The Radford's (not a mean thread)

[Curiouschlo]

Not sure if I have posted this in the right place. Not wanting a debate about them being bad people or not having enough time for the kids etc. I just have a genuine question of how???? Everytime I watch the blogs or programs.

I mean I get that they are an incredibly rare family. Most of us have stiff backs and are exhausted after a couple. My first how??? Is where do they get the energy from. My sex life is tricky now I have 2 lol! Also pregnancy is draining for alot of people. How an earth does she have the energy to cope with sickness, tiredness, bumps and appointments. It was bad enough taking one toddler to an antenatal appointment let alone several! How can she be relaxed about labour and getting all the kids settled and sorted. Plus I'm 30 and they are putting me to shame with their energy levels.

Next How??? The house! It's huge. It's always tidy. The kitchen is never cluttered and again I am questioning how mines (standard semi detached) is so messy and in desperate need of a deep clean with one child home all day and one at school. Also how do you cope washing clothes of 16 people roughly? Sorting uniforms and socks and shoes out for everyone. How do you have time to work out who's things are who?

My next how??? Is money. Again I'm not digging at them. I know the hubby works. I know they are grafters but still. A huge house like that. At least ten kids in uniforms. All needing clothes and costs and birthdays. They have a fantastic garden. Like me... Sue likes shopping at next. I can get my kids the odd bit from there and I love it!!! If I had that amount of kids though it would not be affordable at all. Not to mention on Christmas day this year the older ones all got designer coats and trainers, phones laptops etc. The kids got loads of toys. Once I've spent £150 each on my two and sorted everyone else in the family I'm abit skint.

Also sue seems so happy and able to listen to all her kids and be patient.

I know people feel strongly towards this family and she's been bashed alot of here. I'm not wanting to tear her apart at all. She seems very loving. I just can't work out how they do it. I also spend £120 a week on our food shop and nappies etc. Surely there's will be around £500 a week?

I think they bought the house for only 260k . In a cheap area. It was a care home which might have made it cheaper. I really don’t know what their secret is either. sue’s skin looks amazing ( probably the hormones).

There is a very interesting thread here tattle.life/threads/the-radford-family-3-sue-needs-a-new-pram-the-bakerys-a-sham-and-the-media-companys-a-scam.4211/

Some of it not very nice but interesting about the money side of it. If you set yourself up as a company (which is what they did) you can easily pay yourself next to nothing to claim tax credits etc. As a director of the company Sue could have claimed SMP for the last 20 years along with about £170 in child benefit a week at the very least.

If he paid, say £10k to 5 of the kids as 'employees' that's £50k tax free for the household.

I know of people with their own companies who do similar.

The bakery supposedly makes just under £50k. They get child benefit and have done for something like 30 years and tax credits. They also obviously get paid by the tv company.

I have read they have a live in au pair so that's help with children and housework plus the older girls are expected to help with both (the boys aren't though!)

I've just had a read of the link. It's definitely an eye opener. I wonder if alot of the next clothes etc were gifted. Although I'd say next sells itself.

The kids got lion king fur real toys for Christmas they are apparently £100 and they got two! It doesn't add up money wise does it.

I think in the nicest way possibly sue needs some therapy. If she was adopted. Pregnant so young. Needs a baby to feel content then she needs some help. I never really considered all these things. It does seem like a sad story on her part. Having toddlers for 30 years to date means she's never known a life away from the chaos of nappies, screaming and all the stages. There must constantly be kids with colds and coughs and sickness bugs. It's going to hit her hard when these days are over isn't it. I think she will feel absolutely lost the day her last goes to school. I wonder if it's the hurt from being adopted making her want to surround herself with innocence forever?

Really wish in this day and age of overpopulation the media would stop giving attention to people who have dozens of kids and laud them for it.

OP you're just guessing and surmising. The house was nowhere near 500k 🤷🏽‍♀️😂. And now you're bashing her on the thread you started.

Hi Misandra 👋🏼** neighbours

@crustycrab good job your here with your expert knowledge lol. I apologize for offending you! I forgot nobody is allowed to talk on here without the offended detective that picks out anything small to start a Mumsnet arguement. I'm sure your army will me along soon. At this point I shall hide the thread. It's about to turn bitchy bye!

Well don't they get £18 a week child benefit for each child or has that been phased out now? You can't possibly give one to one quality time with that many. There was a documentary on large families a few years ago, the eldest siblings did a huge amount of childcare & housework & were all openly resentful when interviewed . I grew up in a village where there was a family with 9 children, the Headmaster where I did Work Experience told me all the children pretended illness a lot, as that's the only way they got attention at home. I'd see the eldest girls, 12 & 13, doing the weekly foodshop, Dr appts with toddlers , walking the toddlers with a baby in the buggy too etc all the time.

The magic pie shop plus all the revenue from YouTube, Facebook, Instagram & TV.

Low cost of living where they are.

Labour is divided amongst all of the older children so that Sue focuses on the few smallest ones.

@Curiouschlo wtf? Offended? 😂

Just don't see the point in starting a thread insisting it's a nice one and then completely contradicting yourself a few posts in. Saying "in the nicest possible way" before a sentence doesn't make it any less nasty.

And I know how much the houses around here sell for, like I said, neighbours 🤷🏽‍♀️.

How do they do it?

Lock the kids in their rooms at bedtime and remove the door handles.

But we don’t know the house is ‘always tidy’ do we. It’s just what you see on the programme. If my kitchen was going to be on telly I’d bloody well make sure it was tidy! And the tv company will help them tidy up ok sure

*Im sure

I have four and I dont struggle for 1:1 time. I do struggle with being organised though. She must have a good routine! Also I have a five bed house, not because were rich ( we aren't) but because necessity made us have to think differently so we built it.

Sometimes you get better because you have too at things. Personally I couldn't see myself coping beyond six kids under 18. ( I'm sticking to four) but the more inventive you get, the more other standards slip and I dont have much mental energy left for myself some days.

Anyway I try to gadge my parenting by asking myself if I'm selfish in my choices. Ok so it's some times ok to put yourself first, but always being mindful not to be selfish in bring my kids up ( with time, choices, life decisions etc)

I do quite admire their life. It seems very full

Yeah I'm guessing the house they are in would cost around £500,000

And I'm guessing you have never been to Morecambe

In fairness it's on the up but 10 years ago when the Radfords bought their house (it used to be a care home, but there are lots of very similar houses in Morecambe that used to be guesthouses and are now HMOs) it would have been cheap. £250k ish I think.

It's ok Cumbrian. The OP flounced at being given such "expert knowledge"