Can your DH handle your multiple alone

jbl126

DH took the girls to their hearing test today and walked out before the test.  First off, he kept calling me because he didnt know the answers to the questions on the forms to fill out.  Then they were tired so they were cranky and crying.  So he walked out.  I told him to have someone go with him but he insisted he could handle it himself.  I guess I should have known better.  So of course I rescheduled for when I can take them.  He is really good with them but his patience runs very thin when they start getting a little cranky.

LMK8605

DH can definitely handle them on his own at home, but he hasn't attempted an adventure outside of the house with them by himself.  He does take them places - he just always takes his Dad along with him for back up.  I would be so mad at DH if he just walked out of an appointment! 

Patience comes easier to mom's I think.. not sure why, it is just an observation. 

BitterOldHag

Yep. But he's never had to do more than 3 hours solo. He has, however done solo bedtime a few times too.

I am more like your DH. I get very impatient, cranky and upset when they cry. Much worse than my DH. He's a champ, unless he's really sleep deprived or someone is throwing a tantrum in the car when he's solo and can't pull over.

omalley

My DH sounds like yours - he can handle them alone but when things start to get hairy he loses all his patience and cannot cope as well.  He also makes it harder for himself (i.e if they are fussy I try to redirect them with a book or give them a binkie) he usually stresses out and doesn't do that and then he has two fussy kids that are just getting fussier.

My DH says that it gets easier with each passing month so maybe with some time your DH will be able to handle it better.

jbl126

He is ok with them at home but thinks he can handle them out of the house.  I should know better that he cant.  And I was annoyed he left the appt.  Because I have to reschedule again so I can take them. 

MamaCrystal

My hubby actually has more courage when it comes to taking all 4 kids out of the house!  It's weird... he can't handle them as well as I can at home, but he's perfectly fine with leaving the house with them by himself.

My mom and I went shopping a few Fridays ago and hubby took all of our kids and my 11-year-old brother with him to Menards.  It amazes me!!  I'm fine with them at home, but I think it will still be a while before I go shopping with all of them by myself ; )

carissasmom

My DH has just started watching them at home alone, while I'm outside w/ DD#1 and they are 8 months old today.  He can and will take DD places alone, but he has never attempted w/ the babies.  I'm still nursing and they pretty much hate bottles so that's a lot of the reasoning.  He too gets easily frustrated and usually makes the situation worse instead of better.  I'm also a little bit of a control freak.  He's offered to take a child to the doctor so I didn't have to, but I like to be there to tell them the entire story and get the entire story back from the doctor.  It's just my personality. 

benkari

My DH  can handle the 4 of them at home for an hour or two while I run errands, get groceries, etc.  He has taken 2 of them alone several times and does fine but he never has taken the 4 alone out of the house.  I am very lucky to have such patient DH because I would be crazy by now if he wasn't.

mlgd

He can handle them (along with DS) really well. His thinking is that "You do this all day long, 5 days a week; I should be able to manage for a couple of hours." I will say that I'm probably a little more patient than he is when it comes to the twins and crying/fussy behavior. But he seems to have more patience with our 2.5 year old than I do right now, so it's pretty even.

lisa&andy

DH does fine at home, but if they start getting fussy close to nap time then he has no patience. He will take them out on his own, but I think I handle them much better when they start getting cranky.

MamaCrystal

carissasmom:

I'm also a little bit of a control freak.  He's offered to take a child to the doctor so I didn't have to, but I like to be there to tell them the entire story and get the entire story back from the doctor.  It's just my personality. 

I'm glad I'm not the only one like this!  Mine has also offered to take the girls to appts but I feel like I need to be there.  Doesn't make much sense even to me, but I also can't change the way I feel about it. 

SoldiersGreenBean

jbl126:

He is ok with them at home but thinks he can handle them out of the house.  I should know better that he cant.  And I was annoyed he left the appt.  Because I have to reschedule again so I can take them. 

How else is he going to learn, though?

I'd be annoyed that he left the appointment, and I wouldn't let him off the hook so easily.  If you continue to rescue him, he'll continue to let you.

susanc07

MH is a SAHD.  he is great with them.  however, when it comes to docs, etc., he never knows the answers to questions about medical history and such.  for stuff like that, he usually calls me and i answer the questions over the phone.  

not ideal, but we're making it work.  usually, though, we just go together.  i'm slowly burning through my vacation time in 1-hour increments.

janjag

dh can handle them great.  but neither one of us has done a dr's appt alone with them.  our plan is - i take them there, and dh meets us at the appt.  forms are a pita with two crankies... don't be too hard on him tonight   clearly he did not know what he was getting himself into!

LoveTravel

My DH does not take care of them on his own very often and if he does it's only for a few hours, once the boys get bigger I think he'll be more willing to watch them by himself.

I have my MIL to help me take the boys to the appointments it would be hard for only one person IMO, but nonetheless I'm sure some MoM's do it.

jennie1308

My DH is exactly the same way.  He doesn't have the patience for anything & when they start crying & he cannot soothe them he gets mad.  Other then that he does good with them but he's scared to be left alone with them right now.  I keep telling him he needs to get use to it, b/c there will be times I will not be there.

Temp6313048411121614

DH does MUCH better with DS1, he's great when they're older and can "play".  I went to a MOTC dinner and left him with the twins once and he did TERRIBLE (I will NEVER leave him with them like that again).  Our MoM sale was on Saturday and he had them by himself until around 1:00 and apparently did great.  If he can't get them to quiet down easily he looses his patience and has to go outside, the problem is that he can't regroup so he has to go out until I get home.

Shannonlea

Yes, he can.  I just went out of town overnight for work and he was able to take care of them.  He sounded a bit stressed but he did it.

keg

Dh does well with DDs.  He just managed 3 nights alone with them while I was out of town and he routinely drops off/picks up at daycare by himself.  However, other than daycare, he hasn't taken them out by himself though.  I think he'd do fine, but he just hasn't had to do it.   

Fa1ryG0dm0ther

He can handle them alone by himself for a few hours, but I've never left them over night or even all day without some sort of help.  He attempted to take them to the mall once, and after getting the stroller out of the car, he put it back in the car before even putting the first baby in it.  He went back home.

DH has much less patience than I do - it's more a lack of patience with himself because he starts to get frustrated when he can't soothe them. 

Temp159135562506975

DH is often home with all 3 of mine on his own - and does bedtime on his own, too.  He's spent a few nights/days with them on his own, too when i have traveled for work - he's great with them.

he has never taken all 3 to a store or anything like that (alone), but would be fine if he had to.

aniticipation

Wow, I have to say I am impressed with these responses. I am barely ever alone with my babies, let alone my husband. Yes, for hours here and there, but neither of us have ever put them to bed without someone helping out. 

shellshavintwins

Mine tries, but he doesn't know what to do when they get cranky, which they do even if I run into the store for a minute. I'm home alone with them 3 1/2 days a week so they want me all the time.

Soon2beMrs.Sivert

My DH is wonderful. Heck, I think he may even have more patience than me at times. He stayed home with them for about 5 months.