Baking. That’s what parents with three or more children are turning to in a bid to stay sane if a new study is to be believed.
And it might sound bonkers, but as a mum of three who loves baking I totally get it!
According to research by Help for Heroes and YouGov, parents with three or more children in their households are using baking as a way to deal with the stresses and strains of being outnumbered – which is 80% above average.
They commissioned the research to coincide with Help for Heroes’ Bake for Heroes campaign, running from June 22nd to June 29th 2019, exploring the link between wellbeing and baking after finding that baking and culinary therapy can be a useful tool to aid the recovery of those who have sustained life-changing injuries or illnesses.
What they didn’t expect to find is that baking is being used as a coping mechanism by us mums and dads too.
Almost a quarter of us with three or more children think baking is a great way to deal with stress and anxiety, which is 41% higher than average, a figure that drops to 19% for people with two children and to just 14% for those with one child.
I have to say there’s nothing quite like being left alone in the kitchen for a few hours with an electric mixer and a rolling pin to let off steam, plus you get something nice to eat at the end of it.
But what if you don’t like baking? I asked some fellow parenting bloggers, all with three children or more, how they let off steam and answers range from running to eating chocolate in supermarket car parks!
7 secrets for coping with three or more kids
“I’ve recently discovered running,” says Thrifty Yorkshire Mum Jade. “I only go for around 30 minutes once the husband is home, but it really helps to clear my head, especially after a stressful day. Which is most days with three kids five and under!”
“I work from home so can’t even escape to work, but every now and then I try and escape even if it’s just to my best friend’s house for a take out and bottle of wine,” says Laura who blogs at Five Little Doves. “In desperate times I go to the supermarket and sit in the car park reading a magazine with a bar of chocolate!”
“Once a month we try to do a ‘date day’ for one of them on rotation,” says Beth who blogs at Twinderelmo. “I’ve found it lessens my parenting guilt of never giving them my 100% attention, as it’s not possible with the others around. It also gives them time out on their own without always having to share or someone to fight with.”
“I go to the gym and get some chill time with the baby blogging when hubby is putting the girls to bed,” says mum-of-three Sarah who blogs at Run Jump Scrap. “We have date nights at the weekend – a drink and a chat and send the girls off a lot when they’re driving us mad!”
“I try and get away for a weekend or two a year,” says Anna who blogs at Popitha and has a one-year-old as well as three-year-old twins. “Every now and again it all gets too much and I need some space. Being a stay at home mum means I’m never alone.”
“I have three and it is full on, especially because we are in the midst of the terrible twos with my youngest,” says Natalie who blogs at Meme and Harri. “I try to have a child free catch up with my bestie once a month for a breather if nothing else!”
“My escape is blogging and freelance writing as I’m a journalist by trade,” says Helen who blogs at Twins Tantrums & Cold Coffee and has three boys: a four-year-old and two-year-old twins. “Shame most of it has to be done in the middle of the night! My other great escape is time with my girlfriends, drinking wine and talking for England, without being interrupted by a child!”
If you’re the owner of three or more kids (or less, it doesn’t matter!) Help for Heroes are calling on parents to run a bake sale any time between now until end of July to support injured service men and women and their families (and let off your own steam!) For more information, including a free fundraising pack, visit www.bakeforheroes.org.uk
Oh. I thought you and the research were going along the line that baking was a great way to entertain the children. Absolutely agree with baking being a stress relief. I have three children. Now mine are older I can leave them to do the baking, and they even tidy up. Double the stress relief. My stress relief is sewing and gardening. For some reason, I’m good at hiding in the garden. #MMBC
Baking is definitely a great way to relieve stress. I also enjoy going for a swim. I can forget about my troubles and just float serenely! #MMBC
I think I’m going to start volunteering to do the shopping then take a magazine and chocolate for the car park! #ItsOK
Every mum needs ‘time out’ – some alone time or ‘me time’ once in a while. The more the kids, I can imagine the more manic it gets! But #itsok… happier mums make happier children.
I struggle with two, can’t imagine having three! Is it cheating if I still use these ideas?! #itsok
I’m with Helen. Blogging is my escape. In fact Baking is the worst thing I can think of having to do with my kids. I am just not good at accepting that they will mess. Fortunately they don’t miss out too much because their half-sister (15) bakes with them and she has WAAAAY more patience than I do.
#itsok
Love the idea of day dates for one on one time! #DreamTeam
great idea to do day dates for each of them! #MMBC
I am massively in favour of baking or any type of cooking in the kitchen as an escape. I find it extremely therapeutic. I have two girls and I always let them get involved now because they love it (to be honest they mostly just want to lick the spoon!) but I also love being left on my own too to cook. Running is my other big form of escape. I have to have my earphones in though to drown out all the noise and focus on the music. I normally come home feeling ten times better! #itsok