And in many Amish families, properties are passed down from one generation to the next so they do not have to go through the expense of buying a house or renting an apartment. I suppose I could take my family and move in with my mother, but then I would be too far from my job to practically work there anymore.
Passing a house between generations could account for the future living accomodations for one child, not a dozen. The fact is, the Amish tend to dedicate their lives to their families, and are by and large happy. We English tend to dedicate our lives to mammon and would appear to be decidedly less happy.