Octuplets: Mother of All Issues
America’s latest responsibility riddle is defined by simple math and compounded by complex issues:
1 single mother
8 newborn octuplets
14 total offspring
15 minutes of fame
From miracle mom to mother of all outrage, Nadya Suleman’s spectacular fall from public grace continues in an avalanche of revelations: disability, inability, food stamps, no job, no spouse, and no viable plan for raising 14 children under the age of eight.
The responsibility dragnet snared her fertility specialist—at a clinic now under government scrutiny—and settled squarely on Ms. Suleman, who declared in a TV interview that she is a responsible parent, even though California taxpayers have been asked to pay the million dollar-plus hospital bill for her eight preemies.
“I personally do not believe I’m irresponsible,” Ms. Suleman said. “Everything I do revolves around my children.” Saying she was a single parent by choice, she questioned a perceived double standard between her unconventional lifestyle and that of couples who experience multiple births. “Why are they exempt from being called irresponsible?” she asked.
Selfish. Unstable. Irresponsible. The opinions continue to pour in by the thousands on talk shows and blogs, in headlines and on the street: Put her in therapy. Change the laws. Take her kids away. In a season of Wall Street bailouts, a Sesame Street bailout for the 14 kids of America’s mega-mom has not only angered many people, but, as one journalist put it, “exposes how publicly divided and personally judgmental we are” about the reproductive decisions of others and the question of how many children is too many.
“The ‘right’ number seems to lie somewhere between China and Nadya Suleman,” wrote another journalist. “But on what do we base that belief? The ability to pay for the children? The limits on the attention they will receive? How many is too many, and who gets to decide?”
Tell us what you think: Is there such a thing as too many children? Other families receive welfare, food stamps, and disability payments for their children; should Nadya Suleman be held to a different standard? Should Ms. Suleman’s reproduction—usually a private matter of personal responsibility—be the subject of such public debate?
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Retired Psych RN.
Why haven’t they comitted her? I had 5 children the old fashionway and now I think that was 2 many. It isn’t fair to the children , who need individual care and love. Who is going to help them with their homework? Not her, she can’t count. Where is the State welfare ? They need guardians.
Mary Anne Bobik | 3 months, 2 weeks ago
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i am proud of her
people have said that she is wrong for having that many kids ,but i don’t think so she should be able to have any amount of kids she wants if she wants more i down with that ok!!!
tanji rene'e jones | 3 months, 2 weeks ago
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Mothers
It’s no one’s right to decide how many children are too much for another person unless they abuse or neglect their children. And who says she meant to have eight babies at once? Leave her alone and let her keep HER kids (no one else’s). There are other families that should be worried about more than hers. Families in which the children are horribly abused and not rescued.
The Children Are Our Future | 3 months, 1 week ago
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Concerned
While I don’t agree with Ms Suleman’s decision to have so many rounds of In Vitro I also am very concerned about the mindset of people who can hate her and her family because of it. She actually spent a very short time on “Welfare”, probably less than a year other than disability which was from a legitimate injury. As for the retired Psych nurses suggestion that we have her committed, on what grounds would you do that? I am a “not retired” Psych Nurse with a Masters degree in the field and I can think of no grounds on which you could do that legally. She made and continues to make some unwise choices but certainly nothing to the point of being able to have her placed in a Mental Hospital;. Just leave her alone and let her take care of her family as best she can. She hasn’t been on Welfare for several months now and certainly can’t be blamed for all Ca;‘s problems. The babies look healthy and the other kids are just going through a natural adjustment to new siblings and fame. Leave them alone!
Millie | 3 months, 1 week ago
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single mother of 4
i think she is a little crazy for trying to have more after she had 6 already but hay if she can handel then so be it leave the girl alone
jessica | 3 months, 1 week ago
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MIND YOURS
Stop spending so much time in her business and mind your own. She is at least trying to take care of her children. Look at the womenn who have many children and don’t do anything for them. Who made ya’ll GOD were you can judge her for what she has done. I guess all of ya’ll who are putting her down have done no wrong or made a bad decission. I feel she’s more women than most, half of ya’ll are just bitter and need to get a life.
JAY | 3 months ago
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owner/director childcare services
I feel she has the right to have as many children as she likes. But BE RESPONSIBLE!!!!! I am a mother of 12. (9 girls and 3 boys). No one has asked me to host my own show or talk about my life. I had all single births and they belong to me. My childrens ages are 25 yrs. old to 4 yrs. old. I am married and my husband and I raise our children with no help from any one because we both work. She has alot to think about and what she has done. She must move foreward and think about not only the effects that this has put on her children but the mental and emotional effects as well. When I look at her she hides her pain very well. By the way, I am an african americen mother who has bi-racial children.
rochelle curry | 2 months, 2 weeks ago
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Tax Payers Nightmare!
At this point we have no choice but to help these children…true the children did not make this choice and they should not be punished for their mothers irresponisble behavior. On the other hand where do we draw the line? I am furious as a tax payer that I am supporting such selfish acts. I know this is a free country and we are known for helping the needy but this like other recent bail outs is not what we are truely about! We need to take a stand as individuals to turn this country around…everyone is intitled to make mistakes but this was no mistake…this was carefully planned out. She had no intention of paying for the uprising of these children and she will not have to thanks to us!!!
Liz | 2 months, 2 weeks ago
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ms
EVERY BODY HAS THE RIGHT TO HAVE CHILDREN. BUT FIRST THEY SHOULD BEABE TO SUPPORT THEM. NOT BY LIVING ONLGOVERMENT ASSISTANT. I ONLY HAD ONE CHILD AND THAT TOOK EVERY MINUTE OF MY DAY. SO I CAN’T IMAGINE MORE THAN THAT. KNOWING THAT YOU AREN’T MARRIED WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE A BABY. IT TAKES TWO PARENTS TO SHOW LOVE AND ATTENTION TO THE CHILDREN. BEFORE THEY EVEN START LIVING THE HEALTH AND EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE IS LACKING IN EVERY WAY. I FEEL VERY BAD FOR THESE CHILDRED. SHE HAS HER 15 MINUTES OF FAME.
DIANA WHITE | 2 months, 2 weeks ago
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Retired Engineer
I’ve felt from the very beginning that this female reproduction machine was not working on all cylinders. To bring all those kids into a world such as we live in today, with no regard to her responsibilities to them, her family and herself is completely irresponible, almost criminal. And to ask the rest of society, and her family to take on joint care and support for them indicates the height of immaturity and a narcissistic and ego-centric personality. She gave birth to these unfortunate children out of wedlock, which, in my opinion, makes here out to be a #####. I hope the children are able to rise above her example to a higher plane of morality and honor.
David Parkman | 1 month, 3 weeks ago
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