I saw something amazing today... - Page 2

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by NiteNicole

My daughter's instincts all seem to involve diving headfirst off the highest object she can find or hurling herself in front of anything that moves. Eating things off the ground seems pretty important, too.

Yeah, instincts in this day and age are pretty unimportant, IMNSHO.

My nephew is a near genius, but has almost killed himself multiple times. His adaptive skills are more suited to books, video games, higher math, etc. Not so much for avoiding danger.

As far as the mom in the OP, most of those kids had to be older, right? If you have seven kids, they can't all be toddlers, unless you're octo-mom or something. My six year old follows me, or walks calmly beside me.

[NiteNicole]

My grandmother had seven. After I had my first, who is very active, very intense, and very needy, and who cried for about six solid months as an infant and NEVER SLEPT I asked her how she ever managed it. I mean she was like 25 with seven small children and a husband who was away for a week at a time. She said when you have that many, it's "fall in line or fall behind." Meaning she just didn't take any c-r-a-p. She was pretty direct in telling me that while it would have been nice to have been as attentive as I was to my daughter and try to catch every little cry every time, it just isn't possible with seven and "sugar, it'll just drive you crazy if you try."

I don't know many moms with that many (or more than three, really) now, but I know a few. They just seem to be a lot more hardcore about everyone needing to learn to work together and really LISTEN TO MOM because how else would you get anything done with that many people involved?

[Norasmomma]

Yeah I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that they are a large family and the older kids watch the littler ones. I say this because my SIL has 6 and her oldest 2 girls are always helping take care of their brothers. Gosh she even offered me her oldest to come stay with us when DD was born, which I declined. With a bigger family there are more hands to hold onto.

Our family(Dh's side) used to scratch their heads at why DH and I always were saying DD was so high energy, that is until they babysat her. Then they realized that she is a pretty intense little girl, not really high needs, but super high energy. She just does not stop.

Is this because I don't trust her? oh heck no. She used to be a bolter, and I had to keep her in the cart. I still have to because she gets so wound up in the store I have to keep her contained. Many times I do let her walk with me in the store, but she often has a meltdown and then it's back in the cart. This is after specific directions of what is expected of her and her behavior to stay out of the cart. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

I just personally don't make judgment calls either way. I'm sure they have plenty of tantrums and crying at other times in their household, just like everyone does.

[TwinsTwicePlusTwo]

Originally Posted by NiteNicole

My grandmother had seven. After I had my first, who is very active, very intense, and very needy, and who cried for about six solid months as an infant and NEVER SLEPT I asked her how she ever managed it. I mean she was like 25 with seven small children and a husband who was away for a week at a time. She said when you have that many, it's "fall in line or fall behind." Meaning she just didn't take any c-r-a-p. She was pretty direct in telling me that while it would have been nice to have been as attentive as I was to my daughter and try to catch every little cry every time, it just isn't possible with seven and "sugar, it'll just drive you crazy if you try."

I don't know many moms with that many (or more than three, really) now, but I know a few. They just seem to be a lot more hardcore about everyone needing to learn to work together and really LISTEN TO MOM because how else would you get anything done with that many people involved?

This.

My kids are really well-behaved in public, and were even when they were all younger.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by Breathless Wonder

Perhaps she has inherently mellow and/or obedient kids. Some people get lucky that way.

:

[Marlet]

I'd assume she had established rules. My kids are well behaved in public but we've taught them that and we have rules that aren't negotiable. We both grew up in the same way (6 kids on my side and 10 on his side). After that I assume dang good luck for the day.

I agree with the pp's. Fall in line or fall behind.