Juggling…

I’ve always been a good juggler. I literally can juggle, as it happens. But I’m also really good at keeping lots of different projects, tasks, thoughts, friends, events and activities up in the air. It’s my thing

In an effort to make the girls feel they are not triplets but three individuals at the centre of my world, I’ve spent the last six years hiding my juggling act from them. I’m not distracted, each one’s needs are first, there’s no juggling going on here.

Tactics used? I count to ten playing hide and seek with one, while taking interest in what another is doing. Listening to one read, I pull another in for a quick tickle and let them go. Discussing the detail of a friend’s latest toy, I make a paper boat and hand it to another.

Out on a walk in the woods, two of the three want to play different games; houses (where I am the aunty) and superheroes (where I am the villain). I say I can’t do both, let’s play the same game. No. I say well I was playing houses first, so after I’ve played that for a while, I will play superheroes. No. Well, perhaps you can play with daddy? No.

Third party intervention arrives.

“Why don’t you do what you always do? Do both. Play houses with Emily and then tell her the aunty has to go out shopping and then you can be the villain for Sam. Then you realise you can’t beat the superhero so you have to go back to your headquarters and then you can be the aunty again.”

Busted.