If you've found yourself struggling to stand first in line to get food during a family Thanksgiving, you've probably have grown up in a large family. You constantly find yourself trying to find room at family get-togethers or struggle to get out the door after saying goodbye for the hundredth time. Having a large family is both a struggle and a blessing.
However, it's something that most people wouldn't trade for the world. Here are eight pros and cons of growing up in a large family.
 Pro: You always have someone to talk to.
Photo by Mike Scheid on Unsplash
No matter what you, always have someone who's there for you no matter what. Whenever you are going through something and need someone to talk to, you can always go to one of your family members. It can feel really nice, especially when you go through a stressful or tough situation.
Con: Family get-togethers can be exhausting.
My family on Thanksgiving
Maria Lee
Anyone who has a large family knows that family get-togethers are one of the most stressful things about having a large family! You always are overcrowded at your house or trying to fight to get food during Thanksgiving. And leaving can also be a hassle! You find yourself trying to sneak past the door to avoid saying goodbye again. It's enough to make any family gathering exhausting!
Pro: You never have to worry about being alone.
My family at my nephew's high school graduation
Maria Lee
The best part about having a large family is that you always have a family member to hang out with. No matter where you go, you find yourself always surrounded by your family. And your family members will never leave you, which is something that makes having a big family great.
Con: There's ALWAYS a birthday party or baby shower.
Photo by Alasdair Elmes on Unsplash
The bad part about having a large family is that every week there's something going on. Whether it's a birthday party or a baby shower, you always find yourself going to some type of family party. On one hand, it can be great because you always have something to do. On the other hand, you always have to find a gift to buy for one of your family members. Plus you also always have to make sure you're not too busy so that you can make it to the event.
Pro: Family vacations are the best.
A photo of my family in Florida on vacation
Maria Lee
Because you have a large family, the family vacations that you have are one thing that you can look forward to by the end of the year. With a large family, you'll have a lot of family members that will go on vacation with you and a lot of family members that you can have fun with during vacation.
Con: There are tons of Christmas presents to buy.
Some of my nephews and nieces on Christmas
Maria Lee
Just like with the birthday parties, during Christmas you have a lot of presents to buy for your family members. You'll find yourself spending tons of money and planning on buying presents months before Christmas! Because of this, often what happens in a big family is that people will do a secret Santa instead, where you buy one gift for one family member rather than for every family member. This makes it a lot easier for larger families, and it's a fun way to enjoy Christmas without needing to spend too much money!
Pro: You've grown up with most of your family members.
A few of my nephews and nieces at Orange Beach
Maria Lee
With large families, you often will grow up with family members that are the same age as you. Since I have a large family, I grew up with a lot of nephews who are close to my age. Most of my childhood revolved around my 15 nephews and nieces. I have a lot of great memories from growing up with my nephews and nieces, and we still talk about those memories even now! Growing up with a few family members that are the same age as you is one of the best things about having a large family, especially if you're shy. I didn't have to worry as much about finding someone my age to hang out with because I always knew that I had my family members that I could hang out with whenever I needed to.
Pro: Bigger family means closer relationships.
My family at Orange Beach
Maria Lee
People often think that having a big family means that you're less connected with your family members. However, it's actually the opposite. Because your family is so big, you often find yourself around them often. So, you often form close relationships with them. You always find yourself doing something with your family members and interacting with them. Having a big family means that you will often be very close to your family members just like any other family. The size of your family never affects how close you are to your family members.
If you have a small family and have found yourself ever wondering what it's like to have a large family, you should know that having a large family isn't any different from having any other size family. Just like any other family, there are a lot of good and bad things. However, it's definitely something that you wouldn't change for the world.
