A West Virginia couple raising 37 children says their family’s extraordinary story may still have another chapter, even as they speak candidly about the challenges that come with parenting on such a massive scale.
Paul and Jeane Briggs, who live in Falling Waters, West Virginia, have built their family through both birth and adoption, raising five biological children and adopting 32 more over the decades.
Paul, 71, and Jeane, 69, say life with children ranging in age from 10 to 47 has never been simple. Still, despite the demands of caring for such a large household, they recently acknowledged they would not rule out adopting again.
‘If someone knocked on my door with a child … I’d prefer one that’s not a baby,’ Jeane quipped in an interview with People.
Paul told the outlet that when the pair married in 1976 — five years after meeting at a conference for youth Methodist leaders — they had no vision of becoming parents to dozens of children.
In his telling, their unusually large family was not the result of a grand plan, but a path that unfolded one decision at a time.
‘There was never any talk of a mega-family,’ he said. ‘There was never this, “Well, let’s try to get to this number or that number.” It was really just a series of events that continued to bring more children in.’
After the couple welcomed their five biological children, Paul said they took the step that would reshape their lives: adopting a blind baby boy from Mexico who had been ‘abandoned.’
Paul and Jeane Briggs, from Falling Waters, West Virginia, have adopted 32 children and welcomed five over the years
While Paul, 71, and Jeane, 69, have admitted that taking care of so many kids – who range in age from 10 to 47 – comes with its fair share of difficulties, they recently confessed that they are still open to adopting more
After that, they became devoted to taking care of children in need, particularly, those who are older or hard to place because of disabilities or illnesses.
They’ve cared for children with cancer, polio, scoliosis, leg deformities, kidney problems, learning disabilities and autism, among other medical conditions.
They currently have 14 kids living in their 5,000-plus-square-foot-home, and Paul told People that everyone has set chores they have to do to keep things running smoothly.
‘When you have that many people under one roof, if they don’t have anything to do, they’re going to find something to do,’ he said.
Grocery shopping requires a ‘structured routine,’ and the older children take turns helping as ‘Jeane’s assistants.’
Cooking for so many people is a massive task, but Jeane vowed that food is her ‘love language’ so she enjoys it.
They have two stoves and several fridges and freezers in the home to store all of the food.
Despite the difficulties, Paul and Jeane have insisted that they’ve mastered taking care of such a busy household.
They are devoted to taking care of children in need, particularly, those who are older or hard to place because of disabilities or illnesses
Cooking so for many people is a massive task, but Jeane vowed that food is her ‘love language’ so she enjoys it
Grocery shopping requires a ‘structured routine,’ and the older children take turns helping as ‘Jeane’s assistants’
‘If someone knocked on my door with a child … I’d prefer one that’s not a baby,’ Jeane, seen with many of her 37 kids, joked during a recent chat with People
‘We’ve heard parents joke that they struggle to get one or two children to church on time, while our entire family regularly arrives early,’ they told People.
Their daughter Mary Kate, 43, admitted that having so many siblings ‘was a lot’ while she was growing up, but added that it was ‘always very positive.’
She has now taken on a similar lifestyle and has 14 kids of her own.
‘Through it all, I have only the utmost regard for my parents. They have handled it very well and they’ve been thrown a lot,’ she gushed.
‘But because of how they’ve lived and what they’ve seen and how they’ve handled every situation, it’s truly remarkable.’
Back in 2014, the couple revealed to Today that they spend roughly $52,000 a year on groceries alone.
At the time, Paul said he had a ‘very, very good job’ with a credit card processing company, while Jeane, who has a background in nursing and teaching, was a stay-at-home mom.
He added that his employer pays the family $10,000 for every child they adopt.
‘I enjoy it. This is my career. I say to my kids, you’re the very air I breathe so I need you, I need that oxygen,’ Jeane gushed of being a stay-at-home mom at the time.
