What's your magic number?

'Congratulations!' rang round the staffroom as my friend returned from his paternity leave followed swiftly by ‘you must be mad!’ He is now the proud father of twin girls. Impressive and two weeks in his hair is not yet grey.  Even more impressive is the fact that this brings his tally of children to 5. 

As a mother of three, I take my hat off to anyone who manages more than 3. I know that it’s all about organisation and timing but I’m just not that organised, and timing was never my strong point.

Three is definitely my number!

But what surprises me is the amount of people who think more than two children is too many.  I totally agree that if a family struggles to support itself, then more than two children may not be wise, but this is surely up to the families involved.

I realise that for many two is perfect and completes their family but I always knew that if we had a choice - and the luck - then three was our number. My husband and I, both came from three, and to us that feels like the right number. 

 I love the imbalance of three and the fact that they have to share us and some times it's not their turn. 

I love the fact I have a brother and a sister and I love Sunday lunches when we all get together.

Families don’t fit into boxes. Each family is unique and has its own special number that works for it.

I know families who have one child and love it because of the freedom it affords and the time and attention they can devote to that child.

I know families who have five and enjoy the camaraderie it affords now and in later life.

Families should not be judged by their size, after all, these days, many families amalgamate through remarriage and develop into a new family with a new dynamic and a new magic number.

Family is about love and, as I have discovered, I love my third child just as much as my first.

Love for your children is not finite – it’s infinite and whether you have one child or seven there is enough for each child.

It all comes down to what your magic number is!