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Larger families

Find out all about large family cars, holidays and more right here.

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Original poster

A general, friendly, supportive larger family chit-chat thread, anyone?

182 replies

Misfitless · 20/02/2015 10:01

Does anyone on here fancy striking up a general thread, like the one that they have in the one-child families topic?

Preferably not with imaginary cakes and wine and butlers and virtual massages, etc though?

No need to post everyday unless you want to, just a chance to get to share the ups and downs with each other, as and when?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Oodbrain · 02/03/2015 10:06

Sorry to hear about your loss five

Dd2 probably has HFA. Never completed the diagnosis as it was such a slow process and she presents v 'normal' due to years of us teaching /managing her behaviour. Puberty has disrupted her but I don't feel an assessment at this point would help.

5madthings · 02/03/2015 11:51

Yep its madthing2 with hfa here as well, we have managed fine until high school, so now he needs the diagnosis so he gets proper support at school. It doesnt change him or who he is and genreally we manage ok with him at home as we know his triggers and how to deal with him and have strategies etc.

I am feeling a bit better abiut the loss, suprised how hard it hit but i went for a run last night the frist for a fornight and that helped. Realistically i am trainjng for a half marathon at the moment so its not a great tiem to be pregnant but i am thinking once i have done the half marathon in april we may then try again. I seem to have no problem getting rpegnant, all the madthings were conceived the first month of trying and the pregnancy thta did t make it was a contraceptive slip up so clealry pretty fertile. Lots of talking to be done though.

Oodbrain · 02/03/2015 14:11

We tried to get the diagnosis pre secondary but it took 9 m to be seen and she had already started and was fine. Didn't fancy doing the assessment in conjunction with puberty as it's such a lot to take in for her when she is ok at school etc

Oodbrain · 02/03/2015 14:12

Wheres the Jimmi story going?

Oodbrain · 02/03/2015 14:13

Oops wrong thread

5madthings · 02/03/2015 15:53

Yes we werr seen by cahms in yr 5, but though thye said yes he has traits we were coping fine so they sent us away. Since he went to high school he is struggling. Not academically, he is doing great in that respect but socially and with all the different teachers etc. At primary he had the same teacher for yr 5 and 6 who was fab and 'got him' now he cant cope with diff teachers with differe t rules and expectations etc.

sosix · 02/03/2015 17:25

Wow 5 half marathon thats amazing! Bloody hell I'm happy if I make it to the gym 3 times a week.

Libertysmum4 · 03/03/2015 20:45

Hi, what counts as a large family to join this thread? ??

ZingNinjaRoll · 03/03/2015 20:49

good question!

i think 4 +
that's my benchmark.

Libertysmum4 · 03/03/2015 21:06

I have 4 ??

ZingNinjaRoll · 03/03/2015 21:25

I meant to add it is not up to me yo decide how many kids are the "requirement" to join this thread!

if people feel 3 children are large and want to take part I have no quarrels!

Libertysmum4 · 03/03/2015 21:36

Ok, thank you
I've just joined today and saw this thread and thought it might be a good place for me to start

AugustRose · 05/03/2015 09:52

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31743031

I've just seen this article on the BBC about the Tory's wanting to limit child beneit to 3 children (Ian Duncan Smith wanted 2 but Osborne said no). Anyway my complaint isn't about the money as much as the line:

"It would save an estimated 300m a year - but Tory MP Dominic Raab said it was not purely about cost but could "send a message about personal responsibility".

What does he mean personal responsibility - it really makes me angry when people think have more children is irresponsible

imip · 05/03/2015 16:02

Yes, the 'personally responsible' made me cross too! I'm not feckless, I can afford my kids. I had my first at 35. We can afford them all, we are not entitled to child benefit anyway based on earnings. I've always been employed til I had kids and dh has always been employed.

