counter, three chairs by the tv, three chairs for dinner and so on. Instead of buying things in pairs, you will now be buying them in threes.
The Third One is a Handful: I know every child has their own personality, but for some reason the more parents of three I talk to, the more they say their third one is the hardest to handle. This may not always be the case, but it is for us. I think it's probably a combination of being the youngest, your third vying for attention and you, the parents responding differently now that you are outnumbered.
I know every neighborhood is different, but around ours, it seems like every family has three. Even though there is a lot involved for adding another child to the mix, I wouldn't trade our three for anything. It will be some adjusting, but if you want a third, go for it.
Do you have three children? What tips or suggestions do you have for handling a third child? Please comment below and share your thoughts.
