I just finished reading Mary Ostyn’s A Sane Woman’s Guide to Raising a Large Family. (Yes I actually finished reading a book!) This is exactly the kind of parenting book I would write if I were to write a book on parenting. Mary and her husband, John, are the parents of 10 kids ranging in age from 5 to earlier 20s. They have adopted 6 of them from 3 different countries. I was constantly encouraged that Mary operates in the same kind of way that I would like to as the mother of a large family. Of course, there were some differences (For example, their family participates in a lot more outside activities but then again their family has a lot more older kids as well.) As parents they seek to lead their children to the Lord and encourage them to get along above all else. This book is filled with helpful strategies for making the budget stretch, organizing your home, feeding a large family and preserving your marriage.
I highly recommend this realistic and encouraging book for any mom needing advice on how to make it all work when raising a larger than normal family.