For some of us, growing up and having kids is the American Dream. Of course, we all have different numbers of kids in our heads and some people just go with the flow.
You hear a lot about families that choose to have multiple kids, including families with 12 or more children. Why do they do it? Take a look at the reasons I found.
Why Do People Have So Many Kids?
1. They Love Kids
This should be the top reason that some people have so many kids. It should be that they absolutely love kids and just want to keep their home full of them.
It’s alright to love kids and want to have a houseful. As long as they can provide for the kids’ needs, who are we to judge their overflowing household?
Kids need to be loved and what better way to do so than to have a multitude of them. What you think of as so many kids might just be to them more joy in their hearts.
The kids in their lives fulfill their homes and their hearts. It’s a touching concept.
2. Religious Purpose
Some religious preferences don’t believe in birth control. Some religions believe that you will be blessed with the children you are meant to have so why try to stop it.
Other religions tend to stay away from chemical medical approaches such as birth control. It’s not that they are against using birth control but rather against taking the medications.
Regardless of the why behind it, it’s important to respect religious preferences and beliefs. They wholeheartedly believe that using birth control or other means would be wrong.
Many religions have stepped away from these concepts but some still follow them closely.
3. Poor Resources
In some places, someone might have so many kids because they don’t have good resources and therefore no access to birth control. In some cases, their access is very limited.
The challenge remains that even though birth control pills are typically free, they aren’t always the best solution for everyone. None of the other methods are as easy to access.
They also aren’t all the same costs so accessing what might be the right solution becomes financially impossible in many cases. The lack of valid resources leads to more kids.
4. Increase In Assistance
In some cases, people will have more kids as a method to take advantage of the system. I want to be clear I am not pointing fingers but this does happen.
When you have more children and a low income, you are entitled to additional government assistance. The increase in children raises your poverty levels.
Since having children reaps higher financial benefits and assistance, some people will keep having them. Unfortunately, these children may not be valued as they should be.
Of course, in some cases, they are still loved and cared for greatly.
5. Multiple Marriages Or Partners
Another common reason that some people have so many kids is that it’s no longer the norm to stay with a partner for life. Divorce rates creep higher and higher over time.
With multiple partners and multiple marriages, there are likely to be more kids. It’s common to want to have children with the next partner or spouse. There are many mixed families like this.
When you consider that both partners might have children to bring into the new relationship, the household only grows more. And then they may decide to have more children together.
In this case, the entire household might not belong to the couple residing there at the time. But when they bring all of their children together, it’s a full house!
6. Family Contribution
In some cultures, it’s common to have a lot of children to make sure more survive and can care for each other. This is based on low survival rates and the need to help out.
This will depend on the culture and the location but the thought process could be that more children will provide better for the family. Everyone chips in to help the family be successful.
All of the kids and the adults work together to provide for the family. They are a strong unit and they depend on each other for survival and health.
7. More Help Around The House
Once you pass a certain number of kiddos in the home, it just feels normal to keep going. The biggest struggle is likely going to be space and schedules when the number of kids grows.
Housekeeping and chores can be incredibly overwhelming for a small family. But with a large family, you have more hands to chip in and do chores. If everyone does small parts, it helps.
Having more kids can easily mean more help around the house. The older kids can contribute to helping with the younger kids. Everyone can learn to be helpful and useful in some way.
8. It’s A Constant Party
People who choose to have a lot of kids enjoy the fact that their lives are always chaotic. They always have someone to be with and someone to care for. It’s a constant party in the home.
Something fresh and interesting is always happening. There will be activities, kiddos to chase, and something to keep you busy. Your heart and your home will always be full in some way.
Even as kids grow older and choose to move out or away, you will still have little ones. And by the time the youngest is grown, you will have grandkids running around.
9. Because They Can
As medicine and technology continue to improve, so does a woman’s childbearing years. At one time, a woman would be done having children by the time she was thirty.
That is no longer the case. Some women don’t even start having children until they reach their 30s now. Pregnancies are much safer and you have more years to do so safely.
In some cases, women have so many kids just because they can. Their bodies continue to allow them to have children so they keep going. Our bodies are amazing in that way.
10. Road To Fame
Some people choose to have large families because it is a clear road to fame. You’ve seen it with families like The Duggars but there are many more out there.
Extreme families can get you into the spotlight. It’s not a great motive but it could be a driving factor for some people.
11. Births Of Multiples
One thing that might lead to having a lot of kids without meaning to is the possibility of multiples. Things like IVF and other modern medicines can lead to multiples more often.
When you have multiples and you decide to try again, it’s easy to end up with more multiples. This is especially true if IVF is used. In this case, the multiples might be unexpected.
But those numbers just add to your family and you might end up with a lot of kids.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why babies stare at you, why parents think they know everything, and why parents are so entitled.
Conclusion
How many kids a family chooses to have is truly their own business. As long as a family can provide for their kids in some way, no harm is done here.
Religious beliefs might also be a major factor in homes with a lot of kids. Whatever their reason, no one is forcing you to have that many kids if you don’t want to.