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Mаry Mamyan

Armenian Mother of Nine: “We’d always say this one would be our last”

On October 29, the Podosyan family celebrated the birth of Mikayel, their ninth child.

The Podosyans, parents Armen and Vardouhie, and their nine children live in the village of Lernagog, located in Armenia’s Armavir Province.

The couple has three girls and six boys; the oldest is eighteen.

“I had my first in 1997 and the last just this year,” Vardouhie says and laughs when she gets the birthdays of the others mixed up a bit.

The mother of nine says her hands are full keeping them in line all the time, especially Grigor who loves to pick fights with his siblings. Upon hearing this, the boy tells me he hasn’t quarreled with anyone so far today.

The boys then go out to play in the yard. But something seems to ne troubling 10 year-old Vahan. “It’s not right. Whatever I make, they break,” the boy complains.

Mr. Podosyan grows watermelons and sells them in the village of Dalarik. This year he invested some 2 million AMD in the operations but the harvest was below par. Irrigation water was lacking and part of the crop withered on the vine. He’s thinking of acquiring more fertile land for growing and increasing the harvest to sell in other neighboring villages as well.

His kids help out where they can, sometimes to the detriment of their education. Ninth grader Samvel has left school to assist his dad in the fields.

“Samvel is my right-hand man. But the others help as well,” says Mr. Podosyan.

Samvel is now being taught to become an ironmonger by his cousin. The boy believes that in time such a skill will earn him a decent income

Yester, the eldest of the nine children, took lessons in Armavir to become a hairdresser. But she hasn’t found a paying job and spends her time helping her mom around the house. Shoghik, another daughter, also pitches in with the housework when she not studying to become a Russian language teacher.

The walls of the Podosyan house are adorned with artworks, in crayon, that the children have created over the years.

There are bunk beds in the bedroom where the youngest sleep.

Five year-old Lydia needs an operation. One of her legs is shorter than the other. The doctors say she can be operated on once she reaches the age of six.

As a large family, the Podosyans receive a state allowance of 77,000 AMD (US$185) per month.

Armen and Vardouhie confess that they never planned to have so many kids. They now say that despite the hardships their kids are the love of their lives.

“A child is a gift from God. We have accepted that noble gift from God,” says Armen. “Despite the difficulties of today, we are doing all we can to at least provide the basics.”

When I ask if the couple plans to have a tenth child, Vardouhie says that the last childbirth was difficult.

“I got frightened after giving birth to Mikayel. After each birth we would say that this is the last one. We say the same now,” Vardouhie tells me.

Hearing this, Armen laughingly adds, “We’ll probably stop at nine.”

The couple places great emphasis on the children getting a good education so that they can be successful in whatever field they go in.

“I spare nothing for my children. We’ll create the conditions necessary for them to get ahead, whatever their abilities or want they want to study, “says Armen.

On a philosophical note the father of nine concludes, “What will change by complaining? We try to adjust to our reality and to create something new besides.”

Comments (4)

Lianna
Թող աստված ձեզ ուժ ու կարողություն տա,որ կարողանաք ձեր երեխաներին պահել,ու հպարտ եղեք ձեր երեխաներով,նրանցից ամեն մեկը մի հրաշք է,իսկ դուք իսկական հերոս եք,որովհետև ամեն ինչով ապահովված մարդիկ անգամ 2-ից ավելի երեխա չեն ունենում,իսկ դուք ուղղակի հերոս եք,թող աստված ձեր երեխաներին առողջություն ու հաջողություն տա
GB
May God bless them all. We need more Armenian kids than ever before!
Եվա Թաթոսյան
Ինչ պայծառ, ժպտերես, կենսուրախ, պոզիտիվ և ԳԵՂԵՑԻԿ ԵՐԵԽԱՆԵՐ ԵՆ: ԱՍՏՎԱԾ ՊԱՀԻ ՆՄԱՆ ԼՈՒՍԱՎՈՐ ԸՆՏԱՆԻՔՆԵՐԸ: Մայր - հերոսուհի : ԱՊՐԵՔ ԴՈՒՔ, ՇԱՏ ԱՊՐԵՔ!!!!
Հասմիկ
Կեցցեք: Աստված օրհնի ձեր հիանալի ընտանիքը: :)

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