Courageous Joy

New Blog Feature – “Big Family Myths”

*I’m open to catchy names for this feature…suggest away… PLEASE!

I’m considering a new feature on the blog. This stems from several comments I’ve heard online and in real life. I think I’ll do a weekly “Big Family Myth” entry. That is if there is an interest (either for me to write or for you to read :::snort:::). I considered the fact that the blogosphere is filled with large family blogs and websites. Frankly, quite a few of the myths I hear stem from those spots.

I’m nothing if not real. Those who read regularly, see the bumps and bruises as well as the glowing moments in our family life. I do that for a reason. I think it is important for us to see that life is a journey, none of us have arrived, and all NEED grace and should be throwing themselves on GRACE DAILY! I have never tried to portray myself or my family as perfect. If you have us a pedestal – take us down now! :::stomping foot::: So…why would I consider myself able to debunk some big family myths….because I live it. Because I AM real…I have no books to sell or huge public image to protect. I’m fairly open and honest in real life so I doubt that anyone will ask something that my close friends and family don’t already know. Since many of you don’t know me in real life, you may feel comfortable asking things you’d never ask your friend in REAL life but that concerns you or you’re curious about. Frankly, I hope to offer you an avenue to understand your “eccentric friend” with the large family so that you can minister to each other a bit more competently. I also hope to help you understand the lifestyle, both its joys and its limitations, of a large family.

If you are a big family and would like a forum to have some of the myths that are so blithely thrown your way debunked, feel free to post the thought, question or myth. If you are a smaller family and wonder “how it all gets done” or if something you’ve heard is accurate, ask away. Now – be aware that something you may have believed as “fact” may be myth…and some “myths” you may have believed are likely to be fact. Of course, I do not speak for large families everywhere. In fact, I’m only now coming to grips with the fact that most do consider us to have a large family, even in the homeschooling movement.

For the purpose of our discussion “large” is anything YOU consider to be “large”.

Feel free to post the “myths” or questions in the comment section here or email them to me personally. I’ll see if general themes develop and try to handle at least one a week. Never fear the blog will not become ALL about big families…because I live a varied life.

I’m fairly certain that through this exercise we will learn that all of us are basically the same, with a few extra twists or challenges thrown in. I hope that we’ll better understand each other. I hope that less “biting or hurtful or unthinking or inconsiderate” comments will be lobbed at each other. I hope that we will understand a bit better the lifestyles of each other and the particular path that God has led each one down.

By the way, if one of you with a “small family” would like to do “small family myths” let me know and I’ll send folks your way….or I’ll post your entry here once a week…as long as you don’t write more often than I. For the purposes of our discussion “small” is anything you consider to be “small”. I WAS thinking I was a “small family” since we are down to seven at home but I’ve revised my opinion since Mike deployed. :::snort:::