Living in a big family isn’t something many people envision themselves doing. And yet, here I am. Living that great fantasy for some and dreaded nightmare for others. It definitely has its pros and cons. You’ve probably heard the stories of families with major dysfunctional problems, or the ones where everyone is, and I quote(in my opinion) “ Sickly and unnervingly perfect in every-way.” with the great life. See above, dysfunctional families, there is no perfect family! No family has zero problems. they may not show themselves easily but, they’re forever present.
And then there’s the classic movies and shows, Cheaper by the Dozen(old and modern
versions), Brady Bunch and Sound of Music.
Of course, my family isn’t dysfunctional(at least not in my parent’s and siblings view of life.) sure we have problems and quirks but, they don’t necessarily affect how we are to the world.
Boy, my family has almost driven me up the walls several times a day and the trouble we cause(mainly my siblings.) is considered only normal sibling bickering. Or friendly interaction(yeah right).
As the oldest of a family with eight kids my responsibilities are big. In both size and number. Homeschooling and having responsibilities is a-lot of work. I don’t get much time to relax but, I get a little more than my mother does. The pros to these are the fact that living in a big catholic homeschooling family. Has given me a chance to mature earlier. Once the third was born I became independent to help my mother out(mostly so she wouldn’t worry about me) with the little ones.
In short living with a big family is hard, stressful and exhausting. The woes and pros are many but, reaping the benefits is up to you. You can either look at life with the view of a pessimist or an optimist, maybe you’ll find a different angle that I haven’t seen.
