Brotherhood


Being from a large family I have learned the value of important skills such as negotiation and compromise at a young age. Patience, a sense of humor, and the ability to multi-task are just a few of the skills parents and their children master.


They are in descending order of age:

Kathleen
Ed
Paul
David
Stephen
Chris
Matt

although when written in text this does not seem like a large family ... but imagine the 9 of us living in a 4 bedroom colonial in upstate NY with long winter and dreary days. Those are the beginnings of a reality t.v. show.... unfortunately such a program would not likely be aired on prime-time network television. there are times when we couldn't even stand to be in the same room. or are quite literally at each others throat. But pulling through those hard times is what brings you even closer together and grudges are rarely kept.

I can appreciate the advantages to such a large family.

Being from a large family I have learned the value of important skills such as negotiation and compromise at a young age. Patience, a sense of humor, and the ability to multi-task are just a few of the skills parents and their children master.

"I never knew there were noodles in chicken noodle soup until I went to college. By the time it reached me, all the noodles had already been scooped up." this quote typifies a large families dinner time rituals. I was never forced to "clean my plate" as there was always someone who would be happy to have seconds, something that i find as a valuable trait in my adult life. If I'm not hungry i stop eating. I know some people who feel as though if they don't eat everything in front of them they are somehow doing something wrong.

With each child born into a family, parents tend to lighten up and relax. By the time the fourth or fifth child comes along, my parents realize that teeth don't fall out after one missed brushing, and pneumonia rarely strikes the child who consistently refuses to wear a hat.

all of mom's children know how to cook, and entertain themselves this is a trait that I take for granted ...until i meet people who don't have a clue when it come to taking care of their own basic needs.

Some Disadvantages of a large family include things like lack of focus. with such diversity in a family unit it is difficult for any one child to get the support and attention needed to really excel in their interests. as a child you are left to your own devices. a good example of this is when i used to take piano lessons. As a kid I just wanted to go out and "play" a summer of mom nagging me to practice and she was done with it ("if the kid doesn't want to play then why should i force him?") I now wish she had taken a more forceful hand when it came to my Piano lessons. As an adult I wish i had stuck with it.
The mental, financial, and physical resources required of a large family usually mean that some where some how sacrifices are made. But those sacrifices are what helps me to be balanced. I have a huge wealth of knowledge and experience stemming largely from my family.

Posted: Tue - March 23, 2004 at 09:23 PM           |

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