"massive brood" - oh sod off <eyeroll>

[Stompasaurus]

My sister has 3 children and her SIL has 4. They often meet up for days out together and have started to refer to their "massive broods" whenever either of them post pics on social media

a) 3 or even 4 kids of your own is hardly "massive" - 3 kids is pretty standard and 4 is more than average but not massive FFS.

b) "brood" is just wanky and crass. They're children not chickens. Fuck off and sit on some eggs if you want a brood.

Her SIL is quite wanky overall tbh, into some niche toys and clothing brands that she is always tagging and banging on about how the children are in matching clothes, so I think this idea of having a large family somehow ties into the lifestyle she aspires to if that makes sense. But seeing "massive brood" every time they share pics of their not-very-notable number of kids is doing my fucking head in!

Disclaimer - yes I do have bigger things to worry about and no I don't hate my sister, I'm just having a minor vent on a forum designed for that purpose.

Yeah I think referring to your children as ‘brood’ or ‘tribe’ is a bit weird. Like they’ve lost all individuality. As a pp said, there’s an air of smugness or showing off - although what there is to show off about when you pop out more than two children I’m not sure. I think it’s weird in your DSis case because she hasn’t exactly got a ‘tribe’ - 3 and is slightly above average but not a large family by any means is it?
I’d take it all the FB posts with a pinch of salt. I have two family members who post a lot about their children and family days out. Love them all obviously, but spending time with them can be hard work, there’s often a lot of shouting and screaming and crying and mum or dad looking somewhat flustered and the fun is often somewhat limited. You wouldn’t know from their FB posts. As you say it’s all happy ‘April Antics’, the reality of those trips out is very different to what you can see on those harmonious looking photos.

I agree about the smugness, especially if there is a small age gap #4under4.

It won’t have quite the same ring to it when they are 14-18

Oh but the great thing about having multiple teenagers is that they do things like hold each others hair when they're puking up after too much WKD and stay up late so the one who forgot their keys can be let in at 1am without you being woken up #losingmemories #preciousmoments #wildlings

New favourite thread. Wildlings, alliterative albums, children as a personality type 😆

I do have a mum similar to this on my FB.

Endless photos captioned with “Only my child would do this…….” When the child isn’t even doing anything crazy 😂. She also refers to herself as “mama”.

I'm a single mom to three... I'd never consider that massive or a brood. I thought this was going to be a vent about you having like 7 kids and some jackass calling them a massive brood

yeah brood is cringe. As is tribe. Quite like litter though…
I was one of many children. It was all
fun and games until someone lost at Monopoly and the eye gouging started.
I have come across the massive brood/ tribe/ homemade banana bread/tutu with wellies Insta-Horrors when my own dc were younger, and used to have a tiny smirk to myself that the smugness could well wear off once the tousle haired little urchins were all teenagers. 😜
#SoNotJellus

This level of idiocy is not only found amongst those with more than 1 DC...there is a single parent I know that posts pictures of her and her 1 DC with the caption.....brace yourselves.......The Lone Ranger and my Tonto. I shit you not.

There's one couple who are on a FB cooking page who have about 15 kids
With the tagline 'Madness & Mayhem'
Makes my teeth itch

October Orifices.......

Oh yes ‘mama’ ughhh there’s a certain kind of instamum who is always ‘mama’ for some reason.

And those ‘uplifting’ posts with ‘mama you got this’ ew

My mother would definitely have done that. It was her mantra when telling me I was shit because DD1 cried incessantly 'Well, I had 4 under 4, a cat and a big dog and I never had any problems like you complain about. I suppose some of us are just Born Mothers and some of us just aren't'.

100%

Really, it's sweet of you to worry that I'm sad about not having as many children as them but...

a) you don't actually know if I have more/fewer/the same number of children as her and her SIL
b) I'm genuinely happy with the number of children I have
c) I'm over a decade older than my sister and we have been practically different generations our whole lives - she is doing the little kid stage now (and I am happy for her and love her children very much and send them lots of books) but I kissed goodbye to all that toddler nonsense years ago and am in a thrilling new stage where my children make me cocktails and cook exciting dinners and tbh it's fucking great

@Stompasaurus

You see I have all of those things too with teens but you still do sound incredibly defensive. My best friend who is the same age as me has just had baby twins. I mean of course I leave her house and count my blessings it’s not me but I don’t feel THAT strongly about it to get defensive I guess.

Haha. Tonto means "stupid" in Spanish

3 kids is pretty standard

it's not though

They'll probably look back in embarrassment at all of these posts. Maybe they are struggling too and think they shouldn't have had so many.

I do find the 'my favourites' phrase embarrassing for people too. It's obvious as someone else said that these people are your favourites, like your partner etc. Putting that out on fb is just a big neon flashing sign saying 'we are having problems and might not last the year'. They often don't either. Again, it's going to be a bad memory that pops up in their future.

It's like parents who talk smugly about how their house is 'chaotic but great fun'.

They seem like those parents who throw themselves so vigorously into being parents of young children it becomes their “thing” and personality type but of course it’s just a stage - that ends.

My parents are fab and we get on so well but in hindsight they were far better parents of younger children. They freaked when I as the eldest was no longer a smiley compliant matching tracksuit wearing tribe member ie hit 12.

Just roll your eyes and move on OP. Leave them to their massive broods. 😉

Clutch? Or can we only use that in relation to eggs?
What collective noun would you use for numerous children?

@Stompasaurus But MN is not a forum designed for people who want to complain about stuff is it?

They seem like those parents who throw themselves so vigorously into being parents of young children it becomes their “thing” and personality type but of course it’s just a stage - that ends.

I’ve not really thought about this. I have a friend like this who on FB literally just posts about her kids lives (they’re both under 5) and refers to herself as ‘mummy’ on there. Even on the rare occasion where she is doing something non-child related e.g. ‘Mummy is off out to the cinema’. Her whole personality as you say revolves around being a mum.
I met her at a baby group, so I have no idea what she was like before and what she will revert back to or post about in a few years time.