What Influencer Karissa Collins Has Said About Raising Big Family: ‘The Best Decision of My Life'

Yahoo

6 days ago

Karissa Collins hasn't held back when it comes to the reality of raising 11 kids.
Karissa and her husband, Mandrae Collins, tied the knot in May 2007 and have gone on to welcome 11 children: Anissa, Andrae, Annistan, Anjalie, Andersyn, Aynjel, Ansyr, Anchor, Anthem, Armor and Arrow.
The couple have documented their life — and ever-expanding family — on YouTube since 2017.
In July 2025, Karissa shared that she suffered a miscarriage, later sparking backlash online when she uploaded a TikTok clip of her younger children playfully hitting her belly.
Parenting Influencer Karissa Collins' Family Guide: Meet Her Husband and 11 Kids
'I don't do clickbait. I don't like controversy. I don't post offensive things for followers. I don't want followers like that. I'm not all about a following,' she said in an apology video, addressing the controversy. 'I am just about sharing the message that God has given me, and the ministry that I have, which is that you can trust God with your womb. … We encourage women to trust God with how many children he wants to give.'
Keep scrolling to learn everything that Karissa has said about raising a big family throughout the years:
They Are 'Intentional' of Spending Time With Their Children
Karissa spoke about the criticism that her and her husband receive regarding the amount of time they are able to adequately spend with each of their children.
'Let's talk time. There's so many contradictions with the decision to have children,' she said in a November 2022 Facebook post. 'People get so upset that we have (soon) ten children. They use so many arguments that simply don't make sense. One of those arguments is time. 'There's no way you can give each child enough time.' That was one of our biggest concerns on this surrendering our family size to God journey.'
The social media influencer noted that the 'reality' is that 'most families have two, maybe three children' because that's 'what's acceptable.'
'I'm not even kidding. In my parents generation there were Disney cartoons telling parents to stop having big families and only have two to preserve our earth and economy,' she continued. 'These families with two or three children send their kids off to school, sports, activities, daycare, children's church and then in the summer when they do get time with them, the kids go to summer camp and the parents count down their days until school starts and they get a break. (I know this isn't the case for all but this is the majority.) Yet it's these families that mock me for not spending enough time with my children.'
Why Influencer Karissa Collins Is Letting Her 'Body Do Its Thing' During Miscarriage Amid Backlash
Karissa noted that she is also criticized for choosing to homeschool her children.
'It simply makes me laugh at the contradictions we all live by. And the judgments we make without knowing the details and daily interactions,' she explained. 'If we are intentional with our children, we can give them the time. We have to assess how much we send them off versus how much we keep them close.'
Siblings Are The 'Greatest Gift'
Karissa said that giving her children siblings was the 'greatest gift' she could ever give them.
'It never ceases to amaze me the bond they have, the love they have, the fun they have and the joy that flows out of them,' she wrote via Instagram in January 2024. 'Siblings will outlast the parents and they'll be in each others [sic] lives longer. I will never regret giving them life long besties.'
They Don't Have 'Big Family Money'
In a November 2024 Instagram post, Karissa opened up about the financial aspect of raising such a big family.
'Two misconceptions…1. That you have to be a millionaire to have a big family,' she said at the time. '2. That kids cost a lot. People are most curious about our finances. And I've never shied away from this topic. We've been through seasons of lack, seasons of just enough and seasons of extra. Most of our marriage has been a season of just enough. Paycheck to paycheck, tithing and trusting God to pave the way and make a way.'
Who Is Karissa Collins? What to Know About the Influencer Who Sparked Backlash for Miscarriage Video
Karissa explained that they have 'never made big family money,' and that most people with lots of children don't either.
'We all live life the way we get paid,' she noted. 'So much of the money we spend isn't necessary. We consume and use so much more than we require. While yes groceries are our most expensive expense, outside of feeding them, children don't have to be expensive. And you don't have to be a millionaire. One thing I always say, I will never allow that coveted vacation to become the reason my next child won't exist. Money will not determine their value.'
It's Been the Best Decision of Her Life
In a December 2024 Instagram post, Karissa addressed the reason why she has decided to have 11 children — and why she still wants more.
'I grew up not a fan of children. Never longed to be a mother. I have one sister. My hubs grew up with 2 siblings. We got married with a 5-year plan and on birth control,' she wrote, noting that it was a church sermon that changed their mind. '11 children later, we've been through it all. We've seen the hardest and most blessed moments you can dream of.'
Karissa explained that they've seen God 'provide in the impossible, heal the impossible, give supernatural strength and joy and prove [them] wrong every step of the way.'
'It hasn't been an easy journey but it's the best decision of my life … to trust God to plan our family. All praise and glory to him alone!' she shared.
Stars Who Struggled to Conceive Children Share Their Fertility Issues
It's 'Not That Scary'
In a July 2025 TikTok caption, Karissa noted that having such a big family is 'not that scary.'
'I promise you will figure it out,' she revealed. 'And it honestly gets easier. You don't have to keep your hands to yourself! Have all the babies and live with no regrets.'
It's Not 'Impossible' To Have So Many Children
In her July 2025 apology video, Karissa also clapped back at online criticism that she had received over having such a big family.
'If you haven't had 11 children, I don't feel like you have the right to say it's impossible or that you can't do it,' she shared on TikTok. 'I used to say that when I had five children. … I had no idea that God had planned for a big family for us. We simply believe that we are to live life of faith, and that children are eternal [and that] they have value. Lots of value.'
Solve the daily Crossword