Mom delivers 16th child!!!! YOWZA!!!
- Thread starter dani21496
- Start date
ChristinaK
Cathlete
What I always wonder when I see stories like this family or really large families out and about is how in the world does someone afford to feed, clothe, shelter etc that many kids and give each one of them all the love and attention they need? I'm not saying that people don't, I just wonder at the logistics of it all. We have 2 kids and we're done barring divine intervention. At one time I considered 3 but DH wasn't on board for that. Now that I actually have 2, I feel that our quiver is full. We have a niece that spends a lot of time here and DS#1 has several friends who do lots of things with us. I have taken 4 kids to the mall and 6 kids to the botanical gardens etc. While it was fun, it was exhausting keeping up with what that many kids were doing and making sure everyone was taken care of. I enjoyed having the extra kids with us BUT I also enjoyed it when they went home. I can't imagine having that many kids all the time.
Stories that I saw about this family when they had the 15th child talked about the older kids having a little kid that they were responsible for. It made it sound like the older children did a lot of childcare for the younger children. I have to say that bothered me. I do expect my older son to help out by watching the baby while I take a shower or keeping him out of the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner but that's it. To me it seems that you have too many children when you reach the point that you can't take care of everyone and the other children have to provide a lot of the care for the little ones.
The guy in this story must be really good at selling real estate for them to be able to build a 7000 square foot house!
Stories that I saw about this family when they had the 15th child talked about the older kids having a little kid that they were responsible for. It made it sound like the older children did a lot of childcare for the younger children. I have to say that bothered me. I do expect my older son to help out by watching the baby while I take a shower or keeping him out of the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner but that's it. To me it seems that you have too many children when you reach the point that you can't take care of everyone and the other children have to provide a lot of the care for the little ones.
The guy in this story must be really good at selling real estate for them to be able to build a 7000 square foot house!
lindadrobinson
Cathlete
Look the bottomline is this...WHY IS IT NEWS AND IN THE PAPER? WHY A WEBSITE? WHY? BECAUSE OF PROMOTION...
So, we can all say oh, wow, so many kids what can we do to help? They will be getting more checks than the law allows, just watch.
My feeling is this, if you like it, I love it. But, if laying on your back, pumping out kids all you life is your thing, hey I am for it. But don't come asking for handouts. And don't everyone on this site be naive that they haven't gotten any, already on Discovery Channel and I am sure Larry King is next, and he will post the website for donations, etc., etc.
If you want all those children, God Bless You, but make sure you are in a position to TAKE CARE OF THEM, without exploiting them on TV to make the ends meet...
U Feel Me...
Linda....;-)
So, we can all say oh, wow, so many kids what can we do to help? They will be getting more checks than the law allows, just watch.
My feeling is this, if you like it, I love it. But, if laying on your back, pumping out kids all you life is your thing, hey I am for it. But don't come asking for handouts. And don't everyone on this site be naive that they haven't gotten any, already on Discovery Channel and I am sure Larry King is next, and he will post the website for donations, etc., etc.
If you want all those children, God Bless You, but make sure you are in a position to TAKE CARE OF THEM, without exploiting them on TV to make the ends meet...
U Feel Me...
Linda....;-)
kirstyscooby
Cathlete
>I agree with Clare and Kathryn. Frankly, if you want 16+
>kids and can afford them (without asking for handouts from
>everyone else) then fine. But here's a thought - instead of
>just selfishly spreading their seed beyond what is really
>reasonable or necessary, why don't they use some of your
>resources, open-heartedness, love, or whatever and ADOPT.
>There are so many children across the globe in need of a
>loving family, a roof, food, etc. To keep having kids at this
>point is simply a selfish act. And I'm sure "the Lord" would
>be much more pleased if they practiced some kindness beyond
>their own four walls, as well.
Well said, I totally agree with these views and those expressed by Kathryn regarding the world's overpoulated resources.
>kids and can afford them (without asking for handouts from
>everyone else) then fine. But here's a thought - instead of
>just selfishly spreading their seed beyond what is really
>reasonable or necessary, why don't they use some of your
>resources, open-heartedness, love, or whatever and ADOPT.
>There are so many children across the globe in need of a
>loving family, a roof, food, etc. To keep having kids at this
>point is simply a selfish act. And I'm sure "the Lord" would
>be much more pleased if they practiced some kindness beyond
>their own four walls, as well.
Well said, I totally agree with these views and those expressed by Kathryn regarding the world's overpoulated resources.
Did anyone else see this family on the Today show this morning??
You can just see the love and devotion in that family.
All of the children were sitting at the parents feet or standing behind them and they were so well behaved!! I couldn't imagine getting all those children to sit and smile and behave that long.
