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06th Nov 2018

Vogue and Spencer want to have three or four kids close together – are they right?

Or are they mad?

Anna O'Rourke

Vogue and Spencer want to have three or four kids close together - are they right?

If you’ve opened a celebrity magazine or even been on social media lately, you’ll know that Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews are loving parenthood.

The couple, who welcomed their first child baby Theodore in September, have been all talk about how obsessed they are with their little bub and how eager they are to have more as soon as possible.

“There was a chat about having baby number two a few years after baby number one, but we love baby number one so much that it may be sooner rather than later,” Spencer told New! magazine.

“We hope to have at least three kids, hopefully four.”

It sounds like a lovely idea but you might wonder whether they’re mad to be planning to have three or four babies in quick succession.

As one of four siblings born within a five-year period, I know that a bunch of kids close in age is chaotic – but also that there are some serious benefits.

Here are just a few.

 

You get everything out of the way

Yes, it’s a mad house but it means just a few years of nappies, of needing to bring buggies out, of tantrums and of toilet training compared to spacing out your kids. You’re in a rhythm that means you’re not dealing with trying to get toddler into a sleep schedule while also dealing with a rebellious teenager at the same time.

 

They can entertain each other 

Yes, they’ll kill each other but all siblings do. If your kids are close in age, they’ll be more likely to enjoy the same activities and play the same games together. This can help to foster a close bond between siblings that can last into real friendships in adulthood.

 

You can get back to work sooner (if that’s what you want)

If you have kids every three or four years as opposed to having one a year or every second year, it may mean you’re only back in work for a short time and then away again or may mean you end up staying at home for a long time.

Having your kids closer in age might mean you take a few years off but that you’re not stopping and starting.

 

You get your freedom back sooner

You’ll blink and your babies will be big kids who want to do their own thing. This might make you a little sad, but the sooner they’re independent, the sooner you are too. You’ll get to throw out your pregnancy and nursing clothes, take the child seats out of the car and maybe even get some nice furniture, knowing it won’t be wrecked by little people.

 

Of course, it’s not all plain sailing

Having lots of little people close in age is very intense. It means parents need lots of energy, enthusiasm and sometimes just pure blind positivity to get through a hectic couple of years.

Back-to-back pregnancies can also be hard on mum’s body, so that’s something to bear in mind.

What do you think? Let us know in the Facebook comments or on Twitter.