It seems that everywhere I go these days I see families with three or more children. I don't know why it surprises me, but it does. Maybe it's because I grew up with one sister and there were just the two of us. Maybe it's because, growing up, most of my friends came from two-children families. Maybe it's because I have two kids and cannot, for the life of me, imagine handling more than the two kids I have (yes, I'm a wimp and it's on record).
I think the old adage says that the average American family has 2.5 kids. I suppose if that's the true average number of children U.S. families tend to have then the .5 has to come from somewhere. And that somewhere must be from the families having more than two.
Because having two children has monumentally changed my life and challenged me in ways I never expected, I can't imagine having more kids. Although, I will admit, if I'd started having kids at a younger age I can see the appeal of having three or more. When I had my second child I had a honeymoon period while in the hospital where I could seriously see myself having a third child. But bringing him home, dealing with his big sister's jealousy, trying to work, realizing I'm not a spring chicken and not getting ANY SLEEP WHATSOEVER for months on end made me change my mind in a hurry.
I'm very happy to have my two babes. But I suppose there will always be a part of me that will wonder what life would have been like if I'd had three or more. Big families do look like they're having a lot of fun.
What about you? Are you happy with having only one or two children? Or do you yearn for more? If you have more than two children how do you do it? Seriously, I want to know. Because I admire you and I'm in awe of you. You should get an extra present for Mother's Day. Go. Tell your husband I said so.
[photo credit: SXC]
I feel the same way. I can't even imagine how people with 3 or more kids do it....but in some crazy, small way, I want to try. :-)
Posted by: Csara | August 31, 2009 at 08:26 PM