Another About # Of Kids

[itlw8]

when I was growing up in the 50's and 60's our familiy of 4 was a large family most of our friends had 2 or 3. Except for the one family. They had 8 the lone Catholic family in the neighborhood.

dh is from a family of 6 most of his friends were also.

The difference he was Catholic and went to Catholic school.

I am Presbyterian and went to public schools. Most of the large families back then were farm families or Catholic. My Dad was a Dentist so they could afford a larger family.


I have noticed most of the larger families are Southern Baptist. I am probably wrong on that just what I have seen around here. So do you think religion plays a part in the size of families?

[MarinaVanessa]

So do you think religion plays a part in the size of families?

In my culture and my cultures religion (my parents are Mexican, both born there, and their families including myself all grew up Catholic) I believe it did play a huge role. In my culture it was unheard of for someone of my grandmothers generation for a wife to use any type of birth control or to even "deprive" their husbands of sex. As a wife you had a duty and of course the men NEVER used birth control like condoms either because of religious beliefs. My mother's generation was a little better, meaning that couples were a little more open to it but hid it from others. My parents used birth control after having me then 10 years later decided to try for a 2nd child because we were more established and we were no longer low income and both parents worked.

People in the family would talk about it (i overheard a conversation) behind their backs and would assume that my mom must not be able to have kids because they only had me. When my mom had my sister the family considered her a "miracle baby" and my mom let them think that because she said it was better for them to think that than for them to know that she was on birth control. Silly isn't it?

In my famiy's situation it was party religion and partly culture inn the way that they grew up and what they were used to.

[daycare]

I do agree that religion does play a big part in it. Like i said in the other post I think it comes down to the support system that you have. My neighbor that lives across the street has 7 kids. they belong to a Mormon church. The mom does not work and stays home with the kids. That women is a taxi cab and super mom all in one. I don't know how she does it. BUT if she did not have the support of their church and the kind of money that they have, I don't know how they would do it. Their church brings them meals, clothes, takes their kids to and from practices and what not. I do belive that this was the way back then too, but I could be wrong, becuase I only know what I read. I did not live here back then

[Blackcat31]

I was raised a Lutheran (as were BOTH my parents). I am from a family of 6. My parents are also from 7+ families.

My DH was raised as Protestant and he is one of 5 kids. His parents (one a Protestant, the other non-denominational) are also from big families.

I have no idea if religion plays a role in the size of the family or not.

[itlw8]

oh one other thing my dh fiamily of 6 was not a large family in their church it was average. the large one were farm families and had 13 or more kids.

[DCBlessings27]

With my mom's side, religion definitely played a role in family sizes. I am 1 of 5. My mom was 1 of 7 (would have been 9 but the last 2 pregnancies were stillborn). Her dad was 1 of 11. Of his siblings, one sibling had 13. Another had 11 I think. Anyway, it's a lot of second cousins for me; I've lost track. They were all Catholic and did not use birth control as the church does not believe in birth control. I am no longer Catholic (after marrying dh). However, some of my siblings are remaining Catholic. Two of my Catholic siblings are not using birth control; one does use it.

It doesn't have to be Catholic religion though. I'm not sure what my brother's friends are other than being Christian, but they're up to 11 I think (a couple adopted). They tell my brother that they'll stop when God stops giving them children.

[Country Kids]

The one family that always comes to mind for large are the Duggars and the Bates.

I'm not sure what religions they are but would love to spend a day with them and pick up some tips.

Amish families have very large families also. My hubs almost had a chance to have dinner with a family (the two parents and 14 children). He was so happy I wasn't with him because we would have been there, notebook in hand and me happy as a clam.

[AmyLeigh]

In my culture and my cultures religion (my parents are Mexican, both born there, and their families including myself all grew up Catholic) I believe it did play a huge role. In my culture it was unheard of for someone of my grandmothers generation for a wife to use any type of birth control or to even "deprive" their husbands of sex. As a wife you had a duty and of course the men NEVER used birth control like condoms either because of religious beliefs. My mother's generation was a little better, meaning that couples were a little more open to it but hid it from others. My parents used birth control after having me then 10 years later decided to try for a 2nd child because we were more established and we were no longer low income and both parents worked.

People in the family would talk about it (i overheard a conversation) behind their backs and would assume that my mom must not be able to have kids because they only had me. When my mom had my sister the family considered her a "miracle baby" and my mom let them think that because she said it was better for them to think that than for them to know that she was on birth control. Silly isn't it?

In my famiy's situation it was party religion and partly culture inn the way that they grew up and what they were used to.

Similar in my grandmother's generation, except they were white Pentecostals. My grandmother had 11 children, my great aunt had 17.

[cheerfuldom]

The one family that always comes to mind for large are the Duggars and the Bates.

I'm not sure what religions they are but would love to spend a day with them and pick up some tips.

Amish families have very large families also. My hubs almost had a chance to have dinner with a family (the two parents and 14 children). He was so happy I wasn't with him because we would have been there, notebook in hand and me happy as a clam.

The Duggars and Bates are a form of Baptists. I thought I heard it was called Missionary Baptists but I could be wrong on that particular detail. they are both "quiverful" meaning they leave the size of the family up to God and do not use any form of birth control.

I think some religions are definitely more pro-big family. When there are traditional values and households, there are more likely to be more kids.

[countrymom]

not in my house, I wanted an even number of children because I wanted to make sure everyone always had a partner esp for roller coaster rides (it works out great now except my odd doesn't like hieghts) I think if my house was bigger we would have more. Oh I'm catholic and dh is athiest (he has no religion so I told him he's now catholic )

[AnneCordelia]

I was raised Mormon and they have big families. The church frowns on birth control and the result is large families.

I am now atheist, as is my husband. We have four children but because we wanted four children and not because we are associated with a religion that dictates birth control.