Father of Twins and Sextuplets Says Being a Dad to Eight Children is a "Blast"

Teresa Neumann : Jun 15, 2008
Mike Celizic - Today

"Every day I thank God I have healthy kids. We're having a good time, a blast."

(Pennsylvania)—Jon Gosselin is the 31-year-old father of eight children, the set of twins and sextuplets featured on the TLC series Jon & Kate Plus 8, the most-watched show on TLC.

"Every day I thank God I have healthy kids," said Gosselin when interviewed on the TODAY show this week. "We're having a good time, a blast. I get to spend a lot of time with my family." (Photo: TODAY/NBC)

According to the report, Gosselin was initially resistant to the idea of having a third child to go with the twins his wife Kate gave birth to seven years ago. Kate eventually underwent fertility treatments to conceive a third child, but the couple—who are devout Christians—refused to abort any of the six babies she conceived.

"She's a strong woman," Gosselin said of his wife. "She's a nurse and she's very medically oriented. She would comfort me. I would just pray for my wife that she would be healthy, and the babies would be healthy. God took care of the rest."

Regarding the cameramen, producers and technicians who are in their house three or four days a week filming the TLC show, he said, "They've become like family to us."

Gosselin was also quoted as saying being the subject of a documentary has helped him and his wife be better parents because they are able to see themselves through the lens of a camera. "Every time I watch a rough cut before it goes to final cut, it's like marriage counseling," said Jon, adding that he has to sometimes say to his wife, "Oh, I'm sorry, honey. I should have taken a different approach with that."

Watch a video on the Gosselin family as they appeared on the Today Show by clicking on the link provided.