While demographic figures are steadily declining around the world, Spanish couple Lourdes Álvarez and her husband Jorge are going against the trend. They are raising eleven children, whose ages range from thirteen to thirty. They share their unique experience and everyday challenges on social media, running a popular blog called ‘Solo somos 13’ (‘There are only 13 of us’).
Over 31 years of marriage, Lourdes has had 14 pregnancies, giving birth to eleven children. She admits she never made specific plans for how big her family would be, seeing each child as a priceless gift. For her, family is the best school of life and leadership, where every child is a unique individual with their own needs—something even taken into account when choosing schools.
Managing everyday life in such a large household is no easy feat. For instance, to get the children to their schools, the family relied on hired helpers and developed complex schedules. Lourdes emphasizes that they try not to overload the children with chores, although helping around the house is encouraged. To ensure the older daughters wouldn’t feel like nannies, the family has always hired caregivers for the younger children.
Shared meals play a special role in the family’s life. To be able to gather everyone together, the kitchen had to be remodeled and the cookware adapted for preparing food in large quantities. Lourdes considers these moments essential for communication and maintaining a warm atmosphere. Household chores are assigned during family meetings, where tasks are distributed according to each child’s abilities and personality, but the final decision always rests with the parents. The goal is not just to get the work done, but to help the children grow.
Lourdes is convinced that it’s impossible to do everything perfectly, and true leadership lies in being able to delegate responsibilities and allow the children to show what they can do. She also notes that helping out at home is crucial for reducing tension between spouses and achieving a balance between work and family, which she believes is virtually nonexistent in Spain. Despite obvious financial difficulties, she feels truly wealthy and says her life with eleven children is far fuller than it would be without them.
By the way, Lourdes Álvarez is a professional expert in personalized education and family coaching. She shares her knowledge and practical experience not only on her Instagram blog ‘Solo somos 13’, but also in the pages of her book. Her work, titled ‘The Book for Men Every Woman Will Want to Read’ (‘El libro para hombres que toda mujer querrá leer’), offers a unique perspective on family relationships and parenting.
