Seventeen Children

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Babette

The girls are thrown into a caregiver/mother role being responsible for their siblings.

Thing is, that's the way most families used to be. That's the only way a family with more 5 kids can function, and most families used to have that many. Two people simply cannot mother or father that many children. There were four in my family and I was changing diapers, feeding, burping, teaching, entertaining, as much as any 11 year old could. I enjoyed some of it, was annoyed at some of it.

I think that the experience of helping to take care of a baby sibling is very beneficial to future parents. That isn't to say only children would make terrible parents, but any experience helps.

Still, 17, crazy.