Britain's Biggest Brood (Parenting Documentary) | Real Stories

[Music] meet sue and Ian poby and their 15 children [Music] Suz be pregnant for a total of 11 years and change more than 15,000 nappies your idea of hell not suit she's still loving every minute I just can't say that's the last one I just can't say it [Music] the British average of two point four children per family may have dropped to an all-time low of 1.6 but suin Ian Povey are doing their best to get it back up always wanted a big family since I was little just what it last had me all my life yeah six I thought was large then that's what you told me yeah no me into thought sense of security I never believed that you'd have six I was right hmm she got to six and then she carried on going really well she'll stop she'll have one more note she'll stop and then she got to 12 and she was a tall old one more it just seems sort of natural is any when we sort of tell other people how many brothers and sister get one at school and everything that I realized it was different I just thought it was normal you know love a baby every year it's just a regular thing you wake up in the morning you have your breakfast you have a cup of tea mama you're pregnant and yes or knowing is no and that's more surprising if she she says yes it's just sort of a nothing sort of thing now every day grounds sigh catching the measles no we're not Catholic [Music] unbelievable to just amend this away she brings it up a real truth superwoman I think he's a lovely man very patient laid-back dry sense of humor and easily makes a good dad Suze never been longer than 18 months between pregnancies love being pregnant I just float down the street I got a smile on my face for about three or four months I don't have any morning sickness or anything like that at all if only if only she didn't like something about having children and we might about two point four a yeah we won't be yeah Rebecca worries about absolutely everything but she's got a heart of gold really Tana very good with the children very quick temper the truth sir it certainly can be Charlie noisy lamb son Italy yeah every child itself comes along they just it's just a river dinner play another it's not like a big thing I mean when people find out they're pregnant and everything is it's a huge sort of change and it's not here it's just one you know sort of another plate or never another highchair and ever it's goes on like that Alex likes an argument and wants to become a barrister so you'd be right there Chris Chris Chris Izzy's own person Michael he's a nice boy helps me out Matthew but if a ladies man likes to have a good appearance always looking in the mirror Calum is a boy he's a likeable rogue is our Calum it's got a hard go with it yeah he loves it with me Thomas he's quite a good nice way to carry out for nice boy yeah so there's three girls and thought we never got any boys and we had six boys and thought we'd never have any more girls and good there's any more girls we've had since six Katie pre-madonna like so put a makeup on Jessica bright and bubbly yeah I love life yeah this is a scatterbrain a be very sensitive this a nice little girl on le prison when he pulls like the spiders and the yeah yeah Emily very still minded very prone to tantrums at the moment no notice Isabelle always smiling very very good girl I think that's it Becky and Charlie have had babies of their own and flown the nest which still leaves 15 family members living under the same roof that's more than five times the national average of two point four people per household what do they put them all Isabelle's got her own nursery then there's Emily Ellie Abbi Jess and Kate sleep in the pink room Hannah's got our own room upstairs as well and then downstairs alex has got his own room which was the garage and then Thomas Calum Matthew Michael and Christopher have a blue room I think that's it remember that sleep upstairs as well oh yeah I mean you sleep upstairs I do have my own room I did have to wait quite a long time but when I left University I did spend quite a long time on a camp bed in the study until Charlie moved to help me I hope my Henry hey I used up this share with Chris Matt Mike and Calum and Tom we had two separate bed to the sleep it's not like that this still it gets to an age where you think that you don't really want to share with four other people anymore it was okay until we got like to like be teenagers and then you just need your own space your own privacy and it's a bit too close for comfort there we've got one bathroom in and I've got an ensuite shower and then he came to the toilet all of which are very busy most of the time [Music] it's no wonder the Kobi household gets through three bars of soap three tubes of toothpaste and two bottles of shampoo every move [Music] yes always Unger Callum Matthew Michael I'm Chris of Chris then or I just have to say what's your name what I do I didn't write you do do know you do as well yeah what did it be if he numbered them his own childhood small solitary I had a horrible lonely childhood my mum and was now college she was at the pub most nights leaving me on my own so just me my sister for a short while so she escaped and got married my mum had cosmetic bottles and I used to choose have more different shapes and sizes and I used to line them up and they were my children never ever could have a only source body had to have two or three sauce bottles you know brothers and sisters we were a seaside and I was my mum had left me on the beach and got off to the pub and I was sat there all by myself and just left to entertain myself and I looked around and there was families mums and dads with two or three children brothers and sisters playing together and I was just sat there and it was then I remember thinking when I grow up I'm gonna have a large family so none of my children would feel lonely like I'm feeling now it's like my mom you know she couldn't live without her cigarettes and her booze and her alcohol and she had to have it