How many Children?

Voltex

I have 3 boys under 5.
What is the typical Irish family size in 2012/13?

pwurple

Here is the report on families from Census 2011.

Page 17 for average family size.

http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/census/documents/census2011profile5/Profile%205%20Households%20and%20Families%20full%20doc%20sig%20amended.pdf

Just below 1.4 children per family in 2011

The Big Red Button

I'm second eldest of seven.

I've no children yet myself, but can't imagine having more than 2-3.

Lisha

I am one of 5 and I have 2 under 5 myself and do not intend having any more. Husband is one of 8

deisemum

I'm the eldest of 9 and always knew I didn't want a big family so have 2 teenagers.

eviltwin

I grew up in a family of 3 kids, I have two and financially that's our limit.

Moonbeam

I was an only child so grew up wanting kids and never wanting my kids to be only children.
I have a 3 year old ,a 1 year old and a bump due in December and if the 3rd is as easy to mind as the 2 big girls then I think 4 is my number.
We could not afford more then 4 and I don't know where I would get the time to give them all individual attention, so for now 4 seems to be the perfect # for me.

January

I have 3... I am not quite sure if I am finished but if I do go again 4 will be it.

RubyGirl

Come 7th in a family of 12. I have two (7 year old & a 4 year old). Most of my sisters are Mammie's most have 3 babies.

stickybean

I am the oldest of two, I have one child so far and can't wait for number 2, trying at the minute, please God I would love 3 eventually, but happy with my wonderful little one for now

ash23

I'm the one of 5 and himself is one of 9.

I have one child and he has none.

I would hope to have one more at least and see how it goes and then carry on from there. My limit would be 3 more (4 in total).

Xdancer

I am 1 of 7 and himself is 1 of 2. We have 1 little girl. We don't plan on having any more as financially we couldn't afford it. I would like her to have a sibling but it wouldn't be the worst thing if she remains an only child.

username123

Im 1 of 2, he is 1 of 3, and neither of us want to have any.

barbiegirl

I'm one of 6 him one of 4, we always wanted 3-4 but right now we'd be happy with 1.:rolleyes:

CarMe

Im an only child and he's one of 5. We have 1 and we're happy with that but were young enough to have another in a good few years if we change our minds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

http://youtu.be/A9Tn-H251Uc

Not sure if that came out right, but its Nancy Griffith singig Turn around.

chieftain180

ha ha, thats a good question. id say 2 children is about average. because parents are having children late in life. 5 kids is a lot these days... just saying... if everyone had 5 kids the population would EXPLODE !!!! Sorry!!

Suucee

Im one of 4 and so is himself. Have 1 so far but would like to have 3. My sister has 2 and my brother has 4. .

liliq

I'm 1 of 2, himself is an only child. We've one so far, but would like 3, maybe 4?!

nicowa

I'm from a family of 6. All my aunts have bigger families than that, all my uncles only have 2 (I'm comparing brothers and sisters from the one family here) - except one who strangely enough lives in England most of his life.
Himself is 1 of 2 and his cousins are all small families.

All together we have 4 - he had 3 from a previous relationship and we have 1 little baby together. We have 2 teenage boys living in the house (his oldest two), his youngest is coming for three weeks at Christmas and we're currently trying for another baby.

And for the kicker - there's a 17 year age gap, he finished school the year I was born, and I'm closer in age to his oldest son than to him!

This kind of got away from me.

All in all, we hope to have a total of 5 kids (3+2).

LadyMayBelle

Im the eldest of 4, he is the eldest of 5; both of us would be more than happy with 2.

