Anyone w/hard time deciding on 3rd child- w/Disney as a factor?

[Mousemommy1]

I was just curious if Disney has ever factored into anyone's decision to have another child - just as kind of a fun question. DH and I have two adorable girls, ages 6 and 4 and both DH and I LOVE Disney and had taken many trips prior to having kids and REALLY could not wait until they were old enough to take. They had their first trip at ages 5 and 3 and we are going again next month and are so excited!!! We have recently had serious talks about having a third child (w/not so serious talks occuring for the past 3 years!!!) and although we have recently decided that we will stick with two for now, I find it funny that we often talk about our ability to take frequent, and nice trips to Disney as a reason to stick with two...Obviously there are many other factors to consider, but does anyone think it's hilarious that every time we discuss it - the "Disney Factor" creeps in?? Whoever heard of such a thing!!!

 

[Iwant2BAprincess]

We love Disney before the kids-ours are 19 months apart-and the fact that there really isn't an age gap versus what would have been about a 5 year gap for a third really disuaded us. I (was left up to me) felt it was better for the 2 we already had for it to just be the 2 of them. Financially 3 would have been more challenging (from daily life to car size to hotel rooms) and we just felt we could offer our best if we kept it at 2. Had money been no object and I didnt work I really would have liked to have more but 2 was what was best for our 2-Back on topic-I was taken to Disney at the age of 4-my brother was 10-he was too big to enjoy most of it and I was too little to do squat.

 

[Mousemommy1]

That sounds like us! We both work and our girls are fairly close in age. If we were to have another now, number 2 and 3 would be about 5 yrs apart!!! We just figure that we can provide them with a wonderful life as a family of four, but if we move to a family of five, things will have to change. Our girls are so incredibly close too, so I would kind of wonder if the third would feel left out b/c the first two get along so well.

Certainly Disney isn't the only factor in deciding whether to have another one (that would be crazy), but knowing that we'll be able to take our yearly (or at least every 18 months) trips is nice!

 

[QVCshopper]

You sound like me so much! My kids are 4 and 6, have been to Disney 9 times each, and we are thinking about a third child. I just can't decide, with work, college, and home concerns. Disney is a relatively minor factor. My kids are 16 months apart, and I'm facing going back to work full-time or staying home... A crossroads, I guess. Feeling very confused!

Anyway, someone said if you think about it too much, then you'll never do it. I think that is true in my case.

 

[Ericandjenng]

We had a hard time deciding on #2. But both of ours are fertility babies and it's hard to go through that process. And yes Disney (and other travel) did get mentioned when we discussed it.

Going from no kids to 1 kid and continuing to travel isn't a big deal. Adding the 2nd one changed things alot more than the first one. While a 3rd one is not an option and an oops would surprise the heck out of me (and DH), I imagine that it really changes and complicates things that much more since you (the adults) are now essentially outnumbered...Depending on their ages, how complicated this gets. We were worried after putting the 2nd one off for so long, but now it seems great that there's 6 years between them.

Good Luck!!

 

[Mousemommy1]

I agree with the "if you think about it too much you won't do it" mentality, and I think that's where we are right now. I think we have overanalyzed this death, but in the end, I think I do see that we are probably better off just having 2. With that being said, if we were to have a surprise, DH and I would be elated, but "trying" for number 3 is not going to happen...for now.

And @Jenn - it's nice to hear that the larger age difference works out, that's one of my biggest concerns right now, but I also feel that if you've got a good loving family, age gaps wouldn't matter much.

 

[sau418]

When we talked about #3 it was a factor I thought about, but DH had no concerns. As he put it we just get a villa or a cabin. Then we put fate into God's hands and #3 will be here at the end of March. We are still doing Disney this year when #3 will be about 6 months old, it is not an issue this trip as she will still be considered an infant. Our next trip it may be an issue. We are Wilderness Lodge fans so I am just banking on either a villa or a Fort Wilderness Cabin. There will be 4 and 5 years difference between baby and the older girls.

