Eight Is Enough

[luf100]

How do we know that they'll have a crappy life? I haven't been following the whole story, is it known that she's not able to take care of them that well? Or is that just what the media is saying?

[mirium]

We don't know they'll have a crappy life, luf, and I certainly hope all the indications are wrong and the mom is right that she's capable of raising them well. But those indications -- mostly based on factual information -- don't look hopeful.

For example, the mom has said that she was financially struggling to provide for the six kids; she was providing for them, but had to work two jobs to do it and was still barely making it -- her description, not mine. That raises questions about her judgment when she chose to have a seventh child, and possible more -- she couldn't have predicted that she'd get the million-dollar deals that come from having octuplets, so how was she (was she?) planning to support another mouth when she was already stretched to the limit?

And one of the things the mom has said repeatedly in interviews is that her own mother didn't give her enough attention, and she resents it -- and that she's going to give lots and lots of attention to each and every one of her kids. Okay, let's do the math -- a full day divided by 14 is less than two hours a day each, even assuming mom doesn't work outside the home or cook or clean or sleep or pee, and a big chunk of that time will be spent changing diapers and clothes and cleaning up spitup and other practicalities. Will she be giving each of her 14 kids more or less attention than she was giving the six kids while she was working those two jobs to put food on the table? When asked those questions, she just says "I'll give them all the love I can." I'm sure she will, but in the interview clips I've seen, she seems oblivious to the sheer logistical difficulties.

So yes, the media (and I) are making some assumptions. But they're not based on disapproving attitudes; they're based on the logical consequences of one-mom-14-kids. Consequences which that one mom denies exist or avoids discussing realistically.

[luf100]

I've now been seeing a lot of this on the news (I hadn't before for some reason), and all I can say is WOW. This woman needs all the help she can get, and the media are reporting on how they think she's trying to make herself look like Angelina Jolie? Seriously? They should put themselves to good use and find some help for this woman and her kids.

[mirium]

I believe that's called "milking the story", luf. ;D The report I saw used the financial angle again (someone with limited resources choosing to spend money on cosmetic surgery) and didn't remind people that Angelina Jolie has a reputation for also wanting lots of kids. But they also didn't give any reason to believe that Octomom had actually made that choice, they just reported an apparently unsubstantiated rumor. Although it is apparently true that the grandmom hasn't paid the mortgage for months on the house Octomom and kids are living in and it's about to go into foreclosure; no info on whether that's because of financial difficulties or grandmom acting out because she's mad at her daughter.

I agree that the media should find better things to do (I'm not trying to follow this story, I run across it while trying to listen to real news). But rather than concentrating efforts on rescuing this lady from herself, how about reporting on help for parents who limited the number of kids to what they could reasonably expect to support, but are now jobless and on the brink of being homeless? There are a lot more of those, folks who didn't choose a path that was obviously fraught with problems and high risks.

[luf100]

That would be great, but now the media is going after this woman because they've turned her into a celebrity. They don't care about the people with two kids who can't afford food or their house, only the one who has 14 kids and lips like Angelina Jolie. Sad, really.

[delkosgirl88]

Personally, I DO NOT want 14 kids. IMO, that is just too many. I don't have any kids of my own yet, though I do want children eventually (after I get married). Right now, I am quite happy being an aunt. I once cared for all three of my sisters kids (ages 1, 3, and 5 at the time) and that was difficult enough.

However, If someone else wants to have 14 kids, that is their decision. I just feel that if anyone is going to have that many children, that they should be able to support those children and not depend on others.

[luf100]

I watched Dr. Phil today, and guess what? He was actually helping this poor woman! Leave it to Dr. Phil to be the only one to help her. xD It was kind of nice hearing from her though, and her side of the whole thing. I don't think of her as this crazy woman who just wants tons of babies now. Especially since they put a lot of rumors to rest.