To have a 5th child

[Flowerflow]

I have 4 children ages 13, 9, 8 and 4 (5 in a few days), recently DP and I have been discussing have another child, he completely up for it but I'm still a little unsure. I have a few concerns like we currently live in a 4 bedroom house, oldest two share and youngest two have their own bedrooms. 8 year old is the only boy and if were to have another boy they would probably share but there would be a big age gap and DS wouldn't be impressed. That or we move to a bigger house which we might not be able to afford where we currently but would be able to if we move slightly further away. Another concern would be there'll be 5/6 between them and our current youngest so new baby might feel left out or the odd one out although not all our children are very close in age. I'm also unsure about going through pregnancy again, I've never really enjoyed it, baby, toddler stage and so I'll happily go through again but pregnancy I'm willing to go through not exactly happily though. On the other hand I'd love to have a fifth child and these concerns and problems can be worked through

puma are you on the same globe I'm on? If it "all sorts out in the end" how come the global population is growing??

puma84, yes me and DH decided 40 years ago that we would not add to an already overpopulated country/planet. It's even more overpopulated now.

It really doesn't "even out in the end". That comment just shows your ignorance

just concentrate on your own life

Well there we have it. What got us all in this god awful mess - from global warming to Brexit to austerity to noisy neighbours.

I wish I could live in pumas world La la la it’s all fine. Let’s hope so hey!

You've already been incredibly selfish, do you know there are people who are actually opting out of childbearing to save the planet?
How bloody pompous. Perhaps the 5th child turns out to be a scientist who makes a significant contribution to 'saving the planet' Whatever saving the planet means.

Oh, yeah, that old chestnut. The 5th could be the next Einstein! We need more taxpayers. Bollocks.

You're not doing the world a favour by having 5 kids.

@Flowerflow don't do it! Your oldest has barely hit teens - that's the hard bit not when they're little!!

Maybe the fifth will be superman? Or Captain Planet? Fatuous argument

I wish I could live in pumas world La la la it’s all fine. Let’s hope so hey

@MsTSwift you should try it. Give's you less wrinkles. The skin ages well

I think people are so far removed from the natural resources they need to live including things like oxygen and food that they can't see the link.

We live on an island that cannot even come close to supporting the current population with enough food. There's not enough housing. So we build on farmland and reduce our ability to produce food because everyone wants a detached house with a tiny garden they can AstroTurf and hoover. At the same time we are leaving the EU and isolating ourselves politically from those that have far greater access to food.

I don't think the next generation of children will look kindly on us and our decisions to plow forward packing this island with as many bodies as possible with no plan to be remotely self sustainable as a nation never mind the greater consequences globally.

Just because people don't do absolutely everything like not take holidays etc does not mean we should merrily condone the largest act of destruction which is adding another human.

Do we want to live at the density they do in many places in the Far East. Do you want your grandchildren to be stacked on top of one another in tiny flats? We have to act responsibly and that is looking beyond do I have the extra £20 a week to feed this baby.

If it's what you want, do it, but be prepared for a few snotty stares from the wider public.

How much extended family support do you have OP?

I have five children, however as an only child myself my mum is very involved with my children, she provides childcare and ferries them to extracurriculars/ takes them out for dinner etc when I am at work.

I'd really find it difficult without her support.

We are not rich but have been willing to make huge sacrifices ourselves. The question shouldn’t be “will the children suffer” but “are you willing to make your own sacrifices to ensure that they don’t suffer”.

You have completely misunderstood my point.

I am talking about the effects your children will suffer as a result of climate change, not how you cope to pay for them. I wasnt asking for a brag about your children's GCSE grades and how well they're doing in life🙄my adopted child has the same level of achievements and I've done that without massively contributing to overpopulation, so not sure what your point is.

Seriously people. Thousands of people die everyday compared to how many babies are born in a day. It all evens out in the end.

You have a serious lack of understanding and knowledge to how birth and death rates work so it's not surprising that you see no problem with having loads of children.

PattyCow you speak alot of sense. I agree with everything in your post.

We will be colonising Mars in the next few hundred years! 😂

puma84, if you want really good skin try having no children. I am mid 60's and have hardly any wrinkles. People think I am at least 10 years younger. It must be the lack of stress

Everyone moaning about the planet but instead of doing anything to help it your sat behind a phone telling someone not to have a 5th child is you want another baby then have one, I'm going to in a year or two. Maybe a bit longer

I do think having larger families will become more and more socially unacceptable as the damage done by humans becomes more apparent and starts to bite. I wouldn’t want to have to be justifying that decision personally

How bloody pompous. Perhaps the 5th child turns out to be a scientist who makes a significant contribution to 'saving the planet' Whatever saving the planet means.

Logical fallacy

rationalwiki.org/wiki/Great_Beethoven_fallacy

People saying what if 5 isn't enough for u? She can have as many kids as she wants as can anyone, her choice her family. It's not like she's having 21 like some people u see on tv! Now that's extreme! 5 is fine. Nothing wrong with it

GreenTeacup do you plan to post links about your fella who says the world can fit in a square mile and it's not overpopulated?

@Drogosnextwife you need to read the sentence before. She says anything with 5 kids must be expensive. Then gives me example of 1 lesson per child per week is £40. So she’s clearly saying that if you want to do 1 lesson per child per week, that’s going to cost you £40. Further clarified by giving approx £2K as the total.

Swift I can't wait until somebody actually asks me to justify myself or even mentions the olanet when they learn that I have five children.
People are remarkably quiet on the subject when considering the sheer amount who seemingly hold such opinions, judging by how these threads always seem to go on MN.

I'd be relieved that people actually had enough courage in their convictions to broach the subject with me rather than just surreptitiously sniping at strangers on parenting forums.

AlaskanOilBaron

I gave you his name. Google him.