HERO MOTHER 3X OVER!
Rancho Cordova family celebrated the birth of their 17th child last week, making the Chernenkos among the nation's largest families with biological children.
Vladimir and Zynaida Chernenko's children range in age from 22-year-old Sergey to 1-week-old David. Eleven of the children were born in the Ukraine, before the family moved to the U.S.
It is unknown which family holds the nation's record for having the most biological children, but the Duggar family of Arkansas, with 16 children, has recently been in the news.
In the Sacramento area, the average family has 3.19 members, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics. The census stops counting once households reach seven or more. Those households make up about 2% of the region of the Sacramento region's population.
The Chernenkos, who do not speak English, said through an interpreter Thursday they haven't ruled out having more children.
"I never thought I would have such a big family," Vladimir Chernenko said Thursday a press conference at the Bethany Slavic Missionary Church. "But I sincerely believe in God, and I believe my children are a gift from the Lord."
Vladimir Chernenko works as a security guard and maintenance man at a school. Zynaida cares for the children and the family's seven-room home, with help from the older children for cooking, cleaning and child-care duties.
"I'm very grateful for my grown-up children, who can substitute and help us out," Zynaida said.
During the celebration, Vladimir told reporters of the first family addition. "When we got married back in the Ukraine, for six month we had no children and thought we wouldn't have any kids at all.
"I never thought I would have such a family."
Vladimir said he was serving in the Ukrainian army when his wife wrote in a letter that she was pregnant.
"I said how could this happen, me in the army and she is at home pregnant?" he recalled with a laugh. "I was young then and didn't take into account we had lived together a while."
The family emigrated and settled in California seven years ago, the couple said.
"It's a lot of work, and we all get tired, and it's difficult from financial point of view," Zynaida Chernenko conceded.
"But, we overcome the fear by looking forward to our children with love."
The children share duties and responsibilities, with the older ones often filling in, the mother said.
"It takes a great deal of work to raise all of the children, on each level," Vladimir said. "Education and upbringing plays a large role, but the most important thing is love and a big heart."
It also helps to have a 15-seat minivan and a huge dinner table, the family confided.
"I talk to my friends, and they are worried their family has only one child or two," said 18-year-old Dimitry. "They go home to nothing. I come home from school and I'm never bored. You always have something to do."
Part of that is by parental design, the mother explained, because she and her husband make certain the children keep busy with school, chores or other tasks.
"Our goal is to raise the children so when they grow up they will not be afraid of anything in life," Zynaida said. "I think if every family approaches it that way, we will have a very healthy society."
The siblings do not squabble about portion sizes, TV channels or other matters because their dad has driven home the importance of putting aside selfishness in order to survive as a family, 17-year-old Anatoliy said.
"We sit all together, put out the food and eat like a regular family," said 16-year-old Lyudmila "Sometimes we wait for each other to finish, and then feed the little kids."
The father and mother said it was difficult to estimate how much they spend weekly on food, because the money goes out as quickly as it comes in.
"It's impossible to say how many diapers we've changed, because back in the Ukraine we didn't have those things," Vladimir said. "We used other means."
The huge family group appeared to be thrilled by the presence of reporters and the notion of being on the television news.
Two-year-old Timofey, however, napped in a sister's lap as the family fielded questions and posed for pictures.
"It's cool to be called the biggest family in America."
The couple expressed thanks for the support they have received from Russian and American business people, along with their church.
When asked whether David would be her last baby, Zynaida replied: "I can't say."
"I am grateful for all my children, my wonderful husband, my friends. And, I'd like to thank my doctor."
Well... Since majority of the children were born in Ukraine...
...Only in Ukraine!
posted by Vic. @ 9:57 AM
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