Should we have lots of children closely spaced in age? What are the benefits?

my advice to you is to have them at least 2 years apart. so when there're growing up they can all grow up together.

I wouldn't say you "should" have lot of kids close in age but it can be done if you want. I have 4 kids. They are 6, 5, 4 and 8 months old. The oldest 2 are 15 months apart and #2 and #3 are 13 months apart. My oldest was 2 years and 4 months old when the third baby was born. So 3 under 3 and all were in diapers. My oldest wore diapers until she was 3 years and 3 months old. And it really isn't that hard to have more then one in diapers. I always just lined them up assembly line style. I would gather the diapers, wipes, lotion and clothes and start with the oldest, then do the middle one and then the baby. When I was done the older two would throw away the diapers and I would take the dirty clothes to the hamper. It took all of 5 minutes. I have been changing diapers every day since June 2000, lol. I thought my third child would be out of diapers before the baby came back in April. After all she was 3 1/2 when the baby was born but she wasn't potty trained yet. She didn't start using the potty until she was 3 years and 8 months old (back in July--she turned 4 a month ago). Oh well. I agree with what someone said earlier. I would rather have 2 or 3 in diapers at one time then just get done with diapers and have to start all over. Same goes with sleep. I never noticed the lack of sleep with the older once. I was so used to getting up in the night or early in the morning that it didn't bother me with #2 and #3 came along. But after not having to deal with that for a few years it was a big adjustment when the baby came. I still haven't gotten used to the demands of another baby. It was easy with the first 3. You can't guarantee your kids will be friends for ever, no matter how they are spaced but so far I think my kids will make it as friends. I always say "they are siblings by birth but friends by choice" They are an instant playgroup and for the most part get along. I was the same way with my brother (who is 2 years younger then me). I still count him as one of my best friends. My mom was the 3rd youngest of 11 kids. Her and her 4 sisters are all just a year or so apart (she is right in the middle of them) then there are 4 older brothers and 2 older sisters (the 2 oldest sisters and my mom have all passed on). I was always amazed at the bond they all had. They went through a lot as kids and it just pulled them together. I hope my kids stay that close as they get older.

I have a 6yr old and lived with a man that had a son 1yr older than him and it was great, yeah there were some fights but overall if worked out/ we broke up and he is now alone and its really hard/ when I had childern I said I wanted to appricate them before I had more but I now find its not benificial.

It is an ideal to have more child, but i still think financice status is the main concern. If you don't have money, it will just be a burden instead of a happiness. So think twice before giving brith to one.

Childrens are your good feelings. Do a work , you feel good to do Do not do a work you do not feel good to do. It depends on your feelings. Do not compare wit others. Concentrate on your own feelings, before doing a work/job.

I am in your same boat. I just recently had my first child. He is now 5 1/2 months old. My husband wants 4 more children, and I'd like them to be close in age. I think that it is a matter of preference to have children closely spaced in age, but if that's what you want, you should go for it.

It is probably better to have at least a couple of years between them. I always like to enjoy the baby and toddler years and hate to feel like it is a chore to care for a baby when you have others to care for at the same time. Give serious thought to your financial situation before you have too many little ones.

i think it can be nice because it can give the kids a playmate and a friend..someone to talk to. of course, when they are younger they will probably fight a lot, but they will come to appreciate each other when they get older. but the problem can be more for the parents cause its a financial stress..having to send 2 kids to college at the same time is a huge financial burden, but i guess that's why parents have to start saving ahead of time if they know that they will be hit hard later on down the road.

well benifits for the children being close in age is that most of them will be close in general. my 2 sons are 1 1/2years apart from each other and they are very close, they love each other and barely have any fights. but me and my sisters (5 yrs & 8 yrs apart) we had a lot of fights and arguments while growing up. and because my sisters were so much older then i was, they didn't want to spend too much time with me because i was the little annoying sister. i don't think you should have A LOT but maybe 1 or 2 children close in age. this is mostly for yourself. its hard to change multiple diapers and go through potty traing while changing daipers...i've done that...its not that fun, but again the older children will help out.

i hane children closely in age and i think itis better to have it that way.it is hard at first but when the kids get older i think they will be closer than having kids not so close in age.and i would rather have 2 babies in diapers then to get one out of diapers and do it all over again.

I do not think so... you can have only one or two... and if then also you want to have more children... then I would request you to adopt one of those nice inocent children..

I don't know whether it is always the case , but in our case my sister is just one and a half years elder, and I guess because of that we have a very good bonding which I cannot see in my cousins who have an age difference of five years. also as my mom's says it was easier to bring up the two of us in comparison to what my aunt faced in bringing up my cousins.

It's harder financially to have children close together. But, I think children have a closer bond growing up when they are closer together. My sons are 3 years apart. They play well together, but there are also times when their age different shows tremendously.

Mine are a year apart in age. They don't become best friends, they hate one another. I personally would do it differently if I had the chance. I would put a couple of years between them.

Well even if you have 2 children you need to have a proper age spacing as the problems may arise, taking care of one or the other But then having 5-6 or many children depends as in you can support them or not If yes, then go for it and if no then, you got more priorities than fulfilling your dream or your passion

you should have them close together. however too msny will really stretch you out so dont overdo it. figure out how many you can handle at a time.

ur point of view of lots of children is right in the angle u said. but what abt ur health after having so many kids? u become very feeble and fragile. what abt the equal provision for the kids viz., education, clothing etc. can u support it financially? what would u give them for supporting themselves when u r no more? can u do it equally?think abt it.

My ideal number of children to have is 4, whilst my wife preferes two! Currently I have 2 at the age gap of 2 year (the elder one is now 4, while the younger one 2). Yes, having a number of children at a close spaced age can be stressful. However, if you look beyond the stress, you have a treasure trove more valuable than all the diamonds in the world! As you watch them grow and be best of friends, helping and carying for one another, you would start to taste the fruit of your sweat, labour and blood. However, having children at such close age gap is not too much a concern to the male partner. Rather every couple have to look a little further. The female partner health is the main concern. Can the female partner cope with such 'short rest' inbetween the births? This is a more important question to answer before you start looking at stress raising them children.

The decision should be made according to the specifics of each "family" case. Some parents are better suited to handle larger families in a number of ways including finances, residential space, emotional stability, support system, PATIENCE, etc. I do think there is a unique bond between the children of larger families and remember wishing I had more siblings many times. However, adults should not create a large family solely for this purpose. The quality with which they will be able to parent those children should be a key factor in the decision making process. Also, I believe you should not continue to have children (whether you want them or not) if you cannot afford to support them. Yes, bad things sometimes happen and people need a little help. This is not what I mean at all. I am referring to those adults who choose to keep making babies well after they are already on assistance of some type and cannot financially stand on their own to care for the children they already have. Having a support system is sooooo important and seems to be necessary if you plan to have several children very close together in age. It is possible to create a strong support "family" for your children without there being a blood relation if having a large family is not an option or good choice for your situation. As a child, I had many many people I grew up calling Aunt & Uncle or Grandma so and so who were not really related at all. They were very close friends to the family and were called that out of love and respect. This might help those struggling with the pros and cons of having a large biological family or whether what they are looking for can be found in another way.

I have a two and a half year old daughter and a seven month old son, having them close in age was great my daughter thinks she is the big helper right now and they play together so well, they don't fight over toys yet but I'm sure it's coming. My daughter is potty training and when my son is ready to potty train she should be done and showing him tricks of the trade(lol) NO MORE DIAPERS FOR ME! I think children close in age is great.