I think I might finally be figuring out something.
I have a large family and I live in one of the most expensive places in the nation (69% higher than the average American town).
I forget that it isn't entirely the norm for people to have eight children. This may appear obvious to you, but to me these little people just quietly moved into my house as they stole my heart. So, I continually forget that I live against the current. Oh, I don't forget it when I am out shopping and the sixteen millionth person interrupts me to ask if I know where children come from (how original). And I certainly don't forget it when I see all those teeny tiny parking spaces that are made for über-compact electric cars that are driven by eco-snobs who apparently deserve to park in the very front because they aren't destroying our environment the way I am even though my van gets WAY better resource mileage per capita and I am single handedly populating the next generation whose salaries will pay for the socialized entitlement ideals that many of these drivers vote for year after year. *inhale* Yep, I don't forget it then. But I do forget it when I find myself looking at all the amazing ideas and resources for managing, organizing and decorating our life.
Great recipe? Quadrupling it isn't usually a viable option without experimentation to tweak prep and cooking times.
Darling decore? Somehow that bugs and trucks themed room won't work with four beds housing both boys and girls in that 9X10 bedroom.
Chore system? It all works beautifully for two (author - "Now my children know exactly what I expect of them each day. I can keep track of goals and school projects as well as regular responsibilities.") Yeah *snort* does it come with a GPS tracking device because, honestly, I would just like to know where all my children are on some days - forget their long term personal goals.
I hear words like "purge" and read articles that talk about getting rid of your children's old clothes. My garage makes the Goodwill look empty, and unorganized and yet I still don't have room to do much more than turn around in it. Keeping clothing stored for two genders and eight children ages 14 to 7 mos just takes room. Period. There are reasons those mega-families have things like specialized laundry rooms with ginormous launder-o-mat style machines and circular clothing racks for closets.
Yep. Scaleability. It's my new word. Our family is like the middle child that looks a lot like the milkman. We aren't quite small enough to fit into the average, the normal, the accepted. And yet we aren't big enough to deserve the pity of outsiders and have some DIY network come remodel my house so my kids can each have a place to sit in our living room during movie night (it can get ugly!).
1400 sq. ft.
3 bedrooms
1 shower
2 dogs
2 rabbits
8 children
1 mother
1 father
With these statistics we've got to be learning something... I'm just not sure what at the moment.
