The Ideal # of Kids

My sister just had her third child. (This gives her household a total of 5 people - 2.4 MORE than the average from the last major census in 2010.) We visited her in the hospital the day after she (Charlotte) was born and I had so much joy walking into the room and hearing her tell me how happy their other kids were to see their new baby sister; to hold new addition of their family and give her sweet kisses. It reminded me of two things that I wanted to share.

First, I was reminded of a discussion my friends and I were having just a couple of months ago about the ideal number of children for a family. We had just finished reading a book which studies Love and Responsibility ("LR"), the great philosophic work of Blessed John Paul II - a sort of precursor to his Theology of the Body (see My Top 13 for more). In LR, he alludes to the fact that the ideal number of children for a family is 3 or more. He explains it as the first child is able to love and play with the second child, and that in itself is beautiful. But the great love occurs when the first AND second child can love the third child together. Similar to the Trinitarian model where the Father and the Son together Love with the Holy Spirit. Now he is not saying that if you only have one or two kids you are bad people or your family is not as good as a family with 3 or more kids but that young families should strive to have more than 2 kids.

Secondly, I have heard the argument that people don't want to have more than 2 kids because they can't handle it or they can't afford it or they won't be able to give them the time and attention that they need. And to that I tell you what Megan said to a co-worker who said they don't imagine having more than two kids. "Well then you wouldn't have me!" She really is a great witness to family!!! I love her comment. Not only would you not have Megan but you wouldn't have me if our parents had decided that the could only handle two kids. If you're deciding between another kid and a new tv, or your family vacation, or a dog. Choose the kid. You may just get a really special one like ME!