Saturday, January 31, 2009

How Many Is Too Many?

A single mother in California recently gave birth to octuplets. She already had 6 children. Leaving financial issues aside, I wonder how many kids is just too many? I know of families that are very large and that it can work. I just wonder if having that many young children by yourself is realisitic. I am sure she will find a way to make it work, I just wonder how.

I often am left wondering how to manage my household with two children. A situation came up last week that had me thinking about how to add another child to the family. I found those answers pretty easily and hope that it is possible. My original plan is to wait until sometime late this year or early next year to accept another concurrent foster child. That will change if the social worker decides that I can have a special little girl in my home. I won't know for awhile if that will happen but I have figured out how to make it work.

The biggest challenge will be finding a minivan. I have an SUV now but it is very difficult to fit 3 car seats/booster seats in the back. It also does not have enough seats for taking the teenagers (J and B) to church on Sundays or transporting P to activities every 1-2 weeks. M will often take the opportunity to hit and scratch whoever is unlucky enough to be sitting in the seat next to him. That always leads to crying and frustration from the child being hit and M when the child grabs his arm to prevent another attack.

Please let me know if anyone knows of a reliable minivan or SUV with a third row seat that is affordable. I think I will be forced to give up my much loved SUV in the very near future for a vehicle with enough seats.

Oh, and a note to my family and friends. Don't worry. I know that 14 kids is too many for me. I am thinking more like 3 now and maybe in about 5 years adding a fourth. I really don't see more than that in my future and really don't expect to have more than 3 if number 3 is a girl. I liked the woman in California's mother stating she wished her daughter had become a kindergarten teacher. I don't think that would stop me from wanting more children but I do know that 14 very young kids would be a huge challenge.

1 comment:

Angela :-) said...

And some people think single parenting would be a huge challenge....

Angela :-)