Even moreso, how does one keep up with all that laundry??????
It's all i can do to keep up with this families laundry LOL
You can just see the love and devotion in that family.
All of the children were sitting at the parents feet or standing behind them and they were so well behaved!! I couldn't imagine getting all those children to sit and smile and behave that long.
Even moreso, how does one keep up with all that laundry??????
It's all i can do to keep up with this families laundry LOL
Bobbi
Cathlete
I can tell you that in our family, the older kids had it more difficult and as we younger ones were born, our big sisters picked up some of the the slack and helped her a lot. They could not however, ever replace her and we all jockeyed for postion and we each have very different personalities so that we fit pretty well. My daughters have had a somewhat antogonistic relationship, 18 months apart and as different as night and day. Growing up, we got along really well for the most part with occasional knock down drag outs but we were always quick to make up and carry on smoothly because that's essential with so many children under one roof. The older sisters turned out to be better housekeepers and more responsible and mature from the start as they go married and started families, whereas we yonger kids were a little more indulged and got away with more and I for one had no idea how to clean or cook as a teenager and still struggle to keep order around here. I was never required to do that because I was a "baby" of the family. There was plenty of love and attention though and most of that was from my mother because she was, of course, the one from whom it was sought. My mom facintes me in that she is very shy and introverted, quite unlike my dad. I used to spend a lot of time just hanging out with her quietly. I remember sitting among mounds of laundry - there was always so much! - and watching her do it as she whistled tunes and I would moonily think she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I did yard work with my dad and adopted the role of his "right hand man" since she ahd a boy a girl, tow boys and then 9 girls. My younger sisters were too prissy to help out in the garage or stack a cord of wood. 
My mother was (and is to this day) someone who looks like she was born to care for children and is a natural at everything from soothing fussy babies to finding the right words for a minor or a major crisis. She is also very tolerant and although easy to shock since she had a very strict Baptist upbringing. She received most anything that arose, be it something wonderful or a difficult time that one of the brood was going through, with great grace. My mother taught me about unconditional love and with 13 kids, a few are going to sail through life while others are going to face trials and tribulations that are pretty tough. That's true of much smaller families too but it's sort of magnified in a huge family. My mother has always made me want to be a better human being and she's a wonderful person, very quiet and gentle but very strong too. She is the most honest person I have ever known, capable of making tremendous sacrifices and enduring and accepting love without ever coming across as a martyr. She was the oldest of five, married the baby of of five and he was a gregarious, out going man with great charm and apparently a love of chaos because he wanted a huge family and thrived on having 3 sons and 10 daughters. Somehow they made it work although it was often very difficult and she was the person who held it all together because she's just plain amazing!
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"
Tell me, what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver
My mother was (and is to this day) someone who looks like she was born to care for children and is a natural at everything from soothing fussy babies to finding the right words for a minor or a major crisis. She is also very tolerant and although easy to shock since she had a very strict Baptist upbringing. She received most anything that arose, be it something wonderful or a difficult time that one of the brood was going through, with great grace. My mother taught me about unconditional love and with 13 kids, a few are going to sail through life while others are going to face trials and tribulations that are pretty tough. That's true of much smaller families too but it's sort of magnified in a huge family. My mother has always made me want to be a better human being and she's a wonderful person, very quiet and gentle but very strong too. She is the most honest person I have ever known, capable of making tremendous sacrifices and enduring and accepting love without ever coming across as a martyr. She was the oldest of five, married the baby of of five and he was a gregarious, out going man with great charm and apparently a love of chaos because he wanted a huge family and thrived on having 3 sons and 10 daughters. Somehow they made it work although it was often very difficult and she was the person who held it all together because she's just plain amazing! Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"
Tell me, what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver
pink_fortitude
Banned
What happened to you in your life that made you so cynical and hard-hearted? The media is filled with bad news: killings, rapes, people who neglect and molest their kids but some family comes on who has a ton of kids that are all loved and cared for and you just have to find a way to make it negative. I read the entire article, and there was not one mention of "make your donations to" or "to find out more how to help the Dunbar's contact".... If anything their story is to inspire those who are tired of all the negativity we hear about bad things that happen to children that yes, there is good in this world too and I feel better knowing that people that are moral are populating the state of Arkansas rather than Bill and Hillary. I have three children and I think that is hard, but when I look at someone who has 16 it makes me believe that I CAN do a good job, it encourages me. Why does there have to be a slant??? Can someone just do something that is good and have that be it? Or does everyone on this planet have ulterior motives?
Missy
Missy
toastythemosty
Cathlete
To each his own, or in this case..her own. I am too selfish to have that many children myself and I worked in daycare way too long, but I admire her.
