by Volecia Plafcan

Created on: November 04, 2009   Last Updated: November 08, 2009

That depends on how many you want and can afford, how many you need to carry on the family business. Or, as it was, my mother was raised on a farm in the early 1900s. She eventually ended up with eleven brothers and sisters.

They worked in the fields except for the ones taking care of the smaller ones and besides baby sitting, they had to help with the work around the house.

Many farmers had big families. When the boys graduated high school, they joined the military and were sent to different countries. Some made the military their profession and when discharged, the others continued their education in college.

The girls ended up being married, as that was the way of life then. My grandmother married when she was fourteen, and her daddy provided the land needed for my granddaddy to farm.

There was plenty space for all of them to roam and play and fish and hunt, when time permitted, and as far as I know, none of them were ever lost in the woods.

Two major accidents were my uncle running with an axe on his shoulder, when he stumbled and fell causing the axe to slip and make a huge cut in his shoulder. Another uncle was kicked in the head by a horse and died.

All of these children, over the years, shared much love and when one was in trouble, the whole family came running. There was plenty to eat and then some to share with the neighbors. They all attended the same school, so there was no problem there. Everyone attended the same church.

Of course, when a stranger showed, there was much suspicion and he didn't linger long after being served a nice supper.

Living in the city, how in the world, would one keep tabs on three children, much less twelve? And feed and clothe them? It would take a rich family, like the Kennedys.

It would be better to raise a small family in the city. At least, it was for me. Friends were close by so it didn't take very long for me to drive one here and one there. They attended the same school for a while for there was a three year age gap. Having to work, the babysitter lived right down the street or day care wasn't that far away when she couldn't sit.

Groceries cost much less than they do today so, they were not hard to feed. Sometimes, they would have sleepovers, but, usually at our house for which I would be thankful. Church was just a few minutes away; the theatre right down the street and there was no problem in getting them to the same school.

So, all in all, it's whether or not you can afford a large family in the city with all it's crime, the country would be the place for a large family and the city, a small one.

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