Do you think 4 children is a ‘big family?’

I have 4 and was the only one in my group of friends to do so, so we were treated as 'the big family'.
Now many with one child say they regret it but never envied me at the time.

We have 3 daughters. I would have loved to have one more.
DD1 has a boy and DD3 has two boys. DD2 has no children.
I have a brother but DH is an only child.
My Mum was one of 3 and my Dad one of 5.
I have a friend who has six and one who has 4 but most have 2.
I hunk anything over 4 children is a large family.

momb, that's the way to do it!!

My father was one of 10 which is apparently why I'm an only child! I found 2 was enough, DD has 2 because although they both have "good" jobs it's all she and her husband can afford. DS has 1 and can't afford that one!

Average household has 2.4 children so 4 is large

We have 6 , offset by my siblings being childless , my lot complain about not having cousins !
I have 8 grandchildren

To me four is big. I’m one of two. When I was growing up most of my friends were either onlies or were one of two siblings. Occasionally there were three, but never knew of any families larger than that other than the family which fostered and so the numbers there varied! Now I have an only of my own, I know a few families with four and one with five.

Anything over two is a big family to me, especially when we can control our fertility nowadays.

My DD has 5 boys and 1 girl all off her hands now, she has seen 2 x boys through Uni and 2 x boys with good apprenterships my DGD training as a vet's nurse and no. 5 son just got 5 Alevel results so she has done a good job raising her "large" loving family.I also have 8 GCs and 2 x GGCs all doing well.My DD has always held down a full time job and instilled a strong work ethic into her children.

I so often love the 'throwaway comments'. can BlueSky (or anyone) tell me why it is " quite fashionable nowadays to add a fourth child"

Grammaretto, don't feel sorry for only children. I'm an only child and wouldn't have wanted it any other way (and no, I wasn't spoiled - in fact, I think my mother was more strict because I was an only child). I can't remember ever wanting a brother or sister, and even now, I'm happier in my own company. My best friend at school was one of nine - and her house always seemed like chaos to me.

GrannyGravy13

We have 5 children, you just get used to the noise level when all AC and GC get together.
It is absolutely joyous ❤️❤️❤️

I agree. We have four and nearly eight grandchildren. Wouldn’t be without them. Life is fun and packed with excitement.

I was one of eight it was a miserable poor child hood with no luxuries and many hungry days. Although both my parents worked and didn’t get hand outs but it was difficult.

I had two children I could easily afford but found it a struggle when I divorced being on my own.

If you can have lots of children and afford the expenses then it must be a joy. It’s everyones choice how many children they have. I think as long as they are able financially that’s fine.

My own DC have good jobs and want the best for their children. They are fortunate because both sets of grandparents help out with some expenses. We help out not because we have to but because we can and want too.

for 2021? yes.

Yes, four is a lot. I was one of three and I have three, one girl and two boys. But there are too many people on this planet and apparently the way forward is to just have two children. Of my three, one has a daughter and the other two no children at all.

Jaxjacky

I think it will be, over population is the biggest threat to the world’s resources, but will never be a popular message.

I think that's actually because it's not really true and more complex than it sounds.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dw.com/en/overpopulation-climate-change-emissions/a-54725928

Four is a big family and was considered so when I was growing up as one of four. Today you need a supersized car to carry more than three children so four is big! My nephew has four, but that wasn’t planned - the third was twins.

My parents were both only children. My dad in fact had been one of four but he was orphaned and his siblings all died young. I had no aunts, uncles or cousins and only one grandparent, growing up. It didn’t matter to me as a child but now, I wish I did have those connections. My mum says she always wanted a sibling but her mother wasn’t able to have any more babies.

I have four dc, two of each, spread over twenty one years. I have five and a half grandchildren, and will have three of each sex when the sixth arrives. My youngest is only 25 so no children yet.

My mum’s father was one of eight, but grandpa was the only one who had a child that survived to have their own children. Mum has one adopted cousin, too.

Yes it is a big family now, I don’t know any younger couple who have, or aspire to have four children or more. You need a big car, holiday accommodation is more expensive, etc. as well as the logistics of looking after four children when both parents work, which most do - aspirations have changed.

Don't feel sorry for me Grammaretto I was quite happy being an only child. My husband has several siblings and there are always feuds going on. I'm happy for those people who like larger families but not for me. I don't have any other blood relatives apart from my children and grandchildren. It's not a problem for me.

It is definitely a big family now. A lot of my youngest's child's friends parents have stopped at one. I don't know any that have had four.

Sorry Blondiescot I missed your post, I feel exactly the same.

I have 5 sons and 1 stepson so we have a big family. They eldest each have two children. It is hard work especially nowadays when everything’s so expensive and you can’t just throw them in the car . We are proud that They all have degrees . But We are conscious that we can’t help get them on the property ladder like others can because we’d have to help them all equally.

Each to their own Blondiscot but one of my DGC is an only and his DP are so wrapped up in him and everything he does that I can't help thinking he'll grow up like a Chinese little emperor. They are good about inviting friends round and so on but he is lonely.
Also when his parents need caring for it will be just him to make the decisions.

So many split homes these days that children have to be more resilient than ever and to learn to get along with step siblings .
I'm told on good authority, that the population here in Scotland is fairly static but more homes are needed because there are ever more households. One million people live alone or one in five..

I am 1 of 4 and my dad was one of 10, which raises even more eyebrows!
Even though his family had barely 2 pennies to rub together, hand me downs were quite normal, toys were shared, it meant that they all grew up really close and all got on well as they grew into adulthood .
Those that married into the family were absorbed and for my generation, it has always been seen the same way!

My father was one of 11, I am one of three. That was then. Nowadays I think 4 is a big family.

Although population growth is now being driven by longevity, rather than excess births (except in Africa). I think that, as a whole, the world has too many people in it and that optimum population, that enables, human, animal and plant life (and any other kind of life that exists) to live in harmony with other, is probably half the number we currently have and that to choose to have more than 2 children nowadays, except multiple births and one or two other rare occurences, is a little selfish and damaging to the environment.