what assumptions would you make about a family with four to six children?

[ChelseeDagger]

Not wanting to start a bun fight or being goady in the slightest. Just looking for honest opinions, whether they be positive, negative or neutral.

Tired, busy, never bored or lonely. Probably highly organised or at least trained to multitask well esp if different ages / schools / extracurricular activities. Possibly had excellent experience of growing up with several siblings so wanted their children to have the same. Likely to be less precious about many things as no time to dwell on them. Sound of Music type duties, where the older ones coach and guide the younger ones.

4+? I want to steal their secrets on household organisation, getting the kids to do their homework and how they manage to have a sex life.

In terms of assumptions, my first thought would be a blended family or a cultural preference towards more children.

FWIW, the global birth rate is 18.5 per 1,000 or 1.8 per woman. That covers some astonishing differences of course - Angola has the current top spot at 4.3 whilst Monaco is 0.6. Most European countries have a declining birth rate.

The real elephant in the room is our overconsumption.

Religious, wealthy, posh

How is it a red herring? Children in developed countries like the UK still have a much larger carbon footprint per capita than children in developing countries where the population is increasing. This article shows how much bigger the impact of a child is than every other action. It's not about overpopulation in terms of population density, but in terms of the amount of resources needed for the child's life and its children and so on. It's like saying 'don't talk about how polluting cars are' if there are fewer cars on the road than there used to be - but they are still having a negative impact on the environment

But its not all about the environment. How is the population dwindling in western countries while developing nations carry on booming a good thing for those western nations? It isn't, is the answer.

Either extreme wealth or extreme poverty

To have 4 children? Why is this such a prevailing opinion, when it has no basis in fact?

@TheABC

Precisely. To be accurate all of this hand wringing regarding overpopulation would be far less disingenous if they simply stated 'have less children because we live in a greedy, entitled, consumerist society.'

I would not make any assumptions..why would you?

Honestly? That they're really fertile. And think highly of their parenting skills.

They mustn't believe in using contraceptives of don't know how to use them properly.

Haven’t RTFT.

Cant possibly attend to the needs of all kids when they’re making babies two yrs apart like my mother.

Yes I come from a big family. I think parents who opt for big families are selfish as older kids inevitably become live in babysitters.

And when the kids need support as adults there’s obviously not enough time to go around all of them.

Know others from big families and the same happened to them.

Want all those kids can great. Don’t get your eldest kids to raise them so you can go on a jolly and fully expect they’ll need your emotional help as adults too.

I think they're very, very lucky. Also probably sleep-deprived, but in the main, lucky.

Honestly, I'd think it's very selfish, in his day and age, to not consider the dangers of population growth.

But its not all about the environment. How is the population dwindling in western countries while developing nations carry on booming a good thing for those western nations? It isn't, is the answer.

Well, if the environment goes to shit then we're all screwed so it kind of is all about the environment and what each of us can do. None of us can stop other people from having children (beyond gradually changing the norms of our own culture). We can choose the number of children we have, and that's our chance to have an impact. No, developing nations having lots of children isn't a good thing, but it's not as bad as having lots of children here. And it's pretty difficult to point fingers at people in the developing world who don't have access to education, maternal health services and contraception when people here have those things and are just choosing to have lots of children anyway.
The answer is don't have lots of children and donate to effective charities in the developing world which will provide family planning services or school places for girls.

None whatsoever.

My best friend growing up was one of six, whilst I had a pretty abusive and miserable childhood. Her family let me visit and stay over every week, and their house was like a second home. They were a lovely family, so whenever I see a family of six I always make an assumption that they are a happy and lively bunch.

It's interesting how our experiences shape our views and perceptions.

Loaded or on benefits
Multiple contraceptive failure
Selfish
Lucky
Stupid

That they were either poor or rich- not in the middle

I have 5 children (we got twins after number 3) i was a sahm till youngest went to school.
Kids are feral at all, my house is peaceful, they are older now tho (youngest 9)
I loved it, exhausted but i look back then at fond memories i really do.
They are such polite lovely kids im very proud of them all

I knew a couple with quads. I just assumed they were permanently exhausted for the first few years

I have 4
We aren't chaotic or religious or rich
We do put a great deal of stock in family and roots and possibly warmth over achievement and scheduling
The kids are neither paragons nor feral
I was from a large family and valued and still value my siblings and I am sure there was therefore a comfort in larger families
I don't worry about paying for uni; if they want to go, we'll manage, but they may not be able to choose most expensive accommodation/run a car and they will have to take on some debt, but that's ok in my view.

I am very very glad I didn't stop at 2; my eldest two are extremely different characters and will never be friends and would never have stayed in touch as adults. Fortunately number 3 and 4 are the glue that will bind them as a group.

No we don't have 'greedy, entitled, consumerist children' - that's a diversion from the facts.

Children use MUCH more resources in the UK because for one, we're an island who doesn't support itself with food so getting food and services to the kid is much more environmentally damaging.

And it really IS ALL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT- we are proper FUCKED

5+ kids I would think the parents are very irresponsible and haven't thought through what is best for the children if they:

A) do not earn enough between them, and rely on income support / any benefits
B) do not own their own property
C) rely on council property or housing benefit

It's all very well having lots of love to give, but it takes more than that to set a child up well for life.

That they have more patience than I do. Beyond that I wouldn't really give it a thought it's their business not mine

@Rosesformama

I have 4 We aren't chaotic or religious or rich We do put a great deal of stock in family and roots and possibly warmth over achievement and scheduling The kids are neither paragons nor feral I was from a large family and valued and still value my siblings and I am sure there was therefore a comfort in larger families I don't worry about paying for uni; if they want to go, we'll manage, but they may not be able to choose most expensive accommodation/run a car and they will have to take on some debt, but that's ok in my view.

I am very very glad I didn't stop at 2; my eldest two are extremely different characters and will never be friends and would never have stayed in touch as adults. Fortunately number 3 and 4 are the glue that will bind them as a group.

I also work, have always worked, we claim no benefits. I don't consider the environment (too late anyway!) as I am one of 4 but only 2 of us had children and therefore of the 8 adults (sibs and spouses) we have only produced 6 children in the next generation. We rarely travel abroad and don't drive a huge 4 by 4 or anything.

@EssentialHummus

Religious, very wealthy or very poor.

This^