In advance of the birth of our third child, some parents shared with me their experience and advice:
"Three children is not that different than two, really."
Really?
"When you have three children, you just move from a man-on-man defense to a zone defense."
Oh, it’s that easy?
In about a day-and-a-half at home with three children – ages 4, 1, and <1 week, I would not echo these words offered to me by my kind friends. But I would use another football analogy to describe my situation: I feel like I’m in a prevent defense, an attempt to maintain some dignity by trying to keep the kids from going deep (in chaos). Sure, this strategy allows them to scramble and run all over for short and medium gains. But the prevent defense is designed for one thing – prevent the big play. I’m just trying to keep them out of the end zone (of complete carnage).
Perhaps I’ll get the hang of this parent-of-three-kids thing some day, and move up to a zone or even call a few blitzes eventually. But for now I’m a bit overwhelmed, and it’s straight prevent defense parenting for me.
The Lutheran Zephyr 
Oh great, so now I have to start following sports to have a conversation with you about your kids/parenting skills…wonderful! Maybe if you explained it in the frame of reference of pop culture… 🙂
That makes total sense to me. I personally really enjoy the man to man coverage right now (3 year old son and 9 month old daughter). I will have to keep this in mind when we talk about having more down the road.
Great analogy!
Since we’re still saddled with just the one, we haven’t had to do as much scheming to stop our opponent’s offense as of yet. But we hear she’s recruiting for next year…