Originally Posted by
GUWonder
I would say that renewing outside of the US is generally at least a bit of an inconvenience for most parents with young minors. And the less often it is required to go into the embassy/consulate for ACS or anywhere lese for those passports, the more convenient it is.
If you get the chance, you could apply for US passports while in the US to avoid the "big book" version.
Unless the process/application form has changed recently, there is a tick box where you choose between two options on the number of pages, and the form is identical regardless of where you apply (at a US post office or passport office or at a consulate abroad)