When your kids get old enough to live on their own and you’re able to downsize your vehicle to a Suburban, that says something about the size of your family.
For Jon Fleck, merchandising manager for Cenex Zip Trip, based in Spokane Valley, Wash., and his wife, Sandy, their step down was from a 15-passenger van for their family of 12 kids.
Since their marriage in 1989, the two have been foster parents to more than 40 children, eight of whom they adopted; two more are under their guardianship. They range in age from 9 to 32. Four were family members’ children in need of a stable home life, while others arrived through the foster-care system.
Here’s some perspective from a guy who loves being a dad.
So how did you start on your family journey?
When I got married, my wife had two children and wasn’t able to have any more. But we both had family members with issues. So we went through the process of getting our foster license, and it grew from there.
The most children we’ve had living with us at one time was 10, but when you have that many kids, everybody comes to your house. You need an airport shuttle to get around.
How did you get around?
An airport shuttle. I’m not kidding. We bought it from an Avis rental place. It had two seats up front and four benches, and we drove it around for 15 years. My wife would keep the kids busy by taking them on field trips, so that’s 10 kids plus two adults and three extra friends. Our church owns it now.
One of my favorite stories was when we took a trip to Disneyland. It’s something we’ll do every three or four years—take all the kids. So this one time we flew to California and found out at the car rental that we can’t rent a shuttle. My wife didn’t have the [correct] license. And that’s funny because she had been driving one for years.
How do you keep up with so many children?
My wife has a very strong personality. She’s the disciplinarian but also the fun mom. She’s the entire package. And with 70 Zip Trip stores going from Washington state to North and South Dakota, I’m constantly traveling. We could have never been able to do it if it wasn’t for her.
What’s it like having so many children?
Anyone with a big family knows that it’s organized chaos. We have a six-bedroom house and a couple of acres. Food bills were astronomical. Everything costs money. Do I put $100 into my retirement, or do I buy three or four pairs of tennis shoes?
Our youngest daughter just got her braces. When I was a teenager, I had crooked teeth, so I know having braces is the best thing. This is the eighth kid we’ve put in braces. And when our first son got his, they were $4,000. Now they’re well over $7,000. The good news is that our insurance through CHS pays for part of it.
Why did you take on so many?
It’s rewarding. We’re able to help kids out.
I grew up in a family of six kids and my wife is one of four. I’m a spiritual guy, so it’s an opportunity to touch lives and open your heart up. Some children have grown up to go on missions in Thailand, Cambodia, Kenya and El Salvador, and they’ve even interacted with the homeless on Skid Row in Los Angeles. They have grown to have successful lives with wonderful families and have given us many grandchildren.
But here’s another cool thing. I met my wife at Zip Trip, and while I have three children who are too young to work, every [other] kid in my family has worked at one of our stores. One of my sons told me, “Dad, I love Zip Trip. This may be what I want to do the rest of my life.”
I wouldn’t change a thing.
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