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MP 008: Large Families

Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family

"For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly makes all other forms of success and achievement lose their importance by comparison." - Teddy Roosevelt Being blessed with a large family is what some couples long for and something that some couples don't even expect! Having ten children, we have a pretty realistic perspective on having more than five kids (which seems medium-sized to us!) There are considerations to being open to having more kids that are deeper than "why not?" There are challenges that parents need to think about because we are co-creators with God. That is not a responsibility to be taken lightly! We know many people who have had an amazing experience growing up in a big family, but there are some people who were deeply scarred because their parents weren't ready for what was coming. Parents can never forget that they have a responsibility to not just give life, but also educate that life as well. We would like to share our experience with you to encourage you to be intentional about planning for what lies ahead if God blesses you with a bunch of kids! Show Notes: * Familiaris Consortio #28 (or buy it at Amazon) * Pope Francis's address to Family Associations (Feast of the Holy Family 2014) * Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan * Information on NFP from the USCCB * Information on NFP from the Couple to Couple League "I guess the reasons against having more children always seemed uninspiring and superficial. What exactly am I missing out on? Money? A few more hours of sleep? A more peaceful meal? More hair? These are nothing compared to what I get from these five monsters who rule my life … each one of them has been a pump of light into my shriveled black heart." - Jim Gaffigan