Article about the Bates- "Is having 19 kids abusive?"

[supernova8610]

http://news.yahoo.com/having-19-kids-abu...00959.html

[laurat99]

I wouldn't say abusive, but it is definately unusual in today's culture. The kids will learn skills in their family that will serve them well in their lives. I would be interested to see how many of them have children/large families.

[supernova8610]

Personally, as long as a family has the finances and the means to have that many kids, then I think it should be fine. The only thing I worry about is if each individual kid receives enough attention from his/her parents.

[notdrinkingthekoolaid]

(08-26-2011 10:59 PM)supernova8610 Wrote:  Personally, as long as a family has the finances and the means to have that many kids, then I think it should be fine. The only thing I worry about is if each individual kid receives enough attention from his/her parents.

That's what I wonder about as well. How much one on one time are the kids getting from their parents? The other thing I wonder about is if the older children are basically stand in parents for the younger ones? I am the youngest of 5 and there is a several year age gap between me and all of my siblings. My oldest sister especially did a lot of the house keeping type things (making dinner, etc.) when I was young because my mom worked the 4-11 shift as a nurse. I am all for every family member pitching in to help--I have 3 kids and they help around here too. Just makes me wonder how supersize families make it work and still find time for each of their children to be children.

[MrsSarahN]

(08-26-2011 11:07 PM)notdrinkingthekoolaid Wrote:  

(08-26-2011 10:59 PM)supernova8610 Wrote:  Personally, as long as a family has the finances and the means to have that many kids, then I think it should be fine. The only thing I worry about is if each individual kid receives enough attention from his/her parents.

That's what I wonder about as well. How much one on one time are the kids getting from their parents? The other thing I wonder about is if the older children are basically stand in parents for the younger ones? I am the youngest of 5 and there is a several year age gap between me and all of my siblings. My oldest sister especially did a lot of the house keeping type things (making dinner, etc.) when I was young because my mom worked the 4-11 shift as a nurse. I am all for every family member pitching in to help--I have 3 kids and they help around here too. Just makes me wonder how supersize families make it work and still find time for each of their children to be children.

That's true. I'm the oldest of 10 kids and I spent a good majority of my childhood/teens taking care of my younger siblings and doing a TON of chores (such as all the laundry--20+ loads a week--and most of the cooking). =\ I believe in children doing chores, and I truly loved cooking, but I had too much responsibility and my mom will freely acknowledge that now.

[Mommy2Kids]

I guess one thing that struck me was the mother's comment: "It feels more normal to me to be pregnant than not be pregnant," says Kelly Bates, 44. "I'm happy holding a baby."

Are we supposed to have babies because they make us happy?

I've struggled with baby blues, until I remember all the hard parts. But when you have multiple built-in baby sitters, maybe she doesn't have to do as much of the "hard" stuff?

[Elijah Craig]

Don't ever stay in the Bates Motel.

[JordanMaria]

Maybe Mrs. Bates suffers from debilitating postpartum depression and has to keep having babies just to keep from going crazy.

[Presbygirl]

(08-26-2011 11:35 PM)MrsSarahN Wrote:  

(08-26-2011 11:07 PM)notdrinkingthekoolaid Wrote:  That's what I wonder about as well. How much one on one time are the kids getting from their parents? The other thing I wonder about is if the older children are basically stand in parents for the younger ones? I am the youngest of 5 and there is a several year age gap between me and all of my siblings. My oldest sister especially did a lot of the house keeping type things (making dinner, etc.) when I was young because my mom worked the 4-11 shift as a nurse. I am all for every family member pitching in to help--I have 3 kids and they help around here too. Just makes me wonder how supersize families make it work and still find time for each of their children to be children.

That's true. I'm the oldest of 10 kids and I spent a good majority of my childhood/teens taking care of my younger siblings and doing a TON of chores (such as all the laundry--20+ loads a week--and most of the cooking). =\ I believe in children doing chores, and I truly loved cooking, but I had too much responsibility and my mom will freely acknowledge that now.

DITTO! Except that I am the oldest of 6!

[boymom]

Pregnancy as drug therapy.