Vo Thi Xin, 85, from Ky Anh District in Ha Tinh Province, has 11 children (including nine daughters and two sons), 26 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

In an interview with VietNamNet reporters, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, born in 1985, the youngest daughter of Vo Thi Xin said that for every member of her family, their large extended family serves as a steadfast pillar of support and a source of motivation, enriching their life’s journey.

Nhan and her siblings have all established their own families, with some already having grandchildren of their own. The family members live in different cities/provinces in the northern, central and southern regions, while a few live in Ky Anh district, near their mother’s hometown. Nhan’s second and third elder sisters passed away many years ago.

Nhan and her siblings were given opportunities to follow education, with some graduating from university or college. Currently, they are all engaged in various forms of business and trade.

“I heard that in the past, my parents had many children because they wanted sons to maintain the continuity of the family line. When my parents finally had a son, the whole village came to say congratulations. Even after having two sons, they still gave birth to me, the youngest daughter, bringing the total to 11 siblings,” Nhan explained.

Recalling her childhood, Nhan expressed deep admiration for her parents’ diligence and resourcefulness. Her father once tended a herd of 20 buffaloes, chopping firewood and fetching water daily to earn money to support his children’s study.

Her mother, while caring for the children and managing household chores, worked alongside her husband to sustain the family’s livelihood.

“Back then, my parents spent more time at the farm than at home. Our house had four beds, and my sisters and I shared them for sleeping and daily activities without any inconvenience. The older sisters went to school in the morning and helped our parents grow potatoes, cassava, or tend buffalo and cut grass in the afternoon, while the younger ones stayed home to look after each other,” she said.

“For each meal, the family cooked four bowls of rice mixed with a basket of potatoes or cassava to fill our stomachs. That’s how the 11 of us grew up, one after the other,” Nhan recounted.

Nhan’s parents were strict but never resorted to physical punishment, yet their children obeyed them unquestioningly. Her father’s principle was clear: whether boy or girl, every child must be educated, no matter how poor or hungry.

Nhan vividly remembers her father’s words: “Strive to gain knowledge, my children. It will make your lives easier later on.”

Nhan’s father passed away over a decade ago. At the age of 85, her mother now lives with the love and gratitude of her children and grandchildren.

Currently, Vo Thi Xin resides in a house adjacent to that of her tenth child, a son. During holidays, Tet, or family commemorations, her children and grandchildren gather at her small home, eating, chatting, and reminiscing about childhood memories.

“When there’s an event at home, even the children living far away will gather. As our father has gone, we all cherish and care for my mother devotedly,” Nhan said.

Each time the extended family reunites, their mother’s small courtyard becomes packed with people. Each member takes on a task—cooking and eating together—which requires an oversized pot for rice.

What Nhan takes the greatest pride in about her family is their unity and the mutual love and support among members. Her two sisters-in-law are "perfect” while her brothers-in-law are "those, who cannot be found elsewhere".

Her eldest sister-in-law excels in both public and household duties, while the second sister-in-law cares for her mother-in-law with devotion.

Nhan noted that when her sisters-in-law first joined the family, their mother-in-law treated them with more affection and indulgence than her own daughters. Therefore, they now reciprocate with deep care and dedication to their mother-in-law.

Her brothers-in-law, whenever gathered at their wives’ family home, are cheerful and united, always prioritizing filial piety and responsibility.

For Nhan, the word “wonderful” falls short of describing her feelings about being part of such a tightly knit family.

“My mother gave birth to 11 children, but she has 22 children in reality. For me, the love and protection from my siblings have become a precious foundation in this life,” Nhan confided.

Thanh Minh