Looking to deflect negative comments about larger families

[SilentMammoth]

Hi there,
I have four dds under the age of 7 and we ate trying for dc 5 I love having a big family but sometimes feel a bit down at the negative comments I get. I particularly dislike"your a glutton for punishment", actually no km not, of have been blessed time and again.

Anyone got any good suggestions got polite but firm put down

Watching with interest as we have 4, oldest is 6 and DC 5 is due in Nov. Sometimes I get the feeling everyone else does actually think we are completely mental having so many kids!

We have only told close family and friends we are having DC5 so far....and that is partly because I can't be bothered with all the stupid comments people tend to make (have been experiencing this since we were expecting DC3!)

Just say, "Glutton for punishment? Why? Don't you like children?"

Or a blank look and say without emotion, "Oh right."

Show indifference to their opinion.

I've learned that some people don't like it when others do things differently to them be it bf/ff, number of children, weaning age etc.

Just ignore any negative comments. We have 6 DC and our youngest is 15 so I now know the adults they have become/are becoming and that we must have got the important things right.

Looking back I think lots of the negative comments were made by those jealous of our ability to bring up 6 when they were struggling to cope with 2.

So glad I found this I have 4 dc's 9,7,5 and 3 and am expecting no 5 in dec I'm actually putting off telling people as cant face the comments that are bound to come! I also have the issue that because I have all boys everyone assumes I'm only having babies to get a girl.
I just don't understand why we should all have 2 dc's otherwise some people just don't understand!

i have 4
i hate the "dont you have a tv?"remark...
i retort well some of us dont go to bed to go to sleep...they are always so embarrassed they turn red and scuttle back under the stones they shuffled out from under!

as for the glutton for punishment remark i go with i find raising children a pleasure most of the time and thats why i have more than 2.5!!!!!

raising a larger than average family can be hard work but i wouldnt have it any other way and bugger and bollocks to anyone that doesnt like my zoolets!

I only have 3 but I do get all the 'you've got a lot on your hands' type comments, esp with having 3 boys. We would like another and I know I would have to face even more if we do have another. I usually just smile sweetly and say something like 'it's good fun though' in response. Not really a put down just a fact! I have one friend who is quite vocal in saying I'm mad to consider having another and I can't help but feel she's a bit too against it iyswim. Her dh had the snip quite soon after their 2nd child was born so she can't really change her mind

I'm due with number 4 at the moment and would love for this little one to have a younger brother or sister (8 year age gap), but hubby won't bite...........yet :) Just need to find the room and I'm sure I can persuade him.

I have 4 under 8 and I work a 3 day week.... frequently told "oh you have your hands full". Better full than empty is always my reply! very broody for number 5 but sadly dh went to the vet soon after dd4. I LOVE having a larger family and feel very very blessed indeed.

I was once referred to as "the woman who obviously couldn't keep her legs together".( I have 6 with 8 years between them).
This was said by a woman with one child who wasn't able to have anymore but was wanting to adopt. Cow.

Just think what each extra child I produce does to increase the UK average IQ.

It's so nice to see balanced, well behaved, well educated children. Teachers cope with thirty plus from all backgrounds. Only twenty or so to go before I reach my supervision capacity.

I get comments like this all the time, i have 4 dd.
They are my world and i would love to have more once my youngest has started nursery but im also not looking forward to the comments at being pregnant again.
One of my uncles said to my mum don't she know what contraception is!!
I get the glutton for punishment line of people too!
My favorite is, are you going to keep going till you get a boy-that one angers me the most
I have however had some compliments about how well i cope with 4 dd's and my aunty has said what a lovely mum i am, so it aint all bad
I just nod & ignore and i intend to punch the next twit who makes that boy comment, namely mil

I have 5 and haven't had too many negative comments, at least not to my face/within hearing, actually the opposite mostly. I seem to meet people who would like more themselves but know they couldn't cope and are admiring rather than negative, or that's the way it comes across to me. The main negative completely horrible, bitchy, backstabbing comments have come from my family, it used to upset me but as I've got older I realise I do not like these people or care give a rats arse about their petty and spiteful opinions, we don't rely on them and don't ask them for any help whatsoever so couldn't care less what they think

I find it weird as I dont consider 4 a large family at all but get those coments. I have friends with many many more kids (one has 12). 4 is kinda small to my mind.
I'd have 6

i have 4ds -13yrs, 10, 3 and 1. expecting ds #5 in sept. have heard every comment under sun from "you must be mental", to the predictable "u trying for a girl". no im not! very sane ta very much and have never wanted anything from my pregnancies apart from a healthy baby - boy or girl! very, very annoying but from reading other postings realise its obviously par of the course when u have a big family....people feel they just have to comment. crazy! big families are hard work, can be stressful, chaotic, bedlam and noisy but they are extremely loving and rewarding. when its quiet i miss the noise! when i look at my beautiful boys i feel so totally proud and blessed its overwhelming. its worth all the work in the world!

I dont think I ever had any negative comments said to my face,For some reason,round our way,there are quite a lot of big families,so I was pretty much the norm.
I wouldnt feel down about the comments.
The way I look at things is,everyone is entitled to their opinions,even if they are rubbish!

I come from a family of 13 and I have 5DC (2sets of twins) and pregnant with 6 and 7 I'd always have more and when people say "wow you have your hands full" I always say "yea but I love it" and one person even had the cheeky to call me a s* so I carmly told her at least my kids all have the same father.(unlike her 3 kids 3 dads)

Well said footphobic. X