A mum who has had nine children in six years is now pregnant with her tenth child - and says she is "keeping an open mind" for more. Amanda Sellers, 29, had always wanted a big family and convinced her husband, Chris, 33, to share in her dream when they started dating in January 2013.
After just three months together, Chris proposed in May 2013 and the pair tied the knot in July of that year. The newlyweds then immediately started trying for a baby. Chris - who already had two sons, Logan, 12, and Ryan, 11, from a previous relationship - was initially unsure about expanding their brood but came around to the idea as soon as the couple welcomed Liam, now eight, in February 2014.
Amanda then gave birth to twin girls, Mya and Mia, now seven, in May 2015 and twin boys, Asher and Brycen, now five, in January 2017. In November 2018 they welcomed Eli, now three, and shortly after had Emma, now two, in July 2020. Amanda and Chris are now looking forward to welcoming their tenth baby due in January 2023, Hull Live reports.
All of their youngsters are currently home-schooled and the family has a 15 seater transit van to get around in. With so many mouths to feed, Amanda plans the family's meals a month in advance and does a big food shop that totals around £1k. An additional £350 is spent per month restocking their fresh produce each week.
Amanda, a stay-at-home mum, said: “I’ve always wanted a large family and as many children as possible. When I had Liam, having three kids was hard but after that it felt the same.
“Having the three young kids is much harder than having 10 children in my eyes. They all get along and are very outgoing.
“I try and teach them all to be independent so they can help out with chores and be able to sort their own breakfast and lunch.”
Chris, who works as a structural steel detailer, said: “I was apprehensive at first of having a big family but now I wouldn’t change it for the world. If you’d have told me then that I’d have nine children and one on the way I would have said you were crazy.
“We’re trying to build a healthy bond with the kids. I don’t think we could ever have too many children that we wouldn’t have time or love for.”
Chris and Amanda stayed in a three-bed house when they had their first child together, Liam, in February 2014. The pair then took in Chris’ children, Ryan and Logan, and settled into life as a family-of-five.
“This was the biggest adjustment,” Amanda said. “I thought: 'If I can do three young children, I can do anything.'”
Now the couple have nine children together, all born within the last six years, and couldn’t be happier. “There wasn’t a year I wasn’t pregnant from 2013 to 2020,” Amanda said. "I think 2021 is the only year I haven’t been.”
To make sure they always have enough food in, Amanda organises all the family meals for a month in advance. “I plan about 15 dinners and then double them,” she said. “I don’t plan out the exact days we have the meals but I make sure we have enough. We have a big chest freezer in the basement and fridge freezer in the kitchen.
“I’d love another freezer if we had room.”
To keep the household running smoothly, she teaches all the children to be independent from a young age. "Most of them know how to put the wash on, or make a peanut butter sandwich,” she said.
“I set a 10 minute timer most days to get them to all tidy up. It can be chaotic at times but so can any household.”
The older children also have designated chores, which get switched around each week, to help keep on top of the never-ending dishes and laundry. Chris works from home and all the children are home-schooled.
“They all get on with their work,” Amanda said. “And then once a day I’ll check what they have been doing with each of them.”
To keep costs as low as possible, they have a budget of around £45 per child for Christmas and birthdays and instead prioritise time spent celebrating together. The couple can’t wait to welcome their new arrival - due in January 2023.
“I’m very happy with our family size,” Amanda said. “10 is a great number.
“We think this might be our last baby but we’re keeping an open mind for more.”
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