21 Kids and Counting.

I would love to know what the eldest children do think about having 20 siblings and having to take responsibility for some of their care. I largely agree with merlotgran's observation that the number of children this couple are having has become almost an industry for them. It seems to me that their whole raison d'être is child production. What will they fill their lives with when they are no longer able to reproduce?

And for those amongst us who say that this is no one's business but their own; my response would have to be: if they don't want to attract public opinion, don't keep broadcasting your family decisions via national television.

I have no gripe with family who work having as many children as they can afford/want. I admire Amanda Owen aka the Yorkshire Shepherdess, I was brought up in Yorkshire & many farming families had large families.

The family with 21 children live in a former B&B so plenty of room & a Bakery business which lends itself to family life if you're well organised. I prefer to hear about families like these in preference to ones who are living on benefits & multiple children by several often absent fathers.

Do people actually believe this? Are you a poster with multiple identities who enjoys upsetting people?

Are you so brave in the real world when you encounter somebody who was not born here?

Having 21 children who have loving WORKING parents who were born here and claim nothing from the state bar child benefit, which even Lords and Ladies receive, is far better than shelling out for state funded housing, clothing, medical care and translators for illegal immigrants

How can comments like this possibly be acceptable?

The mother is literally a baby machine - she seems to just pop them out without too much trouble. I think the couple both seem a bit mentally lacking and make up for this by having children. Its impossible to give each child all the care they need when there are so many who need it. Most of the older kids seem happy enough but they are bound to have missed out on care and attention on an individual basis. It makes me feel sad for them.

In Ireland, child benefit is much higher at €140 per month per child. If you have twins the rate is 1.5 x €140 for each twin = €560pm
If you have triplets you receive double the amount per child ie: €280 × 3 = €840pm

Here it's £20.70pw (£82.80pm)for the first and £13.70pw (£54.80pm) for subsequent children.
I thought Ireland was struggling.

I think what he said was that he earned £50,000 from the bakery business, but that will probably be the Gross before all his allowable expenses are taken off (flour & other ingredients, tins, cleaning, transport, utilities, rent of premises, insurance, equipment, and so on), so, on paper (for tax purposes), his income will be much lower so they will get most of the child benefit (about £1,000 per month). Then there's cost to us all of her maternity care, and the ongoing costs (to the tax payer) of 21 children (e.g. NHS and education). As for them - she clearly doesn't know what else to do with her life except have children (as she was first pregnant at 13) and neither has the self-awareness to make different decisions. And, as many others have said, it will be the older children who are doing most of the childcare which is unfair on them. Overall, sorry, I think having that many children is an enormously selfish decision.

There is a limit now I believe, its only paid for the first two children. Anyway the child benefit is a drop in ocean as far as public spending goes. How about all the money wasted on failed government projects.

Mabon1
I don't want to get into any sort of argument and I don't know if it was to me you were referring when you said "What's your gripe.
Is the family harming you?"
In response I would like to know how much money they are getting in child benefits which had they limited their family to a reasonable size ,could have gone to other worthwhile causes.
I have no objection to anyone having a lot of children but I still think there should be a limit on the amount of child benefit any family should receive.

My point is that this is not just a large family being provided for by their parents. They're an industry managed by sponsorship and TV deals. Without a baby every year there is no point in an 'update' programme. They're all the same anyway.

The Vlog on YouTube shows off the product placement but there is no real family life. Not the sort we're familiar with anyway. The state of the art kitchen was installed in time for the arrival of the new baby but had to be done just three weeks before she was born to add a bit of drama. It's also the star attraction in the Christmas vlogs.

I have no criticism of them personally. As some posters have pointed out, they're not doing me any harm but I've been intrigued by the set up and that's what I'm critical of.

I agreed with some of the stuff Paddyanne wrote but I hate the way she puts it across. I see nothing wrong with the family at least they are contributing by producing the countries future work force.

Paddyanne, I regularly read contributions on this site and you seem to feel that nobody should have an opinion - only you. Most people are kinder and less dogmatic than you but still have an opinion. Please give everyone a chance to say what they think without being unkind. This is not the Paddyanne site so how dare you tell people what to complain about.
Happy Saturday everyone.

Perhaps they should feed him the stuff they are going to give the grey squirrels!

The real damage must be to the environment. The drain on schools NHS etc. This woman had a baby at 13 and must have been pregnant permanently since. Something not quite right here.

I didn't see the programme but have seen lots of opinions about this on Mumsnet, much of which is critical.
One of my neighbours grew up in a family of 20 and she says that her childhood was awful, but then they were very poor.
For myself I would hate to have been brought up in such a household, no peace and quiet or privacy - it would have driven me insane and I think I would leave home as soon as I could.

*Sorry, should read 'of' and 'these children'.

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I don't know the couple you're talking about but I have several friends (in my social group) who come from big families - 16-20 and sometimes more.

They delight me with tales of how they helped one another, how they laughed, worked, shared clothes and food and occasionally fought but had loving parents who adored them.

I can't see anything wrong with larger families and if they are deemed eligible for a state benefit, nothing wrong with that either.

Live and let live.

Who cares!

I at he'd it wit interest after flicking through the channels. I don't advocate having that many children but I did feel the warmth and caring if those children as a unit. I think she's mad having that many but each to their own I work in childcare and see all sides of family life and what struck me was the closeness of them all. Very uplifting.

They were both adopted, that's why they wanted a big family.
Some f the older children are working and two work in the bakery.
The royal family get child benefit. I had 5 children and got child benefit even though my husband earned much more than the family in the programme.
Thisecchimdren will work and pay tax. Sue is not a mother relying on benefits in a taxpayer funded house with umpteen kids with different absent fathers.
Noel starts the bread the night before and sees the children to school in the minibus. He does his share of bathing and reading stories at night. I think they do very well. No food bank family, just hard work and love.

I see nothing to commend excess in anything. If this couple were heavy drinkers or grossly overweight through eating far too much, no-one would think twice about criticising their excess.

In a situation where excess population is killing our planet, I class having this number of children as an anti-social act that cannot be justified by saying ^ I see nothing wrong in them having wanted all their children. Each one has been as precious as the next one to them.^

What's your gripe? Is the family harming you?

Merlot gran.
I agree with what you say about Amanda Owen and her family.
Nine children are a lot but I have read s couple of books by her and seen the programme on the television about their lives and I take my hat off to her.
I know nothing about benefits.
When I was little my mother did not get family allowance for me,her first child.
Does one automatically get child benefit regardless of income?
If so ,I would stop child benefit after- say - the third child.
In truth I think I would stop it regardless of income after the third child .

Having seen the thread about the Radfords on MN I thought I'd take a peek at the stuff on YouTube about them. I didn't realise there was so much! Their vlog is an eye opener in as much as all the products they are obviously given feature in what seems to be a childish way but Sue is keen to linger with her video over brand names - often going back to the same product. It all seems so manipulative from the manufacturers down to the youngest child.

The children have so much 'stuff' they will not learn the value of anything and the junk food they devour was shocking. Sue seems to be a simple soul who is literally like a kid in a sweetshop. I don't think she has ever really grown up and is controlled by Noel. What will happen to them if all the sponsorship dries up?

I couldn't help comparing this family with the Owens of Yorkshire Farm fame. OK, half the number of kids but their work ethic and family values shine through. Those farm kids are growing up knowing the value of everything.

The Radford children come across as a happy bunch but easy come, easy go is not a good foundation for adult life.