How many children is the right amount for you?

**BellyBelly** · October 5th, 2003, 04:30 PM

I thought I would start this poll to see what our members feel is the right amount of children for their situation. There is no right or wrong answer, just what is right for you.

Do you think if your situation was different, for example finances, you would have more / less children? Discuss.

**Astrolady** · October 5th, 2003, 06:05 PM

We have #2 on the way and 2 is probably how it will stay. I would dearly love a 3rd more especially if we find out we are having another boy but a 3rd child would mean a bigger car to begin with. We only have a small laser hatchback and i remember with my two nephews carseats in there at the same time there wasn't a hell of a lot of room left in that back seat.

If we had a larger income then we would just go out and get another car, but a larger income will never happen.

Love

EmilysMum · October 8th, 2003, 10:49 PM

I would personally love three or four kids but Peter (dh) only wanted one, we have reached our compromise and we will have two. Which leaves me with only 1 more to go....

Carley

shell68 · October 10th, 2003, 08:40 PM

I would love 3, possibly 4. DH comes from a family of three siblings, so is happy to go with the flow.

**Lilly-Pilly** · October 24th, 2003, 08:52 PM

I would love 2 kids, but highly doubt thats going to happen. Ashy is 2 now and i always wanted two close together, but thats obviously not going to happen either. Being a single mum I know there is no way in hell I'd get back together with Ashlea's dad, but I couldn't imagine having 2 kids with different fathers, so I'm happy for it to be just me and Ashlea

Nentikobe · November 6th, 2003, 02:13 PM

My husband and I always said "two or four" We were going to stop after two because of financial reaons, however then we had Erin due to a mad moment of passion! LOL We were talking seriously about having number four in December 2000, when all of a sudden my husband changed his mind, he died 4 months later and I will be always grateful that he changed his mind ( I think due to a premonition that he was not going to live much longer even though he died very suddenly). It was hard enough with three small children, let alone being pregnant! Now, two and a half years later, I have a new partner and some days we would like another child together, though other days we think about the sleepless nights etc! So we will see what happens down the track, if we fall pregnant it is meant to be, and if we don't well thats ok as well

ragged_blossom · November 6th, 2003, 03:01 PM

Surely, I'm not the only one who wants more than 5 kids? :wink:

**kylie** · November 25th, 2003, 08:18 AM

2 is more than enough for me

Jelicle · November 25th, 2003, 10:20 AM

I have always wanted a large family (4-6) :shock: but my DH says that he would be happy with 2.

I keep saying to DH that we should have 4 hoping that he might compamise with 3.

Realistically though I think we will end up with 2 maybe 3. :wink: It is all about finances though, and the type of life and education you want your children to have. Don't you think? :?

**Rouge** · November 25th, 2003, 01:57 PM

Ideally I think I would like 2 or 3 but we are struggling with #2 atm

I think DH would prefer just 2 but I think 3 is a good number

I may or may not want more after that...we will just have to wait and see if we get there!

*hugs*
Cailin

becstar · March 25th, 2004, 02:12 PM

I always wanted ten children...................until I had one!!!!!

Then one was all I wanted, then things didn't work out with her dad and I and I met DH and he wanted kids.............two more came along. Since we have two boys and DD is not my DH he would love to have a girl. I told him for four years that he could only produce boys and to forget it. He never gave up though, and now I have come around to wanting another one ........ boy or girl it does not matter.

We just bought a new car (pajero) to fit another one in, but the repayments are going to mean that I can't stay on maternity leave very long and will have to go back to work part time!!!!!

The fourth child is also free at the private school that we send our children too. Pity that by the time #4 is ready to go to school DD will be in year 11 and we will only get one free year before she leaves school. LOL.

Who knows..... we can fit another one in the car after that!!!!!!

**mitch4now** · May 1st, 2004, 01:40 PM

I have always wanted 4 kids, 2 of ea sex.