Charlotte~~
Charlotte~~
I agree with you, Missy! Also, about your post above with adoption....YES, it's EXPENSIVE!! A friend of mine adopted a gorgeous little girl from China and they paid 25,000 bucks for her not including paperwork PLUS they HAVE to give an extra 10,000 bucks as a "gift" to the government in China. WTH??? That's 35,000 smackaroos! Also, when they came back to USA, they had to pay extra few thousand for her health care as she had quite a bit of health problems but she's a healthy little girl now. I wouldn't mind adopting a child but they're just so expensive. The woman I am in awe of is Linda Tom I think. She adopted 11 children with physical, severe physical problems. I missed most of the program but what really angered me was there was a little girl who was badly burned at 6 months old because her brother accidently dropped a lighter in her crib. I don't know if her parents gave her up for adoption because she's disfigured or social services took her away. I missed most of it. It is not easy to care for 11 physically handicapped kids and I do admire her very much for doing that. These kids looked SO happy with Linda.
candi
Cathlete
Unfortunately, some women continue to have babies because babies fill a psychological void. Just like the women who continue to breastfeed until the child is 4 and 5 years old. IMHO, it's not about the babies, it's about the needs of the mother.
My husband is from a family of six children. His mother didn't work and his father helped. He says none of them got the emotional support they needed growing up because the parents were so drained.
BTW, I'm not hard hearted or mean or bitter. I'm a realist. I believe in order for children to be a productive member of society in this day and age, they need to be raised in an environment where the parents are able to give them guidance and nurturing as well as the basic necessities.
My mothers mother had ten children. They are all intelligent but their emotional development left much to be desired.
Please keep in mind this is ONLY MHO.
My husband is from a family of six children. His mother didn't work and his father helped. He says none of them got the emotional support they needed growing up because the parents were so drained.
BTW, I'm not hard hearted or mean or bitter. I'm a realist. I believe in order for children to be a productive member of society in this day and age, they need to be raised in an environment where the parents are able to give them guidance and nurturing as well as the basic necessities.
My mothers mother had ten children. They are all intelligent but their emotional development left much to be desired.
Please keep in mind this is ONLY MHO.
pink_fortitude
Banned
Candi, unfortunately I believe you are right when you say that there are people who have children for thier own selfish and emotional needs. That is too sad. I also know people who are one of only two or who are only children and they immature or selfish or irresponsible, or emotionally challenged. To me that says there is more of a lack of parenting skills than it is number of children. (I am not saying anything bad about your grandma or in-law because I had a nasty great-grandma, too, and all five of her children have emotional issues!!!)
I think another thing that may be overlooked here is that they have an incredible faith in God and He seems to be the center of their family. Of any family that I have known, mine included, everyone is happier and more joyful and feels so much more loved when God is made the center of things. I have noticed that when I am not focused on God's word and plan that I am more irrate, my days are more chaotic and that my children are more ornery. On the days that I trust God, everything seems to fall into place and there is a serenity. I believe that is the key to any size family, as it certainly seems that way for theirs. That doesn't mean that you can't create a loving environment if God is absent, but I can't think of anyone I know, personally, that does.
*steps off soapbox*
Missy
I think another thing that may be overlooked here is that they have an incredible faith in God and He seems to be the center of their family. Of any family that I have known, mine included, everyone is happier and more joyful and feels so much more loved when God is made the center of things. I have noticed that when I am not focused on God's word and plan that I am more irrate, my days are more chaotic and that my children are more ornery. On the days that I trust God, everything seems to fall into place and there is a serenity. I believe that is the key to any size family, as it certainly seems that way for theirs. That doesn't mean that you can't create a loving environment if God is absent, but I can't think of anyone I know, personally, that does.
*steps off soapbox*
Missy
candi
Cathlete
Missy,
We all gain strength from different things. I believe a higher spiritual power is always present because all of us were derived from this same power or spirit. Whether you call it God or something else, we are all one. I believe we have a choice to make whether we use the life we have been given for positive or negative works. I love when Billy Blanks tells us to call on the strength that is within us because we all have it. We just need to learn to tap into it. But...it's always there.
We all gain strength from different things. I believe a higher spiritual power is always present because all of us were derived from this same power or spirit. Whether you call it God or something else, we are all one. I believe we have a choice to make whether we use the life we have been given for positive or negative works. I love when Billy Blanks tells us to call on the strength that is within us because we all have it. We just need to learn to tap into it. But...it's always there.
Bobbi,
What a beautiful tribute to your mother! You should print it out and send it to her on Mother's Day. She sounds like a wonderful woman.
