Single mom has six boys in family

With four growing boys around her table, Sylvie knows exactly where any extra Christmas money will go this year.

“Food. For sure,” she said. “To buy a big turkey and feed this gang.”

Everything she does, she said, is for the kids. “Maybe I’ll also make a tourtière or two,” she mused. “With six boys, these things go pretty fast.”

The 49-year-old single mother’s eldest children — 23- and 25-years-old, respectively — are away studying in the Canadian military. Her other four living with her in Laval — aged 9, 10, 15 and 17 — attend school while Sylvie earns an interior decorating certificate at the Centre de l’education des adultes compétences 2000.

But since they’ll all be home for the holidays, Sylvie plans to put them to bed with stomachs full — though she said her family can go through up to seven litres of milk a day if she’s not careful.

Sylvie isn’t now working since she’s just completed two-and-a-half years worth of courses toward her diploma. All she needs to graduate is to complete an interior decorating internship and gain hands-on experience. She hopes to find something by January. Her dream is to eventually start a business helping clients with small budgets access design work.

While she’s a bit worried about finding a job in her domain, she said her main concern right now is that her middle child, 15-year-old Ben, has recently been flagged by his teachers as potentially having mild autism after displaying some difficulty in school.

“They’re going to be doing some tests,” she explained. “I had no idea ... and don’t honestly think he has a problem; we’ll see. I guess he’s different from the other kids coming into adolescence, but he’s such a good boy — a huge intellectual who just loves his books. Everyone has their own talents and personalities ... I guess I have a hard time accepting it.”

While she gets some help from the father of her eldest children, money is very tight. The father of her youngest four doesn’t contribute at all, and her extended family does not help either. “Everyone has their own life,” she explained. “But I’m happy with my kids.”

Sylvie is among the thousands who are to receive a $125 cheque from The Gazette Christmas Fund this year. The money helps families and individuals in need get through the holiday season.

“This money will help me a lot,” she said. “I hope people know it’s hugely appreciated.”