When your bloodline is the size of an ocean, the saying "blood is thicker than water" is quite true. You don't get to choose your family (let alone how many family members you get) but being raised in a huge family is different than being raised in the average American family of four. The importance of family is drilled in your head when you come out of the womb and the stereotypes of birth order are immensely accurate. You are accustomed to loud voices in the house and your aunts commenting on your Facebook photos. But you wouldn't trade any of its quirks for your big, obnoxious and dramatic family.
Here is what it's like having a big family:
1. Sighing loudly when the teacher makes you draw a family tree
There is no way an 8.5-by-11 paper will fit your family tree. It strategically takes three horizontal pages in order to fit your aunts, uncles, cousins and immediate family. But sometimes you just settle for making up names and only having one uncle (even though you have five uncles and five aunts).
2. If you're not at a school function, then you're at a family reunion on the weekend
When your friends ask you to hang out, you tell them no because you have some family function this weekend. You would think that with this many people, it would be impossible to find a day that everyone could attend a family reunion/baby shower/bachelorette/birthday party, etc. But I guess if it’s a night of partying, seeing the long distance relatives, and food, there will be a RSVP from us!
3. It's a big deal when a significant other meets the family
It’s probably more nerve-wrecking than running the country. When you’re finally ready for the SO to meet your bloodline, you have to prep him mentally and physically. You still don’t know the names of all the relatives, so introductions may be even more awkward than it already is. When the day comes, you hope the guys bond over fishing while you talk to the aunts and cousins to hear their opinions. It doesn't help that your older brothers and uncles are already threatening the poor boy.
4. Once you tell one relative something, your third cousin's mother-in-law already knows the details the next morning
The news could be that you got into law school or your relationship ended but somehow the news spread like wildfire overnight.
5. You're the family with the matching shirts at Disney World
You often see the group shirts at the parks and even silently judge them. But someone in the family had a great idea to customize shirts for the family trip that includes the family name, the words “family trip” and the year on it. You purposely walk 10 feet away from the group so no one thinks you’re with the group. There is no way you could get lost because anyone could spot the group of 20 with matching shirts. Despite standing out in the crowd, the group pictures will look cute!
6. Your grandparents have the final say
The terms “patriarch” and “matriarch” seem like an ancient term but it’s still used today. With this many children, someone has to be in charge! Usually it’s the oldest uncle who makes the plans but it’s the grandparents that have the final say. In fact, we plan events specifically for our grandparents.
7. You're still at the kids' table
8. Your cousin took the name of your future child
You spent most of your adolescent years coming up with names of your future children. You make deals with the cousins your age for a certain name, but forget to get the older cousins in part of the deal. When an older cousin announces the name of her child, you are crying (not of joy) but because you no longer can raise a “Beyonce” as your own.
9. You have two separate birthday parties --one for your friends and another for your family
Not only do you get a lot of gifts, but you have two separate parties to celebrate your birth. Your friends are invited to the first party and the next day is for your family. It would be overwhelming to have one big party with everyone, so why not just celebrate twice and spend time with those who care about you on a more intimate level.
10. Everyone went to the same school
Most of the family lives in the same city so it makes sense for all the younger ones to attend the same school. The teachers become acquainted with the family and can identify relatives when they are being picked up from school. There is no need to buy extra uniforms because they just get handed down. Some of us would even had the same first-grade teacher which could be a good or bad thing.