 

[katie111]

We have 3 kids now (ages 8, 7, and 3.5) but travel was definitely one of the issues that came up a lot when we were deciding whether or not to have a 3rd. Our first 2 were 15 months apart and we started traveling with them almost immediately. Our 2nd and 3rd are 3.5 years apart. He really hasn't impacted our traveling at all except sometimes its harder to get a hotel room for 5. We've taken them to the Caribean several times, Disney several times, and Mexico twice. The only time it was a real issue was in Mexico because you cannot have more than 4 in a room even if one is an infant. So we had to pay a lot more money to get 2 rooms. At Disney on our last trip we had to stay at POR to accomodate 5 of us which wasn't our first choice but it was totally fine. I think as they get older it will get a lot tougher to squeeze all of us into one room but I also think we'll have to scale back our traveling anyways as we're not going to be able to pull them out of school for a couple weeks a year like we have been doing.

Luckily our 3rd is a really easy kid. He totally just goes with the flow. And he is a total joy to have around. My older ones fight like cats & dogs but they treat him like gold. The inconveniences of traveling with a little one are far out-weighed by seeing the happiness on his face every time we do something new.

 

[DannysMom]

Twins took that right out of our hands. LOL. Be careful.... you never know when "just one more" turns into 2!

 

[Colleen27]

It wasn't a factor before hand, but when we thought it couldn't happen it sure was a consolation and when we were unexpectedly blessed with #3 after all I might have had a minor moment of hormone induced worry over how we'd keep doing our trips.

Our third is 2 now and really hasn't slowed us down when it comes to traveling. We're getting to an age with our oldest where a standard hotel room is too tight quarters with too little privacy for comfort anyway, so being unable to pack into a value or moderate room after July is the last thing on our mind.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

I was just curious if Disney has ever factored into anyone's decision to have another child - just as kind of a fun question.

Sort of? I had finally decided 3 was good for us about a week before our Disney trip in late Sept '10. The kids are 7.5y, 5.5y and 2y and everything is starting to become travel perfect again. Port Orleans...French Quarter...one week into our two week stay...I guess you could say the overwhelming Disney "magic" got to us and we left at the end of September with a permanent souvenir. Baby #4 due in June. So, I guess you could definitely say Disney factored into our decision to have another child.

 

[Mousemommy1]

WOW!! MistressMerryWeather - congrats!!! Maybe next month we will end up with a souvenir as well.

And to the previous poster, regarding twins...definitely a concern, as twins run on both my mom and dads side of the family, everyone is expecting the next "set"...

 

[justhat]

It didn't factor into my decision for #3 at all, but after just doing DL with 3 kids, I am now really considering a 4th! There were always fights about who was sitting where, with both kids fighting to sit with the baby. My daughter played the "we're both girls" card to my son, which led to him saying "Scarlett said, 'I only like Henry, not Madison!'" And it got old fast! With a 4th one we'd have an even number to eliminate those battles.

 

[Ericandjenng]

Sort of? I had finally decided 3 was good for us about a week before our Disney trip in late Sept '10. The kids are 7.5y, 5.5y and 2y and everything is starting to become travel perfect again. Port Orleans...French Quarter...one week into our two week stay...I guess you could say the overwhelming Disney "magic" got to us and we left at the end of September with a permanent souvenir. Baby #4 due in June. So, I guess you could definitely say Disney factored into our decision to have another child.

Is this one of those be careful what you wish for? But seriously, CONGRATS!!

 

[labdogs42]

Twins took that right out of our hands. LOL. Be careful.... you never know when "just one more" turns into 2!

