Ten Reasons I'm Glad My Children Are Close in Age

Of my eight children, five of them have been born in the last seven years. That's pretty quick, friends.

What this means is that our supper table is loud, my purse is full of garbage and I also do a lot of wiping.  Wiping of spills, wiping of tears, wiping of noses and wipings of an unmentionable nature.

But in this post I want to share with you all the reasons I LOVE that my last five children are so close in age.  (We have been abundantly blessed and grateful to God for His perfect plan for our family size--even the timing between babies.)

1.)  They all wear the same size socks {or for relaxed mothers such a myself, close enough to the same size.}

This is important because all mothers of large families know that socks are a bane to the existence. Socks in the large family abound, but never in pairs. (Consequently, this is also another good reason to live in the nation of Texas.  You only need socks a few months out of the year.)

2.)  The challenging stages aren't drug out forever. 

They all overlap. Potty training begins for another before the last one quite reaches the finish line.  This is a good thing because just like a runner who gets in his groove running a marathon, you never really stop.  You just pace yourself.  Same with illnesses.  The little playmates share everything, including their cooties.  Instead of an illness lasting weeks and weeks and weeks, it only lasts weeks and weeks.

3. They are best friends.

There is always someone to play with.  There is almost never a game that someone is too grown up for or too young for.  Sure they have their moments, but for the most part they are best friends.

4.) They stimulate eachother.

I read once that the best way to keep a toddler busy is with another toddler.  This means that when mommy can't provide all the stimulation or create ways to keep the children busy, they are still learning and growing...together .  It also means she can go to the bathroom alone. Occasionally.

5.) Playtime hits lots of ages

You get your money's worth with the board games.  Ages 3-6 could very well include everyone if you have a sharp two-year-old.

6.) Rubbing off the rough edges

Siblings really are the best ones to teach social skills.  If you have bad breath, stink at staying in the lines, chew with your mouth open, talk too loud or you're just generally an annoying person...there is no one who will tell you as quickly and as certainly, as a sibling will.  You're going to hear about it.  And you'll either change those bad habits or you don't play.  It's a simple understanding.

7.) You learn to get organized.

Out of necessity.  Because your survival instincts kick in and you know that if there is not someone planning ahead that no one will eat, no one will have clean clothes and certainly no one will learn to read.

8.) All for one and one for all

Bedroom that is.  (This can also include the bathtub.)  They're small, take up less space and if you get in a pinch you can even lay them down in a bed cross-ways and fit, like, 5 of them in a full size bed.

9.) Many hands...

Make light work.  Sure they make more messes but the number of hands to clean up is equal to the amount of mess.  My five youngest can destroy a playroom in 15 minutes, but they can have it picked up in ten.

10.) Cheap Entertainment

It's quite comical to go out in public and watch the reaction of strangers, or watch their mouths move as they try to count.  They try to figure out if we are a daycare or not. Or this, "Oh my!  Are they twins?" 

"Yes, Ma'am.  All five of them."

Yes, I know as they get older, all of these reasons I love having the last five so close in age won't be the same.  But for now, life is loud and life is busy. It doesn't always contain a lot of sleep or a lap that stays empty for a millisecond. It does, however, contatin a lot of laughter, a lot of sweetness and a lot of warm snuggles.

What are the age differences in your children?  What are some of the reasons why you love having children close in age? :)

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