YES I HAVE SIX KIDS. YES I AM PREGNANT WITH NUMBER SEVEN

@bunnycloud Yep if money wasn't an issue, I don't think I'd stop.

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@semiprecious I'm one of 12. There is a fuck ton of us. The fucking comments we used to get. It's infuriating. I'm going to be totally honest, people are going to say shit to your kids for the rest of their lives.

From the kids point of view I recommend preparing them for people saying something about how many siblings they have to them. Come up with some things they can say back to them. For me, it was always super awkward when I didn't have anything to say to people when they were asking a 12 year old about their parents sex life. I would get really anxious and shut down. The first mention of "don't you have cable at your house" would get me so upset. Which always lead to the comment "Oh I'm just having some fun don't get upset" which totally is going to have the intended effect on a socially awkward 12 year old. Now that I'm older I say shit like "They just really liked my brother and kept trying for a repeat. Never seemed to get it right again" "they were trying to start their own hockey team" or "we were cheap labour".

Good luck mama. You got this. As one of a huge group of siblings were like a tribe. And when you find someone else with loads of siblings in the wild it's like being in a secret little club and in an instant know exactly all the unique challenges they went through as a result of being one of a load of siblings. I've become temporary BFFs with total strangers on a bus because during conversation you find out you both have a bunch of siblings.

Screen the haters. Your kids are going to have an awesome childhood because having a bunch of siblings while growing up is awesome and because they have you.
 
@theend there's an infographic about the stupid comments people make regardless of how many kids you have and when it gets to 5+ it says "are you trying for your own reality TV show?" i like to imagine the parents hearing that just saying "yes" completely deadpan.
 
@katrina2017 We're infertile and it took our everything to get our two girls and people still make comments. You can't win. People just love to comment on what everyone else does with their uterus.
 
@theend I’m one of 12 too. Personally I would advise against having so many kids because my childhood was shortened by the need to care for younger siblings. I had to be a pseudo adult by age ten. My parents were ill equipped to have so many kids that most of us were neglected and each of us have had major mental health issues as adults. Most of us wish we hadn’t been born because we love our older siblings and recognize that the whole family would have been so much better off had mom and dad stopped at 4-5 kids.

Edit: reading the other comments gives me the sense that other large families apparently run well and produce college grads. Or those folk are more likely to comment? Welp, I’ve always known my family of origin was unique and messed up, it being uniquely messed up is hardly a surprise.
 
@stronglady I'm sorry your childhood was so shit, but we weren't the same.

I helped with my younger siblings but in no way was I expected to take responsibility for anyone. I mean we were expected to baby sit here and there but that's about it. I obviously had to do more then if my parents had stopped having kids after me, but I don't feel negatively about it.
 
@stronglady One of nine here. I had a very similar experience with parentification, neglect, and major mental health issues among all my siblings (see my post history for the crazy). We're outwardly successful, but I really wish my parents had stopped having kids sooner, though I love all my siblings. I knew a lot of big families too and have a really hard time imagining a family having more than 6-7 kids and not ending up causing those kids a lot of issues. I guess it's possible, but I think that's the exception, rather than the rule.
 
@prayter hug Agreed. I'm pregnant with my one-and-done child. Maybe I'll have a second. The "oh but siblings" arguments tend to fall pretty flat with me because I'm only close with 1/3 of my siblings and have experienced massive anxiety for the well-being of 3/5 of them. Plus their medical bills cost me a good penny. On balance I don't think siblings are worth it.
 
@catholics7777 In general I find people have no fucking sense of what's appropriate with kids. There is some kind of fucking disconnect with children where people forget what's appropriate to say.

I hate people.
 
@semiprecious I remember you! You're nothing short of amazing for taking in your niece and nephew while you're pregnant. Honestly, I would have said something back. It's one thing for people to silently judge you based on incorrect assumptions; it's another thing to open up your mouth and spout hate in front of your family.

I'm sure it won't be the last time some ignoramus says something. Maybe come up with a list of witty come backs so you don't have to think of something on the fly?
 
@philipito Thank you for saying “i remember you” because I went back and looked at OP’s post history. I now remember her too!

Way to go OP, you are a fucking boss mom. Don’t worry about anyone else and their silly opinions. You do you, and you know what’s true. Much love from the internets.
 
@semiprecious I’m one of seven. And older sister, younger brother and I’m part of a set of quintuplets. People are jerks, assholes, meanies, dumbasses, etc. Whatever you call them, they’re always there and will always have something snide to say. You are doing an amazing thing for your sister’s kids, don’t ever forget that. Honestly, if people stare at y’all, just stare right back. They usually get the hint. Much love to you and your kiddos.
 
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