Overview

• The Hofstee family, with ten children, lives in Emsbüren near the North Rhine-Westphalia border, standing out as an exceptionally large household in modern Germany.
• Parents Andrea and Marc Hofstee describe their decision to expand their family as deeply fulfilling despite financial and logistical challenges.
• Older children reflect on the benefits of growing up with many siblings, such as enhanced social skills, shared responsibilities, and constant companionship.
• Some challenges of large-family life include limited quiet time, occasional feelings of being overlooked, and the need for individual attention from parents.
• Experts note that large families are undervalued in Germany due to cultural and economic trends favoring smaller households, with only 1.3 million children living with three or more siblings nationwide.