Having kids is always a mixture of fun and fuss for parents, and it’s hard to deny that those little copies of us bring so many emotions into our lives. But just imagine having not 1, not 2, or even 5, but 12 kids in the family. This can turn any parent’s life into a very challenging journey. Our featured heroine has recently given birth to her twelfth child, and here’s how she and her husband take care of their huge and happy family and keep their sanity for years.
The spouses didn’t plan such a big family from the start
Courtney Rogers, 38, from New Mexico, together with her husband, Chris, have recently welcomed baby Cambria into the world and brought their total number of kids to the magic number 12.
Courtney is a supermom who had 12 kids in 12 years and managed to turn her brood into a real-life "Cheaper by the Dozen" family after giving birth to her youngest daughter.
The happy parents revealed that they never thought of having so many kids when they first decided to start a family. They had even had a miscarriage when they first started trying to conceive, but now they just have a perfect brood.
All 12 kids in this family are special to their parents
The eldest son of the couple, Clint, was born on March 30, 2010, just before the couple went on to have another 5 boys, followed by 6 girls.
“It is amazing how it worked out too because we had all our boys at the beginning and the last 5 have been girls, so it all evened out,” Courtney said in an interview.
To the happy parents, each child is a new chapter in their life. Courtney revealed, “Clint was born 3 weeks before I turned 26 but, back then, I had no clue that I would have more children. I thought I was too old at 26 and I didn’t know they would come so fast, plus include a set of twins. Then we said we would have 10 children maximum, but I still felt young and healthy enough, so we pushed it to 12.”
The big family is now living their best life together
Clint, 12; Clay, 10; Cade, 9; Callie, 8; Cash, 7; twins Colt and Case, 6; Calena, 4; Caydie, 3; Coralee, 2; Caris, 1; and now the couple’s new baby, Cambria.
As if the 12 kids weren’t enough, the family also lives on a farm and has more than 200 animals, including pigs, sheep, and chickens. The children are all raised with the idea of taking care of their animals and are taught responsibility from an early age.
Now, with 12 children aged 12 and under, Courtney and Chris are all about their family. They’re always busy planning how to manage the large bunch.
A typical day in the family looks like a small lifetime
A normal day in the Rogers household starts with a huge breakfast at 8 a.m., then come lessons in math and art.
Lunch is served around 11:30 a.m., and Courtney feeds the little ones sandwiches, then puts them down for a nap, while the older kids prepare their own food. In the afternoon, the kids have language class, art, and reading time, which also includes Zoom piano lessons happening once in a while. Then, at 5 p.m., the supermom serves a huge dinner to her family.
During a typical meal, the family consumes 24 eggs, and a full box of cereal is eaten at breakfast every day. Apart from teaching the kids, Courtney also keeps the house tidy, all before she puts them down to bed at 8:30 p.m.
Courtney shares her know-how on keeping her family on a budget
The happy, huge family survives due to their mama’s strict budgeting skills. Courtney is good at planning and saving, and she has even implemented a “no spend January” plan, which prohibits buying anything but basic groceries. The family also has a “no eating out or takeout” rule, as well as a ban on movie rentals and any fun purchases.
When Courtney does have to stop off at the grocery store, she does “meatless Mondays” and cooks cheaper vegetarian meals for her growing clan. The family doesn’t live a posh life but easily makes it work thanks to the mom’s thrifty tricks. What’s more, the generous family is still able to give to others.
This past Christmas, the Rogers clan even invited strangers into their home for a delicious home-cooked meal.
How many kids do you have in your family? Would you want to have more in the future? Could you run a family with 12 kids on your own?
