| November 2008 - This feature is a regular article where I share my observations, reflections, and "musings" about being a mother of a large family. I hope you enjoy my ramblings, and perhaps they will help inspire you, make you smile, or at the very least help pass a few minutes in your hectic day. |
Where Would I be?
A question that is often asked on our forums is "where would you be if you didn't have a large family?" Of course, that questions is not meant to be negative about your current situation, but assuming that perhaps your life had led you in another direction, where do you think you would have ended up. Today, I saw my answer...
  
Okay, that's not an answer on where I'd be in respect to career or lifestyle, but it is an answer to where I would be living.
These are homes that are created and sold by Tumbleweed Tiny Houses Company. I had seen these compact houses a couple years back on CNN. I thought they were fabulous then, and I still think they are amazing now. Literally, the thought of living in that tiny space makes my heart sing. Not being surrounded by a lot of clutter, and just having enough room to hang your hat. Yes, I am really a minimalist at heart. It is a wonder I had so many kids, isn't it?
Actually, no, it's not a wonder. Perhaps it is because of my focus on the non-material things that I embraced the large family mentality. When I looked at that house, I was seeing a simple lifestyle, one that proves that you do not need tons of space to live comfortably. People are making a conscious effort to get away from the "living large" mentality, and return to the basics. Certainly living in a tiny home makes entertaining difficult, but there are ways around that. It was interesting to see on the website that they offer 3-bedroom models, which could easily house a small family.
So, why am I talking about this when it's quite obvious I couldn't live in this type with my large family? It's because the mere existence of these houses proves a point--you don't NEED a huge area to live in. You don't NEED a super-size house to raise a family. You don't NEED a bedroom for every kid. Bottom line, small families can live in tiny houses, which in turn means large families can live in modest houses.
How many times are families criticized for living in houses which are too small? In years gone-by, people didn't feel the need to have grand houses. I am often reminded that my grandmother grew up her 6 siblings in a small 2-bedroom home totalling about 900 feet. This isn't much larger than some of the "small" houses featured on the Tumbleweed site.
Without even going into the benefits of sharing a room with a sibling, the bottom line is that people are choosing to live in smaller quarters. This company is selling more and more of these homes each year, and the trend doesn't seem to be ebbing. While some do it for environmental reasons, some do it simply because they want to. I wouldn't try to fit a large family into even the biggest of the Tumbleweed models (maxing out at 774 feet), but it does put into perspective the families of many who are being criticized for living in 1500 ft houses.
We live in a house that is roughly 1700 feet. We do have to be creative with the space, but honestly, it truly is more than enough. We have managed to create personal spaces in unconventional areas. Everyone is doubled (or tripled) up, and while it is cozy, it's still perfectly functional. I'd like to think we could easily get another couple of kids in there if we were so blessed.
I know families with 2 kids who live in double our space. I am often asked if I would want to live in a larger house. Heck no! This one is hard enough to keep clean. As I said before, I am an aspiring minimalist, and I enjoy maximizing our space.
I do have to admit to fantasizing about one of those tiny houses. Perhaps when retirement comes. Ah, but with all the kids and grandkids, it would be difficult to host Christmas dinner, wouldn't it? But, perhaps we could just hitch our house up and travel to each kids' home and visit that way. They wouldn't even have to worry about finding room to put us.
I don't know what the future holds, or if a tiny home is in it for us. But, I do know that seeing all those people embracing "small space living" should help large families feel less guilty about not providing each kid a room, or "ample" room to roam. Cozy is a perfectly good thing. Remember that.
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Article by: Michelle Lehmann
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