What about blended families and multiples?

sosix · 05/03/2015 16:25

Theres a thread about that at the moment. I've got to say I agree with it, if you can't afford more children without state help then don't have them. I have 4.

imip · 05/03/2015 16:34

What I am cross about is the implication that you're irresponsible if you have more than 3+ kids. I'm not actually sure how I feel about the policy proposal itself, but the rhetoric that if you have 4 or more kids you are irresponsible feels pretty damning!

5madthings · 05/03/2015 16:39

Yeah because that £13 a week makes all the difference. To be honestLy think women have babies for child benefit... or that reducing it will mean smaller families.

sosix · 05/03/2015 20:35

If it doesn't make any difference, it should be scrapped or at least capped.

Imip, I don't think its meant like that. But if people want big families they should be able to fund it.

Anyway, don't want to argue! Larger families is my happy place.

FiveHoursSleep · 06/03/2015 08:10

No arguing here. I think people should be able to afford to have the kids they have too, but none of us know what the future has in store, do we?
I don't really care what they do with the CB, I still receive it and DH pays it back in his tax but we are lucky enough not to have to rely on it at this point in time.

NAR4 · 06/03/2015 15:37

5dc aged 2-18 (almost 19). 4 ds and 1 dd.

Sort of. I always wanted at least 6 dc. Had 3dc and dh said no more. 11 yrs later we had a surprise and decided to have another to keep her company, due to the large age gap. I secretly longed for twins because I knew dh would never agree to more.

First 3 pregnancies were great (youth can be great), but the 4th I had SPD and SEVERE morning sickness (can't remember the name), which got to the point where I was vomiting up my stomach lining. Pregnancy number 5 left me on crutches with severe SPD. Luckily I recovered well from them all though.

No idea what this question was now. Sleep deprivation has left me with a shockingly bad memory. Hopefully it will come back when my youngest 2 finally sleep better. Oh, I remember. Think I am bored without some sort of chaos to sort out, but I am a very organised person on the whole.

Now a single mum, so not much chance of more children, as I am likely to be too old by the time I have found that special person and we have been together long enough.

Well that's just about my whole life story!

AugustRose · 06/03/2015 20:14

Sorry I didn't mean to cause an argument over the CB it was just the phrase used annoyed me.

Welcome Nar4, sorry you are now a single parent, it must be hard to deal with sometimes. I know I get tired with 4 even with DH to help.

I'm off to have my 'me' time - lying in the bath with a book, usually falling asleep or being interrupted with 'mum can I do this, mum I need the toilet (we have two, why do they need it when I am in the bath?).

FiveHoursSleep · 06/03/2015 21:36

As our kids get older we find ourselves really struggling to give them much needed 121 time.
How do other larger families do this? We try and take on child away by themselves with one parent for a weekend, every 6 weeks or so, so they all get a weekend with mum and a weekend with dad every year.
I wondered how other families manage- it must be much easier when you only have two!

theendoftheendoftheend · 06/03/2015 21:47

Hi all, just wondering are there any single parents on this thread? I'm just wondering if you could tell me how you've found doing it on your own? I have an idea that although the DC will have less 121 time with me there would be the pay off of having each other? But I'm not sure if I'm just kidding myself. And physically too, is it hard to have the energy?

NAR4 · 07/03/2015 21:44

I'm a single mum theendoftheend. I find it fine doing it on my own, but in fairness I only have 3 dc living with me now. Oldest left for uni shortly after dh and me split and my 2nd oldest went to live with his dad. I did everything before, as in run the house, sort everything for the children, provide all the child care etc. So to go from 7 people living here to only 4, is comparatively a piece of cake. Yes I get lonely, but I was also lonely when my dh lived here.

Tsotofamily · 09/03/2015 11:17

Hi all

I love these threads, i have been reading but my first time posting. I currently have 3 children 8, 6 and 3. I would LOVE another but we will see what happens.

Question

How much roughly do you spend weekly/monthly on food? This is something that i am always working on to cut down but my 3 never stop eating. I meal plan already but if you have any cheap meals you would like to share that would be great

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