How many children do you have?

Keisha07

4

3 kids, 7 half siblings wouldn't be that close although my OH has 11 siblings and they get along grand.

indigo twist

2

Macavity. wrote: »

That's both depressing and uplifting.

Ah I actually don't find it at all depressing. I do have a pension set up, at least, so that's something. And you know what, if I end up having to rely on social welfare after having worked from the age of fifteen until whatever age I retire, I won't feel a bit of shame in doing so in my old age - I'll have certainly paid my dues into the system! Besides, maybe my boy will grow up to be a millionaire ... or I'll win the lotto ... it'll work out somehow!

foxy06

More than 5

3 siblings and 5 kids. I could moan about how tired I am but there's others with 7 and 8 kids here is see😰 🔫 don't know how you cope!

dubstarr

More than 5

I have5 children
, i have no siblings.Oh has 8 siblings.

Moonbeam

5

foxy06 wrote: »

3 siblings and 5 kids. I could moan about how tired I am but there's others with 7 and 8 kids here is see😰 🔫 don't know how you cope!

It has to get easier as they get older

The Peanut

3 children, who have brought me levels of happiness and tiredness that I never thought I'd experience. Worth it all.

Eldest of 5 spread over 20 years so I was always minding or worrying about younger ones. Consider myself very fortunate.

kippy

indigo twist wrote: »

Ah, I don't know. I think if all of us were to wait until a point in our lives where we could actually describe ourselves as "financially secure", a lot of us would end up leaving it too late to ever have children.

E.g. in my case, we both have permanent jobs, but zero savings, and we rent. And we're broke all the time. I'm 29 now, and if I hadn't had a child earlier this year, I reckon we could have gotten some savings together and bought a house in maybe 6-8 years? But by then I'd have been 35-37. I'd quite like to have at least two children, with at least two years between each. The risks associated with pregnancy increase with age - in fact, I believe even at 35 it's considered a "geriatric pregnancy". If you take into account statistics such as the fact that it takes an average of six months to get pregnant, and something like one in four couples have trouble conceiving ... I'm not sure I'd be comfortable leaving it that late to even start trying.

Anyways creche fees have wiped out any hope of saving for a mortgage any time soon. It's a bit scary sometimes when I wonder if we'll ever be able to buy a house, and if not, where I'll live when I retire! I also feel guilty sometimes that our child(ren) probably won't get some of the opportunities I did when growing up. On the other hand, at least they'll always be well fed and with a roof over their heads. And I'm glad that I've had my first at the age I did, I'd choose him over a mortgage or holidays or a savings account any day!

Totally agree.
The reality is, very few of us would be here had our parents wanted to be "financially secure" before having kids! My parents still aren't financially secure, maybe if they didnt have six kids, at this point they would be financially secure
It's probably more important to have a stable environment, and while that sometimes might be linked to financial stability, more often it is not.
As a parent myself now and seeing all that entails, I have a far greater respect for the job my own parents did and how much more they gave up to bring up our own family.

kippy

I should add,
2 Kids, I've 5 siblings (one deceased) and my OH has 3.

Very fortunate to have had great parents who were great role models.
As fortunate to have two kids.

cbyrd

More than 5

Moonbeam wrote: »

It has to get easier as they get older

LOL ... wouldn't you think.. :pac::pac::pac:

dubstarr

More than 5

Moonbeam wrote: »

It has to get easier as they get older

Im still waiting for it to get easier

dubstarr

More than 5

dubstarr wrote: »

Im still waiting for it to get easier

Some things get easier as your kids get older. I personally believe ages 5 to 7 are the easiest. Once the hormones start kicking in at 9 and onwards you have a whole new level of stress in your life.
You would imagine that once they hit 16, it's much easier as they are more or less adults but no, that's when you really start worrying about the potential trouble they are exposed to.
Oh yeah, kids get exponentially more expensive as they get older.
Despite all the worry, stress, heartache, financial burden etc you get many days and times when you know in your heart it is worth it all.

dubstarr

More than 5

I know they get easier between some ages mine are aged between 19 and 3.So i have the gamut here.

skallywag

2

One child no more expected!

Ms2011

3

One & half kids ( pregnant at the mo ), I have 2 siblings, hubby has 8!

fjon

3

After two weeks of poll votes it looks like the average of 1.5 is about right, although I guess I'm likely to get biased answers by posting this in the Parenting forum! Also unsurprising is that a lot of people here have a lot more siblings than they have kids. When I was in school I knew a kid who had 16 siblings - that would never happen today!

From a statistical point of view, as long as the average stays below 2, any increase in Irish population will only come from immigration. If each couple only has 1.5 children, they aren't "replacing" themselves (i.e. having one child each) when they die.

Anyway I have 2 children as well and come from a family of 3. I'm happy with that number!

IvyTheTerrible

2

I have one child, and 3 siblings (one deceased). 31 first cousins.