Married couples anticipate having one or two children to complete their family. Many parents prefer having two children who they deem manageable and easy to handle. Some think having a third child may turn into your worst nightmare or may not. Should you have a 3rd baby?
Before having an additional 3rd child, you need to look at the pros and cons of adding a third child to the family if you had planned for two.
Pros:
1. House full of energy: Your home might be too quiet with just two kids and having an additional 3rd child may bring a lot of fun, happiness, and energy into the house. Your house is no longer dull, the other children want to play with the little one.
2. Sharing of responsibility: Although you may have a lot of responsibility when their younger but when the kids grow older, they can help with some responsibilities in the house. A 6-year-old can help in folding clothes.
3. Caring family: You kids will learn to take care of each other and watch their backs. The kids will grow to trust each other and form a close bond as the older ones watch over the younger one in turns.
4. More fun: It will be more fun having a family of five celebrating birthdays, going for holidays or amusement parks. You will never be lonely with kids in the house, you can always play with them.
5. Transition is less intense: It will be much easy to take care of third child compared to your 1st and 2nd child. There will be less learning curve and you won’t feel overwhelmed.
6. More options for your kids: You will be able to share a unique relationship with each of your kids as they do the same to their siblings.
7. Helps evaluate your capabilities: Having a third child feels like a breeze, it enables you to evaluate your capabilities and you will be more confident as a parent.
8. Compact family: Having a third child will make your family full and compact. Although most places consider a family of 4, you still fall under the normal family range and enjoy holidays together.
9. Very exciting: Having a third kid is very exciting and makes you more proud of taking more than two kids.
10. More pizza nights: Kids love pizza – who doesn’t love pizza? You will at times order pizza to celebrate with your kids and have more bonding.
Cons:
1. Give more attention to the kids: If you have a young family of two kids and add the third one, you may pay more attention to the little one and the other two will notice and strive to have more of your attention too.
2. More household chores: There will be a lot of laundry work, dishes to wash, and grocery shopping. Bringing a third member to the family your household chores will increase.
3. Noisy house: With two kids, you may have less noise in the house but after adding a third child your house may be full of crying, screams and sometimes a lot of laughter from your adorable little ones who melt your heart.
4. Seeking help: Adding another kid to the family adds more responsibility and you will end up seeking help from friends and family to help you when things turn awry.
5. Harder to live them: It will be difficult to ask a friend or family member to take care of your three children while you’re away. It is also going to cost you more to hire someone to take care of the three of them.
6. More food supplies: Having an additional member of your family will mean have more food and additional supplies to your initial budget. If you haven’t planned for the third member, you may find yourself in a financially tight budget.
7. Increased responsibility: Having a third child you will have more responsibility. You have to feed, care and provide for the little one together with the other kids. You will also be mindful of what you spend your money on.
8. Affects your sleep schedule: Having a third child will prompt sleepless nights and waking up very early to prepare the other kids. Your personal time will be slipping away as you spend more time taking care of the kids.
9. No time for self-care: Having a third child will limit you from having ‘me time’ since most of your time is spend in taking care of your kids. You give them most of time and attention.
10. Lack of home space: If your apartment is cramped up, having a third child will reduce the space and freedom your kids need to move around as they play.
