The Radfords

[highchairhell]

Hey all, after a night struggling with a teething baby and a toddler with chicken pox I ended up thinking about how the radfords cope? There just wasn't enough of me last night to give both the constant attention they wanted, and my DH was helping but it was constant and exhausting.

How on Earth do the radfords cope? Surely their children teeth, get poorly, need advice, homework help, feeding, bathing, one on one time etc so HOW?

I guess my aibu is to think they can't? Surely they can't be in 21 places at once?!

I don’t really watch their programme but whoever I have caught it they are doing something very expensive like a holiday or something they all have to get an outfit for to celebrate something.

I wonder if they hadn’t “found fame” they would have continued past 16 children.

It’s a ridiculous amount of children to have and so much more worthwhile ways to prove you really are “amazing”.

With that many kids, the logic must just be “everyone fed, nobody dead” and that’s that.
I only have 2 dcs (3yo & 20mo) and I feel like I’m pulled a million different ways most days when the big one needs her arse wiping but the little one is screaming for a snack

What an awful thread. I can't understand why MNHQ lets stuff like this stand. Bloody women...

Daily reading, reading bedtime stories, daily bathtime of toddlers, ensuring older kids shower, clean clothes, on top of monitoring well being of each child, any bullying or school upsets, play dates, brownies, scouts, monitoring internet use. I just don't see how with one parent working long hours, one parent can achieve all this and them all get what they need. I rarely sit down or watch tv with a much smaller 'large' family and an OH who's out long hours.

Apparently Sue has something "special" to announce about this pregnancy...

Secret IVF resulting in multiples. Calling it!

it is awful to be unkind but they have brought it upon themselves. Sad.

she's got a scan pic on ig with just one

Boooo

the announcement is... this is definitely last one?

Let me correct that for you, petrolpump

it is awful to be unkind but they have brought it upon themselves. Sad.

Some women are such bitches. What do you all get out of this? You feel a bit superior, enjoy looking down on somebody who operates outside the 'norm'? I wouldn't do what the Radfords are doing but they've done nothing to warrant this.

oh smashed, please no

..

yikes

I have 3 children, all quite close in age (4 years between oldest and youngest)
Life is a constant chaotic whirlwind.
DH works full time and I work 0.8 FTE
We also both volunteer with the scouts
There’s no way with loads more kids we would be able to give them the attention and time that they need to feel secure and loved.
DS1 has just done some days at secondary school before he goes up in September, it’s been really important to take some time just with him to make sure he’s got no worries, we can talk about his new routine etc.
There’s barely enough time between School Home time and bed time to:
Do reading
Practise spellings
Do beavers/cubs badge work
Do maths homework
Do project homework
Have a chat about the day
Keep up with the washing 3 kids create
Make tea/snacks
Bath time
Story time
Ferrying kids to gymnastics/cubs/swimming/play dates/drama/coding club etc

And that’s just the day to day stuff, then you have the long term stuff like keeping an eye on who’s feeling out of their clothes and shoes, who has developed a health problem eg a rash that hasn’t gone, constipation or nits etc
Keeping up with the kids friendships and assorted dramas, having the kids friends over to play etc

if they had gone quietly about their somewhat unorthodox life style thats one thing but to look for fame and funding whilst having 20 plus children that doesnt seem like a good idea to me.

they are not operating outside the norm, this is something else.

@LyingWitchInTheWardrobe but there's nothing bitchy here? Just because it goes against the 'oh my god you're so amazing' doesn't mean it's bitchy. They've put their kids out there and observations have been made.

Agree with that petrol.

While they're obviously not in the same league as Josef Fritzl, they are still so far outside the norm as to be pro-creating in a neglectful and damaging fashion.

21 kids is way beyond a joke. It's batshitly unfair on the poor children.

What is it about the Radfords that makes them immune from criticism on their poor parenting in some people's eyes?

So what did she say was special about this pregnancy in her vlog?

I'm astonished they are having another (or two depending on what the surprise is).

I know it's each to their own but I honestly don't know how they cope!
Also, how does her body cope after so many pregnancies/births

I hope everything goes well with her latest pregnancy but it would certainly not be my choice.

Fluffyrainbow, Is there no middle ground there with you? I don't adore them, don't despise or declare them inadequate either.

There are an awful lot of parents on this board (mothers mostly, go figure) who really rate their own parenting but, because they're not too sure, they have to pull somebody else's parenting down. That's a bit pathetic.

Anyway, I've said my bit. These threads are shitty. The fact that you can't pick out any bitchy posts is a bit of an indictment, nothing more.

I didn’t really like them going on about the last one being a “Rainbow Baby” either.

I don’t know why it made me feel uncomfortable it just did. I don’t know how it made anyone experiencing difficulties or infertility feel.

@LyingWitchInTheWardrobe I get where you are coming from, but the majority of posts are based on experiences as parents of less children. So I think people are discussing from that perspective. I suppose people saying it's sad could be called out, but then for those kids in the middle it is sad. And it's sad that she had a baby at 14 and that's all she's done since and seems to know how to do, and the people continually telling her how amazing she is seem to be fueling them on to more and more. But there are significant health risks and costs. Yes there is middle ground with me, I was responding to your 'sone women are just bitches, what do you get out of this etc' which seemed to be assuming that everyone here was bitching and being superior. At 15/16 I could just about see it working and them both saying it was the last one, but 21?