A couple whose parenthood journey began without any prior plans to have children have shared their remarkable story of raising a massive brood of eleven. Over the course of 15 years, the pair, Nicole and Joseph Sutton, have welcomed eleven children into their lives—comprising eight daughters and three sons. Their incredible family includes Lacy (12), Mackenzie (10), Skylar (9), Henley (7), twins Cobi and Parker (6), Hadley (4), River (3), Ocean (2), Navy (5 months), and Hallie, born last year.
Nicole and Joseph initially crossed paths back in 2005 with no inkling that they would become parents. They had envisioned a quiet and unassuming life together. Nicole fondly recalls her reaction when she discovered she was pregnant with their first child, Rhiannon: “I was shocked when I found out I was pregnant with Rhiannon. I had a contraceptive implant, so I never expected to fall pregnant. We didn’t find out until I was already four months along. I took a test because I was gaining weight, but I never thought it would be positive. I had no idea how we would manage, but any child is a blessing, so we just rolled with it. The more I had, the more I loved it.”
Today, this family of thirteen resides together in a three-bedroom home in Aspatria, Cumbria, the United Kingdom. While dreams of fancy cars might have been replaced with a 17-seater minibus, Nicole and Joseph attest that they couldn’t have wished for a happier life, cherishing every moment with their big family.
Raising so many children has necessitated a high degree of organization, with Nicole often responsible for keeping things in order during the day, while Joseph takes charge of bedtime routines. Nicole’s daily regimen includes setting out toothbrushes, school uniforms, and breakfast dishes the evening before. She rises at six and gets the children up at seven, spending an hour dressing the eldest eight kids, managing school drop-offs, and caring for the youngest three. Nicole also spends half an hour making a dozen beds, does three loads of laundry daily, and vacuums five times daily. They handle all their food shopping online, with an average of 12 baskets delivered weekly.
Nicole emphasizes the importance of routine, laying out everything the night before, including uniforms, toothbrushes, and dishes. She stopped ironing years ago and now relies on the dryer. Dinner preparations begin early, with plates set out while dinner is cooking, and everyone assigned to their seats. Six children fit at the kitchen table, three sit in high chairs, and the rest gather on the sofa for some peace and quiet. Keeping the house tidy is a continuous task, and Joseph takes charge of bath and bedtime routines.
The Sutton family has attracted attention when out and about, prompting Nicole to create T-shirts with numbers on them to ensure all children are accounted for. They spend £1,500 a year on school uniforms alone and converted one of their downstairs rooms into a bedroom to accommodate their growing family.
Joseph and Nicole have decided not to expand their family any further after the birth of their youngest child, Navy, five months ago. Joseph notes, “We aren’t planning on having any more; I think we’ve got enough, and Nicole has made the decision that we don’t need any more. When we had Navy, it didn’t really make a difference having another one, apart from space-wise.”
