"Absent the binding power of children, the extended family will disappear, and the nuclear family will disintegrate. There will be few mothers and fathers, no siblings, no cousins, no aunts or uncles; whole lineages will flicker out. If family is the audience to the drama of life, each individual will perform in the chill of an empty the…
"Absent the binding power of children, the extended family will disappear, and the nuclear family will disintegrate. There will be few mothers and fathers, no siblings, no cousins, no aunts or uncles; whole lineages will flicker out. If family is the audience to the drama of life, each individual will perform in the chill of an empty theater."
My mom is one of six kids; my dad is one of five kids; my husband's mom is one of eight kids; my husband's dad is one of nine kids. Most of them got married and had their own kids. I have twenty-five (I think?) first cousins, and my husband has never taken the time and effort to count his.
I'm an only child because my parents had fertility problems. My husband was an only child for most of his childhood, until his half-sister was born. Our two kids have no first cousins, and at this point, it looks like they're unlikely to have any. Theoretically, I would have liked a third kid, but I'm too introverted, mentally ill, and C-section-scarred.
I'm grateful for my dad's side of the family, which decided they wanted to keep doing huge family get-togethers, even when the cousins grew up and had their own kids. Big Halloween party today, packed with toddlers whose names I can't remember (one year, five kids were born in six months!) and too much candy.
Edit, the next day: And, it turns out one cousin’s wife is pregnant with their first baby. 🙂
"Absent the binding power of children, the extended family will disappear, and the nuclear family will disintegrate. There will be few mothers and fathers, no siblings, no cousins, no aunts or uncles; whole lineages will flicker out. If family is the audience to the drama of life, each individual will perform in the chill of an empty theater."
My mom is one of six kids; my dad is one of five kids; my husband's mom is one of eight kids; my husband's dad is one of nine kids. Most of them got married and had their own kids. I have twenty-five (I think?) first cousins, and my husband has never taken the time and effort to count his.
I'm an only child because my parents had fertility problems. My husband was an only child for most of his childhood, until his half-sister was born. Our two kids have no first cousins, and at this point, it looks like they're unlikely to have any. Theoretically, I would have liked a third kid, but I'm too introverted, mentally ill, and C-section-scarred.
I'm grateful for my dad's side of the family, which decided they wanted to keep doing huge family get-togethers, even when the cousins grew up and had their own kids. Big Halloween party today, packed with toddlers whose names I can't remember (one year, five kids were born in six months!) and too much candy.
Edit, the next day: And, it turns out one cousin’s wife is pregnant with their first baby. 🙂