I am a mum of eight. This is why I chose to have a big family

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

Why would anyone choose to have eight children? The falling birth rate suggests many are asking why have any at all, a problem fast becoming a headache for Australia’s policymakers.

I want to share why I made that choice, because until we understand why people welcome children, we cannot understand why many are choosing not to.

Fixing the dropping birth rate is not as simple as handing out financial incentives, because the decision to become a parent runs deeper than the dollars. People are motivated by meaning as much as money, relationships as much as resources, and hopes for the future as much as present-day costs. Any serious conversation about Australia’s demographic future must make room for those factors too.

It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge that, for some of us, having many children, or any children at all, is not a choice. It is profoundly unfair that those who long for a family can face obstacles beyond their control.

I am grateful for having experienced the joys of a large family, but there is no honest way to discuss this choice without acknowledging the sacrifices involved.

The people who say no to being a parent, and have very happy........

© The Age