h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

big families are fun.. (as much as i sometimes don't like being from such a *large* family... there are times when i'm really happy that i have as many siblings as i do... and stuff like that)

but also, there is always that problem with big families where you don't even know all of your 1st cousins- let alone anything like 2nd cousins... (like on my mom's side of the family.. i don't know all of my cousins... this is a problem... because there is always that fear with BIG families that you will actually have a crush on your second cousin without even knowing it.)



i wonder how other people with super big families feel about them.........

I usually find it makes for quite a lot of confusion at births, marriages and deaths (the only times I get to see all of the cousins and associated people). I'm usually asking, which one is which and who is married to who and what all the children are called. Still as the article says it makes for good parties with a ready made crowd

My mother was the youngest of three sisters, by ten years. Her nephews and nieces were from ten to thirty years older than me. This means that the majority are now dead - thank God. The jealousy and backbiting, expecially at weddings marked my teenage years. "She knew I was going to call my son Stephen. That's why she took the name when her son was born early" "Born early? If you ask me, those two had to get married" "I don't see why they had to have another new car - there was nothing wrong with the other one" "Thinks he's so flash, always giving money to other people's kids" (ie the speaker's) As the youngest granddaughter I was, of course, spolit by my grandparents And I was the only one to stay on at school after 15..... No thank you.

My Dad is the youngest of 13 and my husband the 2nd youngest of 6. In my dad's family his oldest sister (now dead) was older than my maternal grandparents. I don't have a clue how many cousins etc. I have, and couldn't name all of my aunts - we don't even exchange christmas Cards with most of them, and as for the cousins, 2nd cousins, 2nd husbands...... (wow, that's always difficult when we meet at weddings and I say "oh I remember your wedding" "no you don't it was last year on Barbados with no family"...)

With my husband's sisters 3 don't speak to one, the brother speaks only to us, we are the only ones who speak to everyone and that is probably because we live in a different country. And as for us? We're stopping at 2 offspring.

Doesn't anyone stop to realise that if we all had large families the world would be saturated with people in no time at all.
I think its about time we started to think about just replacing ourselves i.e. 2 children per family.
I realise that having a big family can be fun but its a bit unfair on everyone concerned don't you think?
The Chinese are penalised if they have more than one child.I think this is a bit harsh as everyone is entitled to a sibling but having said that my daughter is an only child and as a result has a much better lifestyle than if she had a sibling.
Good entertaining article though.

That's an old one - the problem is not human numbers on the planet but rather human's mis-managing the resources we have. Everyone could fit in the US with enough space and food production capability but alas we waste and polute so much...

Large families are a resuorce that the UK is badly missing, and unfortunately the looks people give large families and the way the housing in the UK is setup seems to put off those who would otherwise think about having larger families (except us).

Two questions - how if more families don't have lots of children is the UK going to solve it's huge pension crisis? and also what about looking after the elderly in approx ten years time?

Encouragement is needed in the UK to turn 1.6 and falling to at least 3 children per family to sustain our country as we know it.

Regards
(Dad to 6 and counting)

I've got four kids......I think I've done my bit for Britain, society, the world and the universe. Had they not all been delivered ny C-section I may well have considered furhter contributions. (not so sure hubby woulf agree!)
However, I feel satisfied mith my beautiful brood!

large amount ot typos above......sory fingers moving too fast.........must sort out the kids