Echo Woman
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I've got eight kids...but I still want more
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| The Bowens - Wendy with youngest Nate, two, Malachi, five, Luke, eight, Peter, 11, Jake, 13, Joseph, 16, Benjamin, 17, Samuel, 19 and dad Peter |
IF AT first you don't succeed, try, try again.
That's the philosophy the Bowen family live by. Wendy and Peter Bowen, of Cagefield Road, Stambridge, are the proud parents of eight children - all of them boys.
With ages ranging from 19 down to two, Wendy, 41, says she's not finished yet.
"I would love one more just in case it's a girl," says Wendy. "My husband says no, but he's been saying that for a long time. I just don't listen," she smiles.
The couple, who for years slept on a pull down bed in their lounge to accommodate their growing brood, have a reason to want to re-dress the balance of sexes.
"We had a daughter before our eldest son Sam was born, but she had cysts on her lungs and we lost her when I was eight months pregnant," says Wendy. "We've tried for girls ever since."
That's not to say she doesn't adore her sons Samuel, 19, Benjamin, 17, Joseph, 16, Jacob, 13, Peter, 11, Luke, eight, Malachi, five and Nate, two.
They certainly keep her busy. Wendy's day begins at 4.30am each morning.
"I put a load of washing on, and clean the floor. I then get about 20 minutes in the bathroom before the first of the boys starts getting up at 5.15.
I then make eight rounds of sandwiches, sort out breakfast, before they go off to school at 8.30. Then it's more washing, ironing and housework. We don't have a dishwasher either so I do all the washing up too" says Wendy.
Wendy heads for bed at 9pm each night and that's when Peter, who works as a tree surgeon, takes over.
"My husband calls me the Duracell bunny, because I carry on and on and he doesn't know where I get the energy from, but you just have to be like that.
"You have to be very organised. Every morning their uniform is piled up ready for them. I do the same on Sunday with their church clothes."
Their three bedroom house was extended by the council two years ago. It meant for the first time since they married 22 years ago, Wendy and Peter got their own bedroom. as did the eldest boys.
The couple do a big supermarket shop every week, which can cost them around £250, but Wendy says that's usually been eaten by the following Monday.
Any top ups and she has to walk the 45 minute journey to Rochford. This was a walk Wendy was doing up to six times a day when her boys were at school in Rochford, but thankfully, for Wendy's legs, they've transferred to Stambridge Primary School.
Wendy doesn't drive, and at the moment the whole family are being transported around by Peter in Ben's Nissan Micra.
"It does make it difficult to get around and people say to me why don't you learn to drive? but any spare money goes on the children," Wendy explains.
The family never get to holiday together either.
"Peter's mum takes one or two of them to Ireland each year, we also do an exchange with a family in Germany and one or two of the boys goes over there each summer."
What they don't have in everyday luxuries, they make up for on the big occasions.
"We do make sure we do something special for their birthday," says Wendy, who orchestrated a surprise party for Sam's 18th.
"It was Joe's 16th at the weekend and we took him to the city. It's good to be able to spend that quality time with him," says Wendy.
The boys also appreciate everything they've got, selling their old toys at boot sales to pay for a trampoline and 10-man tent.
"They're all really good boys," says Wendy proudly. "They've never been in trouble and they'd do anything for you and each other."
The only time Wendy gets to herself is on a Sunday morning, when the rest of the family go to church, and when she's doing her Saturday morning cleaning job.
"I love my job," she says."I clean and clean here and as quickly as it's done they mess it up. I go and do my cleaning job in a local hall and I know when they come in on the Sunday they appreciate how nice and tidy it is."
Despite forgetting what the word relax actually means, Wendy is pretty happy with her lot.
"I have absolutely no regrets," says Wendy. It was never our intention to have a big family, but I wouldn't go back. It would be lonely.
"It's hard work, but it's very rewarding."
12:10pm Monday 31st March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Jackie, Leigh on 6:13pm Mon 31 Mar 08
How lovely to read about this family - I have four little boys (plus the hubbie whoI suppose counts as 5!!) It is hard work but worth it!
How lovely to read about this family - I have four little boys (plus the hubbie whoI suppose counts as 5!!) It is hard work but worth it!
Posted by: naomi harris, southend on sea on 11:41pm Mon 7 Apr 08
im pregnant with number 8, already have 7 boys. will find out if its another boy on the 16th of this month, the difference is i dont want anymore, this one wern t exactly planned my partner had a vasectomy last june,we live in a 3 bed council house and its the overcrowding that gets me down.
apart from that we are all happy, i think its quite nice to be part of a big family,
im pregnant with number 8, already have 7 boys. will find out if its another boy on the 16th of this month, the difference is i dont want anymore, this one wern t exactly planned my partner had a vasectomy last june,we live in a 3 bed council house and its the overcrowding that gets me down.
apart from that we are all happy, i think its quite nice to be part of a big family,
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