Kids- how many are enough? (not whether to start)

I alwasy say that once you have one your life is ruined so you may as well have more.

Ahem, NO! As anyone else, I love my son to bits and would do anything for him BUT it takes only one night of badly interrupted sleep (teething) to make me wonder why did I have him in the first place. Luckily for both of us, this doesn't last long.

I can't comment on having more than one but I think that it really depend on the person (primarily the mother). I am finding it really difficult to cope with not having as many career choices for example. The days of me going on a business trip on Monday and coming back on Thursday night are well and truly over or working on mega important projects which require long hours and often weekend work. It's simply isn't feasible with a small child and I am looking forward to my son growing a bit and being less dependant on me.

On the other hand, if the mother is happy to be SAHM and the couple can afford another child (regardless of whether is #2 or #5), I don't see why not.
 
(regardless of whether is #2 or #5), I don't see why not.

I wouldn't be without my kids but being realistic it gets tougher as they get older and not easier, be it on the financial or tolerance side. When they were very young and their torture tactic of sleep deprivation was at its worst I couldn't understand how friends could say it was the easy stage. Time, as usual, has brought me around to their way of thinking.
 

Please don't be saying stuff like like that to me, I comfort myself thinking that all this hardship will pass when he gets a bit bigger and I'll have my life back. At least let me delude myself like that .
 
Please don't be saying stuff like like that to me, I comfort myself thinking that all this hardship will pass when he gets a bit bigger and I'll have my life back. At least let me delude myself like that .

+1, and can we have someone on to say that before you know it they'll be grown up and gone, you might get a phonecall once a month, so cherish these precious times with them .......
 

Thanks a million, you've spoiled my 2010
 
As Homer Simpson says

"The sooner kids talk, the sooner they talk back"
 

Ours have just started primary school which is a really lovely age. Now they are both finally sleeping through the night ( usually) but still both very affectionate and think we are great. From what our friends say, it's downhill from here until their mid twenties...
 
I have one age two. I found the first year very very hard. No sleep, crying , just was overwhelmed.

I can honestly say now its great, but still scarred from that first hard yr..

No way I could have more then two as I couldn't cope. I don't function well with no sleep etc and find working full time, mother, home life etc difficult to manage at times, so I have accepted although I would love the idea of a big family, I would not cope well.
 

It is the lovely stage alright where they need more sleep and usually think you are the greatest thing since sliced pan. Its when they start smelling themselves and looking in the mirror all the time that the trouble starts.
 
From what our friends say, it's downhill from here until their mid twenties...

One of my colleagues claims ages 4 to 12 are the perfect ages.
My 5 years old can be moody now, so I am not looking forward to his teenage years!
 
She didnt really reach any conclusions or give much of her own opinion. Just restated facts, most of which were well known.