I agree CP. Wholeheartedly. I don't even have anything to add.

Except that three often times seems like way too many to me.:)

My best friend is raising 6. Two are hers and she's also raising her four nieces and nephews. It's total chaos all the time. But it is an organized chaos. Sure a couple of them have been left at soccer pratice here and there but she hasn't totally lost one yet.

With 17 you'd have to have a lot of discpline and scheduling or it would just be complete madness.

I think it's human nature to be in disagreement with the couple about their choice to have a ton of kids. As much as it is their freedom to have them, I have the freedom to say they're freaks.

I come from a very big family, 9. Catholic and careless?

I would say that it was too much. I think that my parents also had the sentiment that all we needed was one another but that wasn't really right. I don't think it was entirely healthy. I think they did it to keep control over us and keep us out of trouble. A good plan? Maybe.

I have three kids. I have tried to make sure that I don't get so involved with one of them that the others get left behind.

Totally. I personally think they're "crazy", by which I mean that "if I did it myself I'd go crazy", or "I'd have to go crazy to make that decision". However, seeing the tiny bit I have seen of their lives, it seems to make sense for them, and that's cool. I know some people would go crazy living my life, for various reasons.

That article really went over the edge...such ugliness.

Lotsa mojo for CP on this one. I didn't write on it earlier, because I needed to reserve my brain cells for a paper I'm writing.

But, all I kept thinking is that as long as no one is being abused, then there's just not much we can say or do about it. Personally, it's nothing I would choose for myself but that's only given my experiences. I can't put myself in their shoes, because all that's doing is putting myself into a situation in which I, product of my experiences, would be unhappy. While I haven't seen any documentaries or read any other articles than the one linked at the top, I'd loathe myself to be judgmental to someone's else's life decision that seems to bring no harm. I'd be just as bad (my opinion) as those who believe that being homosexual is wrong.

It all boils down to being a matter of opinion, and mine is to be in a constant state of flux and to have a belief that I cannot know and therefore cannot judge.

The older children who appear to be "stuck watching the younger ones" will get their experiences, as well as the younger ones. Maybe not as soon as many of us did, but inevitably they will, living in the U.S. They're only 17, after all - there's still a lot of time left for them on this planet.

The girls are being taught that their place in life is to be a wife and make babies, not much else. I have a problem with that.

I disagree. We are free to speak our minds, just as the family is free to practice their oddball, insular version of Christianity.

You disagree, as in it's not a matter of opinion? I should have rephrased my first statement to say that there's not much I can say or do about it. We was more of a slip-up.

I think we actually quite agree, in that I do feel we are free to speak our minds. I was simply giving my reasons why I don't feel I can judge them any more than I can judge anyone not living my brand of lifestyle.

And certainly, I cannot presume that the young women are unhappy.

Holy Landfill !! I'm glad they didn't use environmentally friendly cloth nappies, that they could re-use on each new batch of babies ! :rolleyes: