Sarah Beeny: Four boys? No problem, but I couldn't handle four girls!
Filed under: Celebrity
TV presenter and property guru Sarah Beeny is mum to Billy, seven, Charlie, six, Rafferty, three, and Laurie, two. We caught up with her to talk life with four boys, getting by on five hours sleep and knocking down walls while six months pregnant...
How's life with a house full of boys?
I am completely outnumbered, and the house is totally trashed. They all get on quite well though which helps, but there's a lot of rough and tumble. The other day Rafferty actually managed to get one of the doors off its hinges! I just let it all pass me by though and try and stay relaxed, otherwise I'd put myself into an early grave. Four boys I can handle, four girls would be a struggle - think how many bathrooms you would need!
What's a typical day like for you?
Full-on. The mornings are the worst, just getting everyone up and dressed and out of the door. I cannot let myself get sidetracked even for a second otherwise the whole thing falls apart, and before I know it one of them is sat naked and playing with LEGO.
Life seems pretty hectic, do you ever stop?
Well, work is much more relaxing than home so I get some time there, but generally I'm not very good at stopping, even for five minutes. Someone once asked me to go to a spa and I looked at them in bewilderment. Why would I want to do nothing for a weekend?!
Not a lot of time for yourself then?
No, not at all really. Yesterday I had been in the bath for two minutes when they all clambered in with me. It sounds awful but occasionally I lock the door and if they knock I say I'm not feeling very well. It works!
Rex
Not enough. Five hours normally, and almost every night is broken. Sometimes I catch myself in the mirror and think "oh god, you're looking so old!"
You've filmed lots of property shows while pregnant, and you're always very involved with the work, how do you find that?
People always ask why I film so much when pregnant, but it's so I can take a nice long break afterwards. In lots of shots I just look fat and have boobs like watermelons but I certainly don't mind working when I'm pregnant. I prefer to be hands-on and get stuck in, bump or no bump! I always get asked if I've lost weight and I say, "no, I was probably just massively pregnant last time you saw me".
Families who are doing up houses during pregnancy certainly seem like a theme in your shows...
I think it's a theme generally. Everyone thinks, "let's get the house sorted before the little one arrives, it will only take a few months". It doesn't! I've done it, and it can be incredibly stressful, but everyone gets there in the end...
Do the boys take an interest in your projects, are they budding builders?
They certainly like to get stuck in! They make a lot of things, but as you can imagine not anything that will last as they are so young. We've made each one a bookcase for their rooms which they love. Of course after that comes the painting which they of course adore...
PA
To spend time outside, and get some fresh air. Boys are like dogs, you need to run them hard, sleep them hard and eat them hard! I also love reading with them. Being a mum is an amazing privilege, and you can't ever imagine how wonderful it is before you have children.
What's the worst thing about being a mum?
Feeding them! It's always such a trauma. They're not too fussy, but certainly have their moments. Some days I'll slave over a proper, home-cooked meal, and one of them will decide he doesn't want to eat it - so annoying! I almost wish they could give me a sign each day so I know whether to bother cooking something nice or not! Sometimes I'll let them get away with things, but I always make sure I give them breakfast to set them up for the day. That's why I'm supporting the new Easy Yes campaign from Cheerios, it's all about saying yes and no for the right reasons and at the right time.
Mother's Day is just around the corner, have you got any plans?
Yes, and I'm expecting a lot! But I could put money on ending up in Pizza Hut! I love Mother's Day as it's simple and straightforward and it's lovely day to spend together.
i
Every year I hear the boys sneaking around and heading out to the garden, and the next thing I know I'm being presented with a bunch of flowers freshly picked with the roots hanging out!
i
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Finally, you're outnumbered with four boys, any plans to try for a girl?
I would love another but my husband says no chance! I think really our four makes our family complete, plus we'd have to get a bus to transport everyone in! My brother has four boys and a token girl. I feel for her...
Sarah Beeny is supporting the Cheerios Easy Yes campaign to encourage mums to say yes more often for all the right reasons. With the combination of 4 delicious whole grains and 8 vitamins and iron, Cheerios are an Easy Yes. For more information visit Facebook.com/cheeriosuk.
