The de la Motte family of TLC’s Big Family, Big City claim they have blown through their savings and are facing financial issues after relocating from San Diego to New York City with their large musical family of 13.
Amber and Marc de la Motte made their TLC debut on Tuesday’s premiere of ‘Big Family, Big City’ where fans met the self-proclaimed conservative family, which includes 11 children between the ages of six months and 22 years old. On the first episode of the TLC special, Marc shocked viewers when he revealed that he and Amber are paying $12,000 a month to house their supersized crew and that they rely on their children to take to the streets of NYC to busk in order to help keep them afloat financially.
“Our savings are gone,” Marc told viewers. “It’s scary. I wish that things could just be different. I would love to find a solution so the kids don’t have to busk.
“We can’t keep this going and Amber and I need to get on the same page ASAP,” he continued, calling his family’s financial situation “dire.”
Marc explained during the episode that he and Amber asked their kids if they were willing to busk to earn some extra bucks for the family– rather than requiring them to do so– and that “they all agreed.” He also noted that the kids are allowed to keep 10 percent of their busking earnings for themselves, which Amber believes is “a good way [for them] to learn how to deal with money.”
In addition to earning money by playing music on the streets of New York, the de la Mottes earn income by posting videos to various social media platforms. Known online as “The Happy Caravan,” the de la Motte family have garnered more than 500,000 followers on TikTok and 225,000 followers on Instagram.
While Amber and Marc’s children are seen busking in many of the videos posted by The Happy Caravan, Amber insists that she and Marc aren’t forcing their children to play music to turn a profit, despite what many of their critics on social media believe. Amber maintains that “busking helps you be a better musician,” as it teaches you “how to play for an audience that likes you, [and] that doesn’t like you.”
On Tuesday’s premiere, Amber and Marc’s eldest child, 22-year-old Josiah de la Motte, acknowledged that his family has relied heavily on busking to get by financially, though he claims it’s also helped him personally to “see the value in every dollar.”
“We mentally do the math as the money’s going in to see where we are for that week, how much of that is going to rent, how much we’ll get in our little personal stash,” he explained.
As The Ashley previously told you, Josiah is the first– and only, at this time– of the de la Motte children to get married. Josiah and fiancée Eleanor tied the knot in December 2024, just five months after announcing their engagement and just 10 months after meeting.
In a video posted to The Happy Caravan Instagram page in October, the family claimed that Josiah was slated to graduate from the Manhattan School of Music in the spring and was in the process of applying to law school “so he can support a family.” The de la Mottes also noted that Josiah was working as a security guard “to pay for an apartment for his bride-to-be.”
It’s unknown if Josiah– and his wife, who is also a musician– plan to continue busking with the family in the future.
The comment section of the most-recent post to the family’s Instagram account had some harsh words for parents Amber and Marc.
“Yall take 90% of what they earn?” one person wrote. “Seriously? Shouldn’t have moved and live beyond your means.”
“It goes to lessons and other expenses that directly benefit the kids,” the parents responded. “But it’s not ideal. Definitely working every day to make enough so the kids don’t have to busk.”
“The dad is struggling to keep a roof over their head and food on table,” another person commented. “His salary covers half of their $12,000/mo rent. The mom refuses to move because she ‘wants to be involved’ (aka wants to control) her adult children’s lives. All of the kids are forced to perform on the streets of Manhattan to earn money for the family.”
“That’s not the whole story,” the parents responded. “We have 6 kids in music schools here only 1 has a full scholarship. We are trapped living close enough to Juilliard and MSM or we are required to pay 60k in dorm and board. That’s the whole story but not interesting enough.”
Watch a clip from Tuesday’s premiere of ‘Big Family, Big City’ below.
(Photos: TLC; Instagram)
7 Responses
The show resembles a cult like family. I am glad to see Josiah get married and try to make his own family. I was bothered by them having the kids busk for money when they can get 2nd jobs. I might get some backlash on this comment and that’s okay. Those kids are told what instrument they will be playing and that really didn’t sit well with me. So from a very early age, they cannot make simple decisions like what instrument they would like to play? I am disappointed in TLC making this into a show. I am sure they will make money off the show, so maybe they wont make them busk anymore. Paying $12,000 a month for rent is bizarre. They clearly are not smart enough to make better choices with their financial problems so they pretty much guilt the kids to make money for the family. It’s not the kids fault that they had 11 kids total. Just doesn’t make sense to me. If I had to guess, they are receiving assistance from the state for food and healthcare which is not fair to the ones that work their butts off and get no breaks from the gov’t. I have had to work 2 jobs years ago and it wasn’t fun, but I never asked anyone for help with anything. I swear, this is like a nightmare watching those kids have to play what instrument their parents said they had to play. Like ,,, who does that? Looks like the 2 older kids are going to make their own decisions and I would almost bet the other kids will do the same when they are older. I don’t think I can keep watching it because it is a form of child abuse and cult like.
I didn’t see the jobs that mom and dad have..
And if the kids aren’t on scholarship, maybe you can’t afford the school.
But sending them to beg in the streets isn’t the answer.
Their rent should be less shocking than the fact that they moved away from California because:
a) they have to breathe down their eldest daughter’s neck while she goes to college in the big, sinful city, and
b) California just passed a law that requires children in family blogging situations not be exploited financially and they can’t be expected to adhere to that
“Our savings are gone,” Marc told viewers. “It’s scary. I wish that things could just be different. I would love to find a solution so the kids don’t have to busk.
I’m sorry? How about getting a real job or two jobs. They chose to have 11 children yet somehow the 11 children are supporting their family of 13?! GTFOH!! My guess is that the children don’t feel like they can say no to their parents because that would be “disobedient” in their cult. I mean, family.
And how about moving to a place that isn’t $12,000 a month? That’s ridiculous!
Urrrgh why do tlc keep making programs about these creepy cult members.
$12k a month for what exactly?? That’s an absurd amount of money, even for that big of a family
Apparently so they can be in the “music epicenter” near Julliard and Manhattan school of music.