Comments on: Five! https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/ Writer, Author, Speaker Sun, 20 Oct 2019 17:05:45 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 By: Shila Henderson https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-90981 Sun, 20 Oct 2019 17:05:45 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-90981 .]]> Congratulations! This truly puts you in the “large family” club and I can’t wait to read your next book — “Raising Five, From My Working Hive, Keeping Time Alive, So Everything Will Jive”. You can thank me later for that awesome title! 😂.

]]> By: Sabina https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-88367 Thu, 03 Oct 2019 20:27:05 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-88367 In reply to Emily.

My oldest sister had her third child in late May, then #5 and #6 (boy and girl twins!) were born on the same day, four years later! I remember visiting for a birthday where she’d baked a big cake for her older son and two little ones for the twins. (Adorable!) I don’t think the kids minded having the same birthday.

PS – Congratulations and all good wishes to your family!

]]> By: Cara Marcano https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-88349 Thu, 03 Oct 2019 17:38:44 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-88349 Do you guys not believe in birth control? Could you talk more specifically about that?
Like why 5? Does your husband not believe in birth control?

]]> By: Ilona https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-88212 Wed, 02 Oct 2019 22:05:53 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-88212 Congratulations!
I have 2 mid-January kids. Both born on the same day with 7 years in between them. Once my friends were laughing that there is no other date to have kids than on 14th of January. However my birthday is 7th and my significant other is born on 21th. January of course. So now these two are 11 and 18 and usually we have several parties in January. They have each event with their friends.. usually one is on Saturday, other on Sunday, but we have also organised party together e.g. in the bowling, where each of them have their friends on a separate lane.
However grandparents, godparents and relatives usually are invited to a joined party (all 4 of us get greeting on the same event) which is separate from kids friends. Since kids grew older, that has been a good solution, as grandmothers and ants do not enjoy laser-guns or jumping events.

]]> By: Jennifer https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-88031 Tue, 01 Oct 2019 19:16:50 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-88031 ]]> I am a regular reader of your blog (and books) since I’m fascinated with habits and productivity, but have been busy with a move and my own four children and missed your announcement. That’s lovely news! Congratulations to you and your family! 😊

]]> By: Micky https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-87907 Mon, 30 Sep 2019 19:58:53 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-87907 Congratulations on expecting again!
As for your question about birthdays – my family has five children born in August as follows:
I have identical twin boys born on 8/30. For the twins, we always celebrated with one birthday party and two cakes. The boys are now in their twenties and tell me they loved how their birthdays were celebrated.
My niece and daughter were both born on 8/16, five years apart. The girls are both in their twenties. We always had separate birthday parties for the girls except the year when my daughter turned five and my niece turned eleven – we did a joint swim party, which was a ton of fun for everyone. The older girls thought the little girls were so cute. The little girls wanted to be like the big girls. The pool was big enough for 15 kids, so all went well.
My second niece is born on 8/29. Interestingly, her due date was also 8/30. My sister swore she wouldn’t have yet another child share the same birthday as one of mine (I think she thought it would be special to have a different date). She pushed that baby out a little before midnight – on 8/29.
What’s interesting is that the the kids who share birthdays all love that they share a birth dayl!!
Even more interesting – turns out it’s hard work to remember the 8/29 birthday.
Everyone remembers the 8/16 and 8/30 birthdays, and up till last year either I and/or one of my children or my father (the grandfather) would always forget my younger niece’s birthday. She was eleven last year, and I shudder to think how many times we’ve forgotten. So now I have an alert in my calendar for 8/29. It serves as a very helpful reminder for me, and then I remind all my children (the three who are born in August, and my last who was born in February) and my father. They have all been very grateful for the heads up.

]]> By: Megan https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-87829 Mon, 30 Sep 2019 06:49:12 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-87829 Not a sibling, but I have the same birthday as my mother 🙂 I’ve always liked sharing our special day but I’ve obviously never known anything different. My mum likes to say that we both have a birthday but only I get older!

]]> By: xykademiqz https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-87797 Sun, 29 Sep 2019 23:56:47 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-87797 Congrats on No 5! You are very brave. Enjoy!
I have three boys (ages 19, 12, and 8) and after the third I knew three kids was all I could take — the breastfeeding years and the illnesses when little kids started daycare were just brutal.

]]> By: Chris https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-87782 Sun, 29 Sep 2019 17:30:55 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-87782 Late to the party- but congratulations! I admit I was also surprised to hear this news but happy for you to grow your family in the way that you want.

And so sorry to hear that you had a miscarriage. Would you consider writing about it? I know that it’s not an often talked about subject but that it’s actually very common. Of course- don’t if it’s too painful.

I’d also love to hear your thoughts on having 5 kids and how you and husband decided on that. I seriously tip my hat off to you and inspires me to stop making excuses in my own life (have a 3 year old and am about 2 months behind you with #2, but don’t plan on any more).

]]> By: Laura Vanderkam https://lauravanderkam.com/2019/09/five/#comment-87775 Sun, 29 Sep 2019 16:30:15 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=17369#comment-87775 In reply to Chris Quick.

@Chris – this sounds very efficient! Yes, that day will be tiring, but you can batch everything. We did this one year with our two fall birthdays. Went to a trampoline park from 12-2 and a bouncy house from 4-6 or something like that. Hired a sitter for the baby to cover the whole time. I think the big kids even got their hair cut in the middle. I haven’t repeated that since, but it was nice to pack it all in!

]]>