My Grandmother...

[LeftyFingerPop]

My father's mother was married in Italy at age 14. She had her first child at 14...I am not sure if he was born in Italy or after they came to the US. From age 14 to 40, she had 17 children, 2 of which died young. My Grandmother died at age 43.

The remaining 15 children went on to flourish. Each one was successful. A few extremely so.

Each child had large families...probably averaging 5 children each, resulting in 70 cousins, just on my father's side.

I have about 20 cousins on my mom's side.

[one_voice]

1. There was a time..

when most families were really large. Women married very young and had a lot of kids, that was normal. Much like it was normal to have multi-generational homes.

It would be very difficult to have that many children today. I couldn't imagine trying to provide for that many. I have two kids, and that's enough.

Not too mention I'd run out of names I like. :-)

p.s. I wouldn't want to cook for your family get together(s). Dang, I thought my family was big.

[LeftyFingerPop]

2. Quite a change now from the "old days", isn't it?

Everyone talks about Octomom today, when 50 years ago, she may not have been THAT unusual.

[one_voice]

4. It is indeed...

my dad and my step-dad (who I usually just call dad, using "step" here for clarification) both came from very large families. At one time our combined family had 8 kids...boy that was fun. But three of the girls went back to live with their mom. Five kids plus two adults with one bathroom until I was in high school and we moved and had 1 1/2. LOL!

[Kali]

3. Hard to imagine, isn't it?

I have exactly THREE first cousins. My Mother was an only child (well, there was a sister who died of meningitis) and my 3 cousins are from my father's only sibling. Going back to my grandparents' generation there were lots more sibling for all but my father's mother who only had a brother (their mother died young) I have no idea how many 2nd and 3rd cousins are out there, but I know quite a few from my mom's side.

[madinmaryland]

5. Well, my daughter has exactly ZERO first cousins and will probably never have any.

My wife has NO siblings and I have two and neither have any kids are well into their forties. I have a son from a previous marriage and he has a few first cousins who are 20 years older than he is.

Oh well.

Once you get to second and third, and "once-removed" cousins, then I have no idea what they have.

:shrug:

[MrsBrady]

6. on my mother's side

both of my grandparents were from large families...my grandmother youngest of 10, my granddad oldest of 6 - and the generation before as well...tons.

I have a buxzillion second and third cousins....some of whom I know, especially the ones who were still in the area where my mother grew up.

I have one second cousin who just moved to my local area. it's been fun having family close. I'm an only child.

[cwydro]

7. I have about a zillion cousins on my mother's side in Wales.

She is from a family of 7 and each one had numerous children, one had 8 herself!

I don't even know all their names and no doubt we could all pass in a train and not know. Though there is a strong family look on the mother's side, so if I had to be in a compartment for awhile I might notice lol...

[jmm]

8. I have about 100 first cousins on my father's side of the family.

He only has three kids which is less than any of his 12 siblings.

I wouldn't even want to begin counting all my second cousins twice removed. I know a good number of them but more than once I've had strangers walk up to me in public and say, "Are you related to...?" I just respond that knowing my family I probably am.

I only have six first cousins on my mom's side of the family. It's much easier to keep track of them ;)

[WillParkinson]

9. My mom is one of a bakers dozen

My aunt is 5 months older than me.