A woman said to me recently that my five children were very well behaved. It’s one of the best things I can hear so I thanked her. Then she asked me “how do you do it with so many?”
I told her that I don’t think I’d be a very good parent of one child or two. She didn’t believe my answer but honest to goodness, I sometimes think that having many children is easier than just one.
Why big families are easier:
Patience. I never have to teach patience. My children know that I can’t drop everything for them if I have a baby in my arms.
Work Ethic. My children have learned to work because there are always chores to do in a small house packed with little messy lunatics. And they all learn quickly that sometimes they have to clean up a mess even though they didn’t make it…
Read the rest at the National Catholic Register.
February 4, 2010 at 3:00 pm
I've tried to tell people that four kids are really not much more work than two. People who have decided that one or two is All They'll Have (TM) think that each child over two is a multiple of their own work. But when you only have one or two, you have to do all the work (housework, cooking, preparing to go anywhere, and all the entertaining of the kids). But with more kids, the older ones help the younger ones, and honestly, they all entertain each other. Mom and Dad don't have to. Cooking for four kids is no more work than cooking for two. Older kids help get shoes and socks on younger kids, etc. And your points about patience and work ethic are right on target.
February 4, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Our 5th is on the way and I can tell you that my life was excruciatingly difficult with 4 kids under the age of 6. Now that I have two 6+ and a 5 yo who is very helpful it has done wonders. During those early years it was a war to get through mass. I thought it would never end.
Now our youngest is 2. He is well behaved in mass because the older 3 are. Things are best learned by example and when there are 5-6 good examples surrounding a small child they fall in line MUCH easier. If only we had three older childen when the first few were so young .. 🙂
February 4, 2010 at 6:18 pm
The number of interactions exponentially increases with the number of children. With one child, baby interacts with mom and dad only (Entertain me mom and dad). With an additional child, they can play and fight together. With a larger family, if A fights with B and C, D may provide comfort or E may need a playmate. Mom and dad are not the entertainment.
February 4, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Another advantage: you need only drop the hammer on ONE of them for a transgression. The rest are smart enough to figure it out…
February 4, 2010 at 8:31 pm
Dad29 – you're banking on having intelligent kids….
But seriously, I totally agree. Patience and work ethic are two key points. I've had several roommates in my time and can always tell when one of them is an only child. They never seem to understand the concept of picking up for each other. Possibly, also they've never played sports…
February 4, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Thank you! I love this post and the comments are a riot, too! I wish I could have had more than the three I have, but boy! am I blessed with the three I have! They are wonderful and they get complimented all the time out in public about their good manners etc.. It's hard when they are little and you're so tired . . . but you can never be too tired to discipline or love your child into a good human being. It is the most important job God has given us.
February 4, 2010 at 9:12 pm
little messy lunatics
Ha! Yes, I have a few of those.
February 5, 2010 at 1:02 am
LOL.
My sister has 7 children…now ranging from 20 down to 6 1/2. They have a rule when eating out that they are allowed to get ice cream for dessert ONLY if they are spontaneously complimented on their behavior by a stranger.
(can't be the server). They almost ALWAYS get ice cream!
We just had #5 in November…though number one is 26 years old…the rest are 11 down to 2 months…I've said for a long time, no one should have babies without an 8 or 9 year old girl in the house.
Pax Christi All!
February 5, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Dad29 – you're banking on having intelligent kids….
Already HAD 'em, fella. 10 of 'em. And all of them, regardless of measured IQ, were very quick to grasp 'consequences.'
February 5, 2010 at 7:31 pm
I think that's called "survival technique" Dad29! Hahaha…Wow! Big brother just got whooped…I'd better NEVER do that! Hahaha
February 16, 2010 at 8:51 am
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Lucy
http://toddlergirls.net