[PancakeGoddess]

Is there a subforum or a tribe for big families? Just had my 4th, and I know there are many bigger families here but this FEELS like it just got officially "big."

 

[PancakeGoddess]

?

 

[PancakeGoddess]

wow, I guess the rest of you are busy taking care of all those kids

 

[Mama~Love]

That sure would be nice!! I'd join!

 

[Kidzaplenty]

There are actually quite a few large families here.

I'm one of them!

Can you tell?

Don't know if you are Quiverfull, but there is a tribe for being QF.

But if not, we can have a large family tribe. I do wish there were a forum just for us, though. There are many issues that are linked specifically to large families.

 

[mommaof3]

I'm in!

 

[PancakeGoddess]

Well, I'll just keep bumping bc I know they're out there. Here's a question:

what do you drive? Even our minivan is less than ideal, now, because I can't even transport two of my kids' friends unless one sits in the front seat.

 

[SoggyGranolaMomma]

Shoot, we have 5 and the minivan was fine with 4 but now, jeez.

I do NOT want to graduate to a minibus.

:

We have 1 in a car seat, 2 in boosters and 2 in shoulder belts. There are only 4 shoulder belt in the back though, so once the baby (10 months) is out of a car seat, we're screwed.

We need something with 5 rear shoulder belts which I can't seem to find.

: The only thing I've found is a Suburban, which I also dread driving but we will likely convert it to a grease car.

Unless anyone knows of any minivans with 5 rear shoulder belt.

Oh, and I'd join a big family group.

 

[Finding Serenity]

I'm so in! I'm expecting #7 this October. We have a Dodge Caravan--only holds 7 and a Suburban that holds 8. We will outgrow the Suburban with our Oct. baby! I've seen ads for 4th seats that can be installed in the SUVS so we'll have to go that route since I can't see buying one of the huge passenger vans when there's an alternative. The Surburban stinks with gas and I don't even drive it anymore but we need it for family outings/vacations and we tow a travel trailer with it. I think our Suburban has only 4 rear shoulder belts, the middle seats have lap belts only. Ours is a 2002 model so maybe things have changed.

 

[mclisa]

We're expecting #4. DH would love even more than that so he is so not allowed to know about about all of you!

1. Anyone else's extended families think they are nuts for having so many kids???

2. would love more input on what you drive. We have the honda odyssey currently and it will work great when we add #4. I'm not sure what we'd do if he talked me into more. It's interesting that someone brought up the issue of friends. My sil stayed at 2 kids with one of the reasons that she didn't want to upgrade from her pilot just so she could bring friends home (and many other reasons too).

3. Who do we petition to get our own thread? I think that is a great idea! I know I could learn so much from all of you!

 

[orangefoot]

hello hello

I posted on the pregnant moms of many in the pregnancy forum a while back but no-one's posting there now. Our ds1 is 13, ds2 9 and dd is 3. We are expecting number 4 - maybe next week and are about to hit car trouble

:

We have two cars - one 10 year old Renault Savanna with 7 seats and a Citroen Xantia estate with only 5 seats and a massive boot which we panic bought cheaply when the Renault blew a spark plug out of the top of the engine!!!!!

The Renault is perfect for 6 but has some (expensive) problems which mean it won't pass its MOT (legal safety requirements here in the UK) which is due in 4 weeks time. The Citroen is in the garage having a new gearbox which had to be imported from France and once that's done it will drive like a dream and dh loves it because it has aircon.

So in 4 weeks we will have one 5 seat car and an illegal 7 seat car that is no use to man nor beast - and an invitation to Dh's niece's christening 40 miles away eeeeek!

I would love a Honda Odyssey and have been looking at them for a while now but we just don't have the money to buy one and I wasn't banking on the Renault becoming uneconomically poorly right now.

These practical problems and the fact that we have only 2 bedrooms are the main reasons our extended families think we are crazy!

Nice to meet you all
Rachel

 

[Kidzaplenty]

I have the seven children, and my DH and I. We outgrew our Dodge Caravan years ago. We now have a Ford 15 passanger van. It is WONDERFUL for space. And I love that I am bigger than most anything on the road. It is built like a tank. The down side is the gas mileage. Which, with gas prices the way they are, we can't afford to drive it around much. I am hoping to get another "smaller" vehicle (a 7 or 8 passanger) with better gas mileage for short trips with some of the children. My DH does have a work car, that is falling apart, but at least he can drive it to work and leave me with the van.