her daily fix and I suppose I'm the same I've got to have my children and more children when I'm not happy until I've got all the children and [Music] sooo escaped her loneliness 25 years ago when she met the unsuspecting e'en future father of her 15 children my sister's next-door neighbor's party I had the records so I was invited you were the DJ the evening alone a person lived next door to su sister so we met by chance at me what it's love at first sight to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary the entire Povey clan has been invited to a tea party it means parents plus the 17 outfits to find we try to give them some new things of their own but on the practical side sometimes we just can't afford it so having me down they will wear if they come home with holes and issues and they get priority that if they want a new pair of shoes because they're you know a scruffy then well not the latest fashion or something like yeah then they'll either have to go to a paper round or and wait it's been chosen to have a large family that's the way it is is name no good moaning about it children take priority and that's it we want something we'll save up and wait for it I usually invite them then there's been a birthday and a month that we've had four birthdays this month the wedding anniversary so yeah they've all it's all been covered with one is it I think the very young ones that probably haven't seen my house because you can imagine can't get them all over here anyway and I can imagine with my small house but you know be putting them in cupboards and lined them up outside give them a ticket you know your turn to come in could have been embarrassing when it got to six and as I say sub night oh forget about it oh yeah I don't think in M was aware that that sort of thing really su did say that he wanted sex when they first got my body but when they got the six they just kept going I don't think you could survive this mayhem in all the ups and downs that you have with it if you just there's not a little bit of love and romance to bond it all together if you think a typical day with two point four kids is hard work just imagine if you had 15 an average term time day in the Povey household means getting one baby up ten children off to school and two more off to work yep another early start pursuing Ian's it's not long before the feeding frenzy begins with a family devours two packets of cereal six pints of milk and an entire loaf of bread every single breakfast time yeah and my life goes shopping yeah right the others up and turn then having a breakfast till they've made the beds and tidy the room please just get a tape recording tonight not very tidy don't have any breakfast to all this is shifted shoes are supposed to go under the cupboard not in here that's all Matt and where's Matt in the toilet you listening to me yeah but all that stuff goes in the wardrobe let's leave these boys to it the children get themselves dressed in the morning I'm not busy doing other things and they just just get on with it basically they become self-sufficient because they go no they're at the end of the line can't be bothered waiting so they did they just copy and they learn by that everybody see you later 7:30 and Ian makes sure get away you got everything you need your pencil has rubber it's moonless hens but if you put them in the cupboard in the boxes you would find them again right again which as they enjoy the family is nice definitely break sometimes by her ones lunch money you do that pocket money don't generally give them pocket money to give them all pocket money would be too expensive okay for the sake of it but might give them something if they help do something you're awesome today it's a treat they last to clean the car then we'll know you know then they want some money so they clean the car and they get a fire or something like that where's Matt Matt always put me car seat in I've given in in a minute I've had to do a lot of it a lot of overtime in the pastures to support them and to work nights for several years did boost income because of the cost of the family that sir they keep me poor that keep you happy with Chris Michael Matt and Callum after secondary school sue does the school run run Jessica Abbey Katie and Tom of course she also has to take two little ones the baby and a granddaughter along for the ride come on madam this Kaitlyn come on come on in the car Katie can you hold Isabel a minute clear seats not straight no to stay there hold us hold a tight we had a minibus once but the engine blew up completely worn out we haven't really been able to afford another minibus at the moment so we just get around the two cars I have my Rover and Ian has a mini 115 children and a little mini yes just love school run so for in its the relative calm of a busy office boy boy Jeff what le don't go near the road please soo business as usual everybody got their Pat lunches so I'm not coming back bye come on Milly you're not going to school you're not going to school come on this way okay yeah come on this way Kate in this way between school runs that just run and run and run soos faced with a mountain of housework including three hours of ironing and at least nine loads of washing a day sometimes it could be more when Alex it's tidied up his room or Hanna's tidied up their room they come down with a couple of baskets and put them in with my usual wash and then it's about 11 or 12 [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] I can bake can sleep mommy hmm that your pad either no I don't have a tumble dryer I used to have a tumble dryer and it was in the garage at the time and one of my children put cement in the tumble dryer and turned it on and that was the end of that so we've made two had one since possibly wearing it going to the boys room turn it in the boys room can you see me yeah good I'll never get bored over the the mundane things you know I get up every day I just enjoy I just throw myself into it I just love it ian's day is slightly more peaceful