One-night stands are just what their name implies. They’re meant to be temporary. These types of encounters don’t generally lead to dating, a relationship, or any type of long-term commitment. But Alicia and Josh Dougherty of New York defied the odds. After they met and hooked up, they couldn’t bear to be apart. They moved in after two days of knowing each other. Now, fast forward and the couple are the parents of 11 children: four biological ones and eight they are fostering or plan to adopt.
@doughertydozen Happy Tuesday! Go Crush Today! #DoughertyDozen #MealPrep #PackingLunches ♬ original sound – Dougherty Dozen
The family have such a unique and remarkable story that they’ve amassed a significant following on TikTok, documenting their everyday lives. In one video, Alicia shows her morning breakfast and lunch routine, feeding 10 children, the eldest of whom is 19 years old and the youngest, 6. In factory-like efficiency, she prepares both French toast and bacon while simultaneously packing lunch bags. With so much food going out in a single day, people had questions about her grocery bill.
@doughertydozen #DoughertyDozen #GroceryShopping #Shopping #ShopWithMe #ShoppingHauls ♬ So Much Happiness – Lux-Inspira
So in another video, Alicia showed her grocery haul for a family of 13. Naturally, she shops wholesale. She used four different flatbeds for meat, produce, bread, dairy products, and frozen goods. Then she bought items for her pets. She went to another store for seafood, pie crust, and flowers for her son’s girlfriend. Then another store for miscellaneous items. By the end of the day, she’d gone to four stores and spent $2,500 for a week’s worth of food and supplies.
If you’ve ever struggled coming up with dinner ideas for one to two kids, Alicia also documents what her 11 children eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on certain days. The meals are large, nutritious, and made in large quantities to make sure everyone has enough. If it seems like children may be overlooked in such a large family, Alicia showed how she went all out for her daughter Zoey’s 13th birthday, including snacks, a sushi train, all types of toys, a record player, and $1,000 for her video games.
In the comments section for so many of her videos, people commend Alicia for being a great mom. With her documenting so much of her family life, people feel like they’ve watched her family grow up. And the Dougherty followers agree that it’s all happening pretty fast.
