Large Families - How many kids?
Hello,
I have just found out that I am expecting my 5th baby next June. I already have 4 children (6, 3, 2 and 4 months). Can anyone tell me what to expect with the family dynamics? This was an unplanned thing and my husband goes to meet the doctor for his vasectomy Dec 4th. I am a little nervous and was hoping that there might be someone out there who has had a large family close together like us and could tell me what to expect....
Thanks,
Answers:
Hmmmmm.....been there, done that!! I have 5 children about 2 1/2 years apart except the second and third children were 22 months apart. Yes, I had 2 babies in diapers for a while. When we went shopping and the little ones toddled along with me, we looked like momma duck and her ducklings! Yes, people stared at us while driving, and I just looked at them and mouthed, yes, they are all mine! To get all kids out of the car I propped my foot on the car so none could dart back into the street, yeah, had a skirt on, but that did not stop me from protecting my little ones until they could make it onto the sidewalk. I had a large family during the time other parents were limiting their children to 2. I was childless for several years before God blessed me with little ones. I never thought about how many I would like to have, but, after the 5th my back could not hold up to another pregnancy. The 5th was the final caboose!
Look at it this way, there are only 24 hrs. in a day regardless of how many children we have. I nursed/or bottle feed the baby with the next youngest child in my lap also and some of the others leaning on the rocker. Amazing how many little ones your lap can hold at any one time. You learn real quick how to do more than one thing at a time. I never gave babies a bottle in bed, I always held them. Nothing is more precious than the snuggle time and bonding this provides the baby and mother.
Learn to spend time with the older children while the baby or babies are napping, this is very important.
Back in my days of raising children all clothes were ironed neat, house spic and span, etc. These days it is much more relaxed, more shortcuts can be taken and no one will notice, cause they do the same thing!!
The old story of "cheaper by the dozen" is a myth, each child still needs lots of love, food, clothes, etc. You learn how to stretch a penny further than you think possible! Cost of schooling is expensive but we paid college for all 5 children. It was by pinching pennies when the children were growing up that allowed for some pennies to be available for college. All kids worked part time while attending college.
You will make it, just love the little ones as much as possible, they grow up so quick.
Misty
Answers:
I have 6 boys, and they're close together. 6,5,4,3,3 & 6 months. They all adjusted fine when ds #6 came home. My twins can't wait 'till my youngest is old enough to play with them.
Jen
Answers:
My mom had 6 kids in 12 years, the two oldest were a year apart, next one was 26 months apart, next 21 months apart, than next was 5 years apart! and I at the youngest 11 months apart! heh
And now my mom is taking care of her grandson, who is 6, and has lived here since '99. She's been takin care of kids for a long time! (oldest would now be 32) lol
Cute story, when my brother Gordie (the middle child) was in kindergarten, my sister was just born, he ask my mom if he could bring to to show and tell.
Answers:
Wow! You ladies are amazing! I only had 4 kids but was too chicken to space them close. My oldest is DD, 26, next is DD,21, the DD, 16, 3 girls, all 5 years apart, and then DS, 13!
Each girl had her 5 years of "princesshood" before the next one came along and then 3 years betwreen youngest daughter and son. This spacing did have a downside. With so much space between, they couldn't really be close playmates at anytime, whereas yours will always have someone close to their own age to play with!
I have just found out that I am expecting my 5th baby next June. I already have 4 children (6, 3, 2 and 4 months). Can anyone tell me what to expect with the family dynamics? This was an unplanned thing and my husband goes to meet the doctor for his vasectomy Dec 4th. I am a little nervous and was hoping that there might be someone out there who has had a large family close together like us and could tell me what to expect....
Thanks,
Answers:
Hmmmmm.....been there, done that!! I have 5 children about 2 1/2 years apart except the second and third children were 22 months apart. Yes, I had 2 babies in diapers for a while. When we went shopping and the little ones toddled along with me, we looked like momma duck and her ducklings! Yes, people stared at us while driving, and I just looked at them and mouthed, yes, they are all mine! To get all kids out of the car I propped my foot on the car so none could dart back into the street, yeah, had a skirt on, but that did not stop me from protecting my little ones until they could make it onto the sidewalk. I had a large family during the time other parents were limiting their children to 2. I was childless for several years before God blessed me with little ones. I never thought about how many I would like to have, but, after the 5th my back could not hold up to another pregnancy. The 5th was the final caboose!
Look at it this way, there are only 24 hrs. in a day regardless of how many children we have. I nursed/or bottle feed the baby with the next youngest child in my lap also and some of the others leaning on the rocker. Amazing how many little ones your lap can hold at any one time. You learn real quick how to do more than one thing at a time. I never gave babies a bottle in bed, I always held them. Nothing is more precious than the snuggle time and bonding this provides the baby and mother.
Learn to spend time with the older children while the baby or babies are napping, this is very important.
Back in my days of raising children all clothes were ironed neat, house spic and span, etc. These days it is much more relaxed, more shortcuts can be taken and no one will notice, cause they do the same thing!!
The old story of "cheaper by the dozen" is a myth, each child still needs lots of love, food, clothes, etc. You learn how to stretch a penny further than you think possible! Cost of schooling is expensive but we paid college for all 5 children. It was by pinching pennies when the children were growing up that allowed for some pennies to be available for college. All kids worked part time while attending college.
You will make it, just love the little ones as much as possible, they grow up so quick.
Misty
Answers:
I have 6 boys, and they're close together. 6,5,4,3,3 & 6 months. They all adjusted fine when ds #6 came home. My twins can't wait 'till my youngest is old enough to play with them.
Jen
Answers:
My mom had 6 kids in 12 years, the two oldest were a year apart, next one was 26 months apart, next 21 months apart, than next was 5 years apart! and I at the youngest 11 months apart! heh
And now my mom is taking care of her grandson, who is 6, and has lived here since '99. She's been takin care of kids for a long time! (oldest would now be 32) lol
Cute story, when my brother Gordie (the middle child) was in kindergarten, my sister was just born, he ask my mom if he could bring to to show and tell.
Answers:
Wow! You ladies are amazing! I only had 4 kids but was too chicken to space them close. My oldest is DD, 26, next is DD,21, the DD, 16, 3 girls, all 5 years apart, and then DS, 13!
Each girl had her 5 years of "princesshood" before the next one came along and then 3 years betwreen youngest daughter and son. This spacing did have a downside. With so much space between, they couldn't really be close playmates at anytime, whereas yours will always have someone close to their own age to play with!