21 kids and counting: How many is too many when it comes to children?

[JeanClaudeVanMam]

Astounded watching this last night! I'd love more kids - but 21?! Imagine the noise!

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/mum-21-counting-brood-reveals-15630245

I assume if you have a large number of children but not a vast amount of money, you wouldn't be able to encourage many of your children to go to university as parents are now expected to help out financially.

I'm sorry but tbh honest I think the Radfords are selfish irresponsible twats.

1 or 2 max.

Once you get above 4/5/6 I don’t believe you can give them the attention they deserve individually. My older daughter is 15 and studying and I’m helping quite intensely for one of her subjects, if I had 4 others clamouring for my attention that just wouldn’t work.

I’m 38 weeks pregnant and will definitely be sticking to 1 or maximum 2.

I’m 38 weeks pregnant and will definitely be sticking to 1 or maximum 2.

I'm assume your 15yo is hoping you pick two

My eldest went to uni and got a grant and a pt job.
Next dc have professions after college.
Next dd's both want to go to uni. Personally think other factors like do they want to go to uni also come into it not just poor dps.
Ime parental support of education goes a long way to a dc attending uni.

I think it’s each to the their own generally on this but I’m sure we can all safely say 21 kids is far too many and it’s just not fair on the children.

Don’t imagine this thread will stay for long though

I’m one of 6 btw and I never had any issues with getting attention from my parents I never felt unloved or left out or anything, everyone is different. Some people feel like they didn’t get enough parental attention when they were one of four.

I have 3, we originally said we'd have '3 or 4' but are definitely stopping at 3. I have occasional pangs but 4 really would be too many for us, but of course some people think that about 3!

I can safely say that 21 would be far, far too many for me. There are only 22 in DD2's class!!

I'm assume your 15yo is hoping you pick two

Haha, yes I mean more children!

I knew a lot of huge Catholic families in Australia.

The one thing I found weird was how none of them seemed particularly close, the elder ones had all left home at the first opportunity because their homes were so over-crowded, and none seemed to feel they got enough attention.

For me, 2-3 would be maximum. The thought of never having a moments peace would fill me with horror. I also couldn't be bothered with the whole cooking, bed making, laundry for loads of children.
2-3 means with two parents, they can tag team easily, or one can take then all easily somewhere. They also can fit in a regular car, and grandparents potentially offer to babysit occasionally.

20+ every day is how my busiest christmas day or a garden party would be, and its heaven when they all go home.

I am 1 of 2 and would have liked another sibling but dh is 1 of 6 and says that it’s to many as he was in the middle and got forgotten about, didn’t get given the same opportunities or attention (I believe this as it still happens in his family) . I have 2 and another on the way. I won’t be having anymore as 3 is my limit.

For me 3 is plenty. A perfect number. I always thought we might like 4. I am pretty certain 3 is enough for us! 21 is absolute madness.

We have 4. It's plenty 😂😂

We also have 4, and to be honest, I sometimes feel stretched a little thin. And quite guilty about the planet.

They are all lovely though.

2 - one for each hand and they fit in a regular car. If you need to drive a minibus then you have too many.

I suppose 21 is a lot but all my grandparents were from over 10 families. One had 14 (and didn't start anywhere near as young).

One wonders if its become like a career to her and they have another because thats what you do, not that its really any of my business.

I guess when it comes to extremes they seem happy and settled, which is more that my house would be with 21 urchins!

i'm one of 7 and i feel like that is a large family and i do feel like mum was stretched between us all and me being the middle child, i feel i definitely got forgotten about frequently. not helped by me being introverted, quiet and never screaming or shouting for attention i don't think. I don't know if there's an ideal number of children as it's so different for each family, 1 might be enough children for x amount of people but y amount of people might not be able to picture themselves with any less than 5 children. I suppose environmentally the fewer children each family has, the better but in an ageing world, arguably the younger people are needed to bridge the gaps being left by the older generations living longer and subsequently needing more care and support in their very elderly years. I dunno, i don't think there's any one size fits all answer really

Well I suppose they did start young

I have two and that is more than enough for me!

two was a bit too quiet for my liking and three is sometimes a bit too noisy/chaotic, so 4 would be my tipping point. I can't imagine 21. I'd be a very unhappy shell of a woman.

I have 4. A 5th would break me.

I only have one and that has always been great.

You only have two hands so that would probably be all I could comfortably manage

This is the much nicer thread about them than the other thread!

I didn't see this but I'm sure she said last time she didn't want another baby.