--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What did people do with enormous…" description: "\"“What did people do with enormous families? All those cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews. How did they keep them straight? How did they breathe at..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/j-d-robb-662_family_what-did-people-do-with-enormous-familie_1250179.jpg" --- # What did people do with enormous families? All those… ![“What did people do with enormous families? All those cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews. How did they keep them straight? How did they breathe at any sort of family function?” quote by J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/j-d-robb-662_family_what-did-people-do-with-enormous-familie_1250179.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/j-d-robb-662_family_what-did-people-do-with-enormous-familie_1250179.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/j-d-robb-662_family_what-did-people-do-with-enormous-familie_1250179.jpg) > ““What did people do with enormous families? All those cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews. How did they keep them straight? How did they breathe at any sort of family function?”” [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Large extended families create complex social networks that can be confusing to navigate. **In simple terms:** Big families are hard to keep track of. Key Takeaway Simplify relationships and use tools to remember connections. Themes family relationships complexity Mood nostalgic reflective Type observational conversational When to use this quote - family reunions - genealogy research - social events - personal organization Key Concepts genealogy social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage many relatives? - What benefits arise from extensive kinship? A Different Perspective Large families can also foster strong support systems despite confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ## Related quotes > [I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be one of so many, to have not just parents and siblings but cousins and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-couldn-t-imagine-what-it-would-be-like-to-be-one-of-so-many-to-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I don't write about the intimate details of my cousins and aunts and uncles, and my mother and my father because it's not right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-don-t-write-about-the-intimate-details-of-my-cousins-and-aunts-and/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Imagine that you wanted your children to learn the names of all their cousins, aunts and uncles. But you never actually let them meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-x-foley/imagine-that-you-wanted-your-children-to-learn-the-names-of-all-their/) Brian X. Foley > [I have a big family. Even though it's only three kids in our family, it's always aunts and uncles and the whole thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lynch/i-have-a-big-family-even-though-it-s-only-three-kids-in-our-family-it/) [Jane Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lynch/) > [I wasn't what you would envision for the son of an Army man. I liked doll baby clothes and twirled a baton. But my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jordan/i-wasn-t-what-you-would-envision-for-the-son-of-an-army-man-i-liked/) [Leslie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jordan/) > [Education in my family was not merely emphasized, it was our raison d'être. Virtually all of our aunts and uncles had Ph.D.s in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-chu/education-in-my-family-was-not-merely-emphasized-it-was-our-raison-d/) [Steven Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-chu/) > [But in the east the sky was pale and through the gray woods came lanterns with wagons and horses, bringing Grandpa and Grandma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingalls-wilder/but-in-the-east-the-sky-was-pale-and-through-the-gray-woods-came/) [Laura Ingalls Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingalls-wilder/) > [Mom was a single mother. So three aunts and three uncles and all of mom's friends pitched in as weekend warriors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/mom-was-a-single-mother-so-three-aunts-and-three-uncles-and-all-of/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [I've had aunts and uncles who not only haven't read my books but could hardly believe that I was a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cormier/i-ve-had-aunts-and-uncles-who-not-only-haven-t-read-my-books-but/) [Robert Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cormier/) > [Across the board, from my mother to my father to my aunts and uncles, everybody has always given me a lot of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-lee/across-the-board-from-my-mother-to-my-father-to-my-aunts-and-uncles/) [Amos Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-lee/) > [I was possessed with a wonderful example of my Italian American family. They would come over and join us every Sunday, all my aunts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-was-possessed-with-a-wonderful-example-of-my-italian-american/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [My parents had become adults during the Great Depression, as had many of my aunts and uncles, so I got stories from all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-r-lansdale/my-parents-had-become-adults-during-the-great-depression-as-had-many/) [Joe R. Lansdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-r-lansdale/) > [Our house was always full of grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-clay/our-house-was-always-full-of-grandparents-and-aunts-and-uncles-and/) [Bryan Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-clay/) > [My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were all funny, and I felt that energy, that delivery, that timing, that sarcasm. All that stuff seeped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/my-parents-grandparents-aunts-and-uncles-were-all-funny-and-i-felt/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [“Amish children are usually named after aunts or uncles or some other relation. Keeps the family names going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-price/amish-children-are-usually-named-after-aunts-or-uncles-or-some-other/) [Sarah Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-price/) ## More by J.D. Robb > [“The man could stop her heart, then send it into full gallop. Just a look at him. They’d been married more than two years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/the-man-could-stop-her-heart-then-send-it-into-full-gallop-just-a/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“When his mouth was on hers, when he could feel her about to shatter yet again, he plunged into her, knocking her over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/when-his-mouth-was-on-hers-when-he-could-feel-her-about-to-shatter/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“So he found her. Most people would have said she was relaxed. But then, Roarke thought, most people didn’t really know and certainly didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/so-he-found-her-most-people-would-have-said-she-was-relaxed-but-then/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“Why is that? Why do we love each other?” “Because we are what we are, and we’re both okay with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/why-is-that-why-do-we-love-each-other-because-we-are-what-we-are-and/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“People, she thought, could be unbelievably stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/people-she-thought-could-be-unbelievably-stupid/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“Eve: “If you ended up naked and dead with another woman, I'd do the Rumba on your corpse.” Roarke: “You can't do the Rumba.