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RE: Musing Posts

in #musing-threads6 years ago (edited)

Off the top of my head, I can't think of a family I know that exceeds more than nine members living in one household. That's plenty, though.

Yes, I believe it is still doable, but it takes a lot more patience, understanding and work than it did before simply because there's more options I believe, particularly for individual families, and more of us want our independence in some fashion rather than interdependence.

In the came of the family of nine, it's parents and their seven children. The oldest is not yet fourteen, so the younger children can sleep in the same rooms, while the older ones may bunk with a younger sibling of the same sex.

In the case of a multi-generational household, though, you can have three to four sets of families and therefore at least that many needs, up to three or four times more. Unless one generation or another is either content being left out of the equation, or just let's things go for the good of the order, there's bound to be conflict at some point.

In my case, I'd never make it. As it stands, there's five of us living in our home, (my wife and I, our youngest son and his family of three going on four). Just within the two generations, there is friction. I like being able to go where I want, when I want, without considering who might be around, or what they might want, need or think. At this stage in my life, I want to be winding down from having family in the home.

However, it's also been a blessing in that we get to have our granddaughter with us all the time, and get to see her develop and grow. It's been something I've enjoyed a lot, and her presence does help to mitigate some of the smaller irritations.

That said, my wife comes from a family that had several generations at once. She really enjoyed it ,and missed it for a long time after we were married and living on our own with our boys. It's' only been with the last ten years or so that she's actually become fine with a smaller household. In fact there, are even days where she would like to be alone herself.

So, it's possible, but not necessarily probable, and I'm sure the financial situations of everyone needs to be considered, how chores and living expenses will be divvied up. and all kinds of other things to consider. I wouldn't want to be in a household of ten or more, but I'm sure there are many in the world who are doing it, or wouldn't mind it.