Bachelor star Kelsey Anderson says adopting is a ‘non-negotiable’ in relationship with Joey Graziadei

The Bachelor star Kelsey Anderson – who got engaged to lead Joey Graziadei in the latest season of the dating ABC show – has opened up about her future family plans.

Anderson discussed the dynamics of her relationship with Graziadei during a recent episode of the Bachelor Happy Hours: Golden Hour podcast, hosted by formerThe Golden Bachelor contestants Kathy Swarts and Susan Noles. During the conversation, the 26-year-old shared that when she was first started dating Graziadei on The Bachelor, she addressed how important it was for her to have children through adoption.

“One of the first big things I told him was that I really wanted to adopt and that was a non-negotiable for me,” she said. “So if he wasn’t open to that, then I couldn’t be here.”

“I just felt it, like in my soul that I have to adopt at least one kid,” Anderson continued, before acknowledging that she also wants to give birth to a child as well.

She also noted that she wants a relatively big family. “I mean I want like a million kids. Joey only wants like two. He’s like: ‘It’s easier to travel,’” she added.

This isn’t the first time that Anderson has opened up about building a life with her fiancé. During an appearance on The Viall Files in March, Graziadei and Anderson first revealed that they’ve made plans to have children.

“We already have the name of our first kid figured out,” the former leading man of The Bachelor said. “We want to build a beautiful family because we have two beautiful families of our own. We’re taking things slow.”

When host Nick Viall asked the couple what their future baby’s name would be, Graziadei then revealed that his child “would be taking [his fiancée’s] last name.”

open image in gallery

“Anderson’s her last name, soon-to-obviously-be her maiden name, and we kind of love it most for a girl and calling her ‘Andie’ [as a nickname],” he said. “So, Anderson Graziadei is the idea of the first kid.”

During the episode, he also shared how Anderson was keen on adopting a child, while emphasizing how important it is for them to have a family.

“One of the really special things, I don’t know if it even made it on the show, was that Kelsey [told me] she always wanted to adopt. That was something she was always really big on and she probably wants to have, like, 20 kids. I’d rather stay in more of the three range,” he added.

Earlier this month, the couple spoke about what they’ve been up to since starring on the 28th season of The Bachelor, including how they’re living with roommates.

Anderson recalled that when she got engaged, she was not willing to immediately change aspects of her everyday life. “I was still working and so I was like: ‘I gotta go back to my life. I’m not quitting my job,’” she said on an episode of  the Trading Secrets podcast with Jason Tartick. “He was just living with his sister, so I was like: ‘You can move in with me.’”

Graziadei then laughed about how he’s now living with three women. “I’m on a comedy sketch right now. I feel like I’m full-on in a New Girl situation,” he said, referencing the television show that features one woman living with three men as roommates.

Despite the fact that he’d be in an apartment with three people, Graziadei acknowledged that moving in with his partner was a “no brainer.”

During the pocast, Anderson also explained that she eventually did quit her job, since she and her partner were traveling for her to dedicate herself to work as a project manager. However, to ease her worries about what they would do without a steady income, her fiancé offered to help out.

“Part of it was that Joey was like, no matter what, like: ‘I’ll help you if you need help in any sense,’ which, you know, gave me a little bit of financial security because I was like: ‘Oh my God. Am I just gonna, like, what am I gonna do for these couple months of?’” she said, adding: “Joey’s my security blanket.”