Why I Used to Wish we’d Had More Kids

This post entitled “I Wish We’d Had More Kids” originally appeared on my previous blog back in early 2012.

I was reminded of it recently when Emily at Have A Laugh On Me posted 3 Signs You’ve Got Enough Kids …

Thankfully, the feeling didn’t last long – which is just as well because that year I ended up having a hysterectomy.

Anyways – read on to find out “Why I USED to Wish We’d Had More Kids!”

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I NEVER thought that I would say this, but lately I’ve been thinking that I wish we’d had more children.

Perhaps this is one of the side effects of being raised by a mum with severe mental health issues. I watched her have four children (I’m the eldest) and gradually lose the plot. Whereas she was relatively “normal” in my early years, by the time my youngest brother arrived she was a totally different woman, and my youngest siblings suffered for it.

I determined that when I had children, I would make sure to have only as many as I could handle.

Without a supportive mum / family network by my side – estranged from my Mum, my husband’s family living far away –  my husband and I realised that we were pretty much on our own. As I came to terms with my own diagnosis of depression, I realised that two little ones would probably be about our limit in a practical “hands-on” sense (not even touching on the financial aspect).

Now however, our two children have turned into such wonderful young people I really wish that we’d taken the plunge and had more!

Perhaps it would have been “do-able” if we’d left a bit of a gap between any future children, to make things a bit easier when they are tiny and oh-so-dependent.

My two little ones are now Mr-18-next-month and Miss 15 (NB – now 20 & 17 1/2!), and naturally enough developing their own lives. Good ol’ Mum and Dad are being left behind, which makes us a bit on the sad side!

What I think we miss most is the company of our children – nowadays, even when our teens are home you’d hardly know it, because they’re usually closeted in their rooms. It feels like the only time they emerge is to eat or shower!

I miss their cuddles (although it must be said, despite their age, both are still up for lots of hugs from their folks – in private anyway!). I miss being the one they turn to when something is happening in their lives. Their Dad does too.

There is just so much love in our home, it seems kind of a shame that we didn’t share this with more children.

And let’s face it, we have beautiful children – surely the world would be a better place if we’d had a few more?! (I mean, how CUTE are they?!)

Maybe if we’d had more kids we would be so busy we wouldn’t notice this gradual untying of the apron strings so much!

Does anybody else wish they’d had more kids? Or am I just weird?!