One of the largest families in the world has 19 children (9 sons and 10 daughters). Parents have never asked for money from the state and believe that children are God’s blessing.
Gil and Kelly Bates of Tennessee have 19 children (9 sons and 10 daughters) and nine grandchildren. For the first 15 years of marriage, Kelly was pregnant every year. The proud father, 53-year-old Gil, is the owner of a small company, and his older sons help him in his work. The Bates have never asked for money from the state and believe that children are a blessing from God.
Each child helps with household chores, and married couple Gil and Kelly say that the family functions on Christian values like cooperation and patience. They say they plan to have more children and don’t like being asked if they’re going to stop having children. These “super parents” love each other so much that they can’t stop expanding their family.
“We will have many more children if God allows us,” said the proud father Gil. “Children are a blessing, and God has blessed us many, many times. We simply love children, and every new child brings joy to our family. The excitement is greatest when a new member arrives,” said 51-year-old Kelly.
The couple has been married for 31 years, and Kelly has been pregnant almost every year. The oldest is 29-year-old Zach; the youngest is 6-year-old Jeb. Their house has five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, two kitchens, and a huge dining room with a table more than four meters long. They also have their own nurseries and classrooms.
They make most of their own clothes and refuse to have a television in the house, so they spend more time playing games, singing, and playing instruments. On weekends, they go to visit elderly people to sing in order to “spread good will.”
Gil runs a woodworking business with several older sons, and his wife teaches the younger children at home. “The table where we have lunch is so big that I can’t hear the people on the other end,” said Gil. They have four large washing machines and two dryers.
They say that their children are very responsible and that they take care of each other. Six of them have already married and enriched the family with nine grandchildren.
Gill and Kelly met in college in 1986 and married the following year. Shortly thereafter, Kelly became pregnant. “When I was younger, I didn’t want children at all. I wanted a career. However, over time, God changed my heart,” Kelly said.
For the first 15 years of marriage, Kelly was pregnant every year. Six of them have already married and enriched the family with nine grandchildren.
Their children have nothing against their big family. “I always liked having a lot of siblings. You always have someone to play with, you always have a friend. I don’t know what it’s like to be lonely,” said Zach, the oldest son. After her 16th child, Kelly had two miscarriages. “It was one of the most difficult periods of our lives,” said Gil, who gave birth to 11 children.
They have nine boys and ten girls, and they say they wouldn’t trade their family for anything in the world. “We’re running a kind of race, the mom has to give birth to another boy to even it out,” said 25-year-old Nathan.
The family also has its own website, where many people support them and see them as inspiration and encouragement.
