Babble

My husband and I always assumed we would have a couple of kids. Then we began meeting families of 6-10 children and found them to be the most generous, intelligent, well rounded people!  We only have four right now but hope to have at least one more. These parents come from a variety of backgrounds and have various occupations.  All are at least college grads and professionals. Hard to believe but they are an inspiration. 

The guy that I am currently seeing is number 10 out of 11 kids (ages 49-27) and I'm finding the same thing. I always knew that I wanted more than 1 child... but now I'm thinking that an even larger family might be nice too (I have 1 sibling, a younger sister).

I wouldn't want a large brood, but for those who do, I'm just curious -- how the heck do you PAY for it?  We're fairly well-off, but just having two instead of the one we planned for is already wreaking havoc on our (admittedly half-assed) long-term savings strategy...

I think a lot of it depends on your standard of living and where you live. Where I live, the cost of living is relatively low... as is the cost of childcare and most other child-related expenses. From what I have seen, you cut expenses where you can, you get creative, and you realize up front that you probably aren't going to be able to send your kids to private school nor are you going to hire a nanny to take care of all of them! Alas... a large family is still a dream to me. Right now my family consists of me, my son, and our cat.

Although DH is great as Grace's step-daddy, he would like two of his own. I'm sure our 2 1/2 kids will be generous, intelligent and well-rounded people.

We have 3. I think it's a lot. However a few of my friends have four.

I have recently seen those shows on TLC where they have like 16 kids and home school?

One family was well off, the other wasn't. 

 

It is costly, where we live (sports, clothes) and keeping "up" I can't imagine more then 3.

College is in the future. A friend of mine lives in MI and has 5 and due to the schools, home schools she does seem as if she is going "mad"... 

I would like to have 2-3 (maybe 4?) kids simply because I don't want my daughter to be alone. I have 1 brother, but very fond memories of my large extended family. My mom has 4 sisters, so I have lots of cousins. Likewise my husband's mother has 4 siblings and his dad 3 siblings=lots of big family gatherings. I doubt my only brother will have children and my husband's two sisters are significanty younger than he is, so if they have kids it won't be for a while. It's sad for me to think that my daughter won't have many cousins, so I definitely want her to have siblings.

When we got married we could decide between 2 or 3 kids.  I had my son in 2002 and I got pregnant when he was 6 months old with TWINS!  We have 3 now and I am done, I just don't have the energy or money for more.  If I had more money (lots more) I would think about another.

I'd love 4 but plan to stick with 2 (we have 1 now), unless both our careers really take off and we double our current incomes.  I guess together we do bring home a good amount of money, especially for people in their early 30s, but I just don't know how younger parents, or parents with average incomes, make it.  IT SOOOOOO EXPENSIVE!

If money were absolutely no object and I did not already spend sleepless nights worrying about global warming (and I guess if I were just a bit more emotionally stable, he he) I would probably have 3.  But I have 2 now and that's a handful.  I really cannot tolerate any more without a rotation of two live in nannies, which seems a bit... excessive. 

I seem to be the exception. I am happy with one; it may be due in part to the fact that it took 19 years before the 1st one. I am lucky in that he has 2 cousins within 6 months, so I can drop him off at their house to fight (heh)

hi conniemomma,are you planning sticking to one?i have 3,and 2 of them very close together in age and in done.im actually in england and the cost of living here is quite high.if you fancy chatting,i can give you an msn addy?or you can give me yours?mel.xx