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AMA

I'm a single mum of 7. AMA!

1000 replies

WorldCupSadness · 25/07/2026 13:29

Scared 😅

OP posts:
fuggetaboutit · 26/07/2026 06:16

Vulpini · 25/07/2026 23:19

Hi, genuinely curious, given your personal experience as a child of a big family, why did you decide to have five children yourself? Honestly not judging, just curious! 😊

I've been asking myself this a lot recently. I think its a mix of culture and that it's all I ever knew. I think as I've been housekeeping and raising children my whole life, I've had more capacity than the average person, I was literally trained up.

My children each have their own bedrooms and I'm passionate about their education and extra curriculars. We have foreign holidays, they attend grammer schools, they literally don't want for anything. My husband was raised in a loving family and was also one of five children. He tells me regularly that I need to take a step back and let my children struggle so they will learn for themselves, I really struggle and find I micro manage out of fear they will grow up in the utter chaos I did.

A previous poster said who cares if the OP house is clean- her kids will care. I carried so much shame and always lived in fear that someone would turn up to my childhood home unannounced because of the dirt and mess. I realised yesterday, when I was buying more bedding that I didn't need, that it was because I grew up sleeping in dirty, smelly beds.

I think I'm hyper vigilant when it comes to family life and raising my children, as I'm accutely aware of the damage that is done to a child when their needs are not met.

Reading this thread has been quite triggering and uncomfortable. People always want to know about the size of your house, what car you drive, what holidays you take, wether you read to your children each night, how often you change their beds, if your house is clean, etc etc. And it doesn't matter that I have all the right answers and the fact that my five children are no less disadvantaged than their peers, people judge. I don't like it, but I understand why. I judge myself!

earlyshirley · 26/07/2026 06:20

ElectricLegs · 26/07/2026 05:32

OP. You make me feel like a lazy under achiever!! 😁

That is a fair amount coming in each month, but the outgoings must be horrendous - I don't need to know. The best part of £1,500 is Landlord Benefit though.

I think that you are a star having and coping with seven kids. Ignore the negativity on here. We need bigger families so that the offspring can go out to work and pay the pensions of the moaners, and a few of those moaners will end up in care homes with young people wiping their bums for them, and spoon feeding them their meals.

Good to hear the OP is churning out care home workers for all our benefit…..🙄 I despise this rhetoric that people who have far too many kids than is necessary are somehow doing us a favour.
We don’t need more and more humans on the planet otherwise it’s a human Ponzi scheme. In any event there aren’t enough jobs for young people as it is. Pretty sure that a family of 8 will be net takers through their lives. Check out some of the posts on here about young people with degrees not even able to get jobs in McDonalds.

ElectricLegs · 26/07/2026 06:34

Universal Basic Income will solve the problem of AI doing all the jobs.

There is no reason to think that the OP's seven kids will be net takers from the state. They will get the jobs if they get themselves the right education, their Mum is a good example to them. Those with degrees who can't get jobs have got the wrong degrees or their expectations are too high. I have applied for so many jobs where the companies would not extend me the offer of employment, or sometimes even the offer of an interview as I didn't have a degree, despite working in their field of endeavour for many years.

fuggetaboutit · 26/07/2026 06:43

ElectricLegs · 26/07/2026 06:34

Universal Basic Income will solve the problem of AI doing all the jobs.

There is no reason to think that the OP's seven kids will be net takers from the state. They will get the jobs if they get themselves the right education, their Mum is a good example to them. Those with degrees who can't get jobs have got the wrong degrees or their expectations are too high. I have applied for so many jobs where the companies would not extend me the offer of employment, or sometimes even the offer of an interview as I didn't have a degree, despite working in their field of endeavour for many years.

It's unlikely her children will be able to get the right education, they won't have enough support, financially or otherwise. I'm the eldest of an XL family and I had to choose between an education or driving lessons and having any money to support myself, while also being a live-in maid and raising my siblings. My education was not at the top of anyone's priority list, but you better believe they came after my housekeeping as soon as I had a job.

Tinahowls · 26/07/2026 06:47

@WorldCupSadness is now probably dealing with screaming kids, pissed off neighbours, angry teens at having no space, no peace and constantly being asked to babysit.

She is in dreadful debt having done a law degree with no plan whatsoever of what to do at the end of it.

She is in a very low paid job.

Not someone to envy. Someone just to think…. Woah, you might be taking a lot in benefits but I don’t suppose one of the 8 in this family are even close to actually being happy.

Candy24 · 26/07/2026 06:51

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Tinahowls · 26/07/2026 06:52

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What ages are your 13 children?

Candy24 · 26/07/2026 06:55

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Tinahowls · 26/07/2026 06:59

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Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

fuggetaboutit · 26/07/2026 06:59

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As the eldest of 10 children, I would argue that you also need therapy. I certainly do.

CysticWorrier · 26/07/2026 07:12

PoorPhaedra · 25/07/2026 22:55

I’m sorry and I know it’s not politically correct but I can’t get over the fact that you are given £4k per month in benefits!!! That’s more than I take home with a masters degree, professional job and 25 years of experience 😱

I bet a huge chunk is rent though. Are you angry at the landlords who are charging high rent and basically getting paid via UC when they’d never meet the criteria to claim in their own right but get to take so much in benefit money?

