16 Kids and Counting

[Shinyfly]

So I've just watched this (recorded last night). AIBU to think that both of these couples just have stopped at one or two?

These were (just a couple) of the red flags for me.

1. The first family had 11 kids (number 12 made an appearance at the end of the programme). All of their children were home schooled and the only time they were permitted to mix with other children was once a week at boys/girls brigade. Mum Tania has a three year plan to have them living in the country and even more isolated from society very soon.

1. The second family were completely devoid of any rules/routines/boundaries, the house was complete chaos with children sleeping in their clothes and the older children being made to supervise the younger ones homework. Dad's clothes were always filthy.

Bth families seemed intent on having more children.

Was this an update to the original series?

I thought this was about the duggars.

I'm not sure. My dp saw it was on and thought I would be interested so he recorded it. I've never heard of it before.

Is there a family where the dad's a baker?

The one about the Duggars is a series shown in the US (obviously they have more than 16 now).

The British series was shown on Channel 4 in early 2013 and features several families (Salims, Radfords etc).

Its a repeat, it was on last year

It's a repeat.

But I remember the first family where the mum seemed determined to isolate them from the world. They were going to move to the county, be totally self sufficient and only need each other. Made me wonder what would happen if one of the children wanted to go to university or something.

I think the home schooled family has now had baby number 13. I also read the Radford family, also on the series but not featured in last nights episode are currently expecting baby number 17.

Sorry guys, didn't know it was a repeat. The home schooling thing gives me the rage.

Why does Home Schooling give you the rage?

It costs £9k a year to put a child in state education. I think people who homeschool should be commended. I am glad there is a programme about these people because it should reduce their tax credit bill somewhat, which must be absolutely massive.

The home schooling mum home schooled for all the wrong reasons. Just wanted to isolate her family , the poor children. She's got 13 now? Did she have to have csections?

I watched it today but had to skip the parts where the man and his family were on! the house is a shambles and that is no way for his 11 kids to live.

I like watching it when the Radcliffs are on tho.

If she did, it would have been her 6th C-section I think. I was impressed with that family - they seemed together and unstressed. I got stressed just watching the shouty Dad.

nomorequotes except that parents aren't usually trained teachers, and homeschooling is sometimes used as a cover for child abuse or forced marriage. Personally, I rather think that a child's education is worth £9k and think it's very sad that saving money is more important to you

The Radcliffes are a great family.

Isolating mum didn't have sections on all then? Because I was thinking 13 sections would be an awful lot of scarring.

Homeschooling CAN be done well but it shouldn't be done just to save the state some money, and certainly shouldn't be done in order to isolate children. There are children who benefit from homeschooling but they are the minority.

They're committed parents, all of them. The children all know they're loved. Pros and cons to everything. Including home schooling. That kitchen table looked like a better place to be than many comprehensives.

I don't think any of the families on the programme came out of it well.

Even the Radcliffes (are they they ones where the dad is a baker?). Yes, the children are fed and clothed, they get to school on time, dad works, blah blah blah... but life is like a well run military operation. No real 1:1 time for any of the children with mum and dad, no sitting down together for a chat about their day - teatime was all about dishing up the food and then clearing up as soon as possible, no individual attention at all, except for the youngest child. Bedtime was a free for all, not even a kiss and cuddle and a bedtime story for any of them.

I found it quite sad really.

After so many kids it moves from parenting to crowd control. How can you have quality time with more than 4 children?

I think this perception of the Radcliffes as a self sufficient family is false too, the guy must be earning a reasonable wage in his job but I bet he collects thousands and thousands in tax credits every year.

They would not have this amount of children if they were not given money from the state. Completely selfish and I think the Radcliffes are attention seekers.

It was sad for thevfamily which was home schooled, they seemed very isolated, especially moving to the country. One of the children had a birthday party, the mum said something like they don't need friends at their party when they have each other, I found that sad and shocking. What is she raising, hermits.

Home schooling gives me the rage because I think it deprives the child of social interaction with peers, deprives them of the opportunity to be taught by a professional and deprives them of the entire support system school life provides.

People who make this choice are often ill-informed and as myrtledove said is often used as a cover up for forced marriage or abuse, as in the case of Victoria Climbie.

nomorequotes does that mean that people who don't have children should also receive a reduced tax rate?