This was really encouraging -- as a mom of four (soon to be five), I do find myself concerned sometimes about placing a burden on the older ones by choosing to have more kids. So to hear you voice, in the same article, that yes, you did feel like you did some of the "raising," but also yes, you're still glad that you're from a big family -- and your siblings have become a part of your "village." It's the best outcome I could imagine for my own kids.
"And what I’ve also realized as an adult is that even if it can be annoying to grow up in a big family, childhood is brief."
This makes me also think of the reverse. For parents, their parenting of children is relatively brief!
As you say, there are a multitude of factors as to why people don't want or can't have a BIG family... but my husband and I have also realized that the short-term "pain" (in the general sense of the work of parenting, not cripplingly bad circumstances) should be tempered with the long-term vision. What do we hope the future looks like for us and our kids after the gruntwork of parenting is over? We wouldn't want to make a long-term choice (about having fewer kids) for short-sighted reasons.
Such an interesting read! But so true. And I've never thought of the fact that as siblings we'll know each other longer as adults than as kids! But of course!! Gives me extra motivation to work on my relationships with my siblings and in-laws.
This was really encouraging -- as a mom of four (soon to be five), I do find myself concerned sometimes about placing a burden on the older ones by choosing to have more kids. So to hear you voice, in the same article, that yes, you did feel like you did some of the "raising," but also yes, you're still glad that you're from a big family -- and your siblings have become a part of your "village." It's the best outcome I could imagine for my own kids.
"And what I’ve also realized as an adult is that even if it can be annoying to grow up in a big family, childhood is brief."
This makes me also think of the reverse. For parents, their parenting of children is relatively brief!
As you say, there are a multitude of factors as to why people don't want or can't have a BIG family... but my husband and I have also realized that the short-term "pain" (in the general sense of the work of parenting, not cripplingly bad circumstances) should be tempered with the long-term vision. What do we hope the future looks like for us and our kids after the gruntwork of parenting is over? We wouldn't want to make a long-term choice (about having fewer kids) for short-sighted reasons.
Great piece.
Such an interesting read! But so true. And I've never thought of the fact that as siblings we'll know each other longer as adults than as kids! But of course!! Gives me extra motivation to work on my relationships with my siblings and in-laws.