Hi 3potatoes,
Yes I agree with both previous posters!

My DH and I have a saying "It never goes well the first time, even the second time, that we do something, but don't give up because it does go well if you keep trying!" We have been hiking, biking, camping, and traveling with all of our kids since they were babies. We actually took the littles on their first hike when they were just 7 weeks old! It NEVER goes well the first time we do anything new, but learning from what happens makes the next try go much better. As a result of this attitude, we have had so many fun experiences which gives us the confidence to try more new things. Actually, the events that go "wrong" make for the best and funniest memories! Doing things by yourself just means you need to start small and gain your confidence in order to go bigger.

The other thing that I wanted to share with you was about the triplet thing. My older son is 12yo and he had thousands of hours of undivided, one-on-one attention from us for five years. As a result, he is academically advanced, in gifted programs, and is doing so well. The littles, in contrast, have not had any of this same kind of one-on-one nuturing. (Only first born children tend to get this.) We are just beginning to get them on their feet academically and I do feel badly for them as a result.

However, when you compare them socially, it is a completely different story. My older son has never had a friend as close as his brothers have had since conception. He feels so much more isolated and lonely, so it is a different thing I worry about with him than with them. My littles have a slumber party every night. They wake up next to their two best friends every day of their lives. I like to say that they share a level of intimacy that most adults don't experience until they have been married for at least ten years. It cracks me up to hear them talk with each other and the things they say.

Your kids will not always be at this age and it will get better for you. I love the saying "Parenting doesn't get easier, it gets different." My little boys got so much easier around age 3. Now at age 7, they are so independent, but need different things from me than when they were littler.

Hang in there. You can do it!

Love,
Cynthia
DS-7/99
BBB born 8/04 at 31 4/7 weeks