Why We Are Not Shying Away from Having a Big Family

8

Maybe it’s the baby fever talking, or the fact that my youngest just turned one last month, but I’ve got babies on the brain.

There is this look, the look that people give you when you tell them you want a big family, like six or seven kiddos. It is a look that says, “you are out of your mama mind!” It never gets old either. In fact, I actually look forward to it now, and here is why.

Big Family

Two generations ago, it was the norm to have a big family consisting of two parents and about six children. Both my parents came from a relatively big family, and they have some of the best stories of growing up. I want that. I want to hear my kiddos tell crazy stories about their childhood when they are older and grown up.

Don’t get me wrong, I know it will be hard when they are all in the little kid stage. They get older. Yep, it is true, they won’t always be babies who need help with every little thing. I will have help with the youngest ones from their brothers and sisters as our family grows. I already see this with my two year old daughter and her baby brother. The older ones can babysit the younger ones, eventually. And I won’t have to pay for it, unless you count changing their diapers everyday for the first couple years of their life as a payment in advance. Not to mention the little people can do the dishes, or fold the laundry, and take out the trash. Learning responsibility; and helping their mama out.

I figure we already live in a messy, chaotic house, so what’s two or four more kiddos into the mix???

With siblings close together, there is built-in entertainment for them–and for the parents. I’m hoping to never hear, “Mama, I’m bored.”  On top of that, we love playing games and now we will always have enough people to play!

I will have perfected my personal parenting strategy by the last one, or have completely thrown it out the window.

The focus, for the most part, won’t be on one child. I think that it is healthy for them to understand from a young age, that life is not about one single person. And having five or six other siblings will get that point across, for years to come.

Family gatherings are always more fun with a big family. I can attest to this. I grew up with all of my cousins around all the time, and I crave that now for my immediate family.

At least one of them will help take care of me and my hubby when we are getting up there in age and return the favor in the diaper department.

There will never be a dull moment. I think that goes without saying though.

These kids will be forced to learn to share; from toys, to responsibility, to blame… everything. they will go through life together, and I can’t even imagine the strength of that bond.

We’ve already thrown the word homeschool around, and that begs for a big ol’ family.

Our marriage is strong and healthy; it goes along with our faith- and we are rooted in the fact that God calls children blessings.

Hopefully we will give the world a few more kindhearted, loving adults who contribute to society in a positive way. Who will then continue to have their own families who do the same.

They will teach me and my husband more than we could ever teach them. Each child will stretch us and make us grow as a parent, and a person.

Some days it makes me terrified to even think about it, and that’s how I know this is right for us. I think “what business do we have in creating six or seven babies?” But nothing great comes easy, and I’ll gladly accept the challenge that will give me so much more than I could ever imagine.

Plus, who doesn’t want to hear, “you know what causes that, right?” a million times while our kids are growing up?

Previous articleThere’s More To Your Varicose Veins Than Meets The Eye
Next articleWhat Your Lifeguard Wants You To know
Katie, Senior Writer
Katie is a Colorado Native, only knowing CO as home. She loves to travel though, but seeing the "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" sign will always be her favorite thing to come home too. She met her CO Native husband when she was 14, & they have been together since she was 15. They are best friends, tackling parenting their kids together. Norah, Jonah, Micah, & Maggie grow and stretch her every day. Katie is passionate for interior design, photography, and anything pretty. There's always music playing in her home, or a good podcast. She's a sucker for a good classic movie, and knows every part of "Sound of Music" by heart. This is her first year winging homeschooling her daughter, mainly to avoid learning how make cutesy lunches & continue serving those Dino nuggets daily. Solid in her faith, she gives all the glory to God for any grace, kindness, or love in her life. Writing for the Colorado Springs Moms Blog has blessed her more ways than she can count, and is proud to be apart of this tribe of mamas creating community in her hometown!

8 COMMENTS

  1. Great post, Katie! We love having a largeish family. I always told myself that it would be a really tough decade to begin with while they are young, and then things would get easier. We are about halfway through that first decade… and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel that says things will be a little less energy-intensive in future years. 😉

    • Evelyn, I’m so glad that is your outlook, and I love that you have a “largeish” family, but you write about living small. We have a lot in common 🙂

  2. Go for it Katie and Cam…You can handle it because you have put God first in your lives. That’s the only way it works., along with open communication between the three of you. Love and hugs!

  3. I’m the oldest of five and I wouldn’t trade my siblings for anything in the world now:). Growing up, I may have given a couple of them away;).

Comments are closed.