Maddie Shawcroft, aged 31, and her 33-year-old husband Patrick, had not intended to have a large family, but now they are parents to seven children.
Maddie became a mother for the first time at the age of 18 to her now 13-year-old child, Riley, from a previous relationship. However, she felt compelled to have more children after Riley’s birth.
Maddie went on to have six more children, Daxon (7), Elliana (6), Oliver (5), Atticus (3), Juniper (2), and Rosalyn (2 months) with her husband Patrick, whom she met at church in 2012. While Patrick initially desired an even larger family, he eventually changed his mind.
According to Maddie, she and her husband conceive easily and even one time without protection results in pregnancy. Although they have decided to remain a family of nine and Maddie has had her tubes tied, she feels a sense of loss knowing she cannot have any more children. Maddie initially didn’t plan on having a big family, but after her first child, she felt the urge to have more. Her husband, Patrick, initially wanted six children, but after the first, he changed his mind and realized how challenging it is to raise a big family.
Despite the challenges, Maddie and Patrick cherish their children and the daily chaos. Maddie jokingly mentioned that her kids can be both best friends and worst enemies, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. The couple believes that the decision on the number of kids is a personal choice, and although they receive some negative comments, they also receive kind words from people who consider Maddie a supermom. Maddie expressed her love for her kids and couldn’t imagine life without them.
Maddie and her husband spend around £250 a week on food for their large family and reuse clothing as their children grow. When going on trips, they use a buddy system to ensure everyone stays together. However, Maddie is sometimes bothered by judgmental looks and negative comments from people when they see the family out together.
People often make comments about the number of kids they have and ask if they know how it happens. Maddie finds these conversations awkward and frustrating, especially on bad days. Strangers also ask if they have a TV and if all the children are theirs.