Who would want twelve children?

We decided before we married we wanted twelve children, and looking back now with eleven married happily and one single, still in college, I has been a great, challenging, marvelous and continuing adventure. If you struggle with three children, just multiply that by four and you have some idea of our undertaking.

The movie “Cheaper by the Dozen” has become a favorite, presenting a realistic look of the humor, trials and triumphs. The family council where father humorously vetoes having a dog, and they get one anyway; the parents’ struggle to maintain modesty and moral standards in an ever-encroaching world; mother’s heroic stepping forth to provide when father is gone (in our case when I had serious injuries).

The hilarious visit of the Planned Parenthood lady to recruit mother, and her shock when the twelve children assemble and father says, “Isn’t there someone missing dear?” She indignantly exclaims, “And within twelve miles of national headquarters!”

I see where “Cost of Raising a Child” website [probably Planned Parenthood] estimates at $266,690 the cost of raising a child, so our twelve would cost over $3,000,000 today. Well, we raised them for considerably less than that. The numbers seems inflated to discourage would-be parents. For us, the rewards in love, fellowship, learning together and continuing associations far outweigh the costs at any figure – then add the delight of thirty-nine grandchildren and counting!

We’re told many young people are afraid to bring children into this troubled world – afraid of the risks of failure, the trials and troubles, the heavy responsibilities. But we have found great comfort and truth in the words of the Lord:“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the dearth . . . .” Genesis 1:28. ”As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them . . . “ Psalms 127:4-5.

Eight of ours have bachelor’s degrees, three with advanced degrees as well. One is aimed for law school, and one more finishing a bachelor’s. So the education hurdle has been cleared – partly with scholarships & government loans and partly with their own part-time jobs.

We have encountered the expected criticisms along the way and find them easy to answer:
1. You can’t afford to educate them. Their college degrees amply refute that.
2. You’re overpopulating an overcrowded world. The creator himself said,
For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, . .” D&C 104:17.
3. Your kids cost society too much to educate, etc. We see that our children will be paying for our contemporaries’ retirements, with the shrinking workforce and the burgeoning retiree numbers.
4. You can’t give adequate attention to so many. We do not hear the gripe that our kids didn’t get enough individual attention in such a large group, in fact they often say how grateful they are for growing up in such a large family. Some have large families of their own.