It’s always wise to explore both sides of every issue. I recently shared the 25 Best Things About Having a Big Family. Believe it or not, there are some drawbacks when mom and dad are eye-crossingly outnumbered and there are more smelly little toes than stars in the sky.
1. If I ever win a family vacation for 4, it will be very hard to chose who will be left at home.
2. Look at all those dirty boots.
3. Nobody gets his or her own pumpkin on Halloween, unless they can completely cut, scrape, and carve it him or herself. We tried doing 6 jack-o-lanterns one year. Never again. One pumpkin is sufficient.
4. The amount of milk they drink weekly is a little embarrassing.
5. A bunch of bananas is gone in a flash of yellow.
6. Being counted audibly in public.
7. Having to sit at 2 or more tables in restaurants.
8. The school papers I have to sort through make the Oxford English Dictionary look like a leaflet.
9. When sampling foods at Costco, we clear the trays, which makes other people cranky.
10. In the school pickup line, we look like a daycare van.
11. At the store, we look like a daycare outing.
12. Seasonal clothing swap-outs take two weekends a year to accomplish.
13. Waiting for your turn is a way of life.
14. When traveling, we have to get 2 hotel rooms.
15. The wide range in ages means someone is always bored during any given activity.
16. The wide range in ages means the little kids grow up more quickly.
17. We tremble at the thought of car insurance for multiple teen drivers.
18. One day park admission to Disneyland: $625, and that’s with kids under 3 free.
19. In every family photo, there is at least one person blinking, sneezing, looking off into the wild yonder.
20. Deafening noise.
21. We are memorable, which sometimes isn’t very handy.
22. School picture day is silly-expensive, even when buying the cheapest available package.
23. A lot of moms with many kids deny it, but enduring many pregnancies IS hard on your body. It doesn’t mean the kids aren’t worth it or multiple pregnancies shouldn’t be allowed. It just means it is almost impossible to be pregnant a dozen times (me) and not exhibit some sort of medical issue.
24. Grilled cheese sandwiches: Buh-bye, entire loaf of bread, except for the heels.
25. The house will be too quiet someday.
Author: gretchen
Amber Johnson
I have to say being counted inaudibly in publicly would be the most annoying. Though if I saw someone doing that, I’d probably interject, “There are five more in the back!”
Because that’s how I roll.
mommy of 8
I appreciated this as a mommy of 8 that are 11 or younger 🙂 appreciated both lists!
jenny - Sugar Loco
I seriously admire you, Gretchen, beyond what you’ll ever know. You are a mama superstar, and though I’ve never met your kids before, I can imagine that they’re all so well behaved that you’d never know they were around. You are one special woman!
Now, how can we win you a much deserved spa day???
Janey
Even worse than being counted by others? Having to count audibly myself to ensure I haven’t lost a kid!!!!! Numerous times in one outing, I might add….I’m a little embarrassed about it lol
Kristi
#12~This year, it’s taking me a whole month of weekends to do our “seasonal clothing swap out”!!!