2017: Has marriage & 4-6 kids become the ultimate signal of real wealth?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think having 4-6 kids in urban private schools and taking international vacations indicates real wealth. 4-6 kids is pretty common in flyover country where I'm from, so it doesn't really indicate wealth. And not everyone who is wealthy actually wants 4-6 kids.

This.

And I know some people with 4-6 kids who are barely scraping by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
same. probably because they're all in their underwear.

Idk but there is nothing glam or aspiration about that photo for me.

Maybe if they were all dressed up at the theater, like at a performance for the Nutcracker or something? That could be sweet.

I see an LDS family and the kids are named things like BryndLee and Lynexe.

[Anonymous]

That woman is gorgeous. I'd have six kids if I could look like that

[Anonymous]

Its like the Freckled Fox, but rich.

[Anonymous]

Why are there so many threads like this now? Really op you couldn’t bump one of the 20,000 other threads about wealth and status signifiers? These issues have been discussed ad nauseam, including whether having 3+ children is the new wealth signifier.

I am fascinated with how anxious people on this board appear to be about status and class. Who knew this could be such a big issue? It reminds me of my parents’ home country and I think it may be a sign of worsening income inequality and anxiety about the availability of resources. People sense that the consequences of being “poor” will have much bigger repercussions than in the past.

The answer is people can have or buy whatever the hell they want and you will never know how wealthy or healthy or mentally stable they really are. It is unknowable what the truth of people’s lives are. Go read a novel or something and let go of your obsession with comparing yourself to other people!

[Anonymous]

No! One son, one daughter. That's the traditional "Rich man's family" in the United States.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems like it implies health, stability, no student debt, good careers, trusts & inheritance. Car leases, vacations and mortgages can all be a carefully curated mirage.

Hilarious! I know someone that took a photo like this with her child accessories- she put it on FB. Who DOES that? LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think having 4-6 kids in urban private schools and taking international vacations indicates real wealth. 4-6 kids is pretty common in flyover country where I'm from, so it doesn't really indicate wealth. And not everyone who is wealthy actually wants 4-6 kids.

Yeah, to me it's driven by religion, not wealth.

X1000

The same people who go to church every Sunday and act like a-holes all week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are there so many threads like this now? Really op you couldn’t bump one of the 20,000 other threads about wealth and status signifiers? These issues have been discussed ad nauseam, including whether having 3+ children is the new wealth signifier.

I am fascinated with how anxious people on this board appear to be about status and class. Who knew this could be such a big issue? It reminds me of my parents’ home country and I think it may be a sign of worsening income inequality and anxiety about the availability of resources. People sense that the consequences of being “poor” will have much bigger repercussions than in the past.

The answer is people can have or buy whatever the hell they want and you will never know how wealthy or healthy or mentally stable they really are. It is unknowable what the truth of people’s lives are. Go read a novel or something and let go of your obsession with comparing yourself to other people!

+1

Wish I knew you, and more people like you - rather than being surrounded by shallow, insecure people like OP, IRL!

[Anonymous]

I don't think that OP is shallow ~ the ad is an interesting talking point. ARE we glamorizing this Kardashian type breeding?

[Anonymous]

It looks like that man is wearing a lace skirt. I guess he's very comfortable with his masculinity. It's a weird photo. I imagine the mom is just taking a breath before she yells "I need everyone out of this room RIGHT NOW. I'm still in my friggin' underwear and I can't even get dressed, never mind brush my teeth, will all you kids climbing all over me!"

[Anonymous]

Ultimate signal of real wealth?

It's peace and quiet. Not having to listen to your neighbors' media, motors, dogs, or guns.

Something that ought to be free and available to all, but in reality is the preserve of the wealthy in many places in this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you should have seen my face when I pulled this photo up



lol. Fwiw I have 3 kids now and there is no way I would want 5 or 6 total! Four would be my absolute max! I don't see how I could give 5-6 kids the level of individual attention I give my 3 kids now.

Nanny, au pair, tutors, housekeeper ... kids off to boarding school in grade 9. Hence, signal of wealth.

But as the parent, I still want to be able to give each child a certain amount of my attention each day. And I want my H to do so as well. Maybe I am too much of a control freak but as it is now I don't trust babysitters to oversee hw and I like to put them to bed myself and give cuddles, go to their activities and games myself, etc.

We're pretty maxed out time wise with 3 kids. I could see adding a 4th but no more than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No! One son, one daughter. That's the traditional "Rich man's family" in the United States.

Not anymore. Most of my ivy educated friends have 3 or 4 kids with mom staying at home. For a while 3-4 seemed like the new 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my circle it's 3-4 kids, private school, a country club and a house at the beach or in the mountains and a SAHM.

This, except I would say the cutoff is 4 kids

I agree with this, though there are plenty of poor families with 4 kids too. I don't know any really wealthy families with 5 or 6 kids. 2-4 is the norm. For one thing, most educated people don't start having kids until their late 20s or early 30s (even the ones who don't need to work), and they space their kids out to some extent. 5-6 kids, especially if close in age, screams "religious fundamentalist" to me.