Things you shouldn't say to parents of large families..

[coldwater1]

I'll start..

Haven't you got a TV?
Are they all yours?
Do they all have the same dad?
Do you work?
How do you cope?
I feel sorry for you!

Any others?

Another one?
You've got your hands full.
You must be mad.

Are you finished?
Was it planned ?

No wonder you look soo tierd!

No wonder you have started to get grey hair.

But where are we going to sleep when we come to stay after number 4 is born? (Exactly....no room at the inn )

That's a big/small age gap..... (I've had both of these!)

I am ashamed to say that as an older teenager, I once flippantly asked another student whether her family was catholic when she said she was one of nine children. As it turns out, they were. I look back and cringe now.

Cringe at my rudeness obviously, not that they we're catholic.

I'll shut up now ...

I'm still not sure how I feel about people saying 'oh, you've been busy' I get a bit embarrassed for some reason.

I have also had, 'OMG, how did you find the time to actually have sex...we hardly have the time and we only have 1'. Wasn't sure what to make of that comment other than 'well, lucky me'.

I have had all of those, especially when they were younger...

Did you keep going until you got a boy/girl?

Some of these are just being oversensitive to people trying to be friendly

I've been asked a few times
Are they all yours/dh
I feel sorry for you?
Did you keep trying for a boy
You have your hands full (alot)
Just wait until they are all teenagers

We have 4 dd's nearly 5 years apart

I guess when you hear the same comments most weeks it does get a little tedious. Besides i can tell when people are being genuinely friendly and curious and i don't mind that. Its the people that make comments that are too personal or have that snotty disapproving look on their face that annoy me.

The rude ones like the tv comment are a bit to be fair, I think I mostly stand there in awe

I don't actually stand there staring in awe of course, I mean in the way that I can barely manage two!

Ooh well at least you got your boy!

We have 3 girls then a boy. We wanted 4 children not one boy....

Drives me mad & I hope the girls don't hear anyone say it

I sometimes ask how people cope, but only because I can't cope with one DD. It's my clumsy way of paying a compliment...

My best one ever was on Xmas day when when we were out for Xmas lunch. I had taken dc4 (12 weeks) into the bar from the restaurant because it was quieter I started talking to a woman who was with her two kids and elderly dad. Dad was a bit deaf. It went a bit like this.

Dad this lady has four children
What?
This lady dad, HAS FOUR CHILDREN LOOK AT THEM (kids had come to find me)
Oh (big pause)
I think you need to learn to go to sleep when you go to bed love.

I couldn't stop laughing :)

" do you have consent letters from these children's parents"

I've had...

Is he trying to get a football team out of you?
Are you done now, or will you try for a girl?
Are they all yours, or are you a childminder?
You must have your hands full! (About 1000 x)
I don't know how you do it!

We've only got 3 DC (all boys, aged 5,3 and 1) so often I'm a bit at the rudeness or the implication that 3 is a super large family. Not that there's anything wrong with having a large family - I just think 3 is fairly normal/standard?!

I have 6 DC. 3 girls, 3 boys I've heard all of these a thousand times. When someone says something to the effect of "how do you do it?" With the shock and awe they always use I like to tel them my profession. I'm a kindergarten teacher. Then if my DH is there he adds that he's gone half the time for his work so he gets a vacation from the kids every 2 wks. (He is gone 2 wks then home 2 wks).

It always annoys me that people assume I don't work. They also assume I don't work due to disability.
I am however a full time student and will be working in the summer holidays.

"the population explosion is the single biggest threat to the survival of our species"

mmm- but that is true though.

I have 4 DC (g12, b10/8/4) and are TTC #5. I've heard all of the above, and it just makes me laugh. I'm looking forward to the reaction when we tell everyone we're expecting again, but I'm just a contrary Mary

'Have you figured out how it keeps happening yet?'
I have 4. I've heard it all.

WHY?!, you surely can't afford them.

Had that little gem from a snobby cow in a charity shop a couple of weeks ago.

I was then defended by a lovely tiny little old lady who had overheard. She announced loudly that she thought it was wonderful and that each one is a blessing .