Dozens of baby toting “storks” decorated their yard that momentous morning just over eighteen years ago, after triplets were born to the Iacullo family of the Lakeview subdivision. I remember saying to myself, “oh my goodness!” as I marveled at the Renee and Chris Iacullo’s thrice blessed life event.
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And now the three young men are graduating from Barrington High School. I asked Renee some questions about the challenges — and highlights — of rearing triplets, and this is what she had to say.
Q. What has it been like raising triplets?
A: It is pretty exhausting. There is always something to do. It has gotten a little easier since they started to drive so we don’t have to drive them everywhere but we rarely miss a performance or a game. The boys are pretty outgoing and have a lot of friends so there is never a dull moment in our house. There are constantly kids here. One of our neighbors remarked that our driveway always looks like a parking lot. And it seems that everyone in town knows them! Raising triplets has been a blessing in our lives. God has blessed us with healthy, happy and fun-loving boys.
All three of the boys are pretty good kids so we haven’t had any problems. We have met so many people and have made so many friends because of the numerous activities they have been involved in.
Q: Was it what you expected when they were born?
A: When the boys were born, I was a perinatal nurse so it wasn’t hard for me to manage them as babies. It wasn’t until they began walking, at 10 months old, that they started to tag team me and they became much harder to corral. What I did not expect was how much love you could have for so many kids at one time. I also think neither my husband nor I thought we could have this much stamina to get through it.
Q: How does it feel to have three graduates at once?
A: It is a bit overwhelming to have three graduating at one time. There is so much to do…times three! It seems high school went by so quickly. It has been bittersweet. Attending all the “lasts”… the last musical, the last hockey game, the last “back to school night”…
It’s a little scary to think of the financial output over the next four to five years. I just keep reminding my husband that it will all be over in five years and then we should feel some relief.
Q: What are the boys’ plans? College, career, interests?
A: William will be attending Michigan State majoring in business with a minor in hospitality. He would like to become an event planner.
Dominic will be attending DePaul University majoring in economics. His dream is to become the next big Wall Street sensation. He loves investment strategy.
Anthony will be pursuing junior hockey while attending junior college near whichever team picks him up. His goal is to eventually play hockey at a Division 1 school and obtain an accounting or economics degree.
Q: Honors, awards, scholarships, extra-curricular activities, highlights from high school?
A: Unfortunately, there are currently no scholarship awards that we have been notified of. We are open to any offers!
Anthony played baseball as a freshman then switched to golf. He has been on the golf team since sophomore year. He played varsity golf junior and senior year. He has played hockey since first grade and has also been on the varsity hockey team the past two years, winning MVP as a sophomore and best forward for the past two years. Anthony was chosen to play hockey for Team Illinois at the America’s Showcase in Pittsburgh this past March.
William has been in the musical all four years of high school. He loves performing. William participated in the Orchesis Spring show as a partner in the senior dance number. He was also in the choir and sang at Carnegie Hall in New York City junior year. William participates in Brother’s Keeper and attended the mission trip to the Crow Creek Indian Reservation last summer and hopes to do so again this summer.
Dominic played volleyball freshmen through junior year. He also has played hockey since first grade and has been on the varsity hockey team for the past two years. He has been skating with the DePaul hockey team this spring in preparation for next fall.
Q: Any words of wisdom for other parents of triplets?
My words of wisdom would be more for any parent rather than just for triplets. We all think our kids are the best at whatever it is they are doing and the truth is very few are truly superstars. They don’t need to have the lead in the play; they will have just as much fun if they are in the chorus. They don’t need to be the star of their team or even in the starting lineup; they will gain just as much from just being on the team. They don’t need to take five AP classes and get a 4.0 GPA so that they can get into the best colleges. They will be much more successful if they are engaged in life, have friends and have less stress. You don’t need to drive them an hour away to be on the best team in the state when they would benefit so much more from participating in their own community, with their own friends.
Calm down and enjoy your kids and let them enjoy being a kid; it will all be over in the blink of an eye.
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“Keep calm and carry on,” indeed!
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