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/eve-if-you-ended-up-naked-and-dead-with-another-woman-i-d-do-the/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“Santa exists in the hearts of all true believers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/santa-exists-in-the-hearts-of-all-true-believers/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“You'll stay in the surveillance vehicle and assist McNab. Any arguments from you, Detective?" she said, looking at McNab. "No. No, sir, Lieutenant." He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/you-ll-stay-in-the-surveillance-vehicle-and-assist-mcnab-any/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“Eve woke, violently aroused. It was Roarke’s hands on her. She knew their texture, their rhythm. Her heart tripped against her ribs, then bounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/eve-woke-violently-aroused-it-was-roarke-s-hands-on-her-she-knew/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“She took his mouth, gave it a nice little bite as she ground against him. "There you are," she murmured. "Well, you've left me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/she-took-his-mouth-gave-it-a-nice-little-bite-as-she-ground-against/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“He watched, somewhat fascinated as she swished a slice of bacon through the pool of syrup. His steely-minded cop had the appetite of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/he-watched-somewhat-fascinated-as-she-swished-a-slice-of-bacon/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“Eve: "Keep your mind off sex" Roake: "Why? It's so happy there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/eve-keep-your-mind-off-sex-roake-why-it-s-so-happy-there/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“How can I love you and not be afraid? You’re my life, Eve, my heart. You’re asking, you’re wondering if I ever worry, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/how-can-i-love-you-and-not-be-afraid-you-re-my-life-eve-my-heart-you/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“I will give you more pain than you can imagine. Your brains will leak out of your ears, and your bowels out of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/i-will-give-you-more-pain-than-you-can-imagine-your-brains-will-leak/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“Lust dazzles, sure, at least for the short term. But love clears the vision. You see better, sharper, because you feel more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/lust-dazzles-sure-at-least-for-the-short-term-but-love-clears-the/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) [Explore all 413 J.D. Robb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) ## More Families quotes > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“Don’t waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you. Instead, commit your time to explaining who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-explain-yourself-to-people-that-are/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [“Families can be together forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lds-church/families-can-be-together-forever/) [LDS Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lds-church/) > [I have a tremendous amount of respect for military families. To have to worry about your loved ones and still try and live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-have-a-tremendous-amount-of-respect-for-military-families-to-have/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-henry/families-are-the-compass-that-guide-us-they-are-the-inspiration-to/) [Brad Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-henry/) > [Oh wow, you know what's wrong with all these families on TV? All these kids say stuff no kid would say. Stuff grown-ups want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macaulay-culkin/oh-wow-you-know-what-s-wrong-with-all-these-families-on-tv-all-these/) [Macaulay Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macaulay-culkin/) > [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [Since FDR's New Deal, corporations and wealthy families have been non-stop finding new ways to get tax breaks, deregulation and entitlements from the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/since-fdr-s-new-deal-corporations-and-wealthy-families-have-been-non/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I look forward to the day that a lot of the folks that you all talk about and cover on this network will begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-look-forward-to-the-day-that-a-lot-of-the-folks-that-you-all-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody ever wants to see a guy get hurt, because this is how we feed our families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enzo-amore/nobody-ever-wants-to-see-a-guy-get-hurt-because-this-is-how-we-feed/) [Enzo Amore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enzo-amore/) > [As we progress and become more like the Savior, we can strengthen every group with whom we associate, including families and friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/as-we-progress-and-become-more-like-the-savior-we-can-strengthen/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [“Most families have increased the speed of their lives and the number of their activities gradually--even unconsciously--over time. They realize that there are costs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-john-payne/most-families-have-increased-the-speed-of-their-lives-and-the-number/) [Kim John Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-john-payne/) > [Strong families use the word "we" a lot, but "I" is never forgotten. Family members know they have the freedom to go off on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/strong-families-use-the-word-we-a-lot-but-i-is-never-forgotten-family/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [The last four years have not diluted the memory or weakened the resolve of our citizens. Four years later, our hearts still hurt for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doolittle/the-last-four-years-have-not-diluted-the-memory-or-weakened-the/) [John Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doolittle/) [Browse all 1,458 Families quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What did people do with enormous families? All those cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews. How did they keep them straight? How did they breathe at any sort of family function?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.D. 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