There's overachieving, and then there's being a moron

The first week we arrived in the States, two remarkable things happened.

1) I discovered that Disneyland is a cheap entertainment option for a family of five,

and

2) Some dumb ass woman had 8 kids at once. That's not giving birth, that's having a litter.

I'll allow you to digest that comment for a moment.

Everyone we met who knew we were parents of higher order multiples asked us our opinion about the topic. Not that it really matters what I think, because she's had the damn kids already. I mean if she'd asked me way back when she was first contemplating this, I might've said, "Dude...seriously?" but now, I can't change what's already happened. That being said, it was interesting to see the debate over this family taking place both in the media and in the general public. The general public, of course, being the people I am related to.

My sound-byte opinion is as follows: this woman is insane.

My official, for the record opinion of this is as follows: children are a wonderful thing, but too many children are a burden. A burden on society, on the environment, on their parents and possibly even on each other. While I am part of a faith who says it is the greatest of good deeds to "go forth and multiply" I think there is a point in time when you need to consider the world at large before making these kinds of decisions. Did she CHOOSE to have 8 kids? No...but she did choose to pursue IVF again, and the fact of the matter is that some doctor thought it was a good idea to implant 6 embroys back into a woman who already had 6 live babies. She made a choice to try and bring another child into the world, and was blessed (or cursed depending on your view) with 8 more.

Here's where you might be saying, ummm, hellooo... pot/kettle/black. When we went through IVF, we made the choice to put back 3 embryos, knowing full well that those 3 might develop into actual human beings. Truth be told it's possible that all 3 of those might have split, giving me 3 sets of twins. Point is, I made a choice too. A risky choice. In all honesty, at the time I never thought I'd have triplets, but similarly I made damn sure I knew (as much as one can know without first hand experience) what I was getting myself into. By choosing to put back 3 embryos, I was ALSO choosing to potentially accept being a mother to triplets and all that entails. If I had my time over again, I can't say what choice I would make...but I would say that I don't think choosing the multiples option was necessarily the best for all concerned.

I think this woman also made a choice...a choice to potentially bring SIX more children into the world, when she already had six at home. From what I've read this woman is a single mother, who lives with her parents. What enormous burden is she putting on not only herself, but also her parents, and society? I find it impossible to believe she will be able to support all these kids - even if she is finishing a degree in order to get a higher paying job. At some point, some government agency will need to help her out. She made a choice, and that choice may very well take resources away from people who did NOT choose to bring all these kids into the world.

I do not truly believe she really considered the consequences of her actions. I think on some level she was thinking only about her selfish desire for more child(ren)...and nothing at all about what impact that choice might have in the long term. Babies are not just for Christmas.

Some people have been comparing her to the Duggars, who have 18 kids. Difference? They are financially stable people who own their own home, can support all their kids, and who are basically leaving their child-bearing up to God. Now whether you agree with their methods or not, the fact is that they can actually sustain all these kids. There is still the environmental angle to consider - at what environmental cost is such a population boom? That aside, they're basically just a large family by luck rather than design.

This, my friends, is where this whole story just sticks in my craw. This woman is completely, utterly, irresponsible.

There are so many different angles to this story, that I could probably keep talking about it for several pages. Instead I'm going to lighten the mood and leave you with this top ten list, which comes from the blog sweetened*taters:

Top ten reasons to LOVE the octuplet mom, Nadya Suleman

10. Tom Cruise now seems mentally well-adjusted.

9. She gives new meaning to the word Octopussy.

8. Bill O'Reilly finally has something to bitch about besides those crazy socialist lefties.

7. Angelina Jolie, in comparison, no longer looks like a blowfish.

6. Oprah will buy her story only to have to recant it six months later.

5. Because, let's face it, people are running out of things to talk about with moms of multiples as they juggle their children in the checkout lane.

4. The Duggars finally have some competition.

3. We'll now be seeing PSAs on "What NOT to do in case of infertility" every 30 minutes on TLC.

2. Rosie O'Donnell is no longer the person voted Last Person On Earth I'd Like to Have as a Mother.

And the #1 reason to love Nadya Suleman...

1. Jon and Kate who?