Youngest of a very large family

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robertmidwest

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I am the youngest of ten kids. There is a seven year gap between me and my closest brother.

Who else here is the youngest?
 
I only have one sister (my family wasn’t Catholic), but I am the younger one! There are 4 years between us and we have grown extremely close as we’ve got older. My sister is technically a ‘senior’ (as you say in the USA), but she’s extremely fit and active, with a youthful approach to everything. We have never argued about anything, even during very difficult times in our lives.

We speak every day and I love her very much. She’s so kind and thoughtful, I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful sister.
 
I am. With a 11 year gap, and a twenty year gap.
My sisters both think they’re my mother. Even now. 🤷
 
Hmmmmm… Interesting that even on this forum everyone was from smallish families.
 
robertmidwest said:
Hmmmmm… Interesting that even on this forum everyone was from smallish families.
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Not everyone can have 10 kids. It’s much more rare than you would think, even amongst those who never try to limit their family size. I’m still amazed that I was able to have 10. My mom could only have 4, of whom I am the youngest.
 
robertmidwest said:
Hmmmmm… Interesting that even on this forum everyone was from smallish families.
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I was one of four, which is considered large today, though historically it’s middleish. And we weren’t Catholic (or Mormon, or quiverful Protestant.)

Families of 8+ were more common in the past, but they’ve never been the norm, to my knowledge. Super fertility is a rare blessing.
 
Thanks everyone who responded to my question. Maybe I was wrong in my thinking of how common my very large families are. Off the top of my head I can think of several. They are all a few years older than me. I can think of one family in my age range I grew up with.

I was just curious to see who was out there. I am 47 an my oldest brother is 70. I have lost three I the last few years and starting to struggle with watching them decline in health.
 
robertmidwest said:
Thanks everyone who responded to my question. Maybe I was wrong in my thinking of how common my very large families are. Off the top of my head I can think of several. They are all a few years older than me. I can think of one family in my age range I grew up with.

I was just curious to see who was out there. I am 47 an my oldest brother is 70. I have lost three I the last few years and starting to struggle with watching them decline in health.
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I’m not the youngest but I’m in the younger “group” of my family. I’m not really in the middle either–there’s 16 of us. I understand what you mean about struggling with losing siblings and watching their decline. I find it harder than losing my dad and seeing mom’s health decline. We are extremely close and even though seperated by long distance we talk often (daily with some!) and enjoy visiting as often as possible. We even get along with each other’s spouses. I’ve noticed most people don’t understand what it’s like growing up like this and remaining close into adulthood seems not to happen in most families. You aren’t alone in your struggles. I think there are many more of us than is often acknowledged in society. I too know many very large (8 kids or more) and don’t have to go out looking for them in order to find them either. Truthfully most I meet aren’t Catholic but just in our little parish there are several of us moms with more than six kids and most are still young. St. John Paul II said the greatest gift we can give our children is another sibling and I agree completely. I can’t imagine not having the love of all my siblings growing up and the example, advice and guidance that has helped me navigate through life. I’ll take the pain and sadness that comes from losing the ones I love because it means I had something that can’t be replaced.
 
robertmidwest said:
Thanks everyone who responded to my question. Maybe I was wrong in my thinking of how common my very large families are. Off the top of my head I can think of several. They are all a few years older than me. I can think of one family in my age range I grew up with.

I was just curious to see who was out there. I am 47 an my oldest brother is 70. I have lost three I the last few years and starting to struggle with watching them decline in health.
Click to expand...
I’m sorry for your loss. My mother is the youngest of 9, the oldest being 92. They are all very close. Only one of her siblings has passed away, but he had a hard life and we all knew he’d die young (he was 84.) I’m watching her struggle with the aging of her siblings and my father. My prayers for you.
 
robertmidwest said:
Thanks everyone who responded to my question. Maybe I was wrong in my thinking of how common my very large families are. Off the top of my head I can think of several. They are all a few years older than me. I can think of one family in my age range I grew up with.

I was just curious to see who was out there. I am 47 an my oldest brother is 70. I have lost three I the last few years and starting to struggle with watching them decline in health.
Click to expand...
I’m the youngest of seven with 12 years between me and the next oldest. I’m sorry for your loss and it IS hard (imo) to be the youngest in that aspect. When my father passed away a couple years ago, it really hit me hard that I’d probably be burying not just him - but every sibling I have along with most of my husband’s sibs as well (he’s the youngest of 8). That was a very hard chunk of reality to swallow. 😦

On the somewhat positive side, I have the advantage of seeing first hand how life choices effect long-term health and doing what I can to take care of myself and my children so hopefully our futures will be somewhat better.

Best wishes,
CJ
 
robertmidwest said:
Thanks everyone who responded to my question. Maybe I was wrong in my thinking of how common my very large families are. Off the top of my head I can think of several. They are all a few years older than me. I can think of one family in my age range I grew up with.

I was just curious to see who was out there. I am 47 an my oldest brother is 70. I have lost three I the last few years and starting to struggle with watching them decline in health.
Click to expand...
I’m sorry to hear this.

There’s just two of us sisters, I’m older by it used to be 8 years, but now it’s closer to 7. 😉

We are very close, my parents would have liked more, but that’s how it worked out.

Today my 11 year old daughter informed me my sister was cooler than me. :eek: I informed my daughter that I taught my sister all about being cool.
 
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