Famous big broods
- Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt<p> Brad and Ange are proud parents to six children - Maddox, nine, Pax, seven, Zahara, six, Shiloh, five and twins, Knox and Vivienne, three. Their large brood is home schooled as Angelina reckons normal schools <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/06/03/angelina-jolie-schools-aren-t-good-enough-for-my-children/" target="_blank">aren’t quite up to scratch,</a> and the gang are regularly seen strutting through airports as they jet off en masse around the world.<br /> <br /> <strong>Brad says:</strong> ‘I know it seems extreme from the outside, but I've always kind of operated this way. I had a friend who had a big family when I was a kid. I just loved the chaos around the breakfast table.’</p>
- Seal and Heidi Klum<p> Supermodel and supermum, Heidi, welcomed her first baby, Helene, in 2003, with then partner, Flavio Briatore. After the couple separated, Heidi started seeing singer, Seal, with whom she’s had another three children – Henri, six, Johan, five and newbie Lou, one. Seal has also adopted Heidi’s first child, Helene as his own, and the couple are regularly spotted on family days out stateside as a six-piece.<br /> <br /> <strong>Heidi says:</strong> ‘It's a lot! The noise factor around our table is unbelievable. There's so much going on. My husband and I sit and look at each other and say, 'soon there will be Number four at the table. It will be even noisier!'</p>
- Nadya Suleman, aka Octomum<p> We couldn’t do this gallery without mentioning Octomum, Nadya Suleman. The mum of fourteen (yes, fourteen, not a typo) made headlines when she announced she was expecting octuplets in January 2009, despite already having six children. Nadya conceived her eight babies using IVF, and countless interviews and reality TV shows followed her life as a new mum to eight newborns.<br /> <br /> <strong>Nadya says:</strong> ‘I don't get much sleep, about two or three hours a night. But I'm continuing to move forward with my life and trying to be the best mother I can be.’</p>
- Rod Stewart<p> Rocker Rod is dad to, wait for it, eight children. His first, Sarah, was born when Rod was just 17, and given up for adoption. Next came Kimberley and Sean with his then wife, Alana Hamilton, followed by Ruby with girlfriend, Kelly Emberg. Ex-wife Rachel Hunter welcomed Rod’s next two children, Renée and Liam, and his seventh and eight children, Alastair and Aiden are the youngest. These little ones are with current wife, Penny Lancaster, making Rod a fully paid up member of the older dads club, with a new baby aged 66.<br /> <br /> <strong>Rod says:</strong> ‘Penny and I had a good arrangement - she said ‘if the baby wakes up you can go and sleep in the other room,’ and he's up every two hours now. So a few nights a week to get my sleep, I sleep in another room.’</p>
- The Beckhams<p> David and Victoria are always running around (probably David doing the running to be honest) with their three boys, Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, eight, and Cruz, five and are now of course proud parents to their little girl, <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/07/11/victoria-beckham-names-baby-daughter-harper-seven/" target="_blank">Harper Seven.</a> Victoria’s made no secret of her desire for a girl after three boys, admitting in the past that she would love one to complete her family. saying: ‘I’m really girlie. I'd love to dress a little girl up.’ We can’t wait to see the stylish babygrows the new little lady will be dressed in!<br /> <br /> <strong>Victoria says: </strong>‘We've got so many children now, it's not about parenting any more. With so many, I'm constantly saying, 'Don't touch this, don't do that'.’</p>
- Kerry Katona<p> Troubled star Kerry is mum to four little ones – Molly and Lilly Sue with ex-husband, Brian McFaddon, and Heidi and Max, her toddlers with ex, Mark Croft. The TV personality has battled drug addiction and bankruptcy, but seems to have settled down in a new house in Surrey with her four children, who she says she does everything for.<br /> <br /> <strong>Kerry says:</strong> ‘If it wasn't for the kids, they're what's getting me through everything, they really are my strength. It's one of the most stressful things in the world (moving house) and bankruptcy and divorce, and everything all at once.’</p>
