Heather,
It can be hard to raise a family on a pittance- I did it for years- and just with 2 kids as we were pretty broke, but you make things the best you can. When there were all 8 kids at home I made all foods from scratch for the most part- we had a lot of potatoes as they are cheap and stretch meals and can be made into hundreds of dishes. We had meat at every meal, though a lot of hamburger as this too can be made hundreds of ways. No one ever went to bed hungry, without a clean house, clothes, or what they needed, though not always what they wanted. This is actually good in many ways as it teaches character, resilience and a hard work ethic as one must work for what one has or wants.
I am a born-again Christian and so I do not see the population being a problem as God takes care of those who follow him. He told us to multiply and he never took that edict away. He will care for us. Even oil can be made in 2 hours from slaughterhouse waste- many ways to make oil, so even natural resources are not as scarce as most would have us believe.
Your ancestors had a lot of children, just as mine. I knew two families of 13, one of 12, one of 17 and one of 21- all when I was younger, but have moved away from that town.
As the mom of 8 children- yes there can be sibling rivalry, but this can happen with 2 kids. My kids mainly were close growing up, and still are. They all help one another when needed, and they all visit and have their kids close to one another, We have kids and grandkids in and out daily and often several kids stop by daily.
Life is what you make it, whether one has no children or 20. I see children as a legacy from God, as a reward and a gift. How we see children and how we value them has a lot to do with how they turn out, and how society as a whole values not only children, but people in general.
I do appreciate your input as it is interesting to hear from someone who thinks differently from me. It is always good to have a dialog and be respectful and I am glad that you and I were able to share.