Hard to tell what they meant about it being "a sign of the times" - do they mean that people are now thoroughly evil, and nobody would have done this at earlier points in history? (actually, they would have....)
Or do they mean that people are now so poor and desparate that they will do anything to try to improve their child's chances by selling them to a rich person? (which could easily have happened in many times and places...)
It's sad that anyone gets to a point where this is what they do, but I think you just have to feel sorry for both mother and child(ren) that it's all got so messed up 