- Kate Gosselin<p> Kate shot to fame when she starred alongside her then husband, Jon Gosselin, in reality show, Jon and Kate plus 8, following the couple as they raised their family of sextuplets and twins. After the couple’s split in 2009, Kate went on to star in her own show with her children, Kate plus 8, and now juggles raising her eight children with TV work across the pond.<br /> <br /> <strong>Kate says:</strong> ‘My kids are the reason I have always done everything. My kids are the reason I laid on bed rest for 30 entire weeks. My kids are the reason that I wrote the books and it`s always about them. And, I know that it looks it`s all about me all the time, but what you don`t see is down deep inside it`s a desperate desire to provide for my kids.’</p>
- George Foreman<p> Former boxer turned ‘lean, mean grilling machine’ maker George has a massive ten children, with each of his five sons all called, wait for it, George! To make the distinction between one and another, each has a nickname. His five daughters got off a little lighter and are named Michi, Freeda George, Georgetta, Natalie and Leola.<br /> <br /> <strong>George says:</strong> ‘The thing you have to do is give them confidence. You have to give a kid a dream.’</p>
- Matt Damon<p> Matt and wife Luciana have three daughters together, Isabella, five, Gia, two and Stella, one. Making the family complete is Luciana’s older daughter, Alexia. The big brood live in trendy Manhattan, where Matt can regularly be seen doing the school run with his girls.<br /> <br /> <strong>Matt says: </strong>‘We're bracing ourselves for our next little tornado. We're excited. But it is a lot of work.’</p>
- Mark Wahlberg<p> Actor Mark is one of nine, so it’s not a shock he’s chosen to have a fair few children himself. He’s proud dad to four little ones - Ella Rae, eight, Michael, five, Brendan, two, and newbie Grace, one with wife, Rhea Durham.<br /> <br /> <strong>Mark says:</strong> ‘My wife has always wanted four, two boys and two girls, so miraculously she got everything she wanted. She's saying she's done. She loves being a mother, so she may end up wanting one more. We'll see what happens.’</p>
- Lauryn Hill<p> Soulful Lauryn has her hands full with her large family of five children, plus growing bump with long-term partner, Rohan Marley. The roll call of little ones in their household reads: Zion, 14, Selah, 13, Joshua, nine, John, eight and Sarah, three, with <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/06/07/lauryn-hill-pregnant-with-baby-number-six/" target="_blank">number six due later this year.</a><br /> <br /> <strong>Lauryn says: </strong>'I keep having these children. I don't know if I'm the most fertile woman in America. I've got five big children, you believe that? If you ask anybody I went to high school with, they'd be puzzled.'</p>
- Mel Gibson<p> Hollywood star Mel Gibson is a dad eight times over. He’s got six sons and one daughter with ex-wife, Robyn Gibson, and of course, love-child with former fling, Oksana Grigorieva, little Lucia, now one.<br /> <br /> <strong>Mel says:</strong> ‘I guess I'm Octo-Mel.’</p>
- Eddie Murphy<p> Eddie has five children with former wife, Nicole Mitchell - Bria, 22, Myles, 19, Shayne, 17, Zola, 12 and Bella, nine. After divorcing, Eddie went on to have baby number six with Spice Girl, Mel B. After asking for a DNA test on Mel’s baby, it was confirmed Eddie was the father of little Angel Iris, who he’s just starting to have contact with.</p>
- Jamie and Jools Oliver<p> Jools and Jamie have three girls, Poppy Honey, nine, Daisy Boo, eight, Petal Blossom Rainbow, two and Jamie’s longed-for new son, Buddy Bear. While Jools has said that she wants a football team sized family, Jamie reckons four is quite enough…<br /> <br /> <strong>Jamie says:</strong> Don't get me wrong, it's lovely, but I can't see any more. How can you divide your love? We're already outgrowing everything. I mean, I use to drive a Fiesta 950, then I got successful enough to have a tasty car. But now I drive a minibus with eight seats.’</p>
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