How many children do you have?

[sallysummertime]

My friend and I were talking about how many children we would like to have. I currently have 3 year old twins and while it's been tough I'd love to have a big family of possible 5 kids. My friend thought I was bonkers and that that's far too many and she's content with her 3 mth old son.

How many do you have?

i have 4. two boys aged 16 and 10, two girls aged 5 and 3.

1

i love babies and being a parent, but 1 will allow me to make the most of my life. Babysitters are easy to come by, more headspace and time for my hobbies and what I want to pursue. Basically, I want a chill life and there will be much more liquid to pour into my own cup. I didn’t want the next 18 years of my life to be frazzled, poorer and pulled in different directions.

at the moment I am 29, career changing, studying and have lots of hobbies. DD is a great addition to my
life and very much wanted, but another DC would make a lot of these things very difficult, or life more expensive if I outsourced childcare.

big families are lovely, if you prioritise a busy household and lots of family members- but it’s really not for me.

Unfortunately I have a termination booked for an unplanned pregnancy, so this has been on my mind a lot.

had I had this unplanned pregnancy when DD was a teenager, I might feel differently and see it as ‘meant to be’, but I would be at completely different life stage and therefore more open to change.

But for now- I am certain one child is the right choice for me.

6! I had 3, then split with exH and got with now DP who has 2, so 5 between us and we’ve just had our first together/sixth in the house. We have DSS (12), DD (11), DSD (8), DS (7) and DD (6) and now newborn DD who’s a week old. Plus the dog 😁 It’s carnage but we’ve been incredibly lucky that the kids all get on brilliantly (aside the usual sibling bickering!) with each other and us - and they all ADORE their baby sister too. They’re all lovely kids and despite various challenges (DSS SEN, DD6 a serious long term health condition) we’re generally very harmonious and happy. DP also pulls his weight and then some so we are a proper team which helps a lot! Money wise we’re not rich but we’re always fine, the kids never miss out on school trips etc and they all do various extracurricular things so they have plenty of opportunities still. Neither of us were big on posh abroad type holidays anyway even before we got together, we’ve always been more camping/outdoorsy types so tend to spend a decent chunk of summer hols in a tent and the kids seem happy enough with that! It’s not what I planned or expected having this many and it can be very hard work and they frustrate the hell out of me at times (as can any number of children!) but I wouldn’t change it 😊

I have one. I think I would enjoy having two older children and my son would be a good sibling. But I had severe mental health issues when my son was born and I just can't risk it again.

I'm finding saying a firm no to a second and knowing that I'm the one choosing to shut the door is hard. It would be easier if the decision was out of my hands. But the extra money and the freedom will be a huge benefit both for our family and specifically for our son.

None living - a few potentials in the freezer

3 children.

We had a daughter 1997 and a son 2001. We tried for more children but didn't happen.

Daughter 2013 as a non planned surprised but a great joy.

2 and they are 9 years apart. It's worked well. Although one is 18 now and she's an adult whereas the other is still in primary school. I've enjoyed every second though. 2 was the right choice for me.

Yep, same here.

I grew up one of four and felt I did not get the emotional support I needed growing up as my parents were so stretched with work and children.

I have two daughters and I feel this is all I can handle, emotionally and financially.

Two of my own and two step kids, both who lived with us full time as teens.
I always thought I wanted five. I got married too late to do that (40). But to be honest happy with two. Might have gone for three if younger but probably only if I could guarantee a girl! It gets harder the older they get (psychologically, not physically).

1. Best thing ever. Lots of fun, they are brilliant and love each other a lot. (Ages 28-16)

I have 3. Big gap between DC1 and DC2. Wouldn't want to parent more than 2 young dc at a time - even 2 is too much a lot of the time but DH is around a lot so we take 1 each, or eldest goes into holiday clubs.

A 12 year old and a surprise one on the way! Definitely done this time though!

4, I'm an only and hate it.

I have 3.

I have 1.
I hated having a sibling during my teenage years and we're still not close.

1. Any fewer would have felt like not enough, and more would have become too expensive.

Three. I don’t think I’d change that. I’m one of three too. DH is one of five. We go on holiday with my siblings, but not his (they don’t like the same kind of trips as us).

3 if you count the cat which I absolutely do because I'm captain sadsack.

I have 3. We wouldn’t change a thing, but found it got harder rather than easier the older they got

I have 3 (15,13,10). Maybe if we’d started 5 years earlier 4 would’ve been nice. But 3 feels right for us.

I’m an only and obviously they’ll all leave home one day, but for the moment I love seeing their little gang and being part of it, as I never had that growing up (being a shy child with a very small family).

I have two and three steps. I think two is more than enough! Don’t be outnumbered

We have one. When he was small I remember thinking to myself how could I love any kid as much as this one? He's 10 now and is still such good fun.

Now we're early/mid 40s we're too old for it all now. I wish we did have another now I look back though. We had concerns with money when he was small too, what with paying for childcare, but I guess plenty of people make it work.

We’ve got two. Before we had any, we talked about having three but my MH wasn’t great after DC2, and then there was a recession, so #3 didn’t happen. I was sad about it at the time but 12 years on, very glad we only have the two now. I am one of two and so is DH.

Two. We can help with driving lessons, first car, uni fees, house deposits, etc. any more and it’d make financial help harder and i think the world is a tough place for young people with out family financial support.

Two. We did consider three but I'm glad we stuck at two. It's the perfect number for us and we can give them both so much attention.