Large family with 14 children: “Two years of unemployment with six children were the worst”

A large Spanish family reveals how they cope with everyday life with 14 children and even survived difficult phases, such as unemployment.

The couple Virginia and Rubén live in Spain with their 14 children. The Spanish business news platform reports on her story “Noticias Trabajo“ . Rubén works as an alarm technician and is the family’s only main earner. However, there were times when he was unemployed.

The family experienced the most difficult time financially during two years of unemployment when six children were already living in the house. Back then, the economy was much tighter than it is today, they report in an interview with “Noticias Trabajo”. Despite all the challenges, they see their large family as lucky because every child is an important part of the whole.

Large family of 16: everyday life, organization and special challenges

The Family lives on rent, a 9-seater car was financed for eight years. Large expenses are planned for the long term and there is hardly any improvisation. The Everyday is strictly organized: two washing machines daily, a centralized laundry system and large portion meals are part of the routine. According to “Noticias Trabajo”, purchases are divided into basic foods and regular fresh purchases.

Household tasks are also clearly distributed. At the beginning of the school year they lay Parents determine who makes breakfast, cooks or takes care of the trash. Anyone who forgets their task messes up the process for everyone. Two of the children have disabilities: a daughter is visually impaired and another son has Down syndrome. Both receive targeted support.

Facts and data about families in Germany

In Spain, the average number of children per woman is around 1.1. But what about the facts about family in Germany? Loud “Statista“ In 2024, there were around twelve million families with underage children, and a total of around 14.3 million children lived in these households. Although the classic model with mother, father and child still dominates, multi-generational households are also becoming increasingly important.

There is also a change in births and marriages: around 677,100 children were born in 2024, while at the same time the number of marriages reached a low of around 349,200 couples. In many families, the man is still the main breadwinner, while women are more likely to take a step back from their careers and take on the majority of the care work. This is also reflected in parental allowance: significantly more mothers than fathers take advantage of this benefit.