There are important matters to discuss, but I have no time at the moment! So I discuss this important matter instead ... here are my Top 10 Reasons to for my family of 10 (10 including Mom and Dad).
10. Even when four kids are away, you still have four kids who aren’t.
9. They will cure your obsessive tidiness.
8. On the one hand, there’s the constant wailing and weeping. On the other, there’s the generous per-child federal tax credit.
7. When people say, “Are they all yours?” You can answer, “They belong to the wind, the stars and the burbling brook, and I belong to the moon.” Then watch the look they give you.
6. Like Niagara Falls, the grocery bills are always awe-inspiring and impressive.
5. They hone your conflict mediation skills.
4. There’s always someone to burden with your unfulfilled dreams, punish with your unrealistic expectations and cripple with your emotional insecurities.
3. You never have to worry about leftovers.
2. The oldest two are your personal critics; the next two are your personal comedians; the next two are your personal fan club; the last two are portable arm-held heaters.
1. Because I can’t imagine being without any one of them.
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Beautiful Truths! Thank you very much, Tom, for these MOST important matters that I can relate to; having been shown ( one of seventeen children) as the greatest secret in a fulfilling life. My mother often related your very words as one and the same. I especially love “Are they all yours?”
How did my mother raise seventeen healthy, happy children? And gain so much love and respect from every one of them? And live sixty years of her young life with endless stories of her miraculous life she told her children? And I remember them….!
I know it didn’t come from any book, as she was too busy to read. I know it wasn’t from her formal education since she never attended high school. I know it didn’t come from wealth, or fame, as she was never concerned with these things. I know it didn’t come from anything outside her… Because that didn’t seem to move her at all.
While writing my book I come closer to these facts of life that my mother truly lived. I became more passionate about her holiness and the Crown of Grace and Glory she wore, that we didn’t see how was earned, and so well deserved to wear.
I did my homework and searched everywhere looking for the odds that she overcame. And at last, and known from the very beginning, my mother’s example of the joy she showed to the world were, without a shadow of doubt, her absolute dependence on God… And the love and service she showed to everyone, and everything. She often told us that nothing is as important about ourselves, other than the joy and privilege of servitude to those who are in front of us… especially the children! As she’d say, “They can’t speak for themselves.”
And from the seventeen miracles of life which came through her, I know she reached that place to hear God while she was with us here. “And what a known secret to know…!”
I like #7. Haha. :)
Love it! My biggest complaint with 5 kids is the grocery shopping. I get verbally attacked by other shoppers everytime I step into the line with my overloaded cart. I’ve been enjoying finding snappy comebacks. Like yesterday, someone asked me if I was shopping for a home. “Yes,” I said, “my home!” Plus, the burly security guard in the grocery store admires how quickly I can shop and pack so much and he always comes to my defense. He tells people not to bother me with their petty questions because “Wonder Woman” can handle anything!
Your last one is the best…“I can’t imagine life without them!” Amen!
Being the 7th of a family of 8 children I especially like #7 in your answer. (it reminds me of your cleverness). I’d like to add one more to your list and don’t know where you’d put it, here it is: #1-A Because you get high marks (and praise) from your mother-in-law for the wonderful family she too can enjoy. Thanks Tom and April for the great job you are doing.
I am looking for grandparents of large grandfamilies (three or more grandchildren)to share their stories: many will also have had large families of their own. AS a pediatric/geriatric physician, I have many patients who have a whole flock of grandchildren, and their stories are heartwarming and sometimes also sad, because more grandchildren means more happiness but also more challenges. Yesterday one of my patients told me about her 13 children and her grandchildren who were too numerous for her to count. Another could count her 41 grandchildren, 16 children and 13 great grandchildren, but there was no time for more discussion. No one however has written about the role of grandparents in interacting with multiple grandchildren, and this void needs to be filled with the experience and wisdom of those people who have had this experience.Please anyone who has 3 or more grandchildren, e-mail me at kschlaerth@llu.edu. (By the way, I have seven children, all biologic, and 10 + grandchildren: a couple of my kids are yet to be married: another reason I wanted to write about this topic by calling on the experts, other grandparents)
Love it!
Would love to hear from people who have had a large grandfamily, which often implies having had a large family as well. As a pediatric/geriatric physician, I come in contact with patients who have many grandchildren, and their experiences are very valuable: I would like to gather more information from grandparents of three or more grandchildren of all ages, for the purpose of writing about their experiences, advice and problem solving approaches with regard to “grandchild care”. I can be reached at kschlaerth@llu.edu. (FYI: I have 7 kids, and 10+ grandkids, some of my children are not yet married so we hope for many more grandchildren) Katherine Schlaerth, MD Associate Professor of Family Medicine LLU SOM,
FYI: My Mother gave birth to 18 Children (October 10, 1958)
http://www.redroom.com/blog/cath4608/mother-gives-birth-no-18
I LOVE these! This is my personal favorite; whish I would have thought of it : ) When people say, “Are they all yours?” You can answer, “They belong to the wind, the stars and the burbling brook, and I belong to the moon.” Then watch the look they give you.
I love number 7 too! Is that from a story I should know?
Jo (a mom of 8 plus five-(holy cow! is thirteen really FIVE more than eight, where have I been?!) who actually ought to be too busy to read anything more than this blog!)
Someone I know with a large family used to always get asked “Are you finished with having kids yet?” Their response “We aren’t sure but we still engage in risky behavior.”
My mother would sit and just look at all of us having dinner, or watching television together, and say how in awe she was; as seeing all her children as miracles that God gave her. She often spoke about the wonderment of God giving life to all of us, and how through her, we were all here! This gave her the greatest pleasure in life, just sitting and enjoy watching us play. She was always living in the present moment. We would ask her who she liked the best of all her children and she would answer with a question: “Look at all your fingers – do you like one more than the other?” It was a perfect answer. Always making sure every one of us knew that they were loved, and our differences and what made us unique was also treasured.
we have 7 children…..all but 1 are adopted….yup we did this not only on purpose…..we actually went out of the way to find them! I love my crazy life, it can be overwhelming at times. but its great! The thing is that 4 of them are 3 and under! That’s y it can get so crazy, but it is the best crazy thing I have ever done! Well, next to marrying my Hubby! lol
Sorry, but that’s just pathetic. Most of the “items” on the list are just pieces of sarcasm. And the only one I could think of (so that you get older kids help you with the younger ones and all learn in the process) isn’t event there.
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