I have 6 kids - AMA

[Sarcy]

Just for a bit of entertainment as I'm not doing much today. Ask away

I have 4 and we’ve discussed/considered a 5th, but we’d have a much larger gap than any of the others (youngest is coming up for 5 now). What made you go past 4, if anything? Would you have an odd number? I’m not sure if 5 or 6 would be worse.

Cheapest meal for 8 people that all the kids will eat?

How do you homeschool with a 3 year old running around? I know at 3 they're easier but for the last 3 years; a newborn/toddler feels like a full time job to me.

How do you homeschool with a 3 year old running around? I know at 3 they're easier but for the last 3 years; a newborn/toddler feels like a full time job to me.
They do a lot of independent work, have online classes and sometimes tutors so it's not always me sat down teaching them. But when I am helping them my 3 year old likes to play or I might put some cbeebies on for her. She does come over to see what we're doing every few minutes, to talk to me or ask for something. There's times one kid is doing their work and the other isn't so they might go in the garden with her. If DH is home one of us will usually concentrate on the little ones and the other will take the older ones to and from places and help them with work and so on

I really am not meaning to be rude but do you not think about the environmental impact of bringing more humans into the world!

Cheapest meal for 8 people that all the kids will eat?
It's hard to find something they'll all eat, the two youngest won't eat anything they don't like the look of. So probably pasta with a simple tomatoe sauce or a few pizzas are the cheapest which we don't have very often, I usually use those options as a last resort for the little ones

Do you made sure they all brush their teeth properly every day?

Are they bathed or showered everyday?

Do you iron their clothes?

How often do they get their bedding changed?

Dh thinks all of the above is not done very often when you have more than two children.

I really am not meaning to be rude but do you not think about the environmental impact of bringing more humans into the world!
No its not really crossed my mind to be honest, only 6 humans out of 7 billion. I don't mean to sound ignorant if i do but they're probably hardly impacting the environment at all

How old were you when you started having kids?

I would love a big family but find it hard to imagine keeping going back to baby stage (currently have two under two) - which number/stage have you found the hardest and which the easiest?

Do you made sure they all brush their teeth properly every day? I trust the older ones to clean their teeth but I always watch over the little ones

Are they bathed or showered everyday? Yes most days at least, there's maybe the odd one where they're too tired after a long day or we had to leave early in the morning

Do you iron their clothes? honestly i avoid ironing as much as i can, I'm terrible at it anyway. Most their clothes tend to straighten themselves out after a few minutes of being worn but I will if it really needs doing.

How often do they get their bedding changed? about once a week or if something gets spilled on it (this happens a lot). I prefer to do them all at once in one washing load if possible

Are you one of life's naturally chilled out humans or are you a military style organiser with everyone logged on routines and the house ship-shape.

Or are you going to ruin my idea that you must be either one or the other extreme to contemplate that many children?

I was brought up in a big family and I vowed to have a maximum of 2 children myself! I feel that none of us got enough affection or attention, and I was given too much responsibility for younger siblings. Do you find that you rely on the older ones to help out with the little ones, plus housework?

How much sleep do you get? And how has this been over the years? If it's not much, how on earth do you cope?

I've got 2 under 3 and have had nowhere near enough sleep for the last 3 years, it's such a major issue for me, there's absolutely no way I'd even contemplate extending this period for longer by having more children.

*Are you one of life's naturally chilled out humans or are you a military style organiser with everyone logged on routines and the house ship-shape.

Or are you going to ruin my idea that you must be either one or the other extreme to contemplate that many children?*
I am quite chilled and the house is far from ship shape. I'd say if everyone is happy, healthy, the house isn't on fire and there's still some sanity and order left then we're okay but i think i am a bit of an inbetween really

Do you find that you rely on the older ones to help out with the little ones, plus housework?
They do have responsibilities/chores when it comes to housework but with little ones I wouldn't expect them to if they didn't want to

Are you employed?

Why did you take the decision to Home school?

Why did you take the decision to Home school?
I read a book about homeschooling about 2 or 3 days before my oldest was going to start school. I felt like it was probably the best time if i was going to try it out, rather than pulling her out later when she's settled in and made friends there. So i decided i would for a year and if it all goes down hill she could start the next september after that. Homeschooling turned out to be really good for our family, especially as we were able to go out during the week, they have a lot of friends who are homeschooled as well. I'm not against school at all but i feel like they experience more as they aren't stuck in a classroom all day. I think school just isn't for everyone, i enjoyed school for the most part though

Do you feel you really can give them enough attention? I grew up the oldest of 7 and we never got enough attention. I only had two for that reason. We're trying to conceive at the moment but it will be my partners first.

But large families are impacting the planet. What if every couple decided to have 6 or more children?

Me and DH decided not to have any children and one of the reasons was overpopulation. I think it is irresponsible to have more than 2 and to have not even given it any thought beggars belief

'What if every couple decided to have 6 or more children'?

But they don't!

(Mum of 'only' 3 here, but I feel OP is getting a hard time)

As for giving them enough attention, spending enough time with them individually etc, people wouldn't dare (rightly) say that to a FT working mum of 1 or 2 kids.

I can see what your point is it's just an odd thing to say to me since I already have 6 kids, maybe if i was planning to have 6 kids. I think we are quite environmentally friendly, there must be smaller families that make more of an impact on the planet

I love the 'what if everyone had six/ eight/ fifteen kids?' reproach.

Most people wouldn't have six kids because raising lots of kids is hard work. I 'only' have three, on some days it is twice as hard as having two. You couldn't pay me to have four. This idea that environmental consciousness is the reason most people don't have a crop of kids is completely false. Most people stop at two because it fits their lifestyle.

If you have one or two children, even if you work ft and are busy, you can still spend individual time with them, and deal with needs etc. Maybe the OP can. I wasn't being judgemental, she did say AMA! I'm thinking of my own childhood in a large family, but maybe the OP manages it better.

Are you religious?