To wonder if you're one of the older members of a large family you ever stop and think

[PlayOnWurtz]

No more kids please mum and dad!

How much were you expected to do to support them?

i think high horse is tired and emotional. she probably needs a nap, I am sure she can get one of her tribe to do bath and bed for the littleys,while she argues the toss on the internet and chills. :D

I know this isn't in the spirit of the thread, but I am an only child and although I was well cared for and loved, I've now got 3 children. I prefer a bit of life in the house.

Good for you, sincerely.

Do you think you could make a friend of hodd so that a touch of your own beneficience rubs off on her?

Well now I feel really shit for having four kids. Thanks, thread.

I was number 2 of 5 and hated it, I used to fantasise about being adopted and my real parents coming to get me and I was an only child

This thread is ridiculous. There are many happy large families, the children of whom would like nothing more than to recreate that dynamic for their own family. Several are in evidence on this thread so no one can say they don't exist. There are many sad children of large families who think it was awful and one or two is all anyone can parent properly. There are also many sad children of small families and many happy children of small families. What are some of you trying to prove? You can't tell people they are wrong about whether they were happy growing up.

Mock, I used to also fantasise about being an only child too. I imagined the attention, the not being seen as maid and childcare, help with homework, activities, hobbies, time for just me and not having the feeling of being replaced every time a new one came along like the existing ones weren't enough.

Ditto Rainbows

"FineLookingHighHorse

Thats why I specified "we all"

Do pay attention.

Its only manners after all."

How rude not to use apostrophes. And how rude generally.

"FineLookingHighHorse

Hahahahahaha

To trying to apply logic to a subjective and independently variable, arbitrarily decided upon amount of time.

Logic isnt subjective by definition.

Everybody knows this.

Even my eight year old grin"

Weird...

My dad is one of 8 they have 1,2,2,5,0,3,1,2 children, but interestingly an uncle that only had 2 children now has 7 grandchildren (3 and 4) and i have at least four other cousins that have 2 or 3 at the moment, my dd is the youngest atm only 5 months old but my sister who has 3 may have some more yet.

Growing up in a family of five was ok, youngest brother was unplanned and 7 years after my yonger sister who was supposed to be the last. Originally my baby brother got put in the smallest room that i already shared with my sister but a bigger house meant that only 2 had to share and my sister insisted on having the baby

"FineLookingHighHorse

The thing is hodd that many of us are very capable, effective, energetic, involved parents, whether you choose to believe so is academic.

You cant magically change us in to shit parents by sheer force of will.

Sorry about that."

But why do you feel the compulsion to help overpopulate an already crowded planet? What is the "popping one" after the other thing all about?

"But why do you feel the compulsion to help overpopulate an already crowded planet? What is the "popping" them out, one after the other, all about?

I think it's selfish on many levels and a bit ridiculous, frankly.

"To trying to apply logic to a subjective and independently variable, arbitrarily decided upon amount of time."

Translation????

I am eldest of 5. Money was tight when we were young but my siblings are the best gift my parents could have given me. Perhaps I was lucky but what better gift is there than a big and supportive family. It isn't all rainbows and unicorns but I can be sure I will never be alone in the world and that far outweighs the minor clothes and bedroom sharing annoyances of childhood.

In the main, very very selfish of parents to have large families and deprive their older children of carefree times as a child. Cajoling older kids into becoming "little helpers" is so selfish. And I completely agree that the only people who have the right to say how it feels are the children themselves. I speak from experience.

And finelookinghighhorse I think there is a strong chance you will be very disappointed by your children's view of a large family and what childhood it gave them in years to come. That doesn't stop you enjoying it and thinking it's the best thing since sliced bread of course,

Isn't having any children essentially a selfish thing anyway? We now have a choice whether to have children or not so, to proactively have a desired number of children is a selfish choice ultimately whether we have one or seven.

Agree to a certain point Iamastonished but to have them and then give them a crap childhood by turning them into 11 year old Au Pairs is gold star selfish.

Yes, I agree.

In the main, very very selfish of parents to have large families and deprive their older children of carefree times as a child. Cajoling older kids into becoming "little helpers" is so selfish.

Indeed! Thank god I have never done that. Like I said, my teens do far too little around the house actually.

Posters talking about their experiences is one thing. Now it is just getting plain nasty and offensive. I hope people have enjoyed it because some of the shit is down right hurtful. Of course, I will be told I'm taking it personally but I know for a fact if there were 400 pages of people calling those who only have one child selfish etc people would be up in arms.

Actually, I imagine the thread would have been shut down by MNHQ.

Some of you have put all large families in a box and won't hear any positives about it. Shame.

Anyway, early start, so enjoy yourselves and I hope some of the posters who have been arseholes (not all of them of course) feel better about yourselves now.