I am doing this!
At this time I have 2 who just turned a year old, one who is 21 month old, one just turned 2 year old and one who is 2.5 years old . I will keep the 2 year old and 2.5 year old until after summer is over and they will both have to move on in September. All have been with me since they were 10-11 months old.
Once they turn 3 I find there are many things that I am unable to provide and still be able to provide quality care for the toddlers and infants that I like to.
At 3 they are ready for preschool and I find that I am unable to keep them from being "bored" unless of course the TV is on all day which I do not allow.
The babies and toddlers will play but the 3 year olds or just going to be 3 year olds seem to "forget" how to play.
I honestly love the kids as I have had them all for so long but I feel that by the time they turn 3 I just do not like this age and the behavior that comes with it.
I used to have no problems with this age. I have been doing this for close to 25 years now but I have just found that in the past few years it has become almost impossible to keep the older kids happy unless you are constantly engaging them.
It is so hard to properly supervise and care for the littler ones when your attention is being demanded or you are constantly being pestered by the older ones who have so much available to do but choose to be underfoot wanting complete attention all of the time or crying because they can't have their way. (Wanting snacks or juice every 10 minutes, wanting to move on to different toys/activities when they have only been playing with the first one for 5 minutes, crying because they must clean up all of the dishes at the kitchen center that they have dumped out before they play with or dump out all of the blocks, crying because I won't let them watch TV etc.)
Babies and toddlers are so easy to please and they PLAY!
I don't know what it is about the 3 year old age but it is just as bad now as SA kids! Never used to be like thisl!