he's worked as a supply analyst at the same company for 30 years but earning under 30,000 pounds a year it's not always easy to make ends meet we've had a few lean times in the past where we had to came to hate news as it were but unfortunately now things have sort of eased off a little bit when I told the children working as well and helping pay the way things that have got a little bit easier one new younger it was I think it was more of a struggle I think now it's pretty good and we don't really notice when money's not a problem or anything I mean were younger it was sort of like hi I'd have Becky's hand-me-downs and everything but like I said anything we wanted to do we'd always be able to do it it wasn't you know it's fine you have to sacrifice little things and so knowing if other people have got got more than you it's always going to be annoying but then again I wouldn't change it it's half past three and already time for another school runs right right you sit there no you sit in the seat move that back out way get it back off right move over oh yeah baby goats everybody's happy yep sit down Ellie please sit back get that belt on sip I can get the belt on right and they're off heading home for Sue's next chore and then start doing a tea you line them all up on the worktop look we have a little conveyor belt yeah they'd like this at the school dinners yeah no snitch chips she cooks like beef burgers chicken nuggets fish fingers and and fish cakes it's usually the same routine like nuggets in pieces one day chips and whatever every day before the mix in this yeah healthy eating with the pizza and chips and we fetch vegetables and stuff slip the odd proper meal in in between yeah they don't notice I don't cater for fussy eaters if they say they're vegetarian will sympathize and play oh yeah right hair but they have to have what is cooked for the whole family otherwise they just have to get out why did food for anyone that didn't like it I'll be there all day doing different foods and nuts sometimes it looks like this isn't what and then we have tea together don't we most near together as we can it all can all get read the tables over we all eat roughly about the same time Yamit at the table don't ever leave your seat because some who takes it be warned never take on a Povey at a game of musical chairs [Music] you get much family announced I think it's just over better hundred pounder a week I think that so you gets so - it goes towards the the weekly shopping bill that doesn't cover it by any means the weekly shop is so huge sue has to wait until the boys are home from school to help so how much food does it take to keep the poky machine running in it [Music] right we have about ninety six pints of milk a week 30 X 36 burgers huge sack of potatoes we have two huge tubs of margarine and 14 to 16 loaves of bread but ten packets of cereal 40 sausages four or five packs of cheese a week 36 toilet rolls 160 tea bags huge dark coffee hi [Music] [Music] [Music] hundred and eighty-eight pound a stupendous mate thank you it can be anything from 150 up to 200 the system that's just on the main shop and I can go out each evening and spend another 10 20 pounds a night there we go where do you want your teddy bear no sooner is the fridge restocked that it's time for Sue to get the children up to bed with 13 of them still living at home it's yet another lengthy process it's good Sam give me a kiss mmm when I sleep and you know pretty good once I go to bed I go to sleep sewing fortunately we don't have them waking up all night long so we just get the bed and get woken up we do get we do get a good night's sleep so I guess the secret has been how to have a good night's sleep in between all the mayhem of the long day during term time super V runs her family of 15 children with almost military precision but the start of the school holiday means a whole new battle plan it takes me about two weeks to get used to everybody in the house or one but it's not too bad I don't have to get up at six o'clock every morning to get them ready for school and we are not governed by the time or the time I look at the time got getting off to school so it can be a bit more relaxed if it's a rainy day I have to try and think of things like coloring I get some coloring books from just time not my brains keeping them all entertained for the young ones I can do pencils all them occupy that doesn't really cost an awful lot like it's bigger I try not to let them sit down and watch telly all day it's sort of like a quiet time in our house you just sit and relax five minutes much telly lationship we have a little bit of mummy look flat just two dollars me but in the summer it's not too bad they go over the park and they're quite happy with that I just have to ask you absolutely do you believe that there is a lot less monster I believe that some of the sightings may have some basis in fact oops did I do that when they were at school I can get on with my work during the day and it's nice and quiet and but during the holidays I don't get much work done if I go upstairs and do something it's always something mom he's been awful today and I've stopped so I don't get much housework done but that's not that's not the end of the world lots of activity going on doorbell going door opening door closing kids think a backache out the back door when they leave the door open and the little ones will get out so I have to go and retrieve them at once from the front if I can't watch them then I'll shut the front door and then the kids all escape out the back before shot front door by the end of the holidays I've got on that shutting the front door caption that once before I get back don't want to get out I think I prefer the holidays really than the regimented school school days because of the eerie when it's when is low kids without but when a boys got six little sisters sometimes enough is enough I think they like the gate with it out occasionally escape from the girls with a bit outnumbered oh I think at times Kris