After I had no.3 my DH said no more, he was happy, and I almost reconciled myself to that. I even sold my maternity clothes (how clever!) Then I reaised the topic with him. At the moment I am not working and I have whats called family leave of 7 yrs, I have used 1 yr so far. This is not pd leave, but it means my permanent teaching position will be held for that period of time while I have my family. Most principals will then allow 1 extra yr of leave without pay and that is what I am aiming for. That means I can stay home for full time work until 2010, returning in 2011. I worked out that if I had our 4th baby this yr I could then stay home for it's prep/1st yr of school and return to full time work the following yr. And when DH and I talked he said "No! I dont want any more,!" then "Well maybe". So the deficision was that we would have the 4th child now as I wanted to be finished by the time I was 30.

And here we are, after buying the 7 seater van. Financially we should be fine, luckinly if things go quiet for my self employed DH I can do emergency/relief teaching, which pays great and he can stay home and look after the kids. We also have a tiny mortgage compared to most people, we brought just before the boom in 1997, and that has meant we are coping financially on 1 wage.

I think if I had returned to full time work we would not have had the 4th child. I worked full time through the first 2 kids and it was really tough, I couldn't do it with 3 or 4 though, not until they are at school.

I do get tired of extended family members whinging about how many kids we have though, you would think they had to raise them and pay for them the way they complain. It's strange! Although the MIL did say "2 is enough!" Which was interesting since she had 3 herself and would have had 4 if not for the 3rd needing medical attenttion for most of her life.

To each his own, whether you have one or more is not relevent really, just so long as you have made the decision which suits you and makes you happy.
Cheers Michelle

**{sarah}** · May 1st, 2004, 02:29 PM

We don't have a real plan yet as to how many children we want. But having said that I would love a big family (my mum has six brothers, dad has two sisters & I have two sisters & one brother). Aaron isn't really fussed, just whatever makes me happy

I want at least two, but up to six would be fantastic. Now if only I could get pregnant with number one.......

**nellbe** · May 1st, 2004, 05:54 PM

DH and I would love to have 4 children - but I am saying that without having any yet!

Realistically we may be able to have 2 or 3, I am 31 now and I would like to thave the family complete by my late 30's. Also finances are a big factor with us. Especially since I want to be a SAHM when the time comes.

Those of you that are lucky enough to have found your DH's or DP's and/or have had the chance to have children in you twenties, are so very lucky. I would have loved to be a mother of 4 by now... but life doesn't always turn out the way you want or expect.

so we shall see what happens!

**nellbe** · May 2nd, 2004, 11:55 AM

For those that live in Victoria, there is a interesting article in today's Age Sunday Life Magazine called 'All My Children' and it has short interviews with family's that have 9, 5, 3 and 1 children/child. It is not a very indepth article but it is interesting if you can get your hands on a copy.

Pietta · May 2nd, 2004, 12:16 PM

I would love to have four because I would like a big family, but as I am only preg with number one, and I am not really loving pregnancy, I think we may end up having one, maybe two. I dont want to have the only child syndrome, but I want to have a career and that would be so much easier with one.
Anyway, we are going to go with the flow, (as suggested by some women in here), and see what happens. I am extremely happy that i have conceived with one.

Half way there + a wee bit. YAY!!! I know it is crazy but I think if I was guaranteed that bub would be healthy if born at 30 weeks I would be happy to give birth then. I know I may be weird, but like I said, I'm not too much into being pregnant. 8-[

**kelly2202** · May 2nd, 2004, 12:54 PM

Me either Pee and this is my third pregnancy!!!!

I would have stopped at 2 as I had the perfect pigeon pair but I met Ryan and I actually got married again, something I never thought would happen and now baby number 3 is on the way. I think Ryan would love more but this is it for me I think.

Cheers

**mouse_9_2001** · May 2nd, 2004, 04:05 PM

I want to have 4 kids so thats 3 more to go,
Anthony wants 5 or more, which i probably wouldnt mind, we said after the 4th we shall see what happens happens, we wont use contraceptives and if another baby comes then it shall be loved and wanted just as the rest,
though if i get 4 boys then ive warned anthony we may have to keep going till we get a girl hehehe

Lesley