I've got 8 kids (20-35) and 3 grandkids.
There really aren't many conditions or issues that I haven't experienced with this lot.
This is a list (I made more for myself than anyone else) of things I can say about one or more of them.
I have at least one kid who:
1. was birthed at home because I didn't make it to the hospital
2. was delivered by c-section
3. is my step-kid
4. was adopted
5. are parents themselves
6. went all the way through college and got a post-graduate degree
7. never went to college
8. are talented in art/music to the extreme
9. have had mental health issues and take meds to make it through their day
10. is gay
11. is trans
12. is on the spectrum
13. has gotten mad and not spoken to me for more than a year
14. has been there and helped me through some of the toughest times in my life
For the first time in all this parenting thing, everyone is basically good with everyone else. (Little spats here and there... welcome to life).
And I can say when you've got a large family where each and every person is difficult and wonderful and different in their own unique way that feels pretty good.
A death in the family tends to bring people together and make you realize exactly what is important and what is nothing but egocentric trash that you can dump in the bin because it doesn't mean anything.
This has been quite a year. I'm finding myself in ways I never knew were possible. Learning to trust myself and not need another person to tell me what's Ok and what isn't.
And finding all these people who through their differences are helping me be a better person and a better parent to them.
