Seventeen Children

[Babette]

I saw the Discovery Channel program on this family a while back. It really bothered me on so many levels. The girls are thrown into a caregiver/mother role being responsible for their siblings. They are homeschooled so they never socialize with people of other backgrounds and lifestyles. They make those clothes, then hand them down! That woman is constantly pregnant. The hair! Ugh, so many things wrong IMO.

I have to agree with Snowflake. It is their life, but definitely not for me. I do have a big problem with this lifestyle if the family does not support itself. They get donations, aid and other benefits for choosing to have too many children. Then society ends up paying for their children and that is not right. I am not sure about Jim Bob's finances, but they do have a gorgeous home they just custom built.

[3894]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

That, too.
Or his fly buttoned as the case may be.

By my calculations Jim Bob's do-ability factor is -73 on a scale of 1 to 10.

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by 3894

Besides the fact that the planet is already overpopulated.....

Not really...


http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...52C1A961958260

If this trend continues it could have far-reaching consequences, demographers say. When more and more of the world's most highly industrialized and economically productive nations do not replenish their numbers, their role as engines of global growth -- both as producers and consumers of goods -- is thrown into doubt.

''These developed countries have a particularly important role because they provide a great deal of the economic leadership and social leadership,'' said Joseph Chamie, director of the United Nations population division, which organized the conference this week.

''They are, basically, the producer nations, the consumer nations and the donor nations,'' he said. ''China today is exporting to whom? Basically to the United States and Europe, and that's helping the Chinese economy. Europe alone consumes a great deal and produces a great deal. If they start shrinking there will be a readjustment, and it will be global in its impact. It will affect the entire world economy.''

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Babette

The girls are thrown into a caregiver/mother role being responsible for their siblings.

Thing is, that's the way most families used to be. That's the only way a family with more 5 kids can function, and most families used to have that many. Two people simply cannot mother or father that many children. There were four in my family and I was changing diapers, feeding, burping, teaching, entertaining, as much as any 11 year old could. I enjoyed some of it, was annoyed at some of it.

I think that the experience of helping to take care of a baby sibling is very beneficial to future parents. That isn't to say only children would make terrible parents, but any experience helps.

Still, 17, crazy.

[AllyOops!]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Actually, it's like Ginger... apparently they hadn't thought of Jennifer yet so they got creative.

Oh!!! Thank you!! I was just on the phone with my boyfriend. "I was like, "Babe, who names their child Jinger (I pronounced it like "finger")?"

I'm smacking my forehead, feeling like the village dolt!

Wait, maybe I'm not. I've never seen Ginger spelled with a "J"! "Jinger"?!?!? It's too much like "finger"!! From now on, Ally will be spelled Aleigh. Or Allea.

They'll have to abandon the whole "J" concept eventually if they plan to have more children. Or maybe not. Welcome, baby Jar-Jar! Or baby Jabba. Or baby Janga. All six Star Wars films offer them limitless possibilities.

[Babette]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Thing is, that's the way most families used to be. That's the only way a family with more 5 kids can function, and most families used to have that many. Two people simply cannot mother or father that many children. There were four in my family and I was changing diapers, feeding, burping, teaching, entertaining, as much as any 11 year old could. I enjoyed some of it, was annoyed at some of it.

I think that the experience of helping to take care of a baby sibling is very beneficial to future parents. That isn't to say only children would make terrible parents, but any experience helps.

Still, 17, crazy.

Oh, yes, I helped take care of my little brother, but I was not assigned to him full time. I had time to socialize with people outside my family. I was able to experience other teenage girl things, and help my parents/brother. I had choices (most of the time).

[katiesue]

It's not for me, but then neither are a lot of other lifestyle choices. As far as I can tell from the tv shows Jim Bob supports the family so as long as that keeps up whatever floats your boat. Yes it's a bit odd and I'm sure some of them will rebel big time as they get older but they're not burdening anyone else.

[Stan4dSteph]

SFGate article from 2005 when there were only 16

Note to Michelle Duggar: If God wanted you to have a massive pile of children, she'd have given your uterus a hydraulic pump and a revolving door. Stop it now.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Babette

Oh, yes, I helped take care of my little brother, but I was not assigned to him full time. I had time to socialize with people outside my family. I was able to experience other teenage girl things, and help my parents/brother. I had choices (most of the time).

True that, for me as well.

Originally Posted by Stan4dSteph

SFGate article from 2005 when there were only 16

Wow, what a hate filled article, from someone who probably is pro-choice and yet feels they have a right to dictate what that woman does with her body.

To be honest, I think all this knee-jerk judgementalism stinks, from the smallest slights to that abhorrent article. So, she wants to be pregnant over and over, so, they're religious, so, they home school, so, what? It's their lives, and as long as the kids are polite, clean, well fed, and don't start a cult, why should anyone judge them, lest ye be judged, eh?

[katiesue]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

To be honest, I think all this knee-jerk judgementalism stinks, from the smallest slights to that abhorrent article. So, she wants to be pregnant over and over, so, they're religious, so, they home school, so, what? It's their lives, and as long as the kids are polite, clean, well fed, and don't start a cult, why should anyone judge them, lest ye be judged, eh?

Exactly. Like I said it's not for me. But as far as I can tell they're taking care of themselves. And one of their TV shows showed them going to some sort of homeschooling convention so there was social ineraction with kids their own ages (of course with the same beliefs) so they're not living in some sort of concentration camp.

I can't imagine what having 17 children does to ones body. I know it's why women used to die young they'd just finally give out.