21 kids and counting

[thannyflaps]

Just watching the latest episode - how on earth do they afford to run that household? iPhones for the kids, holidays to Spain for 20 people, a new kitchen.

There is no way a bakery would generate that much money. Would channel 4 really pay that well for their participation in the programme?

Thanny Flaps

Agree alterego. That will be a hugely stressful home for those dogs.

Ideal situation for a dog bite to happen.

I've always wondered about the no benefit situation. They say they only claim child benefit, but you need to earn under £50 000 for that. A family with so many kids would also still get tax credits.

I just did a tax credit calculation on the gov.uk website for a family earning £45000 with 17 kids and it came up with a whopping £2800 a month!

I've always wondered about the no benefit situation. They say they only claim child benefit, but you need to earn under £50 000 for that. A family with so many kids would also still get tax credits

She spoke a few years ago and said she did claim tax credits. Presumably they don't now because they earn enough from the TV appearances and advertising.

Noel probably takes a wage from the bakery, and king his income to be less than the business overall profit, keeping things low for child benefit.

I think they do get tax credits. They don't deny it but won't admit it either. The bakery earns under £50k according to them and I'm sure they get holidays/weddings in lieu of payment from channel 4 to keep them under the threshold.

I’ve nhst watched this on catch up and think they cone across much better in this episode than In Previous Years shows .
The kids all seem very polite and level headed especially the older kids
Defo think they get paid by TV and magazines for holidays / treats etc
That Benidorm holiday must have cost £20k plus

The children are feral

They are all very likeable but it's just an horrendous way to live, the house in disrepair, the chaos, lack of quiet time or privacy

I wouldn't be surprised if some of those children end up with mental health problems

I don't think they can win. I think the children were being children. Everyone would complain if the children were subdued and quiet. The house wasn't that bad for having all those people living there.

End up with?

I’m sure years ago they said they didn’t claim UNEMPLOYMENT benefits. That seems to have morphed over the years to them being some kind of modern day saints that don’t take a penny of taxpayers’ money. They’ve got good PR I’ll give them that.

I think the older children seem lovely, but not enjoying being part of a huge family.
The younger ones are just a gaggle of yelling, screaming, fighting mess.

I think it'll be interesting to see what the middle/later children say about the family once they're all grown up in 10/20 years time (expect some of them will try to forge careers as "celebrities" appearing on I'm A Celebrity type shows).

(And I'm wondering how long it'll be til this thread gets zapped, as ones about the Radfords always are, especially once talk turns to the parent's respective ages at the start of their relationship...).

(I realise that apostrophe in parent's was wrong, bloody phone)

These poor, poor kids.

I got the impression that Noel does not want the kids to be independent adults. He said that they don't need to leave, they got everything they need here! Very concerning and controlling. Noel couldent even remember a couple of his kids birthdays 😥😥

I think Noel does his best to encourage them not to leave!

Agree aeroflotgirl

To any normal mind, older teens and young adults would not enjoy a holiday with a dozen other small children, people pointing and staring, having to play babysitter and go off on countryside viewing trips with their dad. But Noel and sue think all theirs want that and love it! No! It’s because theyve been raised to think they have to put up with it and they have to toe the party line of how woenderful their massive family is so much so that they never want to leave. It isn’t normal for kids of that age to never want to leave home especially given the conditions they’re living in.

The older ones have no aspiration to do anything more than to work in their fathers pie shop. When Chloe went to uni, she soon dropped out, probably due to pressure from the parents.

I wonder if the driving lessons with dad is staged. I remember in 17 Kids and Counting the Lewis girls had a driving lesson with their dad too.

I don't think they could manage on holiday without Chloe. I had a friend who was the eldest of 7 and when we were in our early 20's her mum had what was the final baby. I remember asking her if she thought her mum would have any more and she said that she hoped not as it would mean that she would never be able to move out as she would feel obliged to care for her sibling. I don't have an issue with kids doing housework within reason, but for an adult child to have to take on the brunt of raising a sibling is very selfish of the parents.

I do think the parents come across as very childish and the 23 year old daughter seems more mature on camera than her parents
I suppose the mum had never had a chance to socialise normally
I still think the older children are lovely and seem to be very sensible

Sue and Noel can't possibly have many (or any?) time to enjoy their children individually and find out who they are?

It just seems such a waste of lovely children and their precious childhoods.

I can understand Sue wanting to have young children for as long as possible. I can't understand why she would knowingly conceive another baby while she has a 4 month old. It's the minuscule age gaps that really get to me. They both need therapy.

I got the impression that Noel does not want the kids to be independent adults.

Me too, I expect he's the same with Sue as well.