22 kids and counting Christmas special ch5

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Anyone watch

£5/7k on presents

Trying to serve up for 26 must be hard

They both do come across as happy together, but seem quite simple minded . They are happy because they are a rarity in having so many children,and got known for their huge family, and in turn, the Tv people knew this would be a great idea for a TV series, and so became a sure fire way, to make lots of money from all and sundry. I assume all their various trips abroad,to Florida and Lapland etc, are all funded by the programme makers., They always stay in nice places, and never have to rough it anywhere.

Is there anyone in the children's life who has worked hard to get an education / stable job, who could show them a different life?

This is a good question and unfortunately I think the answer is no. I think the influence from their home set up would be much too great and even if someone, a teacher perhaps, did try to steer them onto a more fulfilling and academic path their parents would not support them.

I would be very surprised if any of the Radford's children pursued anything other than a life of social media, influencing or working in the pie shop.

I do wonder which one will be the first to write a tell all book though. I suspect there would be a large financial payment for doing so, so I believe it's inevitable one of them will agree further down the line.

@Blondeshavemorefun

So should he have been prosecuted /done for rape ?

I’m just saying that yes they had a child underage but all the others were over 16. They got married and made a family

Well yes he should have been. She wasn't just underage, it's not like she was a couple of months off her 16th birthday and her boyfriend was 17. At 13 she was definitely a child and he was an adult at 18. The fact they've stayed together is neither here nor there, tbh Sue knows nothing else, she's basically been at home pregnant her entire life.

I would be very surprised if any of the Radford's children pursued anything other than a life of social media, influencing or working in the pie shop.

Sadly I agree. A couple of years ago, one of the older lads passed the RAF entrance requirements to start basic training. He lasted 2 weeks - didn't like the early starts, didn't like the food, didn't like the discipline. But more importantly, I think he'd been told by his parents that he wouldn't like it. So he gave up. What a missed opportunity

I do wonder which one will be the first to write a tell all book though. I suspect there would be a large financial payment for doing so, so I believe it's inevitable one of them will agree further down the line.

Very good point! I think one of the older ones will do this, who can remember a very different life before they were famous.

I do wonder which one will be the first to write a tell all book though. I suspect there would be a large financial payment for doing so, so I believe it's inevitable one of them will agree further down the line.

I hadn't thought about this, but now you've mentioned it I can definitely see one of the children going down this route. I think the lives the older children have had is very different to the younger ones. I bet they have some stories they could tell.

Sue knows nothing else, she's basically been at home pregnant her entire life.

Yes - she's so childlike in her outlook - thinking people are envious of all her children, and these days, thinking people are envious of her fame. Buying multiple new prams for each new baby, and proudly wheeling them around the streets like a six-year-old with a new dolly. Only interested in the new baby, sitting for hours cuddling them while the other kids are left to run riot.

I do feel sorry for her though, she was an innocent child and has never had the chance to escape that mindset.

I used to know the Radford children before they became properly famous and I can’t watch it now, it’s so fake. They are all very sweet children and it’s such a shame they’ve been encouraged to not go out and make a life for themselves and the older girls are already becoming baby machines themselves.

@LadyCatStark

I used to know the Radford children before they became properly famous and I can’t watch it now, it’s so fake. They are all very sweet children and it’s such a shame they’ve been encouraged to not go out and make a life for themselves and the older girls are already becoming baby machines themselves.

It must be very frustrating having known them personally to see how insular they are encouraged to be.

It's very sad that they're not seen as or encouraged to be individuals. I'd be very surprised if most of them had some form of therapy in the future to deal with how they have been raised.

*I'd not be surprised that should say.

Sadly I agree. A couple of years ago, one of the older lads passed the RAF entrance requirements to start basic training. He lasted 2 weeks - didn't like the early starts, didn't like the food, didn't like the discipline. But more importantly, I think he'd been told by his parents that he wouldn't like it. So he gave up. What a missed opportunity sad

When DS1 was in Phase 1 of Army training he phoned me at the end of the first week because he thought he’d chosen the wrong branch. We had a really long chat on the phone, I reiterated all the reasons why he went in the first place and reminded him how much he wanted to be there and how hard he’d worked for it. I, obviously, didn’t force him to stay but with that encouragement he stayed, realised the training was a means to an end and cracked on. I can imagine Daniel ringing Noel and Sue in a similar mindset and just being told to come home. There’s no encouragement for a life outside that family whatsoever.

I’ve got two DDs (early 20s) and I look back on their teen years and the amount of emotional support they needed at various times … friendship issues/relationships/education/further education … and still do to a certain extent. How can you possibly do that effectively with 22 children!

@BigSandyBalls2015

I’ve got two DDs (early 20s) and I look back on their teen years and the amount of emotional support they needed at various times … friendship issues/relationships/education/further education … and still do to a certain extent. How can you possibly do that effectively with 22 children!

Yes, can't imagine having to help write twenty personal statements for university! One nearly killed me.

