Societal Attitudes

If you are anything like me, you'll cherish those times when someone compliments your family, or says a positive thing about the size of your family. Those times are increasingly rare. The IRS has decreased the number of dependent lines on the first page of tax forms. Fast food restaurants are overwhelmed if you go through with three kids, let alone six or more. And cars that hold more than 5 small people are increasingly expensive. Our society is less and less geared toward any more than two kids per family.

Unless you are of a warrior mentality and looking for a cause, you'll not feel like changing the attitudes of society is your goal. Coping and finding support is usually a more reasonable goal! Some things that help:

Find support. Find others who have large families and learn and share with them.

Turn a deaf ear. Learn to tune out what is irrelevant. When information comes in, you weigh it. If it is not applicable, then file it away in the trash can and let it go.

There will always be people who sympathize with a mother coping with a single bratty child, but who will criticize a mother of many if one of her children acts up. Just one of the down-sides to having many children. But if you look, there are also many people who will be helpful and kind, and who will admire your efforts.