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Harried Holidays

Making It Through the Season With Multiples

By Jenn Director Knudsen

(Chandler House Press, 1999) and a facilitator at the recent At-Home Dads Convention outside Chicago, says the family usually splits up for shopping missions. His wife will take two children with her while Laut takes the third with him. Otherwise, he says, it's a little overwhelming listening to three little voices "chirping" at you.

One tip he has for parents of multiples is to dress the children in brightly-colored clothing. That way, you won't lose track of your tiny kids among tall clothing racks and shelves of toys. "If they're wearing a chartreuse T-shirt, all of a sudden you can spot them a lot easier," he says. Also, one shouldn't be above using leashes, he says. "I hate to say it, but I used leashes; it's for my peace of mind."

If it just gets too complicated, go online, says Diane Collins, a Bel Air, Md., mother of a 13-year-old and 4-year-old triplets. "I do lots of holiday shopping online," says Collins, 41, who works full-time and whose husband stays home with the kids.

Laut says the expense of toys, as well as what items to purchase for two or more children the same age, are tough considerations for parents of multiples. So he makes a run to his local dollar store for stocking stuffers. He buys items like playing cards and balls for his sons and a doll for his daughter that total only $10 to $15.

Then, based on the list of gifts he helps each child draw up for the holidays, he'll pick one higher-priced item, like a model airplane, for each child. "Obviously, my children's eyes are much bigger than my wallet," he says. Laut also frequents church sales and resale shops for good deals, before, during and after the holidays.

And the price of gifts is not the only cost parents of multiples must contend with at the holidays. Collins, whose family lives in New Jersey and whose in-laws live in Michigan, says the expense of flying with her teenage son and 4-year-old triplets to visit family is prohibitive. So for some occasions, her husband will take a couple of the children to Michigan, but not the entire gaggle.

That's one of the downsides to having multiples, says Collins. The family of six rarely does anything together outside the home, be it holiday travel or errands on a weekend. "But in a lot of ways we have no more challenge than any family of six," she says. "We just have three of them the same age."

Want to see more?

• Here Comes Santa Claus: Holiday Shopping for the Budget Conscious
• Easing the Holiday Crunch: Tips to Lighten the Financial Burden
• Shopping Madness: How to Survive a Trip With the Kids
• Talk about it!

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