Matt Calum and Tom have followed in dad's footsteps down to the riverbank where the budding fishermen enjoy nothing better than a bit of quality boys time we'd like to try and get out there a few days out on the riverbank or the lake so they just get a bit of time to to their dad as it were I don't have to share me give them a bit spaced on themselves [Music] it's better than being at home this is it's more quieter sometimes you have to make a conscious effort I'm seeing acknowledge them them all and give them a little bit of time in their different ways take someone fishing or take the girls to ballet we do different things with it different children there's not really anyone that's left out I mean there's a couple of sometimes maybe are a couple of scapegoats Callum ah but I mean the attentions get or ballast across everyone my mum's always managed to share her attention and affection around everyone but even if she couldn't we thought brothers and sisters to do that Katie ago - Hannah yeah alright and mayo go to Michael and I think Abby goes to Christopher and Ellie goes to Alex oh yeah they have all got yeah I've all got a sort of favorite I think that they turn to if I catch something they enjoy it more I think to the sports not like good today and after do they all parable I think five loads of three small fishes feet are and remains and then we get enough to make a fish finger fifteen children means fifteen birthday celebrations and fifteen lots of presents to buy today it's Thomas eleventh birthday for special occasions when we make the effort to all go hire a minibus and take them all out to get them a seaside or to the low pool I'm older than that okay why have we got everybody Becky Hannah Charlotte yeah Alex that work Christopher Michael Matthew Todd Street is a trip to the farmers it's only twenty minute drive man okay but getting ready to be off a big tortoise in Rosia be Annie Millie yeah where's Millie Millie how about where's Belle Belle okay then right we got everybody I've got a spare seat then I don't know Alex so yeah get this 14 captain good okay then right ready to roll [Music] for most families day the farmer won't break the back when you're the Povey family 17 entry fees plus a mini bottle set you back walking 200 [Music] [Music] this is shake it up are popping it we try to negotiate group breaks where we can if we go something like this I mean most places have family meals or we're getting up to nearly party deals as soon as over 20 but 19 at the moment so if you get your boots on and we can get in the party race it breeds watching them enjoying himself you get so much spray looks on their faces when they're feeding the animals or doing something like this under their solo leave out the factor those aren't the only kids sue has to feed it's time for Toms birthday tea then we all ought to sing happy birthday to Tom let you study birthdays they get generally what they been reason bigger thing like a bike or the girls on a pram or something like that birthdays rotten Christmas cake board Christmases isn't big item day lots of little stocking fillers and you know smaller items and I try and give everybody the same amount of present so they don't feel left out they've always tried their best frozen they sort of go out of their way at Christmas and everything just to but we you know the kids now they didn't miss out at all we get quite a lot of presents from when people ask us are how many presents you get they're quite surprised to find did it go a lot I start as soon as I can find Christmas presents for them because it takes me all year to get enough is constant that's been hard at times because we like to try and treat the miss other people would like to treat their their children and it's not always possible then you've got a spread year your money in in more directions the rewards totally eight number there yeah the bad things the end of the day and it's time to round up the flock again right Jess Thanks just as bad hey hey hey - Tom thank you hates ideas constantly looking around and counting them and the eyes over there he's over there and she's there Matt Tom come here it's just constantly like that you don't really relax and enjoy yourself because you are counting heads and making sure everyone's together you ever lose them that's Jesse at the beach slash isn't me yeah I'm telling food earlier we lose a well not Emily oh yeah pack the kitchen sink when you go on holiday then just imagine how much luggage Sue Anne Ian their 15 children and two grandchildren take on a trip to Devon we like to go away for two weeks in the year don't we like to try and get away once we have been braving this to try and go abroad anywhere they like to have a caravan holiday easily we used to camp at one time but it got a bit too much for them sorry we treated herself to beer look they really care about Kevin make that four caravans plus several weeks of planning preparation and packing about a month in advance I have to write lists of what I need to take and the suitcases are out two weeks before we go and I'm washing and ironing and banging things in each case you what's the case of the pattern all lined up in the hall waiting for when we have a minibus two drivers off on holiday I suck for everyone from the baby after Christopher Maisie has her own case and then I try and get all the girls in one big suitcase and then all the boys in another big suitcase and then Alex Charlie hammer and Becky and take their own just recently we've had to hire a coach we did have a minibus at one time which was alright so we only had still a 12 little ones but they blew up on me I'd bought children we couldn't fit them in with all the luggage anyway so everything it just as easy to charter a coach to get a stay in there [Music] [Music] put the seed Britain's biggest Easter [Music] CSD makes it quite exciting for the children going on holiday to go away on the couch anyway get a few people look asset accounts like when we turn up in Bud Light [Music] all our family and