This Mom With 10 Children Shared Her Parenting Wisdom, and We're Taking Notes!
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Courtney Rogers, 35, has 10 children under the age of 10, though having a big family was neither completely on or off the table in her early 20s. But fast forward 10 years and Courtney and her husband are proud parents to a set of fraternal twins and three sets of Irish twins, and the New Mexico-based couple couldn't be happier.
"I honestly can't remember if I wanted a large family," Courtney told POPSUGAR. "I just knew I wanted kids and that I'm truly satisfied being a stay-at-home mom. My husband and I are both from large families. I'm the oldest of six and he's the oldest of 10. We also grew up with tons of cousins so large families and being around kids is normal for us."
Courtney has enjoyed being pregnant, though she did experience a few hardships. She had two miscarriages, and the twins presented her with some challenges.
"My body handles pregnancies well. I didn't have morning sickness, high blood pressure, or hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), nor have I ever been put on bed rest," she explained. "However, two of my pregnancies did include 'random' issues. One ended up being an emergency C-section due to unresolved complete placenta previa and my twins were delivered just over six weeks early because of a cord issue."
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Despite some struggles, Courtney said that having multiple little ones has simply become part of her routine. "Having children super close in age is all I've ever known," she said. "Having multiple kids in diapers, babywearing, AND pushing a double stroller, taking a lifetime to get everyone out of the house is 'normal' for me."
Having 10 kids running around might seem overwhelming to most parents, but Courtney has her family's schedule down pat. As to how they get from place to place? Using a 15-person van, of course!
"I'm the type of mom who likes a daily schedule. Meals, naptime, and bedtime are predictable around here," she said. "We also currently home school. Book work gets done in shifts during the early morning and afternoons or after supper if we're running behind."
She confessed that keeping the house clean can be a bit of a feat: "Housework is probably the main thing I struggle with," she said. "With so many littles there's always a mess. We ALL do our part to clean up (my husband included), and any 'extra' chores my children get paid to do. It works for us and my kids love the spending money for camp, fairs, or snacks in town."
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While Courtney doesn't argue that her current setup can be tiring, it pays off in spades when her whole squad is spending time together.
"Some of the best parts of having a large family include all the excitement we experience at Christmas, birthdays, and during family trips," she explained. "Life is truly a party at those times! My favorite time of year is Christmas. Some of the benefits of having so many kids close in age is that many of them are on the same mental/physical level. Because of that, they usually play well together and enjoy the same things."
"Sure, there will be days when you feel like a failure, but there will also be days you'll feel so proud and blessed."
As for useful hacks that help her keep her family on track? Naturally, Courtney has a few up her sleeve for long road trips.
"Our traveling hacks include using individual duffel bags for the children, which are monogrammed with their names," she said. "It may sound organized, but I mainly do it to make packing a breeze. I just toss stuff in each bag as I'm sorting through clean laundry. As the kiddos get older, they carry their own stuff and it's not complicated when we're split up in different hotel rooms or while staying with relatives."
"We also pack a ton of bottled waters and snacks for our road trips," she added. "Not only is it much cheaper than the service station, but you can pack what YOU want instead of hoping the next exit has what you need. Truck stops are our favorite stops. Just unbuckle all the kiddos ONCE for bathroom breaks, diaper changing, and whenever we want a hot meal."
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While many parents with large families often rely on their older kids to help with their younger siblings, that hasn't been a reality for Courtney and her spouse.
"I know large families often get a bad rap for having older children help out with the younger ones. Every family is different and not everyone does things the exact same way. When my twins were born I had seven children 5 years old or younger. A 5-year-old isn't capable of being much 'help,' so for the majority of our parenting journey, it's just been my husband and me. That being said, my oldest two children now do occasionally push a second grocery cart or help with a stroller when my husband isn't there."
Her advice to couples looking to have a large family? Know what you're getting into!
"Parenting is hard work! It's very important that both parents are on the same page concerning family size and that both parents are willing to do their part to raise them," she said. "Believe it or not, in some ways it is easier the more children you have. Each new baby we bring home fits right in just as if they've always been there."
She also suggested forgetting any nasty comments sent your way instantly: "People will criticize or comment about your large family, but try to learn to ignore or laugh it off," she advised. "Sure, there will be days when you feel like a failure, but there will also be days you'll feel so proud and blessed. Do I ever regret the choice I made to have a large family? Nope. They're all so unique and make me proud and laugh in so many different ways. How could I pick and choose just a few?"