Kate Gosselin

Kate Gosselin is best known as the mom of eight children on the TLC reality show Jon and Kate Plus Eight. With twin girls as well as sextuplets, Kate has drawn both praise and criticism from the media and viewers.

Kate Gosselin has eight young children.

Kate Gosselin was born Kate Irene Kreider on March 28th, 1975. She met husband Jon in 1997, shortly after graduating from nursing school. After struggling with infertility, Kate and Jon had fertility treatments which led to the births of their twin girls, Madelyn and Cara, in 2000.

In 2003, Kate and Jon decided to try for another child. Kate once again underwent fertility treatments and became pregnant with six babies. The Gosselin sextuplets are now one of only thirteen surviving sets of sextuplets in the United States. They are made up of three boys and three girls, named:

• Aaden Jonathan
• Hannah Joy
• Collin Tomas
• Leah Hope
• Joel Kevin
• Alexis Faith

Whenever large numbers of multiples are born, the news tends to spread quickly. People are fascinated by the struggles and joys experienced by the parents of these instantly huge families. Discovery Health Channel approached Jon and Kate and subsequently produced two hour-long specials on the family, called Surviving Sextuplets and Twins.

The first special aired in 2006, with the follow-up - subtitled One Year Later - airing in April of 2007. That same month, TLC began airing the weekly reality TV show Jon and Kate Plus Eight.

Jon and Kate Plus Eight follows the family as they go about their daily lives. At first, the show focused on the more mundane aspects of family life, showcasing how different things are with a house full of very young children. Eventually, however, episodes came to include trips to Disney and Hawaii, publicity tours in New York City, and events that a "normal" family - at least one that isn't featured in a television program - may not ever experience.

Anyone who puts themselves in the public eye is open to criticism, but Kate Gosselin seems to have polarized the viewing public quite dramatically. She has been accused of many things, including:

• Treating her husband poorly
• Playing favorites with her kids
• Taking handouts from anyone who offers
• Exploiting her children by putting them on a reality television show
• Demanding favors and freebies from friends, family, her church, and sponsors
• Not spending enough time with her children

Adding fuel to the fire of her critics are the many free items and services that the Gosselins have enjoyed since they first appeared on television. Jon has had free hair replacement treatments, Kate has undergone complimentary tummy tuck surgery, and they receive free household items, clothing, and travel from private sponsors.

On the other hand, Kate Gosselin has many supporters who believe that she is a wonderful mother and role model. She has been praised for:

• Her no-nonsense style and attitude
• Showing the world the reality of having multiples without hiding unpleasant things
• Taking control of her household
• Having a savvy business sense
• Using her role as a pseudo celebrity for financial gain to provide for her family

One of the things that makes Kate instantly recognizable is her short hairstyle. With long sections at the front and extremely short, spiked hair at the back, her hairdo has been copied by women all across the country. When Kate first met Jon she had much longer hair, but has stated that her hair is so thick and heavy that it gave her headaches.

With eight young children, it's hard to imagine that any mom would have time for other projects. Kate, however, has taken on several different roles, including:

• Spokesperson for Proctor & Gamble's Brand Saver coupon campaign
• Co-author of Multiple Blessings, a book about the family, as well as an upcoming book entitled Eight Little Faces
• Speaking at events to promote the show and the book

You can learn more about Kate, her family and the show at TLC.com, and at the official Gosselin family website.

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