I received a review copy of Delivery Man, which came out on DVD/Blu-ray this week. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
My crew of five, circa 2008
I don’t go out with all 5 of my kids very often anymore. Back when they were little – in diapers and strollers and such – I always had them tagging along behind me (and to the side, and 15 feet in front, and hiding under a clothing rack somewhere I couldn’t see…). I can’t tell you how many times I heard the phrase, “Boy, you sure have your hands full!”
Yes, I did. My hands were very full (and it definitely didn’t help any to be reminded of that fact!).
I love this clip from Delivery Man. It sums up how I felt about raising young kids:
After watching Delivery Man again this week, my 5 kids seemed like a walk in the park. Imagine going from being the parent of none to the parent of 533 children overnight. Granted, David Wozniak’s kids are all young adults by the time he meets them. But I love the sense of pride and responsibility towards these kids that he seems to gain almost immediately after getting to know each of them.
How to manage a large family OR Tips for keeping sane when you have lots of kids
In another funny clip from the movie, David and his pregnant girlfriend, Emma, are out shopping for baby supplies. She sarcastically asks the clerk, “Do you have a stroller for 533 children?” When he says no, she replies that having that many kids is not normal, so of course they won’t have a stroller that large.
Some people look at moms with 5, 6, 7 kids the same way. It’s not normal! However, I was raised as the oldest of five and this IS my normal.
Some of the things that helped me manage the early years (and beyond) of parenting such a big crew were:
• Don’t underestimate the need for sleep. Get enough sleep. If that means not being productive during nap time and laying down with the kids, then do it. I can’t tell you how many years I went without sleeping through the night. I was either pregnant or nursing babies for 12 years, I think. I know sleep deprivation. And a sleep deprived mom does not handle the noise and the chaos of little kids very well. Get sleep.
• Buy in bulk. That is one of the concepts that inspired me to name my blog. Not only does bulk shopping cut back on expenses, but it cuts back on time, too. Having to stop by the store to stock up every few days with a bunch of kids in tow is not very fun and it WILL take all day (plus, the kids WILL eat all the food in the house and leave you with shelves full of canned mushrooms and powdered milk if you don’t stay on top of the food shopping).
• Hand-me-downs. Do it! Re-use clothes as much as you can BUT don’t forget to get the younger kids some new items every once in a while. There was one point where some of my friends and I had a clothes-rotation. One friend would give me her kids’ hand-me-downs and then I’d pass my hand-me-down clothes on to another friend with kids younger than mine. Also, the thrift store makes your clothing dollar stretch a whole lot farther.
• Show kids how they can mentor, entertain, and comfort each other. My first daughter was a handful. She required so much of my attention. When my second daughter was born, the baby “stole” some of that attention away. I loved it. I showed my oldest daughter how she could sing to the baby to calm her, or bring her toys to entertain her. As the kids got older, I had the older kids read aloud to the younger ones (this is one of my favorite “two-birds-with-one-stone” tactics – the older child gets reading practice/hours and the younger child is entertained and enriched). Now that they’re all in school, when one child has a question on homework, I like to send them to a sibling to try to work it out together.
• Give your kids responsibility. Teach them to do chores, to help plan and prepare meals, and to take care of simple jobs (and then keep building on those jobs and responsibilities as they get older). Not only will you NEED the help to manage the cleaning and the dishes and the cooking (it’s a whole lot of work with 5 kids, believe me!) but teaching kids to take care of themselves and the messes they create will put them way ahead in life (because, believe it or not, someday they’ll actually be ready to leave home and live on their own!).
• Get out. Take breaks. Don’t try to do it all by yourself. Listen to the experiences and advice of people who have done it before you. Accept help.
Whether you have two kids, five kids, or 533 kids, these tips will work. I promise.
What are your best parenting tips?
Read my previous Delivery Man reviews and interviews:
- Delivery Man movie review
- Vince Vaughn Interview
- Director Ken Scott Interview
- Cobie Smulders Interview
About Delivery Man:
In this heartwarming comedy, underachiever David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn) learns he’s actually an overachiever — he’s fathered 533 children via donations made twenty years earlier! David soon discovers that the shock of his life might just be the best thing that’s ever happened to him. Along the way he discovers not only his true self, but also the father he could become. Also starring Chris Pratt and Cobie Smulders — and complete with bonus materials, including behind-the-scenes footage — it’s a feel-good movie that really delivers.
Cast: Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers, Couples Retreat) as David Wozniack; Cobie Smulders (Marvel’s The Avengers, TV’s “How I Met Your Mother”) as Emma, David’s Girlfriend & Chris Pratt (Moneyball, The Five-Year Engagement) as Brett, David’s Best Friend
DVD/Blu-ray Release Dates: March 25, 2014
Available Formats: 1-Disc Blu-ray, 1-Disc DVD, Digital HD/SD & On-Demand
Bonus Features: Building Family (Blu-ray & Digital), Vince Vaughn: Off The Cuff (Blu-ray & Digital), “I Got The Part” (Blu-ray & Digital), Bloopers (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital), Deleted Scene: You Are Under Arrest (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital)
Rated: PG-13 (for thematic elements, sexual content, some drug material, brief violence and language)
Connect:
Facebook page Facebook.com/DeliveryManMovie
Follow on Twitter at @deliverymanfilm
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© 2014, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
I have 3 children and I’m trying for a 4th. I grew up practically an only (I had a 1/2 brother who was 10 years older but didn’t live with us most of the time) and I was lonely. I think large families are great!
I only have one child and haven’t seen the movie, but what you say makes a lot of sense! Working together as a large family seems like it would be the only way to make things work. Also enjoyed the clips ~ thanks for sharing them!