5 ms·

Paradoxically, I think the hard part about having kid is having too few of them. My wife and I have 7 kids. People stare at us like we're crazy all the time.

Paradoxically, I think the hard part about having kid is having too few of them. My wife and I have 7 kids. People stare at us like we're crazy all the time. But it's way easier to have 7 kids than 2. Older kids help with the younger kids. When the 2 or 3 playing together get bored, they mix it up. They have daily big games that would ordinarily take a lot of effort arranging playdates. Many hands make light work, so household chores go by quickly. It's great. My advice for those struggling with kids: don't stop at 1 or 2. It's hard to have 1 or 2 kids.

dumbw4tch 7y ago
Just get more and younger wives, then you can have even more kids
- ARandomerDude 7y ago
  That's...weird. I seriously hope you're joking.
nitwit005 7y ago
This sometimes badly backfires on people. You're essentially betting that your first kids will be willing to do this, and will be responsible enough to do a decent job of it. When kids get older it seems fairly common to start fighting over having to look after siblings, as it's a barrier to having friends and studying.
- ARandomerDude 7y ago
  I don't disagree that this is a possibility. I'm sure it happens. In our house, we have a zero-tolerance policy for fighting or rudeness, and we strongly encourage polite problem solving, even with the toddlers. It works well. As for academics, we homeschool and vastly outpace the public school curriculum. For example, my 8 and 10 year olds are using a college Latin textbook. My oldest knows Clojure. It can be done, and, as I said previously, it's easier with more kids. I've been a father of 1, 2, 3, etc. and there's no comparison in the joy and ease that come with a large family.
  - deanCommie 7y ago
    Talk to me after your oldest have been out of the house for a decade. What works for you will not work for others. There are plenty of stories out there on /r/raisedbynarcissists from people whose parents expected them to contribute to helping raise their siblings, and they were deeply resentful that they couldn't live the life they wanted. You made the choice to have 7 kids. Your older kids didn't get a choice when it comes to having to help you with your parental responsibilities.
jumelles 7y ago
Well that's the total opposite of what the planet needs.
- buboard 7y ago
  The planet needs less cars, not less people. It's entirely fatalistic to assume that future humans will have the same unhealthy habits as we do
  - city41 7y ago
    Not having children is the single most impactful thing one can have on their carbon footprint. I simply can’t imagine with the way society is going, that this will change in many generations.
astura 7y ago
My grandma had seven kids. Practically the only thing she says now that she is well into her eighties is "what was I thinking? that was way too many kids."
remarkEon 7y ago
Both my grandparents had 7 kids, and I recall a conversation when I was maybe 7 or 8, when my mom had stopped at 3, where my grandmother made the same point you're making - that you should keep going. She did stop, and regrets it now.
kelnos 7y ago
That seems like a specific experience that may not generalize.

dumbw4tch 7y ago

Just get more and younger wives, then you can have even more kids

ARandomerDude 7y ago
That's...weird. I seriously hope you're joking.

nitwit005 7y ago

This sometimes badly backfires on people. You're essentially betting that your first kids will be willing to do this, and will be responsible enough to do a decent job of it. When kids get older it seems fairly common to start fighting over having to look after siblings, as it's a barrier to having friends and studying.

ARandomerDude 7y ago
I don't disagree that this is a possibility. I'm sure it happens. In our house, we have a zero-tolerance policy for fighting or rudeness, and we strongly encourage polite problem solving, even with the toddlers. It works well. As for academics, we homeschool and vastly outpace the public school curriculum. For example, my 8 and 10 year olds are using a college Latin textbook. My oldest knows Clojure. It can be done, and, as I said previously, it's easier with more kids. I've been a father of 1, 2, 3, etc. and there's no comparison in the joy and ease that come with a large family.
- deanCommie 7y ago
  Talk to me after your oldest have been out of the house for a decade. What works for you will not work for others. There are plenty of stories out there on /r/raisedbynarcissists from people whose parents expected them to contribute to helping raise their siblings, and they were deeply resentful that they couldn't live the life they wanted. You made the choice to have 7 kids. Your older kids didn't get a choice when it comes to having to help you with your parental responsibilities.

jumelles 7y ago

Well that's the total opposite of what the planet needs.

buboard 7y ago
The planet needs less cars, not less people. It's entirely fatalistic to assume that future humans will have the same unhealthy habits as we do
- city41 7y ago
  Not having children is the single most impactful thing one can have on their carbon footprint. I simply can’t imagine with the way society is going, that this will change in many generations.

astura 7y ago

My grandma had seven kids. Practically the only thing she says now that she is well into her eighties is "what was I thinking? that was way too many kids."

remarkEon 7y ago

Both my grandparents had 7 kids, and I recall a conversation when I was maybe 7 or 8, when my mom had stopped at 3, where my grandmother made the same point you're making - that you should keep going. She did stop, and regrets it now.

kelnos 7y ago

That seems like a specific experience that may not generalize.