Write What You Know: Big Families

Dedicated to my siblings. I miss you all and really hate making tiny portions of food. Who makes soup in a sauce pan? It should be big enough for a whole goat or something. SMH

 

 

• You have to double or triple normal recipes to feed everyone and when you're looking for a new recipe on Pinterest, you search under "for a crowd." Casseroles or any meal that can feed a lot of people are common. Grilling results in a giant stack of hotdogs and hamburgers.
   
• You sometimes get called two or three different names before your parent or siblings get to yours.
   
• Even more common if you've been away and everyone is used to addressing other siblings
   
• Eventually, you just get used to saying the wrong name in their "Hey, so-and-so! Guess what!" and you just roll with it.
   
• "How many siblings do you have?"
  *Tells them and watches their eyes get really big*
   
• After awhile you stop telling people names, and go with jobs or descriptions  and have conversations like,
  "So my brother..."
  "The fireman or the one who likes string cheese?"
  "The fireman. Anyway, he..." 
     
  
• Buys things in bulk, like sugar and oatmeal. And then you're just refilling the sugar bin from a giant 50 lb paper sack in the basement.
     
  
• Every recipe is at least doubled, some times quadrupled. Do you know how weird it is to go from cooking for 10 people to cooking for just yourself? You got to make chili and you're just like..."So...do I just use one can of beans? A half can? How does this work?"
  

• Or you frequently shop at places like Sam's Club

  As everyone gets older, communication mishaps occur! Like that time someone texted the group chat, "We're out of TP, can anyone grab some?" and then basically everyone grabbed a bale or package of toilet paper on the way home. 
  

• Sibling bonding is pretty strong. Or at least it can be. I know some kids with big families who kind of resent that there are so many kids/not enough time with the parents. Also *cough* the parents who kind of just make their older kids raise the younger kids by themselves *cough*
   
• And can we talk about thanksgiving dinner?
  Other families: "Oh boy! Now its time to put in the extra leaf so everyone can sit at the table!"
  Big families: "Add two leaves to the dinner table (which already has two leaves) and set up the kitchen table too."
  And is that enough room? Nah, there's still a HUGE kids table (especially as everyone grows up and has their own kids.)
   
  
• The revolving door of kids going through school. The poor teachers
   
• When you meet friends of your parents and they're like, "Oh, I was there when you blah blah blah (were competing at a county fair or a dance recital or science fair) and you're just like, "That was my sibling, but carry on."
   
• Elaborate plots that work because there are just SO MANY people to make it work
   
• When someone says, Oh! I have a big family too!....There's FOUR of us.
  And you're just there like...We have different means for big
  

 

 

 

MK