How Big is your family

[muwarrior69]

Amazing:
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/kentucky-woman-230-great-great-grandchildren-meets-great-great-great-grandchild-see-photo

When my daughter was born we took a picture with her great grandmother from my wife's side of the family.  I thought that was special. My dad missed the birth of his great grand daughter by two months. As of now our family is small, just 7 in the immediate family.

[real chili 83]

Kentucky.  No way.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

If you look at the ages, they all had children around 19-20. And with her living to 98, you can see how this happened.

But people by and large aren’t having kids at 19 much anymore. My oldest son is 31, married but with no kids. When I was 31 we had all of our children. Almost all of my Marquette friends were done by their early 30s as well. I don’t think this is unique.

[JWags85]

If you look at the ages, they all had children around 19-20. And with her living to 98, you can see how this happened.

But people by and large aren’t having kids at 19 much anymore. My oldest son is 31, married but with no kids. When I was 31 we had all of our children. Almost all of my Marquette friends were done by their early 30s as well. I don’t think this is unique.

Exactly.  This child's grandmother is 39.  I just had my first 5 months ago at 37.  My parents were reasonably young when they had their first 2 kids (2nd born when they were 28/26) and they became first time grandparents with my son at 63/61.  My youngest sister is soon to be 27 and she's in no hurry to get married or have kids, but if she was in this featured family, she'd be halfway to grandmotherhood.

[dgies9156]

My extended family includes four living brothers/sisters and one who is deceased. We're all in our 50s and 60s.

My parents had nine grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. Of this group, two are mine. There also are two great-grandchildren.

For a big "Boomer" Family, we underperformed in the X and Millennial generations.

[Goose]

I look back to my childhood, and my family (3 siblings) was considered small in my neighborhood. My two next door neighbors both had seven kids and multiple other families on our block had a bigger family. Ironically, most of my friends had 1-3 kids and limited grandkids.

My wife has seven siblings and most had 1 or 2 kids. We have four and are tied for the lead for most kids of both sides of our family. We are up to  three grandkids and hoping for about 15 more down the road, but not betting on it. IMO, there is nothing better in the world than family and I hope our gang keeps having more children.

[MU82]

My roommate sophomore year was the oldest of 10 kids. His mother had 10 in a 14-year span ... and also had 4 miscarriages!

A guy who lived on my floor freshman year was one of 14; he was a twin and I think he said there also was another set of twins.

I'm the youngest of 4, and I thought we had a pretty big family until I met those two guys.

[Galway Eagle]

 me and my wife, we want 2 kids.

Me (1/2): Mom (1/6) and dad (1/9)

Wife (1/4): mom (1/3) and dad (1/10)

Maternal Grandmother (1/14) maternal grandfather (1/24)

Paternal grandmother (1/3) paternal grandfather (1/2)

Based on that that tree, people who live in rural areas seem to have more kids. Wife's dads from rural Nebraska, my moms from rural Ireland as are her parents. My dads parents had the 6 youngest when they moved from Beverly (Southside Chicago) to Elkhorn, WI.

Given people are moving away from rural areas it sort of makes sense families are getting smaller. Correlation or causation I don't know.

[jesmu84]

Anyone have/know of a big family without a stay at home parent?

[Goose]

jesmu

My next door neighbor had seven kids, the husband was a Dr. and the wife was nurse and both worked. The Mom went to back to work when the youngest started 1st grade. We had a slew of Dr.'s and nurses where I grew up and multiple Mom's went back to nursing when their kids reached high school.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

jesmu

My next door neighbor had seven kids, the husband was a Dr. and the wife was nurse and both worked. The Mom went to back to work when the youngest started 1st grade. We had a slew of Dr.'s and nurses where I grew up and multiple Mom's went back to nursing when their kids reached high school.

Staying at home until the youngest goes to school is a stay-at-home parent.

[Goose]

Fluff

Maybe where you grew up that was the case. I can assure you that Moms that never worked never considered that a stay at home Mom. But, I am sure you will tell me why that thinking was incorrect.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Fluff

Maybe where you grew up that was the case. I can assure you that Moms that never worked never considered that a stay at home Mom. But, I am sure you will tell me why that thinking was incorrect.

I understand what you are saying, but I think what jesmu was getting at is that it is hard to have a large family if both parents have to and/or want to work.

My mom did exactly as your neighbor the nurse did. She went back to work when my brother went to first grade. So she took eight years or so out of the workplace to stay home - I think that would meet the definition of "stay at home parent."  (i.e., I never had to go to daycare.)  I understand that some stay home and never return to work, but I think that's just another example of the same thing.

[JWags85]

One of my good friends has 4 kids, all under 8.  He's an entrepreneur and his wife is a graphic designer who actually travels fairly often for work.  However, they live fairly near to both their parents, which helps immensely.

[Lennys Tap]

I was 1 of 3, wife was 1 of 4. We have 4, 6 grands with 1 on the way.

[SoCalEagle]

Staying at home until the youngest goes to school is a stay-at-home parent.

Tell my wife that .... hah!!!

[dgies9156]

Anyone have/know of a big family without a stay at home parent?

My Mom taught kindergarten and had five then six children.

My wife had a friend, also MU 79 whose Mom and Dad both were attorneys. She had eight children and worked all the years she raised her children. She was an incredibly extraordinary woman. She and her husband were in practice together.

[jesmu84]

My Mom taught kindergarten and had five then six children.

My wife had a friend, also MU 79 whose Mom and Dad both were attorneys. She had eight children and worked all the years she raised her children. She was an incredibly extraordinary woman. She and her husband were in practice together.

What did the attorney do with the children who weren't old enough for school?

[Dr. Blackheart]

What did the attorney do with the children who weren't old enough for school?

My guess he billed hourly per kid and hired an au pair for one fifth of that.

[dgies9156]

What did the attorney do with the children who weren't old enough for school?

Well, she was a lawyer...........

Seriously, she and her husband had a partnership. I'm guessing it was a bit easier because it was a family business. But there was a househeeper and some form of daycare. The law firm also was close to their home in the Milwaukee area.