See, that's why we stopped atone, I just know I'd be that person that says "one more" and gets two! Of course, that isn't the only reason, we actually love having an only child, but we have had that discussion, especially when we go to Disney and see a five year old with younger twin siblings!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

We have 3. We planned to have 2. My DH even went in to have a vacetomy but due to insurance restrictions he had to wait (the deal was yo uhad to be 30, have 3 kids or be on a wait list for a year.) He was less then a year away from 30 so he scheduled it for the week after his b-day. Well, by the time that came SURPRISE! I was expecting #3. (Funny thing is everyone asked is he still going to go though with the V, we were like...UMMMM, YEAH!!!!)

Anyway, I am glad the decision was "put of my hands" if you will. I can't imagine my life without her anddespite the arguing, they adore each other, especially my younger 2 are best friends, I can't imagine who DD11 would have been without her sister.

Our trips haven't changed because of her. My grandparents always have gone on our trips with us so we just put one kid on their room. We stay at the values and we all 5 get ready and keep our stuff in our room, just one DD sleeps in her grandparents room to not break the rules (thought if it wasn't a rule we'd be fine in one room, we do it at all other hotels.)

Personally, I know had I not had my surprise baby I would have had that longing feeling when I was around babies of wanting another, even though I always said I only wanted 2. Financially it is harder with 3 then it was with 2, but now when I hold a baby or babysit a little sweetie I am fine to give them back, no longing feeling like I used to have. I think if yo uhave that feeling maybe another is in the future, if you don't then nothing wrong with wstopping at 2, or 1 if that is what yo uwant.

For me, I am an only and my DH's brother passed away before he had kids, he has a half sisiter but we talk to her maybe once every few years and she has no kids, so family wise, my kids don't have much. No aunts, uncles, cousins, etc so I didn't want to leave them with no family at all when we are gone, so I am happy they have each other.

So I think you can make Disney happen with larger families, sure it isn't as easy but if you have been longing for another for 3 years, I say go for it, you won't regret it once you have that little person.

 

[Mousemommy1]

@JustThat - The even number thing really gets me!!! That's one of the "considerations". I'm like, if we have 3, we need to have 4, so that everyone has someone to sit with!!! Right now, it's perfect!!! For me, it's 2 or 4, 3 is just not an option!!!

Interesting conversation though, I am always curious as to how people come to their decisions regarding such huge life issues (1, 2, 3 kids - or just going plain Duggar style)

For now, I feel we've got time (I'm 32, DH is 33), so we've got a few more years to make a decision...right now, we'll just enjoy life as a family of four, and feel blessed for what we've been given...though, there's nothing happening that's gonna prevent # 3!!!

 

[Sheaboys]

This conversation has me laughing in a good way.

We went to Disney several times with just one, then two kids. Then we hit the parks for a week with 3 kids (7, 5 and 3) at the time. The only thing I would do differently with those ages is never do a buffet. Once you are out numbered, it is just way too much work with the plating factor.

Now we have 5 boys. But my older 3 are now very self sufficient at 12, 10 and 8 and the 4 yr old is very self sufficient to. As for going to disney and he amount of kids, well we plan to go hopefully this summer.

Once you hit 3 kids, it really makes no difference the amount you have because you will forever be outnumbered, not enough hands etc.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

Just living life in general makes us not want more. Call us selfish but we like nice things and more kids means less nice things form mom and dad. DD won't have to wait to go somewhere until a sibling is old enough to enjoy it too. To me the word is built for families of four, so for a family of three it's just right and gives us a little extra space. It will always be 2 on 1, there will always be extra money and there will always be a Disney trip.

 

[jennyleettu]

Although we haven't directly had the discussion it is something that has come to mind when we were thinking about trying for number 2. There were lots of other factors as well but being able to travel and have the nice things that we enjoy was on the top of the list...not to mention we had recently returned from our first family trip to WDW. We have both girls now and I'm excited for us to continue traveling as a family...my hormones tell me I would love to have another baby but my pregnancies say otherwise so I'm almost positive we will only have the two...plus it makes it more difficult to get rooms for a family of 5 especially as they get older!