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21 kids and counting

765 replies

thannyflaps · 03/01/2019 22:00

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

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MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 05/01/2019 18:44

I don't condone teen pregnancies but it's a fact that lots of 13 and 14yo do get pregnant but most of them have the pregnancy terminated. The Radford's chose to keep the baby, supported by their own parents, and their relationship (and subsequent marriage) has lasted over 29 years.

There is no such thing as a sexual "relationship" between a 13year old and an 18 year old, it's called sexual abuse. The fact that he subsequently married her does not make his actions any less abhorrent.

WrithingHomeForChristmas · 05/01/2019 19:08

I always find it mad how the ‘baby/toddler stage’ of pushchairs and nappies and screaming tantrums and little people who need constant attention has basically been Sue’s entire adult life

She doesn't give them constant attention though. A PP mentioned her (Sue) spending whole mornings on FB. Parenting is a lot less work if you leave almost all of it to older siblings (and don't worry about things like healthy meals & providing books, clean sheets etc.)

(I get what you mean though, she's never been an adult without a toddler.)

Unicornfeathers · 05/01/2019 19:09

Like PP I really, really cringed at the children on the worktops near the jobs. There is a pic on FB on the kids on the worktops with the baby on a cushion which, as an ex HV, makes my skin crawl.
The idea that Sue was only 13 and Noel 18 when they had their first baby makes me feel sick.

What has really fascinated me is that sheer statistics would determine that some of their children have SEND yet if they do it’s never talked about or recognised.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 05/01/2019 19:11

If I were Sue I’d feel very vulnerable and worried about what would happen to me after the menopause

I really hope they are planning to get her some counselling in preparation for this. I honestly think she might fall into a huge depression when she loses the ability to have children. It is literally all she does. It’s her life’s purpose.

Some of the older adult children would probably have to take in some of the younger ones as kinship carers so Sue would only be left with 4/5/6.

Sue could not care for 4 children on her own. She would fall apart.

WrithingHomeForChristmas · 05/01/2019 19:12

What has really fascinated me is that sheer statistics would determine that some of their children have SEND yet if they do it’s never talked about or recognised.

I've thought this too. Maybe they don't spend enough time with the children to notice. But imagine if one of the youngest ones turns out to have special needs that affect them severely, how the fuck would they cope?

mountainlakes · 05/01/2019 19:17

The way Chloe talked about Sue sounded like a parent talking about a child.

PollyFlinderz · 05/01/2019 20:05

What has really fascinated me is that sheer statistics would determine that some of their children have SEND yet if they do it’s never talked about or recognised

Its crossed my mind quite a bit.

Also the comments about the sheets. At one stage I thought there were no sheets on the girls beds but then I realised they just hadn’t made the bed properly and pulled the sheet up.

PollyFlinderz · 05/01/2019 20:07

The way Chloe talked about Sue sounded like a parent talking about a child

And the comments about their contraception. 🙄

cobblett36 · 05/01/2019 20:26

Looks like they've deleted their Instagram but not Facebook.

MaHeidsGouping · 05/01/2019 20:33

I noticed Sophie deleted her FB the day after the show aired.

Scifi101 · 05/01/2019 20:35

I thought the oldest Radford daughter had her own family?

potatoscone · 05/01/2019 20:37

She does.

staydazzling · 05/01/2019 20:56

i do hope they arent getting harassed, airing views on a thread and actively seeking them.out are 2 very different things.

evaperonspoodle · 05/01/2019 20:56

What's different this time is that the two newspapers that are usually very pro Radfords have published articles calling into question her age. I think most people who watch/follow them are aware, but it seems that the articles are leaning towards it being a very negative thing that should be made more public, whereas before it was always 'they've stayed together and made it work'. I wonder what brought about this change?

Hubanmao · 05/01/2019 21:05

There’s been a shift in thinking hasn’t there, as evidenced by #metoo and the Times up movement. People are questioning things now that perhaps they’d have turned a blind eye to in the past.

