If you grew up in a big family.....

[DuggarMother]

Did you like it?

How do you feel about it now? Would you recommend it?

[knackeredknitter]

I loved it, but was always the odd one out. So I was quite lonely even though I was surrounded by siblings.
I don't think it is the size of family that is important so much as good healthy relationships and bonding

[DaisyFlowerChain]

Hated it, would need have a large family of my own and it robbed me of a lot of my childhood. I just have the one DS by choice but the most I would of ever had is two.

[Bowlersarm]

I loved it, one of four.

[BuzzardBirdRoast]

Never had any peace, never had enough of anything such as attention, care, money, love.

Out of a house full of siblings the odds of getting on with all of them, if any, is extremely slim.

I would have preferred one sibling.

[Sparklingbrook]

I didn't but why do you ask?

[AlpacaYourThings]

Interesting name, OP

[Onthemountain]

One of 5 and loved it. Always a busy and very happy house.

[dementedma]

One of five and never thought anything of it to be honest...
I have 3 dcs and find it hard work.

[Thehedgehogsong]

I liked it and disliked it at different times. As the eldest I had a lot of responsibility and it helped me grow into a sensible person but I was a bit resentful, and going to Uni felt like bliss to have my own space and less people to share a bathroom with. Now I'm out of the family home it's lovely, my siblings are much more tolerable in smaller doses! I don't feel like any of us get the attention we need from our parents and my brothers in particular are always comparing, fighting, vying for attention. But then they're hardly ever bored as they have each other.
From my mum's point of view she almost always feels torn. We are all at different stages and the younger ones need her a lot, some wth quite serious issues at the minute. I'm sure sometimes she wants to just run away or scoop us all up and lock us in the house to feel more like she can look after us.
It's a mixed bag! I have two children and I'm not at all inclined to have any more!

[curiousgeorgie]

What do you class as a big family?

[coldwater1]

I take it the school holidays are getting boring op?! As if you are the Duggars mother.

[somanysiblings]

Wondering that too. I namechanged as I don't want to out myself but I came from a family more than double the size of those mentioned here.

[TheFourthLobster]

never had enough of anything such as attention, care, money, love.

that can be the case in families with hardly any children as well though. There was precious little attention or love when I was growing up, I pretty much entertained myself and got on with it.

[DuggarMother]

I am asking because I am curious about how others feel.

I am in a similar position to somanysiblings.

I personally would view 6+ children to be a big family. Perhaps the username was an ill thought out one, sorry, no harm was meant.

[FoodieMum3]

I'm one of 4. My mum was very, very stressed and I suspect wasn't coping very well with 4 young DC.
I have 3 myself now and do occassionally dream of a fourth but then I think back to her and tbh it was mayhem.

I can actually remember her becoming much happier when the youngest was 10 or so and she was like a new person after that.

We got on great and still do, but we've all moved in different directions so only see one another maybe 3 or 4 times a year.

[Wherediparkmybroom]

One of five, 2 marriages, siblings fine, step father arse!

[FoodieMum3]

Oh, maybe 4 doesn't count so

[Kim82]

I'm one of four and I loved it, we're all really close now as adults too. I loved it that much I now have four children of my own!

[OneStepCloser]

Hated it, one of six, never enough money, privacy. We were not particularly close as children and most of us arnt now, we tend to keep a polite distance and meet up all together every couple of years. I am close to one brother and one older brother we meet with our families a couple of times of the year which is always pleasant but thats it. The others? hardly anything at all, which is all a bit sad.

I know both of my older brothers felt resentful that my parents went on to have four more children as their lives changed considerably each time a new one came along and as I said we were not well off to begin with.

My parents loved us all though, love was one thing we were never short of.

[Azquilith]

One of 8 from 3 marriages. I have one and that is enough for me.

[happy2bhomely]

One of 5. Loved it. All grown up and still the best of friends. All live within 3 miles of each other. 15 kids between us and all our kids meet up to play. A positive to outweigh every negative.

At the time though, I resented that we didn't have all the material things we wanted(and sometimes really needed)

[IfNotNowThenWhen]

In some ways it was good wandering thru the house and always finding someone to talk to. In other ways, there was no money, didn't spend much time just with my mum as she always seemed a bit absent/distracted. We were pretty much left to our own devices though, even for the era, and my parents were not exactly hands on.
I would have liked piano lessons, or to go horse riding like my friends.
As both worked tea was often very late. I remember eating a lot of jam sandwiches, and feeling starving while waiting for the giant pot of whatever to be ready. 6 kids means lots of friends over all the time too, sometimes it's chaotic, clothes were always hand me downs, and nothing was ever really mine.
I do notice though that all my siblings are very funny and can tell a story, and hold a room well. If you managed to be heard above the din, you better have something interesting to say! It also stood me in good stead for honing my survival instincts, and reading people very well.
I would have liked 3 kids I think. I have one, and do like to have his friends over, cousins round etc, as it fills the house.

[DuggarMother]

Don't blush, Foodie!

I only said what I would class as a big family as another poster asked me. It is still interesting hearing everyone's experiences - Thanks all

[somanysiblings]

I agree with buzzard but I am looking at it from the point of view as one of 10. Not enough time, attention, money, etc.

The money thing was huge. We were constantly worried about money even as young children. We had (just about) enough food but no holidays, no school trips, no birthday parties, tiny budget for Christmas, very few clothes.

I don't think kids should be spoiled but it is awful to be so stressed about asking for money for school essentials etc at a young age.

I have 2 children and it's plenty for me.

[tennisopen]

I'm one of 4 as well. That's certainly a big family amongst my friends now (most have 1-2 dc), although it was more common when I was growing up. I didn't like it. I'm a quiet introvert and there was never enough time, privacy, money, attention. Never got to do activities that my friends did, or go abroad until I was an adult. Didn't think much of it at the time but now I only have one dc and talk about my childhood with others, and I realise how much I missed out on. I wouldn't recommend it tbh.