Mum’s the star

By Bridget Brady
LIFE is controlled chaos for Tooradin wonder mum Julie Webb.
Mrs Webb, 44, is a mother of 11 children and although she has previously said she would stop at six, “never say never” is the answer to whether she would crack a dozen.
“I’m a shocker,” she said.
Mrs Webb’s children age from 26 to four months old. She had her first child at 18 and has four boys and seven girls.
“The girls certainly rule the house,” she said.
The eldest two children have moved out and have children of their own and Mrs Webb said it was a myth that each pregnancy got easier.
The tribe is transported in a 12-seater bus, with the personalised number plate WEBBUS, that Mrs Webb said was notorious around town.
At the end of a day that included running kids off to school, sport and part-time jobs, three loads of washing and cooking one large meal for dinner, Mrs Webb said life as a mum was great and she would not trade it for anything.
“I never dreamt of having a large family. I just love them all and they are all good kids and I’m lucky that I have a great husband who does a lot of the running around,” she said. “People think I’m crazy and say why did you want 11 and I say they are not all 11 of the same thing. They are completely different.”
Mrs Webb has had five miscarriages and said it made her appreciate that each of her children were special. “It has brought home to me how precious they are.”
Mrs Webb said she did not get much time to herself and could count the seconds before one of her children came looking for her.
“But the washing is full on. That’s the worst part without a doubt.”
Mrs Webb said it was important for her and husband, Chris, to be organised as parents of such a large family. They have a calendar that includes all important dates and appointments as well as a schedule of some of the children’s part-time jobs. Mrs Webb does a weekly shop that costs about $400. She said she had never forgotten a birthday and rarely got names mixed up.
The last time Mr and Mrs Webb went away by themselves was about nine years ago when Mrs Webb said she called home about twice a day to check-up on the kids.
“I just get a bit like a nut case when I’m not with the kids. I get a bit on edge.”
However the entire family still went away for holidays together and caught up for a Sunday roast every fortnight, she said. “I just hope that the kids stay close and I think it’s really important having that sense of family and knowing they will have each other. We all need some kind of support.”