When Natalie and Kahn Te Aroha first heard they were expecting quadruplets, their emotions moved between terror and delight. “For two years, we couldn’t fall pregnant,” Kahn recalls with a laugh. “Then we were a basketball team!”
Fast-forward nearly five years and the quads, Maddison, Marley, Frankee and Maioha, are preparing to start school in Bunbury, Western Australia.
“Maddy and Maioha are the most excited,” says mum Natalie, 35. “I just hope they all shine individually, despite being known as ‘the quads’.”
The four-year-olds will all attend the same school as their big sister Kiana, six, and, thanks to a special request from mum, are in the same classroom. “I didn’t want to split them up this first year,” admits Natalie.
The non-identical siblings tried on their uniforms for the first time when Woman’s Day visited. We’d like to report that it was all smooth sailing, but it wasn’t! Were they excited? Yes. But were there also a few rumblings of discontent as they fought for their own individual look? Yes.
“They’re looking forward to going to ‘big school’ with Kiki,” smiles Natalie, but it was a recent delivery that sent them nuts. “They unwrapped their new lunchboxes and snack boxes for crunch-and-sip time, and that got them super-excited!”
Big sister Kiana has been their guiding light and is “queen of the quads”.
“She’s in charge of everything,” shares Natalie. “At first, I was worried she’d feel left out, but now they’ve become even more interactive, she’s a bit bossy and calls the shots. I spend a lot of my time refereeing, negotiating and bribing!”
The past handful of years have been anything but easy for Natalie and Kahn, 38.
“Every bug seems to go through all five kids,” laughs Natalie. “I’ve been at the doctors fortnightly ever since they were born.”
Despite the chaos, she wouldn’t swap their constant demands for anything.
“The most surprising thing about raising quads is how relentless it is,” she admits. “Being a quads mum has made me very strong.
“I get up at 4.30 every morning to work out in my home gym. It’s the only time I have for myself and it keeps me sane.”
Kahn – who grew up in West Auckland, and is of Ngāpuhi and Cook Island Māori descent – works at a local refinery and is the family’s rock.
“He’s big, has a loud voice and doesn’t let them get away with anything,” tells Natalie.
She adds that her hubby, who is nicknamed “the Quadfather”, is also an amazing partner.
“A lot of men couldn’t cope with this, but it has made our relationship stronger. We try to take four weekends away together each year to recharge and just stay ultra-connected.”
As they prepare for this next phase of their lives, Natalie and Kahn feel a mix of excitement and apprehension.
“I don’t need the village around me that I used to,” says Natalie. “We had outside help every night for years, but that stopped about a year ago. It’s just us now and we’re ready for this next chapter.”
With school starting, Natalie, a former personal trainer, is looking forward to some much-needed space in her life. “I’m going to take a breath!” she tells.
Living with quadruplets is far from easy, but Natalie sees it as a blessing.
“They fight all the time, but they also have this amazing connection,” she says. “Watching them grow up together has been the best part of this.”
For Natalie, her dream is simple. “I just want them to be happy and shine in their own ways. They’re not just ‘the quads’ – they’re Maddison, Marley, Frankee and Maioha. It’s been a wild ride, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
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