21 consequences of being part of a big family 

21 consequences of being part of a big family

Whenever I think of a big family I think of that movie my big Fat Greek Wedding. That movie makes me laugh. I’m not Greek but I am from a big family. Big Families are species of their own and something that seems completely foreign until you acquire one.

 

Some of us are born into big families, others marry into big families. I feel sorry for my husband and others like him who marry into a big family.

 

My big family

 

I come from a family of four children, almost everyone is married which makes for 8 siblings. Mom and dad makes 10 in our immediate family. Then of course there is our adopted Aunt who is part of the family too.

 

My husband is an only child and I constantly see the size of the family through his eyes which means I now see the consequences of being from a BIG family.

 

The consequences of being part of a big family

 

  1. I can hold multiple conversations at any time. Even if I’m only theoretically participating in one of those conversations.
  2. I speak just a little louder than your average person.
  3. It takes months upon months to plan a family holiday now that we’re adults. Actually, planning anything, even a dinner out, is an absolute mission.
  4. There is still a baby of the family who gets advice thrust upon them, wanted or not.
  5. It’s impossible to remember everyone’s birthday and anniversary.
  6. Everyone is involved, welcome or not, in raising your children.

  7. Nothing is secret, it can be for about a second but the minute you share said secret with someone else, they will share it with another family member who will share it with another and on and on the secret-sharing-chain will continue.
  8. Someone will always remember that embarrassing time you had a breakdown because your parents gave you a chair for Christmas (I was a teenager, it was embarrassing, crying was the natural result people).
  9. Everyone has an opinion and will share it with you or anyone that seems to be interested.

  10. It takes forever for the family to assemble to eat a meal or take a photograph. It actually takes everyone forever to do anything and everyone is certain it’s everyone else who is making the rest of us late.
  11. There is almost never enough space in the car on car trips and no one has planned additional vehicles.
  12. There is always a random pair of socks, jocks or ugly jersey that gets passed around unclaimed.
  13. Buying Christmas presents could send you into a lifetime of debt and there is no guarantee you’ll remember to get something right for everyone.
  14. Chances are if there is a special occasion coming up two people in the family will be arguing, either passively or passively agressively.
  15. There are almost always enough participants for a family game of cricket, rugby, soccer, hockey or frisbee.
  16. Hand-me-downs…enough said 🙂

  17. You never need to invite anyone other than family members to birthday parties, Christmas lunch, christenings or Easter because there will be enough people anyway.
  18. There should be someone available to take your call at 2am or 2pm or at least be able to message you back.
  19. You will be called by a plethora of names other than your own.
  20. There are family jokes, inside-jokes, that no-one else will get. But these jokes keep momentum due to the size of the audience who remembers why it was funny.

  21. You were always the ONE who got treated worse than anyone else 🙂 everyone else in the family had it easy in comparison!

2 thoughts on “21 consequences of being part of a big family 

  1. I’m from a big family too and hubby had only one unmarried sibling. Our families are very different!!

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