While the fertility rate of French women is one of the highest in Europe, large families are still often perceived as marginal. With a “typical” family model made up of a couple and one to two children, large families are the subject of a lot of misconceptions and comments. Advantages or disadvantages of being many, everyone can have their own idea of ​​the perfect family.

Large families have many advantages for children and their development. Indeed, the atmosphere of such siblings is conducive to games and the sharing of strong and lasting relationships. Everyone learns to live with others and develops a strong sense of solidarity with their brothers and sisters. Children understand that it is essential to share and not to neglect the other.

In other words, it usually gives them a sense of responsibility and a sense of sharing.

Another advantage is that the presence of large numbers of children gives them all the opportunity to play with each other and find continual means of entertainment. It is rare to hear “I’m bored” in such siblings.

Children who are born into large families may also learn to become independent and self-reliant (dress alone, help set the table and tidy the room, etc.) sooner than others. In addition, the elderly often integrate the fact of having to take care of the little ones and take their role of “grown-ups” very seriously. Finally, the children of these large families are sometimes faced with the difficulty of obtaining things easily because the parents are not always able to increase the expenses. These “deprivations” can be beneficial by making them aware of the realities of life.

It is obvious that in a large family, both parents have less time to devote to each of the children (individually). It is therefore essential to be vigilant to any disappointments and frustrations that the members of the siblings may experience on a daily basis. If the parents can, it is also beneficial to organize a few outings (even if they are rare) one-on-one with each of them to share moments alone with him and to prove to the child that he is has a defined and unique place in the family.

Regarding the elderly, it is also important to leave them time for their activities and not to try to make them too responsible by taking care of the little ones. Each child must be able to live his first years of life with peace of mind and perform the games and activities related to his age.

Finally, it can also be difficult for parents to reconcile family and professional life. It is important to know how to organize yourself so that you can continue to enjoy good times with your family without being overwhelmed by fatigue and everyday worries.

This is another point that appeals to many so-called “classic” families (in which siblings are limited to two or three children). How do these large families manage daily expenses? While some details necessarily require adjustments (such as the size of the car for example), the daily life of a large family does not differ much from that of other families.

The races are indeed more impressive, the clothes are passed from child to child as in any other family and mutual aid is often there. Of course, the costs increase with the arrival of an additional child, but with organization and by being careful to manage the family’s expenses, nothing taints the good functioning of the house.

On the other hand, vacations and fitting out the living space can represent significant costs. Indeed, it is sometimes necessary to invest in a second refrigerator, to move to have several bedrooms and bathrooms, etc. Holidays should be organized well in advance.

To allow these large families to calmly welcome the children and help them as best as possible on a daily basis, aid is provided by the state. From three children, a basic allowance is paid without means test. On the other hand, its amount varies depending on the family’s income. There are also allowances allowing parents to consider taking a break in their professional career to take care of the youngest children, check with CAF to find out how they are awarded.

Family life differs from one house to another: blended family, single-parent, with an only child, or on the contrary a well-supplied sibling … Each therefore has its own characteristics and in the case of a large family, it is is the organization that takes precedence.