the toilet and the grandchildren when the poet's come they come when the 20-strong party descends on the seaside holiday park they soon settled into their fleet of caravans with the 6:41 and the six little girls shared out between EMC and the eldest lintels and then the fun and games can begin and it costs poor Aldi in a packet I like to go to the shops that go to the amusement arcades seem to be dishing out pans here there and everywhere and it was spent over a hundred pounds last time we went into the archives there's turn could be up to about 3,000 pounds and I have to save up all the year before just putting the money away so make sure we've got enough to pay for the caravans and a coach and spending money Oh in a minute I'll get some change I've got some change in a minute alright this one come on you'd smoke in the game I'm waiting it changes everybody I'm just getting some change how much do you need wait a minute look pretty chaotic certainly organized chaos I'm expensive how much did you have to spend them I don't know but I've got much left few coppers that's about it we're right in with the no no 20 pounds I changed three 20 pound notes about 60 quid I saw in it why we like sunny days on holidays not rainy days if the beach is a lot cheaper [Music] next stop lunch it's not often focus making opinion when they do it takes my teaching of score would climb that's the book in advance of what we wouldn't get a seat all together we can't just walk in a pub ordering for the hungry hordes is no mean feat either it's best if you all have to say otherwise it just gets to confusion and someone would get so we have to go without so if you've gotten it so yeah we haven't Lee say much easier even on holiday sue and Ian don't have much time to relax there's things to do people to see oh and just 15 kids to entertain quite like Camille hold a Wendy I think sometimes when you go back we could do in another holiday to get over it pursuant e'en the huge responsibility of bringing up Britain's biggest brood is not a problem but not everyone shares their enthusiasm a bit when the teasers think we're irresponsible and selfish that we have a last family but and Ian goes out to work to support our large family I stay at home to look after our Liao's family four of our older children are all working paying their taxes and I look after to my grandchildren so we're self-sufficient we're looking after our own we don't have to ask Outsiders for help and if we knocked on the neighbours door and said look after our children while we're going to the pub that would be responsible but we know we've chosen to have a large family and we're supporting a large family we're paying for them and we're looking after them there's always people saying that my mum selfish for having so many children I don't see how she can be selfish wanting to share her love around a lot of a lot of people okay Hey so Ian look after their children they look out in the very well children really need for nothing and so it's up to surname what they do not anybody else I'm allowed to say she's mad but nobody else is I think the children have learned a quite good lesson in life when they when they grown up bigger than they're not to be selfish and be patient and they know how to look after children and and be tolerant and that's going to be the pros and I just just the cons I don't think there's any cons in a large family I don't think of anything you get the odd comment all your mum's bit of a goer and she and stuff I've had her I wouldn't change it I mean it's my family it's not anyone that I want to knock off and and make it smaller there's just so much going on with them the whole house is like on the move all the time you know but it's so organized it's not chaos I would I would live in chaos well don't think I've been living with them anyway if it was mine I'd probably have left home but do the children want a big families of their own or happy being put off entirely I'm not especially interested in a big family just because there's too much work I found was work has to go into it and noise I'm quite happy just to settle for a smaller I'll effect or free to it nice turn will do fine for you to point for children to the most I think then if I had two boys and I probably want the girl so I'm not gonna have as many as my mum no way as to how many that will be only time will tell I think she said she won 220 and that was her ambition she would keep going until she cannot not have anymore and then we just have to sort of all supporter after that we'll have to borrow a kitten it's going to be terrible when she thinks he's not going to have another baby not to have a baby in the house will be absolutely horrible not to hear a baby crying and not to have the children constantly shouting unacceptably yeah last time usually accusing me of a vasectomy earlier to wait not bit longer than six months to get pregnant I don't think she'll stop until nature makes her start part probably start encourage our staff kids instead and taking off this I just can't say that's the last one I just can't say it never met anyone here is being able to do what I do but simply aurelion is the first British man to say that he doesn't forget his parents because I remember the 25th being the day where it's very in the morning and I think it was the day that George best died seventh of July 2008 and it's a Monday it just seems like there's just no gaps at all I could just see it all [Music]

Channel: Real Stories

Views: 393,389

Rating: 4.7033114 out of 5

Keywords: Full length Documentaries, TV Shows - Topic, children, only human, BBC 3, Full Documentary, Amazing Stories, Movies, parents, BBC Three, Real Stories, Documentary Movies - Topic, transgender documentary, kids, Parenting, advice, ITV, Amazing Documentaries, BBC, Documentary, babies, BBC Three documentary, baby, Channel 4, Channel 5, PBS, timeline, Sky, Documentaries, Topic, Extraordinary people, tlc, child

Id: Aj7PXeF-YlM

Length: 48min 19sec (2899 seconds)

Published: Mon Oct 24 2016