Growing Up in a Large Family

There is nothing in life that can compare to growing up in a large family. Most of my friends were either awed by the organized chaos that was characteristic of my large family or totally overwhelmed and ran for the hills. Personally, there is not a single thing I would change about the size of my family or how I grew up in my large family.

I grew up in a family of nine children. Yes you read that right, nine children. The second child of nine, I was at the top of the pecking order, my position came with several benefits and just as many disadvantages.

Once people discover the size of my family I get the usual barrage of questions. The most common question being, "What is it like growing up in a large family?". Well, here is a glimpse into what it is like growing up in a large family.

Personal space-- what is that?

I did not grow up in a mansion, no I grew up in a regular single family house. When you are part of a large family you get used to people being around you 24/7, it is just a fact of life. Growing up I never had a room of my own, I barely had a closet of my own. I had to move all the way across the Atlantic, to a foreign country, to finally get a room of my own. When I got there the quiet and solitude was enough to drive me nuts, it was not long before I was wishing for a family member to invade my personal space.

I didn't do it!

When you have eight brothers and sisters there is a lot you can get away with. If an only child makes a mess or the only two siblings in a family wage a pillow fight their chances of getting off the hook are slim. Not a problem when you have so many other suspects around you. Stick to "I didn't do it" as mom goes down the line, when there are nine kids involved I guarantee she will not have the time to interrogate.

Sophia did it!

For as many time as "I didn't do it" works "Sophia did it" works against you. With so many siblings around the chances that one of your brothers will catch you in a misdeed are pretty high. Most of the time you have enough dirt on your siblings to keep them quiet, but when summer camp is at risk nothing stops a brother from ratting you out.

What's my name?