What’s it like being a child from a large family?

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

Interested to hear the perspectives of children who have two or more siblings.

DH and I are considering another baby and rather than think about the effect it could have on me and him I’d like to know what it’s like to having two siblings or more.

I’m an only and he’s one of two.

One of 8.

The largest family any of my siblings have is 3. Take from that what u will

I have three sisters my dh has four sisters. Both loved having siblings to play with and a busy house. Meet ups are lovely as adults we are all close except one of dh’s sisters.
We have 8 children and the two older teens say they like having a big family. My youngest is a baby and he is adored by them all.

Other kids say they do also but are little.

Oldest of 6.

Shit as a kid. No space, no privacy, always shared a room, very little 1 to 1 time, harrassed and stressed mother. As an adult though it's nice. We all meet up, big jumble of our own dcs, always groups of cousins a similar age. A couple of fall outs, neither me or my youngest dsis are speaking to our brother atm. But generally as an adult it's nice. But we are close as a family anyway, cousins and aunts etc. So maybe we are just that type of family.

I'm no 6 of 6.
There are pros and cons.
We used to be closer but there are big age gaps and it is v apparent now that we have v different values and world views.

I'm the only one of my younger siblings to have kids so mine have no cousins their age.

I like two of my sisters a lot. I absolutely cant bear 1 of them and that's made life a bit awkward now.

What specifically do you want to know?

I’m interested especially in those with small age gaps. If we go for this the age gaps would be 2 years, 2 years and 2 years (maybe more).

I’ve got such a mixed pool of people I know; my friends with 2+ siblings fall into the following:

• one of three sisters who all love each other heaps and have a total of 6 years between youngest and oldest

• one of three who loves her sister (4 years older) but has nothing in common with her brother (6 years older)

• one of three who has literally no interest in her siblings at all. The age gap is quite big between the three.

I’m one of three.
They say threes a crowd and my sisters are VERY close, I’m not at all despite those two having a huge age gap

Gosh, 3 isn't a large family, I wouldn't say large until there are 6+ children.

Personally I'd have hated to be an only child or one of two and I'd hated to have only had 1 or 2 children. But, I'm not you so not relevant, no one can predict how a future family will work out, like anything in life you have to hope for the best.

One of six. No cons, all pros. Loved it growing up and now in middle age it's still fantastic. Get on great, help each other out, stay in regular touch. Don't live in each other's pockets though.

Should have said, 10 years between oldest and youngest.

Watching this with interest.

One of 4. Have one child and his childhood is sooo different from mine. Growing up had very little attention, no space or privacy. Hardly any days out, think we went on one holiday ever. Stressed parents and very unhappy people. I might have a second but want to make sure I can make them both feel special and afford a good quality of life for them.

We are all close in age, my mum had four girls within five years.

Sorry six years not four .

Not five I meant! She had four girls in six years.

And I very much agree with @coconuttelegraph - 3 kids isnt a big family (wouldn't want 3 myself tho) - for me anything bigger than 4 is a big family

1 of 9, we are all close as adults. Bickered growing up, as DC in any size family do, and space/privacy was virtually unknown. But had amazing parents, lots of opportunities and relationships with my parents and other significant adults (godparents, aunts and uncles etc)

One of four. 18 months between each. I adore my siblings and we are very close. I liked having lots of siblings and my friends were all jealous!

It's also nice now as I have lots of nephews and I have people to share the load with my parents.

I'd say the only downside is that kids from big families aren't quite as close to their parents- closer to each other instead.

I was one of 5 children (I am 4 out of 5)and didn't like it. No privacy/space/one on one time, also very little money. I am close to one brother, don't like my only sister
I have just one adult DC of my own.

Oh, there was 18 months between me and younger brother and me and one of older brothers. 6 years between me and sister.

One of 5 it was awful. Had 4 of my own and they hated it

2nd eldest of 5. My parents had 3 children in 3 years. 15 months between my older sibling and me, then 22 months between me and next sibling. 4 year gap to no 4 and 23 months to the youngest.
We knew no different growing up.
I have 2 and 2 have 3 kids and one has 1.

Oldest of 4. My childhood was very different from my youngest brother's. When I was little we had no money, mum worked 3 jobs, dad was constantly trying to do diy to literally keep a roof over our heads. My grandma looked after us and she hated girls and massively spoiled DB1, DB2 was less popular.

My parents didn't have the time or energy to bother with me or pay any attention to what or who I was doing.

Another person here who wouldn't consider 3 children a big family.

Am also 1 of six. Found it very hard as a child. Nice now we're adults, and I adore them, but I have chosen to have just one child. Parents found it hard and stressful, the house was always so noisy, and I had no privacy/space.

None of my siblings have/want lots of children.

Did you like the family life you had as a child and teen @lovinglola

And I get where you’re coming from re knowing no different; I never grew up with a dad and I was totally fine with this - it was other people who made it a “thing”.