‘You’re Setting Your Kids Up To Hate Each Other:’ Mom of 5 Slammed Over One-Bedroom Apartment

In 2010, activist Jimmy McMillan told us that “the rent was too d— high.” In the decade since he uttered that truth, things have only gotten worse. In response, people have had to get creative when it comes to their living spaces. They’re finding ways to conserve space, live minimalist lives, and in the case of one large family, even skimp on the number of rooms they live in to save money.

The Jenkins family is a group of six right now, although the mom is pregnant. Instead of living in a large home or even an apartment with several rooms, they all share space in a one-bedroom apartment. The mom in the family documents their life on TikTok. 

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Jenkins takes her dining room table out at night so all of her children can sleep on the floor.

Although Jenkins and her husband sleep in the bedroom, their four — soon to be five — children sleep in the living room. As you might imagine, the family uses the shared living space for their sleeping quarters as well as their entertainment.

Thankfully, the dining room is separate, but even that is converted into a bedroom at the end of the night, with the family’s dining table being taken outside. On TikTok, Jenkins explained their unique living situation and addressed people’s concerns and judgments.

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Jenkins says after everything she's been through, she's grateful.

“As the kids grow older, that means we constantly have to adapt our environment to give them more means for privacy and extra space,” Jenkins said in a video.  She shared that although their home may appear cluttered and disorganized after making due for nearly three years, she has “nothing but a grateful spirit for the roof over [her family’s] head.”

She also addressed the question at the top of people’s minds: Why have so many children if you can’t afford the space to house them? She didn’t give a clear answer but still spoke to the judgment of those online, saying it comes from the place of not having experienced what she has. She said going through everything she has in the past three years, she has very little patience for judgment from others.

People asked outright why she keeps having children if they can't afford it.

@jenkinsresiliencecrew Night vlog. Tonight we took some time to work on manifestation. We started our wish box and all discussed something within ourselves we want to grow and work on. We worked on reading and writing skills as well as character building. And we had a blst doing so. #nightvlog #smallspaceliving #blendedfamily #familyof6 #grateful #resilient #keepgoing ♬ original sound - Resilient Jenkins 🔹🔷🔹

Still, Jenkins recognizes that this arrangement is not ideal. She concludes the video by saying her family is praying and pushing for the growth that they want.

Even with her explanations, people are still wondering why she and her husband have placed themselves in this situation. Why do they keep having children they “can’t afford?”

The comments were a reflection of this sentiment. “Being financially stable is also a form of love for your kids,” one person wrote. Others inquired about the family dynamic as the kids continue to grow. “I don’t understand,” someone else wrote. “What happens in their teen years?”

Some had suggestions for more space conservation.

Other people had questions about Jenkins and her partner taking the only room in the house.

“My kids Come first” but I keep the bedroom for myself,” one user wrote sarcastically. Another person even suggested a potential layout. “Why would you not put all the kids in the room with bunks and a Murphy bed in the living room for you?”

Commenters suggested that this would not end well for her children.

There were additional comments from people who grew up in similar situations who warned of the potential fallout.

“I grew up in a 1bedroom trailer with 7 siblings,” one commenter shared.”I resented my parents so much for this. I don’t talk to them now.”

Others shared that their friends were miserable in similar environments, and other people with a lot of siblings shared how they would have processed all of this, living in one room with their siblings.

“As the oldest of 6 kids: if I had to share my space with them growing up, we’d never have the relationships we do now. Id resent them. And my parents. You’re setting your kids up to hate each other,” someone commented.