Arkansas couple expecting their 17th child!
 

This lady must be worn out, can't say no, or something! They are expecting their 17th child. I can't imagine having so many children.

Here's a link:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,270554,00.html

My namesake and great grandfather had 12 brothers and sisters. In fact, the more I study geneology, the more I find large (double digit) families were common in our past.

I don't know what this couple is thinking. I would say she is a better woman than me, but I have seen the show about the family on tv. She has these kids and the other children start taking care of it when it comes home. She is teaching these other children it is alright to bring them in the world. She has not heard of birth control or population control. Why would anyone want to have that many children?:eek:

I think if they can afford them, if they can give them the love they need, if they can adequately raise them, then it is their right to as many as they want. I have seen the same special and they appear to be doing a great job. I am one of 10 children. I loved growing up in a large family and learned a whole lot from it.

Of course, there is no WAAAYYYY you could talk me into giving birth 17 times though!

Wow one of TEN!! That's amazing!! I can't imagine that!! Where were you in the birth order? Did you have to help raise the others or do you feel like your parents did most of the child rearing? Hats off to your Mom!:clap:

I am next to the last and the only sister for some of my brothers. It was a blended family, his hers and ours! I'm from the ours group. I think by the time I was born my birth mother was tired of raising children thus I got the greatest step mom in the world!

It is nice to have lots of siblings though. We are all so different, some more so than others but still have many of the same charateristics. And we all look like our daddy!

I'm the brother end of a simple brother/sister pair, which I think is enough. :p

I only wanted two kids, but we keep losing them to traffic accidents so we keep having to make more to ensure we have enough in stock.

you know.. I think they know what causes this now. ;)

17 is way too many!

My grandmother had 11 and my great grandmother had 12. Back in those days, large families were important because you needed the workers in the fields. I have very fond memories as a child, being at my grandmother's home and helping shell purple hull peas, shuck corn, etc. Picking produce and helping to can it. Making soap. Stuffing matresses.

But this is a different day and age. Large families are great, you have a built in community. Still, I have a saying and it goes like this, "If you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em."

The downside of a large family is that so much of the parenting has to be delegated down to older siblings. Not all older siblings are qualified for that position. Geesh, state law won't allow day care centers to have that many children unless they have a certain number of QUALIFIED child care personel in the ratio.

There's a reason for that. Think about it.

Excellent point Old Soul!

This statement proves just further proves how sick you are. Good for you. It's people like you that keep the psychiatrists in business.

There was a difference though in the qualities of most families of back then versus now in my opinion. It seems there is a lack of character and other qualities not being passed along to our children any more.

That is true Belle. Large families from generations past were taught different from today's. You take pass generations that had 8 to 15 children. Did you ever hear of any of the kids going around beating and raping elderly, shooting up schools, or drinking bleach. NO , they would have had a good trip to the wood shed. They knew before what their punishment would be. I'm not talking about beating, just an old fashion whipping. So therefore they weren't as stupid as today's children are.