Parents of 4+ kids

[Anonymous]

I live in a wealthy catholic area (not in DMV) and I know 10 families with 4 kids. It’s wild! All of the moms had their last kid between 36-42, and I would guess most started in their early 30s. The biggest age gap between 1 and 4 I know of is about 9 years, with most being 2-3.

[Anonymous]

33. Other kids were 2.5, almost 5, and 8.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:33. Other kids were 2.5, almost 5, and 8.

Then I had #5 when #4 was 3y5m.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:DH and I always talked about having 4. I am 42 now and while I know that isn’t old in DC standards I am hesitant to have another. But I get wistful sometimes thinking our family isn’t complete.

Yes that IS old by DC standards. It's too damned old to have a baby, especially even you already have kids.

Stop it with your judgement. I'm the PP who had a first at 25 and tried to get a third in my 40s. I can afford it, and I have all my wits about me. People are more capable than you think.

You think this world with Anti Vaxers leading the way is a great place to bring a child?

Third in your 40's? So when that kid is 20 you are in your 60s fabulous parenting.

Having a kid is not only about money.

You are selfish.

Women have been having babies on their 40s for centuries.

Both my dad and his mother were born to women in their mid-40s. Before birth control this was incredibly common because women just had kids until they couldn't anymore. It's weird to suddenly decide it's selfish now?

Sure, but doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. Complications, risks, issues, are all much greater- especially as you approach mid to later 40’s.

[Anonymous]

Kid 1: 28
Kid 2: 31
Kid 3: 32
Kid 4: 35

Had significantly more energy in my 30s. Can imagine having a baby in mid 40s.

[Anonymous]

Can't imagine... maybe it's because I was tired with four kids running around!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet another thread where rich old ladies think their money and their selfishness somehow trump biology.

So the women posting that they had children in their 40s are lying? My grandmother had my mother when she was late 40s. Quite a surprise. My mom is 80 now.

[Anonymous]

5+ kids are becoming more common, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Had all four kids between 35-40. Busy 5 years, I know! The last pregnancy was far harder than the first three.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I always talked about having 4. I am 42 now and while I know that isn’t old in DC standards I am hesitant to have another. But I get wistful sometimes thinking our family isn’t complete.

Yes that IS old by DC standards. It's too damned old to have a baby, especially even you already have kids.

Stop it with your judgement. I'm the PP who had a first at 25 and tried to get a third in my 40s. I can afford it, and I have all my wits about me. People are more capable than you think.

You think this world with Anti Vaxers leading the way is a great place to bring a child?

Third in your 40's? So when that kid is 20 you are in your 60s fabulous parenting.

Having a kid is not only about money.

You are selfish.

Women have been having babies on their 40s for centuries.

Both my dad and his mother were born to women in their mid-40s. Before birth control this was incredibly common because women just had kids until they couldn't anymore. It's weird to suddenly decide it's selfish now?

+1,000

No, no one here is living like a 1920s SAHM. Back then people rarely even went to restaurants with their whole family, vacations were minimal or road trips, college wasn’t for most, there were no travel or organized sports beyond basic high school teams for most kids, no education supplementing needing to be done at home ever. People, especially UMC live very different lives now. Parenting well takes a is a lot more time, energy, and money than it ever did before. The expectations of kids are also vastly different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I always talked about having 4. I am 42 now and while I know that isn’t old in DC standards I am hesitant to have another. But I get wistful sometimes thinking our family isn’t complete.

Yes that IS old by DC standards. It's too damned old to have a baby, especially even you already have kids.

Stop it with your judgement. I'm the PP who had a first at 25 and tried to get a third in my 40s. I can afford it, and I have all my wits about me. People are more capable than you think.

You think this world with Anti Vaxers leading the way is a great place to bring a child?

Third in your 40's? So when that kid is 20 you are in your 60s fabulous parenting.

Having a kid is not only about money.

You are selfish.

Women have been having babies on their 40s for centuries.

Both my dad and his mother were born to women in their mid-40s. Before birth control this was incredibly common because women just had kids until they couldn't anymore. It's weird to suddenly decide it's selfish now?

+1,000

No, no one here is living like a 1920s SAHM. Back then people rarely even went to restaurants with their whole family, vacations were minimal or road trips, college wasn’t for most, there were no travel or organized sports beyond basic high school teams for most kids, no education supplementing needing to be done at home ever. People, especially UMC live very different lives now. Parenting well takes a is a lot more time, energy, and money than it ever did before. The expectations of kids are also vastly different.

Different, not all necessarily better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I always talked about having 4. I am 42 now and while I know that isn’t old in DC standards I am hesitant to have another. But I get wistful sometimes thinking our family isn’t complete.

Yes that IS old by DC standards. It's too damned old to have a baby, especially even you already have kids.

Stop it with your judgement. I'm the PP who had a first at 25 and tried to get a third in my 40s. I can afford it, and I have all my wits about me. People are more capable than you think.

You think this world with Anti Vaxers leading the way is a great place to bring a child?

Third in your 40's? So when that kid is 20 you are in your 60s fabulous parenting.

Having a kid is not only about money.

You are selfish.

Women have been having babies on their 40s for centuries.

Both my dad and his mother were born to women in their mid-40s. Before birth control this was incredibly common because women just had kids until they couldn't anymore. It's weird to suddenly decide it's selfish now?

+1,000

They didn't have a choice then. Duh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I always talked about having 4. I am 42 now and while I know that isn’t old in DC standards I am hesitant to have another. But I get wistful sometimes thinking our family isn’t complete.

If you have three healthy kids I'd stop.

[Anonymous]

43. Healthy and a lovely child. She's a tween now and I'm tired!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I always talked about having 4. I am 42 now and while I know that isn’t old in DC standards I am hesitant to have another. But I get wistful sometimes thinking our family isn’t complete.

Yes that IS old by DC standards. It's too damned old to have a baby, especially even you already have kids.

Stop it with your judgement. I'm the PP who had a first at 25 and tried to get a third in my 40s. I can afford it, and I have all my wits about me. People are more capable than you think.

You think this world with Anti Vaxers leading the way is a great place to bring a child?

Third in your 40's? So when that kid is 20 you are in your 60s fabulous parenting.

Having a kid is not only about money.

You are selfish.

Women have been having babies on their 40s for centuries.

Both my dad and his mother were born to women in their mid-40s. Before birth control this was incredibly common because women just had kids until they couldn't anymore. It's weird to suddenly decide it's selfish now?

+1 I do genealogy work and am finding that it was quite common to have children in your 40s unless you were widowed young. I was also surprised to find that in the past people in the US actually did not marry as young as I had expected, primarily becuase many states had laws requiring parental consent to marry before age 21, though some couples would elope to states with less strict laws liek Nevada and West Virginia. Especially in the war years and during periods of high immigration, men in particular would not marry until their late 20 and even 30s.