I hope this marks a fundamental change in how this family are presented. Once they lose the media support, they’ve had it. And it could well be a case of the media turning against them, not just stopping promoting them.

TheEagle · 05/01/2019 21:17

I found the most recent programme very unsettling.

Really disliked the way they filmed the child’s distress over the prawn in the paella, it was awful hearing them laughing at him. The part with Noel shouting at Sue about the sat nav was dreadful.

I have 3 children very close in age and it’s really hard to give them individual attention, I can’t imagine how you could ever give 21 children enough of your time and energy.

Chloe seems exhausted by it all and I feel terribly sorry for the older teenage boys.

I don’t think they’re done with babies though!

TheEagle · 05/01/2019 21:18

Totally agree with hubanmao ‘s assessment upthread too

Scifi101 · 05/01/2019 21:19

@potatoscone so she wasn't featured in the programme? Chloe isn't her?

TheEagle · 05/01/2019 21:21

Oh and I think it was Sue’s parents that featured in one of the documentaries (maybe the one where they lost Alfie?) so I think they are quite involved

FrancisCrawford · 05/01/2019 21:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MaHeidsGouping · 05/01/2019 21:30

Sci-fi Sophie is the eldest girl, she's been in all the programmes so far and whenever they appear on This Morning.

evaperonspoodle · 05/01/2019 21:38

I hope this marks a fundamental change in how this family are presented. Once they lose the media support, they’ve had it. And it could well be a case of the media turning against them, not just stopping promoting them

The thing is in the nicest possible way their fan base judging by their comments are not the type to see the possible connection between #metoo and the Radfords. Lots of 'you are a true example of love's young dream' and 'true love never dies, no matter what age you are'. They do have a massive following and must be a money spinner for channel 4 so I can't see the media giving them up just yet.

The older children seem to really love their siblings in a parental sort of way. I just saw one of the older boy's social media and he put a picture of the new baby with the caption 'You never get tired of this feeling' which I thought was slightly old-before-time for a late teen but I suppose it does show that they feel very close to their younger siblings and play an instrumental part in their upbringing.

Papergirl1968 · 05/01/2019 21:55

I have to disagree with a lot of the comments on here.
Appalling as it was to get a 13-year-old pregnant, I don't think Noel controls Sue, in fact I'd say it's her who pushes for another baby because she's addicted to getting pregnant and having a newborn.
I thought the older kids were a credit to them, and the younger ones were, as others have said, feral. I wonder how the hell any of them get homework done.
As for the comments about the way Noel spoke to Sue when she got lost on holiday, I think PPs are overreacting. It wasn't abusive, it wasn't even a row, just the exasperation many people have with their other half over map reading/sat navs when they're tired after hours of travelling.
I think the Radfords are vilified on here and I'm uncomfortable with that.
I do have to say though, there's a huge difference between them and, for example, the parents of the Walton sextuplets who have done the occasional documentary or advert to bring in some extra income, but found a way to balance that with giving their daughters privacy.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 05/01/2019 22:05

I just saw one of the older boy's social media and he put a picture of the new baby with the caption 'You never get tired of this feeling' which I thought was slightly old-before-time for a late teen but I suppose it does show that they feel very close to their younger siblings

Or just parroting what he is constantly hearing his mother saying. Monkey see, monkey do.

evaperonspoodle · 05/01/2019 22:05

I don't see the 'apparent' control issues either. Not to say they aren't there but the editing could easily make an issue out of nothing. Both of them, but Sue in particular come across as quite immature with possible learning difficulties. In the last programme Sue was giggling about how much they must enjoy the sex and Noel went as far as saying that Sue was harassing him for sex and had to close all of the windows as she made so much noise. It just seemed so inappropriate and more suited to teens. This time the boys joked about walking in on them DTD which again felt so odd and not a particularly healthy parent/child dynamic.

There is always plenty of discussion on them on MN, the same way that there is on many topics. I disagree that they get a roasting though, the language is always polite and no one is being personally insulted. The negative comments I've read on other sites or the tabloid articles are much worse.

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