@BigSandyBalls2015

I’ve got two DDs (early 20s) and I look back on their teen years and the amount of emotional support they needed at various times … friendship issues/relationships/education/further education … and still do to a certain extent. How can you possibly do that effectively with 22 children!

You can’t! Dealing with my teens’ issues is full on and I’ve only got 2. How you can give them any proper attention is beyond me.

@BigSandyBalls2015

I’ve got two DDs (early 20s) and I look back on their teen years and the amount of emotional support they needed at various times … friendship issues/relationships/education/further education … and still do to a certain extent. How can you possibly do that effectively with 22 children!

You can't. Sad thing is I don't even think it bothers them.

The difference in their lifestyle between now and 6-8 years ago is huge. The youngest children have only known luxury items, long haul holidays, expensive cars. They will have no incentive to work hard because their parents got it all for free. Sue was delighted when Chloe left university after a year, she was rubbing her hands together with glee. Why on earth would the younger ones think university was a good idea...

@BigSandyBalls2015

I’ve got two DDs (early 20s) and I look back on their teen years and the amount of emotional support they needed at various times … friendship issues/relationships/education/further education … and still do to a certain extent. How can you possibly do that effectively with 22 children!

I don’t think they need to. The kids don’t really seem to have many friends outside the house, I imagine they turn to their closest in age brothers/sisters for support and advice. As for relationships… well there doesn’t seem to be too much analysis there, just meet someone & start popping kids out. Plus there’s zero expectation it seems for education.

Also hope that Sue and Noel have built up a nest egg for each of the dc, their existence is the only reason that they are on TV after all. In 5 years time the youngest will be approaching double figures and there will be no media interest in them at all. I also wouldn't be surprised if they split up either and Sue starts living her life.

Also hope that Sue and Noel have built up a nest egg for each of the dc, their existence is the only reason that they are on TV after all.

Id like to think they have but I really really doubt it.

This is why I think one of the kids will write a book exposing the realities of growing up as just another number. They will rightly feel like their parents used them, spent all the money and they ended up with nothing to show for being exploited and having every part of their lives made into vlog content.

I don’t think they need to. The kids don’t really seem to have many friends outside the house, I imagine they turn to their closest in age brothers/sisters for support and advice. As for relationships… well there doesn’t seem to be too much analysis there, just meet someone & start popping kids out. Plus there’s zero expectation it seems for education.

I don't want to judge other people's parenting because I know no one is perfect.
But there will be lots of issues for teens that their own (similarly aged) siblings simply will not be equipped emotionally, or practically to deal with. As kids get older their problems potentially become more difficult but I think parents would be spread to thin to help on a practical or emotional level with that many children. I even wonder how they cope with, for example, dental, orthodontic, medical, speech therapy or other appointments where a parent needs to be present (ideally without 8 preschool and primary age siblings in tow!) And whether some issues could go unnoticed "in a crowd" for example eating disorders. If mum is feeding or helping to feed or supervise a baby, toddler and several younger kids I imagine it would be easier for a tween/teen to skip eating or put their food in the bin without being noticed.

Excellent post Exhausteddog

It doesn't look like any of the kids have ever visited the dentist. At least one is autistic, I'd therefore suspect some of the others could be. Let's face it, this setup would be illegal in any other setting than a family home, simply because it's not possible for two adults to satisfactorily supervise (let alone actually parent) that many children.

Excellent post Exhausteddog

Another one here who thinks Exhausteddogs post is excellent. It really sums up how difficult it must be to grow up in that sort of environment, and how easy it would be to miss any issues and problems. The older ones must be left to their own devices a lot of the time, and possibly feel they can't share any worries with their parents as they're too busy with the younger children. It's pretty sad when you think about how little time they must get. No amount of luxury holidays, freebies and expensive gadgets can ever make up for the lack of 1-1 time, and feeling like you have to deal with everything yourself as your parents are too busy to take an interest in your life.

I wonder. Because they showed the websites (Smyths / Argos / Amazon) and the Shops (Iceland Primark Newlook The Entertainer) whether all that they bought was free.

Also everyone knows how early you gave to buy things like PS5 and the Barbie House etc. What kind of idiot goes into a shop a couple of days (supposedly) before Christmas to ask.

What was with the fake Santa message? No presents but they can go on holiday?

I wonder. Because they showed the websites (Smyths / Argos / Amazon) and the Shops (Iceland Primark Newlook The Entertainer) whether all that they bought was free.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if most of it was gifted. The lap land holiday was paid for by the TV company, which has happened a lot in the past, I'm sure in one program they also paid for a wedding. From what I've seen and read of them online an awful lot of what they brag about having is gifted from companies.

I was the youngest of 6 kids which is nothing at all compared to 22 obviously, but even in our family my parents really struggled to give each of us the attention we needed. They both worked and money was tight, the stress and exhaustion made my mum short tempered. We didn’t feel we could go to our parents with problems, and as siblings we didn’t support each other much either, we were all struggling. The older ones resented having to care for the younger ones.
As I say that was just 6 kids!