Also the surprise at someone getting more than you despite you having a masters degree? That’s like me saying to my sick and disabled neighbour ‘I can’t believe how much more you get spent on you from the nhs than me ! Chemo, nhs transport, therapy, wheelchair services etc’ and failing to see that I’m lucky to be physically healthy and you are lucky to be educated and economically active just like I’m lucky to be healthy. The government spends more on some people but it’s not always something to be jealous or resentful of . You know you wouldn’t swap to OP life and I wouldn’t want to be my neighbour. Live and let live.

ThisHazelPeer · 26/07/2026 07:15

BlueBayBic · 25/07/2026 13:37

How do you find time for yourself?

When you become a mum you never have time for yourself. It's selfish for mums or dads to expect to have free time when there's children to parent and a home to run.

mamaE123456 · 26/07/2026 07:16

How can she possibly work full time with that many children to care for? She’s just had a newborn!

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 26/07/2026 07:24

its great that you are trying to improve your situation through studying but you need to come up with a plan as to how to get a training contract and a job out of it.

You are getting a huge amount in benefits and need to find a way to address this.

Snufkin88 · 26/07/2026 07:30

ThisHazelPeer · 26/07/2026 07:15

When you become a mum you never have time for yourself. It's selfish for mums or dads to expect to have free time when there's children to parent and a home to run.

No it isn’t don’t be ridiculous you are joking right ?

Sometimeswinning · 26/07/2026 07:34

Livelovebehappy · 25/07/2026 23:44

My point was that benefits are for necessities, not ‘wants’ or luxuries. I would say a cleaner is a luxury, which most people not on benefits can’t afford. If benefits are at an amount that enables luxuries to be paid for, then it’s wrong on every level..

Edited

I do agree. But the op works. It’s like when the man pays CS and stipulates it’s for the children only and mum shouldn’t be out living the highlife on it.

Op receives benefits for her children, she also works a job so it could be argued that luxury is on her wage.

CysticWorrier · 26/07/2026 07:35

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 26/07/2026 07:24

its great that you are trying to improve your situation through studying but you need to come up with a plan as to how to get a training contract and a job out of it.

You are getting a huge amount in benefits and need to find a way to address this.

A big chunk is for rent and childcare !

I actually think OP is doing amazingly. A single parent, working PT plus studying (and who has made a good choice with what she’s studying to maximise potential future earnings).
It sounds like there have been significant issues to overcome (DV and rape) so I really fail to see why anyone would give OP a hard time. This isn’t someone lazy and stagnating with no future plan!

Blushingm · 26/07/2026 07:38

CharlieEffie · 25/07/2026 21:07

Of course she doesnt work full time she has 7 kids to look after. If she didnt work at all she would get more UC
She cant win with judgy people like you

She can work with 7 kids. Why can’t she?

And she chose to have 7 kids. The majority of people decide to have kids if they can support them. If you can’t support yourself then don’t have the kids. It’s simple

Gengha · 26/07/2026 07:39

CysticWorrier · 26/07/2026 07:35

A big chunk is for rent and childcare !

I actually think OP is doing amazingly. A single parent, working PT plus studying (and who has made a good choice with what she’s studying to maximise potential future earnings).
It sounds like there have been significant issues to overcome (DV and rape) so I really fail to see why anyone would give OP a hard time. This isn’t someone lazy and stagnating with no future plan!

Things that everyone else has to find and pay for and doesn’t get more money from their employer for because they have more kids.

I agree OP is doing well trying to better herself but having 7 kids in this day and age that she can’t afford is ridiculous.

Blushingm · 26/07/2026 07:40

Sometimeswinning · 26/07/2026 07:34

I do agree. But the op works. It’s like when the man pays CS and stipulates it’s for the children only and mum shouldn’t be out living the highlife on it.

Op receives benefits for her children, she also works a job so it could be argued that luxury is on her wage.

She works 21 hours a week. The rest of the time she can do her own cleaning?

Anon1216 · 26/07/2026 07:42

WorldCupSadness · 25/07/2026 13:43

Around 4k a month (includes rent)

Wow that is ridiculous. This country is a mess. Imagine if we all decided to work part time and pop out numerous kids we couldn’t afford to provide for and relief on government handouts.
I’m sorry but why should we all pay for all your children? Most decent people would stop producing children when they knew they cousins provide for them!

weddingembarrassment · 26/07/2026 07:42

CysticWorrier · 26/07/2026 07:35

A big chunk is for rent and childcare !

I actually think OP is doing amazingly. A single parent, working PT plus studying (and who has made a good choice with what she’s studying to maximise potential future earnings).
It sounds like there have been significant issues to overcome (DV and rape) so I really fail to see why anyone would give OP a hard time. This isn’t someone lazy and stagnating with no future plan!

I agree with you @CysticWorrier

pragmatismuniversalsentimentalist · 26/07/2026 07:43

WorldCupSadness · 25/07/2026 14:04

Incorrect

So presumably your benefits are being reduced accordingly due to savings over the threshold?

Justgorgeous · 26/07/2026 07:45

Flazzled · 25/07/2026 13:45

Wowzer. You receive more in benefits than I earn.

Yes, it’s disgraceful.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 26/07/2026 07:46

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Just why?

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