Rubberlegs

I'm the eldest of two, he's the 2nd youngest of 5. We have 3 ourselves. We have big age gaps between them, due to circumstances at the time. There won't be anymore now, and that's grand, as the youngest is just 10 months. If circumstances had been different, I would have liked at least one more...

cazzak79

I'm youngest of 7 and he is one of 4
I'd like to have 2 but think financially 1 will I have to do which I don't mind il have to stay working full time

implausible

I'm the oldest of 4, he's the youngest of 2. We have 2 now, I'd like 4, he reckons we're finished...:rolleyes:

MurdyWurdy

I only have one sibling and my huband has none, so we're a small family. We'd like two children but I'm pregnant at the moment with our first and extremely ill so the idea of a second is becoming less and less tempting! Maybe in a year or two I'll forget how debilitating it is and go for another

seamus

I'm the youngest of four, my wife is the youngest of three, and we've both said from the start that we'll go for 3, maybe 4 (we'll make that decision when have 3!). Now that we have our first, I suspect 3 is the magic number, but motherhood suits my wife, so you never know...

I think siblings are essential for a person, but then my 3 brothers are my best mates. I do know of huge families (10+) where some of the siblings are nothing more to eachother than lodgers living in the same building, so I think 3-5 is probably the magic number where everyone can (eventually) get along and become close.

Sleepy

I'm the eldest of 3, my fiancée is the middle child of 3.

We have 2 kids, one from before me and one together. Another one wouldn't be a disaster but we're not planning for it. As she puts it: "kitchen's closed, I want my life back when I'm still young enough to enjoy it".

eviltwin

seamus wrote: »

I think siblings are essential for a person, but then my 3 brothers are my best mates. I do know of huge families (10+) where some of the siblings are nothing more to eachother than lodgers living in the same building, so I think 3-5 is probably the magic number where everyone can (eventually) get along and become close.

Not sure I would agree with you on that one.....

I am the middle of three, I have zero relationships with either of them through choice. They are not bad people or anything like that but I just am happier without them and I dread the day a family event crops up where we will be thrown together.

My husband has siblings and they get along alright but despite them being born over three consecutive years they are not best mates...anything but!

I know we are rare but its amazing the way people assume siblings are going to be like a set of ready made best friends or something. Its not always the case.

username123

seamus wrote: »

I think siblings are essential for a person, but then my 3 brothers are my best mates.

I have no relationship with my sibling and he is not a part of my life through choice. I never liked him growing up and he only became more dysfunctional as he got older. I dont even hate him, I am just totally ambivalent about him, I couldnt care less.

I used to think itd be nice to have a sibling that I liked but there would always be the risk theyd be a horrible individual like my current one!!

dubstarr

Im an only child,hes 1 of 9 and we have 5 boys.3 under 5 and 2 teenagers.I didnt plan on having 5 its just the way things panned out.Dont regret it its good fun most days.

One so far and trying to start on a second but no luck yet. The plan is the girls want 4 however - 2 each. I just hope we have a son soon. This house is getting a little female heavy for my liking I am outnumbered and running a democracy in our household is likely to stop favoring me at all if this keeps up

dubstarr

Im completely outnumbered but i dont mind haha.

quad_red

I am one of three kids. And I would love to have a similar family now.

But after one... I don't think we could afford two never mind more.

Janey_Mac

seamus wrote: »

I think siblings are essential for a person.

They're clearly not. Lots of happy, well-adjusted only children on the planet.

I think it's wonderful that you and your siblings have such a lovely close relationship, but that's not a universal thing, and siblings who aren't close aren't a sign of a family that's dysfunctional.

I have one brother, we never really got on as kids though we had our moments and I have many good memories of playing with him as well as ones of the two of us tearing strips off each other! Now as adults we don't fight or anything but we're totally different people with different interests, different attitudes, different friends. I would never seek out the company of someone just like my brother who wasn't related to me.

movingsucks

Me 2nd of 4 and him oldest of 3.
I love having my siblings and yea there was fussing and fighting and not enough of somethings growing up but I wouldn't be without them.
However, my little crittur is so perfect that if I never had another child it wouldn't be the end of the world. If money was no worry I'd go for 3-4 but it is and I want to go back to work and some point and I dont think I could manage 3-4 kids and a job. My mum did but I couldn't !