As for what my family thinks....They thougth I was smart when I had my first and did not have a baby for 4 years.
Then they thought I was OK, because everyone can afford to have two.
Then they thought I was "complete" because I had "finally" gotten my boy.
Then they thought I was a little strange for having four.
Then they thougth I was crazy for having five.
Then they thought I was really insaine for having six.
Then they thought I was beyond saving for having seven.
They never knew about our eighth.
And when we have our ninth, I am sure they will stop sending gifts to the children, they already say it's too expensive!

But they really do love us, they just don't understand us.

 

[SoggyGranolaMomma]

Pssshh my parents are the same way. They thought we were fine with one child.

Then I had my second and that was ok because most people have two.

Then I got divorced, they didn't talk to me for 3 months.

I got remarried, when I was pregnant. That was sorta ok because my husband had never had kids, so ONE was acceptable.

Then we got pregnant again and I was "gross".

: I had a boy and they figured we HAD to be done because I finally "got" the boy.

Then with the 5th, I was "disgusting" they were "disappointed".

Ahh well. Can't please everyone right?

 

[Mama~Love]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PancakeGoddess Well, I'll just keep bumping bc I know they're out there. Here's a question: what do you drive? Even our minivan is less than ideal, now, because I can't even transport two of my kids' friends unless one sits in the front seat.

We have a Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan that seats 8, as well as a Suburban that seats 8. There's only 4 shoulder belts in the rear seats of them. I'm so glad we found that van, because I did NOT want to be driving the Suburban around! I wanted one of those big 15 passenger vans to drive only when we needed to go places as a group. I'd still have the van when it's me & the kids.

DH says this baby is the last

. I'm still trying to process that news. We'll see. Luckily, no one has ever said anything to my face about having lots of kids, but I'm sure there's lots of talk behind my back.

 

[Finding Serenity]

I suppose overall, my parents have been very tolerant of my larger family size. They thought I was done with 6 kids and they were actually quite thrilled and excited with each one up through #6. It was my latest pregnancy that threw the balance off. I don't think my Mom was too thrilled with the news--the babies will only be 14 months apart. She'll be fine once she sees the new baby. My Dad on the other hand did congratulate me on #7and both of them are supportive of my decision to homebirth. My Mom thinks I'm running my body down with all the ebf and pregnancy. She keeps pushing for a hysterectomy.

:

: I don't even take an aspirin after childbirth, so yeah, I'm really going to plan for invasive life changing surgery. Truth be told, I've never been, felt or looked healthier in my life. We are completely divorced from DH's family, they don't even know about DD, 6th child and we have no other family on my side that we're involved with. I suppose it's easier this way than to have negative, insulting people throwing around their contempt for our lifestyle.

 

[MysticMoon]

if 4 counts for large family then I'm here lol
ok not offically until Feb. when the new one comes

 

[kiwimumtomykidz]

I'm here

I'm a mummy to five daughters! Some of my family think it's great, others think we are crazy -- but we don't care, we love big families

 

[Europeanmom]

Subbing.

What are the two greatest pleasures of having many kids?
And what do you think are the two greatest challenges?

My list:
1+
My kids will have many lifelong friends (yes, I know I'm naive, but I really think they will be each others' network)

:
2+
Living together with so many and so different people

1-
Laundry!

:
2-
Finances. But then I could also see this as a blessing, because I have learnt so much about stretching the penny

 

[Europeanmom]

Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Mom of four boys, age 10, 8, 5 and 9mo

 

[Bethbyrne]

I have 7. Youngest born in June this year and oldest is 16. They are all boys and I am not having any more for medical reasons. If one more person asks me if I was trying for the girl I will become upset and angry!!
Love having a big group as I was an only child and hated it.
I have an 8 seater Nissan Serena, japanese import and am okay as long as my husband stays at home!!!
I would hate a minibus though. I have seen her in Ireland that Renault will do a factory converted Traffic (van) which is a 9 seater but it is seriously expensive.

Kate