This thread sure has ruffled a lot of feathers. Personally, I'm in awe of someone who can do a good job of raising a huge family (2 kids seems like a lot to me, lol!) There's a woman in my church who works in the nursery and she is just amazing! She can personally handle about a dozen fussy babies at once without ever seeming frazzled. I know this because I would volunteer sometimes and I would be doing all I could trying to help 1 or 2 kids while she smoothly handled the rest. It was amazing to watch her.
What a beautiful tribute to your mother! You should print it out and send it to her on Mother's Day. She sounds like a wonderful woman.
This thread sure has ruffled a lot of feathers. Personally, I'm in awe of someone who can do a good job of raising a huge family (2 kids seems like a lot to me, lol!) There's a woman in my church who works in the nursery and she is just amazing! She can personally handle about a dozen fussy babies at once without ever seeming frazzled. I know this because I would volunteer sometimes and I would be doing all I could trying to help 1 or 2 kids while she smoothly handled the rest. It was amazing to watch her.
Lean Lori
Cathlete
I've watched a several interviews with this family and the mother's whole identity seems wrapped up in her husband and children. It's as if she has no identity as herself, like if you asked her a question that didn't revolve around family she would just smile and stare. It seems a little sad to me.
Lori
Lori
cwsoxfan
Cathlete
Without reading what everyone else has written. Did you see them on the Today show this AM? What a beautiful family! My dh even commented on how all the kids sat or stood so still during he entire interview! I love my boys dearly, but they would not have sat that still! LOL! I have three children and find I can't stay on top of things. I really don't know how she does it? Maybe I'll check out the web site for some pointers. ha ha! I just have one question though, how do you devote special time for each of them? I know my kids love that one-on-one time. I'm sure someone already asked that.
God Bless her and her dh, but mostly her for enduring 14 pregnancies and deliveries! I think she said during the interview that they didn't know if they were done?!
Dallas
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ETA: Candi, I see that you already checked out the website for pointers. Just laundry?!
Bobbi, I read your post. You can always bring tears to my eyes. That was beautifully written. you definitely have to print that out or write that in a card for her b-day or Mother's Day. What an amazing woman.
Wendy, you're right you'd have to have tons of order with that many kids. I always feel like my little family of 5 is on a tight schedule. It helps keep things flowing over here.
God Bless her and her dh, but mostly her for enduring 14 pregnancies and deliveries!
I think she said during the interview that they didn't know if they were done?! Dallas
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ETA: Candi, I see that you already checked out the website for pointers. Just laundry?!
Bobbi, I read your post. You can always bring tears to my eyes. That was beautifully written. you definitely have to print that out or write that in a card for her b-day or Mother's Day. What an amazing woman.
Wendy, you're right you'd have to have tons of order with that many kids. I always feel like my little family of 5 is on a tight schedule. It helps keep things flowing over here.
Fit_mommy
Cathlete
I say to each his/her own. If they want these children, love these children, care for these children and can afford them, then leave them alone! Better these folks should have 16 children and care them all then to have 1 and not be able to care for it.
I think that instead of attacking these folks for not adopting or for having "too many kids", one's time is better spent attacking the women/couples who have children that they can't or don't care for/about, abuse, etc and then the poor kids end up in the system...or dead!
JMO.
ETA:
Dallas, the article I read said that she wants more!!! My sister has 6 kids and that family is run like a little military troop! They are VERY well behaved. They HAVE to be or it would be a mad house 24/7! I think that parents with a lot of kids are just more strict because they HAVE to be in order to survive, ya know?
I think that instead of attacking these folks for not adopting or for having "too many kids", one's time is better spent attacking the women/couples who have children that they can't or don't care for/about, abuse, etc and then the poor kids end up in the system...or dead!
JMO.
ETA:
Dallas, the article I read said that she wants more!!! My sister has 6 kids and that family is run like a little military troop! They are VERY well behaved. They HAVE to be or it would be a mad house 24/7! I think that parents with a lot of kids are just more strict because they HAVE to be in order to survive, ya know?
<<I say to each his/her own. If they want these children, love these children, care for these children and can afford them, then leave them alone! Better these folks should have 16 children and care them all then to have 1 and not be able to care for it.
I think that instead of attacking these folks for not adopting or for having "too many kids", one's time is better spent attacking the women/couples who have children that they can't or don't care for/about, abuse, etc and then the poor kids end up in the system...or dead!
JMO.>>
JMO too!! I am shaking my head at some of the responses on this thread.
I think that instead of attacking these folks for not adopting or for having "too many kids", one's time is better spent attacking the women/couples who have children that they can't or don't care for/about, abuse, etc and then the poor kids end up in the system...or dead!
JMO.
>>JMO too!! I am shaking my head at some of the responses on this thread.