Family is one perfect union even with all our imperfections, because as a family, we love, share, unite, comfort, fight, and all other activities that mold us into who we are today, no one comes to this world without a family, you must at least have a mother or guardian who certainly becomes your family, one common quote states that, no one is an island, because we all need each other to survive, and it starts from our immediate family.
As a child, I grew up in a big family setting, not that I considered my nuclear family of 6 big, but we usually had extended family members living with us, my aunts, uncles sometimes, and cousins. Though it was livel y having them around, as there was always something to gist about, more of playing for us children, learning to love, know our other families and also learn to share our stuff, from our clothing to meals, etc it wasn't always all good though, especially when one of my aunts whom I consider very strict visits, and she makes sure to extend her visit to as long as she desires, even up to a year one period, my parent never mind because they considered it being hospitable to a family member, but that aunt made life a living hell for me in my father's house, I don't want to relish what I faced during that period because of her, to the extent that I thought of running away from home. Yeah, it was that bad, not all extended families actually have that sense of family in them. We've heard cases of how some children were even molested by their certain extended family, just because the parents committed full trust to them letting their guard down, from experience, I believe some extended families should be given some certain kind of restricted access to their children.
I feel if we were a small family, my parent would have had more personal time with us, know our strengths and weaknesses, and not absolutely trust what their brother or sister said at all times about us.
I now have a family of mine, just the four of us, myself, my husband, and two children, for now I love this number and don't think I would extend beyond one more child, because apart from the monetary commitment towards taking care of my children, I also need to be there for them In a more personal level, already, the economic situation of the country is hard enough having more than this number of kids won't afford me that time to take care of them the way I want and even have time for myself.
Of course, I want my children to familiarise themselves with their cousins, aunties, uncles, grandparents, and other family members, this can be achievable during the holiday period and not a long stretch living together period like I had during my childhood. It makes everyone still feel special about meeting each other, and no one needs to get jealous of themselves because they've lived under the same roof and the over-familiarity has now bred contempt among them.
