“Things are made for families of 4”

[Fairylights87]

What does it mean that things are just made for families of 4 like hotels, tickets etc. ?

I read this argument against having more than 2 kids in many threads but what does it mean?

Can people not book AirBnb or cottages etc. for holidays? Interconnecting rooms with a sofa bed isn’t a solution for larger families? When you book tickets can’t you book 2 adults and 3 kids when you make the booking?

Why people say that everything is structured for families of 4?

Can you please give me examples that this was an issue?

chickens

we always fight over roast chicken apart from the fact that the boys would like a whole one between them
you have 4 'premium' pieces (wings & legs) . and 2 pieces of breasts. difficult to fairly divide by 5.

I think you'll find when you prepare that MN chicken into four meals that it can be equally divided 😂

What?? 😂 are you making things up now?

Jammy Dodgers are packs of 8 I think. 4 DC; 2 for each child. 3 DC, 2 for each child and one each for the parents.

Ah, this might be true. It's been a while since I had a Jammy Dodger to be fair, I'm not sure any biscuit which isn't improved by dunking it into tea should qualify, on reflection.

Never had a problem getting a table at a restaurant - even if we just rock up.

I wholeheartedly agree! The easiest solution is not to buy Jammy Dodgers. They’re shit anyway.

I think so. A pack of six biscuits. Three children have one each and there are two left over. Doesn't that add up to five?

I do see that if three children have a biscuit each and each parent does so as well then there is one left over but it's the above that confuses me.

Lol at all the food issues. Just buy extra if you want it otherwise it's all just part of the fun and angst of family life.
I don't think I've ever bought jammy dodgers. There's really only 6 in them?
Dc like those revolting Oreo's and there are quite a few in the pack.
I like baking, as does Dd now so we just bake stuff like cupcakes and traybakes. Easy to portion out.

We've never had issues with restaurants. There are always tables for 6 or more. I went out for brunch today and there was only 3 of us yet we were seated on a table for 6.

I do see that if three children have a biscuit each and each parent does so as well then there is one left over

Well, there you do. If you are a family of 5 with a packet of 6 biscuits, who gets the last biscuit? The last biscuit causes the argument was the poster’s point. That there are 3 kids and 6 biscuits is irrelevant.

I'm clearly not even trying. I made brownies yesterday in a square tin and cut it into 9, the other option was 16. This is just never going to work. Perhaps the easiest solution is to have an additional 4 children so no-one feels at a disadvantage?

Package holiday type holidays are vastly more expensive and harder to find. Hotel rooms are set up for twos/fours, not threes or fives or sixes! We are 2 adults plus 4 kids - have to find accommodation that takes 6 people even though three share a bed and the others would be happy on the floor or else buy two rooms and accept that much of the holiday will be spent apart (it's not just the sleeping apart, but also the getting ready to go out, eating snacks/lunch in the room, sitting together in the evening after dinner when the kids are asleep etc that is lost when you move to two rooms).

More kids normally equals a wider age range, which means different needs/wants. We spend a lot of time at the weekend as parent+child doing something wanted/needed and parent+3children doing something that can done to get through the time! Means a lot less 1:1 time doing what interests the children.

Swimming is hard when they're young.

Eating out costs a fortune.

Having said all that, I have four kids and wouldn't send any of the back

You have to phone hotels individually to find out if they will accomodate you. Booking engines won’t quote properly or tell you about connecting room.

During COVID restaurants would only seat a maximum table of six - even if we all lived together.

As a family of 3 we are never included in discounts.

It’s the only logical solution.

THIS!! If you want more than 1 or 2 kids, that's fine - but expect to have to pay for the privilege, in more ways than just a larger house.

It's not a thread about being hard done by, is it ...

it's a thread about the disadvantages of having a larger family, as pointed out by those who have had a larger family, to those considering having a larger family ....

This thread is so weird!

Nobody is saying poor me I have soo many children! Just that, because most people have 1 or 2 children, life in general is set up to accommodate that. So if you have more there are some additional complexities. I can’t see anyone stamping their feet saying make everything suit me, they’re just explaining the small (in most cases) things you have to work around. Like smuggling an extra child into your hotel so you can stay up talking to your partner when they’re asleep rather than splitting the family across different rooms.

Erm, we do :/

If you are a family of 5 with a packet of 6 biscuits, who gets the last biscuit?

If there are three kids needing 3 school pack lunches - that works out for 2 days.

It annoys me now due to shrinkflation many previous 6 packets of cakes/treats are now 5 - screws up pack lunch planning.

Though I'm shocked people can't cut a cake into 5 - did you miss fraction class at primary?

Hotel rooms is main one - need to book 2 and one adult in each - actually last time with three teens that wasn't possible- and due to ages wasn't sure 3 were either - possible so ended up renting a house for weekend.

I actually though events discounts had got more flexible - you can usually but family tickets and extra child/adult so you get some discount - but have also seen one adult 3 children family tickets.

Houses another - fewer 4 bed and obvious more expensive - but I grew up sharing a room so wasn't so terrible to put us off - and unexpectedly got change at 4 bed and three reception rooms - which I do feel with my teens has reduced potential stress and conflict - certainly worked in lockdown even with us all working at home all day.

Swim was harder when younger - but they grew up and we moved to somewhere with good lessons.

Otherwise it's just general expenses with more kids/mouths to feed.

The hotel room thing isn’t such an issue as the DC get older because I can’t see four nearly adults wanting to share anyway.

But then you still have the problem that 2 rooms isn’t enough either so would need 3 really.

Because DD1 was under 18 last time we tried booking a hotel- it wasn't clear we could get a hotel room just for her or that she would be happy with that and we couldn't get one for three - a teen, me and DD1 with Dh and Ds in other room- there seemed to be very limited options as usually can.

So IME actually found with older teens it getting harder though we then did house rental for the weekend - so there are other options.

Not everyone decides to have 3 children. I wouldn’t change it for the world but it wasn’t planned- our second pregnancy was twins.

Budget hotels are all set for a family of 4, theme park rides are generally for groups of 2 or 4.

it’s not impossible and we do lots of holidays and days out, it just adds an extra layer of complication

I was 1/4 children growing up. Often, my parents ended up paying more for attractions such as the zoo compared to my aunt, who had 2 children because “family tickets” were 2 adults, 2 children. Off the top of my head: zoo, cinema, bowling, soft play, swimming pools, Alton Towers… maybe not these days? But when I was old enough to start understanding money, all were targeted at families of 4.