I recently attended the funeral home for a friend who lost her dad. She was from a big Catholic family with 11 children. The place was packed as you can well imagine. All 11 children and their children were in attendance.

While speaking with her mom, I commented that they just don't make families like they used to. Do you know anyone who has this many children these days? I sure don't. Big families are a thing fo the past.

I went to a Catholic school and Mom and Dad had five children which I think is a big family. But I've got to tell you that there were many families in our parish that had six, seven, eight, nine and ten children. Can you imagine raising all those kids and sending them to Catholic school?

I marveled at my friend's family and their love of one another. I particularly marveled at her mom. What a saint. Don't you think?

I had a dear older friend who had 10 children.She was a good woman with a heart of gold
She had the landlord knock down the semi detached walls to give her space.
Had I needed a home she would have made room there.
Her family prospered each helping the other.
She was a Councillor (Local politics)as was her husband.So she did public works also.
Mountain ash

Daddy was raised with 9 siblings, and I have four sisters. It seems that each of us had two children and as generations go, the numbers are dwindling to ones, and twos, as far as having children. There are so many advantages and disadvantages to having large families. Personally, I think the advantages outweigh the bad. But ask me again after one of my sisters makes me mad. HA!

I truly love big families, at least five children, but alas it wasn't in the cards for me. I wish I had a couple of daughters too.

I appreciate your comments about this. It's something I hadn't considered much until the other evening. Honestly, that family is so blessed. It's fantastic.

One of the major advantages of coming from a large family is that there's always enough for a fun party! Also, in times of distress, someone is always in the wings to help.

I'm not so sure our generation of children will be around to hlep care for us. We have less children and they are more spread out. I think we'll have to depend on one another. You know, back to the communal living of the 60s.

I think now-a-days any family with 6 children is considered huge. Times have changed, I too remember families that I grew up with that had 8 - 10 children. My neighbor here has 7 and I don't know how she does it. The house we lived in in NY once held a family with 10 children and I honestly don't know how they could all fit! We felt cramped with only 2 kids.

I grew up with 5 sisters and 2 brothers. I have 2 girls and 1 stepson. Each have 1 child and don't plan on any more(always subject to change of course). That is going from 7 to 1 in a short period of time.

the largest i know is a women frend of po's that has 8 kids anddddd she home schooled them all!!!

po's from a familie of 5, i am from a 2 (mum had pre eclampsia sadlie).

Do you think its becouse of the mortalitie rate being so good now that people are assored that their kids are gonna make it to adulthood so dont have so manie?
or is it just plan old contriception lol?

Biggest I knew personally was an employee, who was in a family of 9 children. She is boomer generation age now.

I grew up with 4 sisters and 1 brother. My mother had 7 siblings. She barely knew the eldest since eldest (sister) was 20 years old than Mom.

Some first cousins, who are in families of 6-7 children each. No stepchildren in any of these families.

A first cousin my age has 4 children. None are stepchildren. Her sister has 4 children, again no stepchildren. It is rarer and rarer women my age (48) and younger have this number of children.

Generally speaking over the years, we have become closer as a family. I am closer to siblings compared to 25 years ago. Probably because as a family we've weathered some major events.

I have a strong tolerance for working with noise around me...probably because growing up in a large family...means noise.

Boggles my mind that our family of 8, shared just 1 bathroom.

i have started a relatively big family in sweden..5 children and 4 grandchildren..one grandchild and my daughter, her mom, do live in the states however. but somehow, having a big family is so enriching! I am an only child myself and lived in the states with my mom and dad and grandparents on my mom´s side. the rest of the big family resides in the czech rep. i have no contact with them now. SO, my big family here in sweden means so much! I´m never really alone and most of the time i am needed. i do think that should an emergency arrive, i would get help. or give it. which of course has happened and probaby will in the future, too. that´s life. and i am so grateful that i have my children around me with their families. i am divorced from their father after 32 yrs of marriage. not easy. i now live with my sambo, who many years younger than me..but we are a family too. perhaps a little one, but still a family, the way we see it.

i knew someone with 24 brothers and sisters due to divorces and new marriages and constilations. they usually all met every 5 years with all their respective families!!!