to think that having 18 children is just wrong?

[Rhinestone]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1328007/The-family-prays--gets-bigger-bigger-Meet-devoutly-Christian-Mr-Mrs-Bates-EIGHTEEN-children.html

Wrong on so many levels surely?

Sorry if I've offended rhinestone. I was challenging you to explain what you think would be reasonable. It would be v boring if the aibu section was just a list of yabu and yanbu comments. I see it as a debate thread. If you start it I presume you'd like to get in to a
discussion but you've failed
to answer the questions you've been asked

Think this is that program "18 kids and counting" on cable? (sorry haven't read all of thread) LOVE that program, they are all so blooming lovely and nice to each other, and the mum and dad are really lovey-dovey all the time. There was a classic episode where they went to visit another family who had an almost equally large number of kids, and they all had a merry old time going shopping for all the food etc - stark contrasst to me getting stressy about having 4 people round for dinner. But no, I can barely cope with 2 kids, can't really see us with 18.

My hats off to any woman who can spend all those years just being pregnant and raising babies/young children - physically as well as mentally shattering!

I have 4 young children and it is hard work. I also agree with Riven that it is a GOOD thing that children take SOME responsibilities for household and younger siblings - although not at the expense of their own wellbeing, of course.

Even with my 4, they don't get as much one to one time with a parent but they do love being with each other (even though they do fight of course!) and learn a lot from each other too. TBH most of the time it's a spontaneous thing - like DD1 now reads bed time stories to DS1 as she wants to, we've never asked her to or expect to.

I would have loved to have a larger family, but finances and age didn't allow for it. But I am not sure I would have gone for 18...maybe 6 though :o)

not fair on the dc. I struggle to give my 3 adequate attention each day, with 18 they would get no time with their parents,

friends of mine from large familys (8 plus), have all said they hated the lack of attention, the amount of childcare of younger siblings and the lack of space or time on your own.

riven - to a point, but not in the night/when ill/

a parent chooses to have that many dc they should paerent them not leave it to a child.

riven - to a point, but not in the night/when ill/

a parent chooses to have that many dc they should paerent them not leave it to a child.

LOL at the notion that she won't be giving enough attention to her kids as she has so many. What about those parents who put their kids in day care for hours on end. I mean they are not looking after their own children are they They are not giving them individual attention
Double standards here from some of you.

Kittywise- ideally some of those people eventually pick up their children from daycare!

They always have 18 people to deal with

stillfeel18 - the linked story is about the Bateses, that "other" family that the Duggars visited in their show. The Duggars have 19 kids now.

Ah buts its ok, each child gets time alone with their parenst on their birthday

yes theevildead2, true but at least they are at home with their kids during the day......

I have no problem with people having many children as long as they can support them or at least do something towards supporting them, what i do have a problem with is people that have many children and then moan at me daily about the council not housing them and how hard it is looking after so many... yes im looking at you lady at the playschool!

But hey thats just my opinion.

Wasn't Michelle Duggar's last child very premature and Michelle almost died?

Velveeta is God's will

Yes expat, she had severe PE and needed a ECS. Still, they are leaving it up to God to "bless" them again!

Im pretty sure Velveeta is satans will

They are self sufficient and not dependent on benefits which is refreshing as we read so many stories about British families who have big families but are unemployed.

don't think i would want 18 children though.

am I the only person who has no idea what a tater tot is?

tatertots are like nugget sized hashbrowns.

I love them

so do you buy them or make them?

buy them frozen.

bake them like oven chips

Having older siblings help out a bit round the house is normal and not harmful surely.

BUT, if the older girls (and why just the girls) have to do all these chores and babycare, when is Michelle finding the time to home educate them? These girls will have few opportunities to decide to do anything but be a stay at home mother themselves. Nowt wrong with staying at home, but the Duggar girls also deserve to make that choice themselves and to benefit from a quality full time education up to the age of 18. I doubt this is happening, as Michelle can not possibly have the time or the training to teach all her kids. The education authorities should send all her kids to school, then she can look after the toddlers herself!

greasy greasy deliciouos oven chips

I hope the children are never expected to deal with babies after they have gone to bed.

That would be too much

This reminds me of a memorial I saw a few weeks ago on a church wall; man and lady, lady looking very stern. It turns out she looked so grim because she'd had 23 children (married at 15, died at 72), of whom only one outlived her. :(