I have 8 kids, ask me anything!

[Anonymous]

In this modern age, where women SHOULD feel responsible for being role models for their children, what is special about returning to the agricultural age where it was necessary to have multiple children to keep the family business afloat?

I too think the above analysis was wacky and out of line, but let me pose a somewhat tongue-in-cheek counterpoint. Perhaps we should all return to having as many children as we can reasonably afford because in this day of uber-mobility, having an exceptionally large family may mean that you just might wind up having one or perhaps two adult children living in reasonable proximity to you in your old age.

I'm an only child with an elderly parent living 500 miles away. Spouse is the only surviving child in his family and also has elderly parent 500 miles away in different state. Neither spouse nor I can move back easily to either location because of our careers, and I worry about how we will manage when the inevitable health crises will arise.

I don't think OP is coming back because of the vitriol. OP, you look happy and your family sounds happy. May God continue to bless you.

[Anonymous]

I dont understand why we need to "defend" OP? A defense is something you use when someone has done something wrong. Why is having 8 kids wrong?

[Anonymous]

OP you sound lovely, as does your family. If that is your real pic (I would be scared to post mine on this forum) then you are adorable as well!

To the posters who are complaining about OPs "impact on the environment" thats total BS. She is not living on welfare like many other woman with MULTIPLE children in the US and she certianly is not hurting anyone including the enviornment. Some of you posters are seriously insane petty and rude.

Personally, I just would be happy with one happy and healthy child in the future but OPs family is HER decision. OP is not affecting any of you negative posters in the slightest other than making you look like pathetic women who cannot support other peoples lifestyles.

[Anonymous]

what will you do in a zombie apocalypse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, beautiful picture! What does your college savings plan look like? Are you and your husband from well-off families?

Thank you! We have a savings account for each of them set up. Money gets put in to it monthly. Both of our families are well-off financially.

right

And this is also why you can afford 8 kids.

Their money has nothing to do with us. We pay for our own house, clothes, food, bills, and everything thing else that is ours. We can afford 8 kids because we come from families who know hard work and taught their children how to work hard to get what they wanted. We did just that.

You don't have a college degree and you don't have a job. You married a breadwinner. Somehow I don't see how you "worked hard".

I haven't always been a stay at home mom. I didn't become a stay at home mom until our 5th child was born.

Where did you work? Did you have a nanny? Send your 4 kids to daycare?

[Anonymous]

Is your name Carol, OP? Or is it Suzy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what will you do in a zombie apocalypse?

Not the OP, but I think our large family would do exceptionally well in the ZA. We'd be like Herschel and his family, because we live on a bit of land, too, and there would be plenty of us to work together on standing post and such.

And to answer a question asked a little bit ago: many of the excellent Catholic schools in NoVA offer sibling discounts, and after four kids, the rest are free. So families with 8, 9, 13 kids can all have a private education. We actually still cannot afford private tuition, but we homeschool, and I personally prefer that to any institutional school, no matter how awesome.

As for eating out, no, we can't afford that, but fast food isn't healthy and sometimes we treat one of the kids to a meal out for a special one-on-one celebration. Not being able to eat out often is definitely a first world problem. We cook Thai, Italian, Indian, Vietnamese, Cuban, Irish, Chinese, etc. at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand this need to defend a woman with 8 kids.

In this modern age, where women SHOULD feel responsible for being role models for their children, what is special about returning to the agricultural age where it was necessary to have multiple children to keep the family business afloat?

I am appalled at the number of women coming to OP's defense. It's obvious that OP feels inadequate, or she would not feel the need to find validation in her decision to create a small country in our own backyard.

Women surround themselves with so many children are filling a void. There is such a thing as pregnancy addiction:

Keith Ablow, M.D., a Boston psychiatrist, maintains that women who are obsessed with being pregnant, often have underlying problems and they are often insecure. Dr. Ablow further asserted that they have the need to continuously get pregnant because of deep emotional and psychological issues i.e. whether it is dependency needs, the need for attention and adoration, and to avoid certain problems that they have.

Such ninnies on this board! I've said it before - For as smart as so many of you claim to be, it doesn't show in your posts.

He's got solid credentials:

Ablow was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts. He graduated from Brown University in 1983, magna cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in neurosciences. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Johns Hopkins Medical School in 1987, and completed his psychiatry residency at the Tufts-New England Medical Center.

And while I'm no fan of Fox - it's fascinating to know that a Conservative (aka family values, have as many children as God gives you) can actually see the other side.

Whom did you expect me to quote? Steinem? Margaret Sanger? Adrienne Rich? That would have been TOO easy!

Please find someone reputable to quote -- Keith Ablow is a quack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In this modern age, where women SHOULD feel responsible for being role models for their children, what is special about returning to the agricultural age where it was necessary to have multiple children to keep the family business afloat?

I too think the above analysis was wacky and out of line, but let me pose a somewhat tongue-in-cheek counterpoint. Perhaps we should all return to having as many children as we can reasonably afford because in this day of uber-mobility, having an exceptionally large family may mean that you just might wind up having one or perhaps two adult children living in reasonable proximity to you in your old age.

I'm an only child with an elderly parent living 500 miles away. Spouse is the only surviving child in his family and also has elderly parent 500 miles away in different state. Neither spouse nor I can move back easily to either location because of our careers, and I worry about how we will manage when the inevitable health crises will arise.

I don't think OP is coming back because of the vitriol. OP, you look happy and your family sounds happy. May God continue to bless you.

only child, dead father, elderly mother

Move them in with you. That's your issue? solved . . . You're ridiculous. You do realize that in large families, one usually ends up caring for the parent(s), right? My friends, from a family of 8, is THE ONE.

Grow up and recognize that roles switch when parents age. And take charge.

pathetic

[Anonymous]

Granted there is usually only 1 child that an elderly parent ends up living with (should that be necessary) but multiple children do help to relieve the financial burden, if not the day to day practical burden.

But why cant someone just have 8 or more kids, if they like kids and like being a parent? Who decides how many is appropriate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what will you do in a zombie apocalypse?

Well, for those in OP's family passing Darwin's "test," there will be plenty of food available!

In the above case, blood is indeed thicker than water - in more ways than one.

[Anonymous]

I think this is fascinating. I only have one kid so far (and will probs only have one or two more), but I love the idea of big chaotic family. I think it sounds really fun. Enjoy!