“You can’t make ends meet with 2,000 euros, but you don’t have to be Cristiano Ronaldo”

The photo above is one we selected from four that were sent to us for this series. We did not think to ask how many people had been shot, but we suspected that quite a few had been shot. Two adults and nine children (from 0 to 11 years old), there are many stupid people. Anyone with children knows that family photos take a long time: if so-and-so comes out with eyes open, another one cries; if Manganito stays the same, someone moves. Everything like that.

Ana and Jesús (40 and 45 years old respectively) have formed family madnessas they are known on social networks, they bring together a community Three million fans. Together they have made the football team cliché a reality, finally having 11 teams (for now) since Luka was born two months ago. They cared for Udona via video call, and although the conversation lasted an hour, the newly fed and freshly dressed baby fell asleep peacefully in the hammock. For 60 minutes, the creature didn’t say another word.

Questions about their religious affiliation came almost naturally, although they were so accustomed to prejudice that they almost knew it before asking it: “There’s nothing wrong with it, but we are neither ‘kikos’ nor from Opus. If there is if, we are weird‘Oh my God, what a joke.’ People need labels. We are believers and we practice as much as we can, but for religious reasons we don’t have children,” they said.

Spanish women have an average of 1.16 children per woman. Naturally, they do not think that these data represent themselves. “Simply put, when you have your first child, you don’t care if the second comes. You see that you can handle it and then go on to have children,” Anna said. “It’s a matter of priorities.” question. Other friends have, for example, committed to traveling,” Jesus added.

Eleven members and “almost three times the salary”

It’s no surprise that the following question arises: How do you pay for it all? Are they millionaires? Not absolutely. She studied advertising and public relations and statistics. They met while working in a bank. He was still working in the industry, and when she started having children, she decided to open a nursery. Like many other businesses, the pandemic shut her down and now Anna is launching an online children’s shoe store and running her family’s social networks (Youtube, Instagram and TikTok). “In the end, between one thing and another, they were almost three salaries“, make out.

They live in a small wooden house (with six bedrooms and a games room) on the northern outskirts of Madrid “rather than in a big house in the city center” and they don’t have a late-model car.In fact, mobilizing all his troops they use minibuses (They read) 17 seats. Anna and Jesus obtained the necessary driving licenses and that was it. Why don’t they have two more discreet cars anymore? “It’s going to take away our independence, it’s going to be two tanks, two insurances… it’s better that way,” she said. Of course, they don’t often go to the city center because “the seven-meter-high parking spaces are troublesome.” “If we go, it’s better to take public transport,” they admit.

“The clothes are reused and we don’t have anything branded. We don’t go on a safari but to the beach, if we’re lucky. If we go out to eat we have to look for a cheap children’s menu,” explains Jesús .The key, then, is not to invest your resources in luxury goods, because this is not enough for them: “We deprive ourselves of something in order to make ends meet. It is clear that with only 2000 euros we cannot live with them all, but no need cristiano ronaldo Anna concluded.When she opened a childcare store, she saw how couples They checked above and below Down to the last detail of your shopping cart. Therefore, he says, it is logical that it is impossible to think about having more than two children, but in reality, he believes that many people focus too much on unimportant things.

School cafeteria costs nearly 900 euros per month

The expenses of this family “army” don’t stop at home. All children except newborns attend public schools, except for the little girl who attends kindergarten. “Apart from food at home“We pay between 800 and 900 euros a month in the cafeteria,” they said.

All the numbers in this house always multiply: “Everything goes by quickly here, you have to go to the supermarket often, although we often shop online.” Laundry? At least two washing machines per day.Ana and Jesus took care of their home, getting up early and “passing out in bed at 1 a.m.” even though they had home help Cleanse in the morning. She arranged dinner (she said it took half an hour to prepare) and he cleaned the bathroom. We suspect your house must be very busy at 7pm.

Regarding the myth that some brothers raise other brothers in these families, they clarified that this is more of an intention than a reality. “They help, it’s necessary, but their responsibilities are based on their age. Now the little ones (2, 3 and 4) want to hold Luca and they love it, but we Must insist that he is not a toy!”.What they don’t do without falling into a state of inattention is Overprotecting your child, even if they want to. “In a large family, this is not feasible,” they admit.

Anna and Jesus grandparents Like everyone else, there was an uncle from time to time. So they went to Disney with the older kids while the other grandparents stayed with the younger kids and not much else. “This is not imposed,” they said.

Will this be the last child?

Since getting married in 2012, they have had a child almost every year. Just when they think, yes, yes, this will be the last child, another child is born. Therefore, they dare not give a definite answer. Anna responded: “It’s not a closed question, but it’s not a resounding yes either. It’s possible… It’s true that we’re older and time is ticking for everyone, but we’ll see.” She has been pregnant nine times.and her respective deliveries, all vaginal deliveries,” and All with epidural anesthesia“I really respect women who don’t want to use it, but I…I don’t want to suffer!” she admitted.

They both know that choosing to have a large family is not something everyone understands. They have no intention of doing so. “Sometimes we would hear whispers when we were walking down the street.” “My mum did worry about my health, having had so many births, so many pregnancies, but I’d always dealt with it pretty well. Really, the recovery time for the last one Longer, but we’re talking three days. The age is evident “I started out as 28 and now I’m 40. It’s different,” she responded. We discussed a celebrity topic in parenting: Breast or baby? “The first time I nursed, I didn’t latch on well and I suffered a lot from the slit. Then I managed to hold on to the breast a little longer and now Luca is exclusively breastfeeding.”

With such busy schedules, it’s hard to imagine these parents having any time to themselves. As Anna walked Jesus to work and the children to school, she found a space of peace. He was responsible for putting the entire troupe to sleep and reading a little while everyone was asleep. Then you stop counting.

Continuous childhood, continual adolescence…

The couple was warned about adolescence and its storms. Their children are bound to go through this stage at the same time. How will they survive? “I can’t imagine what will happen tomorrow. I have to support them, educate them… We will see when it comes,” Jesus said. “We also shouldn’t demonize adolescence or worry too much,” he continued.

They say if the turkey comes, we have to roll up our sleeves and face it. “Or leave home,” the father joked. “Anyway, We haven’t slept in 11 years, so if we had to stay awake until they arrived, we were trained! “Everything is always better with humor.