# Arkansas couple celebrates birth of 18th child... yes 18th



## MA-Caver (Dec 19, 2008)

Water down the soup and slice the bread thinner. 


> *Arkansas family welcomes 18th child, a girl*
> 
> 
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/18th_baby
> ...


More? Oh geez. 
I love children and all that but 18!!?? Whew. Can't imagine the line for the bathroom(s) in the morning. :lol: 
Dinners must be quite an affair as well as the holidays. 
A lot of love in that house to be sure. A lot of love.

Like to see Ty and the team of Extreme Home Makeover handle THIS family! :lol:


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## Tez3 (Dec 19, 2008)

Do they know what's causing it lol?

I think that may well be their last because the doctors don't recommend more than three c sections. 

Must admit I'd have liked a big family but not sure about that many! Big families tend to receive bad press here as more often than not the families is on social security and we are paying for them. There's one I've heard of that aren't though and they seem very happy and healthy.


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## Andrew Green (Dec 19, 2008)

Tez3 said:


> Do they know what's causing it lol?
> 
> I think that may well be their last because the doctors don't recommend more than three c sections.



I wouldn't count on it, you underestimate the powers of the American Evangelical movement.  They are believers in this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiverfull and won't accept any form of birth control.


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## grydth (Dec 19, 2008)

Better to be born the 18th child of Michelle Duggar than the first child of Casey Anthony.


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## Tez3 (Dec 19, 2008)

Andrew Green said:


> I wouldn't count on it, you underestimate the powers of the American Evangelical movement. They are believers in this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiverfull and won't accept any form of birth control.


 

So they will accept the risk of losing the mother to 18 children  just so they can ..maybe....have another baby? Madness.


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## Lynne (Dec 19, 2008)

Can you imagine the noise?


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## Tez3 (Dec 19, 2008)

Well at least they're wanted and considered a blessing! I assume tax payers aren't paying for them?


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## tellner (Dec 19, 2008)

Good thing for Mom: She's already buying diapers in bulk. Her stress incontinence will just disappear into the family budget. 

The only opening that many people should come out of is the door on a clown car.


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## Empty Hands (Dec 19, 2008)

Religion's a helluva drug.


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## Carol (Dec 19, 2008)

*shrug*

Not my cup of tea, but I don't have any issue with it.


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## 14 Kempo (Dec 19, 2008)

Only one word comes to mind, "Why?"


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## Empty Hands (Dec 19, 2008)

14 Kempo said:


> Only one word comes to mind, "Why?"



Their answer: "why not?"


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## Brian R. VanCise (Dec 19, 2008)

Wish them the best but my goodness that is a lot of kid's.


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## Flying Crane (Dec 19, 2008)

Andrew Green said:


> I wouldn't count on it, you underestimate the powers of the American Evangelical movement. They are believers in this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiverfull and won't accept any form of birth control.


 

holy hell.


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## Carol (Dec 19, 2008)

Tez3 said:


> Well at least they're wanted and considered a blessing! I assume tax payers aren't paying for them?



No they aren't.  The Duggars have been very up-front about how they do not receive any kind of public assistance.


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## jarrod (Dec 19, 2008)

attention mrs. duggar:  your vagina is not a clown car.

that is all.

jf


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## Andrew Green (Dec 20, 2008)

14 Kempo said:


> Only one word comes to mind, "Why?"



[FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]"_And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and   multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion  over  the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every  living  thing that moveth upon the earth._" 

Genesis 1:28[/FONT]


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## BrandiJo (Dec 20, 2008)

They can pay for them, they can support them, and they love them, so why not? 

Personally 18 children will never come out of my vagina, 4 would be pushing it  for me.... but if it works for them then so be it.


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## Bob Hubbard (Dec 20, 2008)

I've know at least 1 woman who subscribed to this idea. She also wanted a large family, and adopted 2 additional kids. Last I knew she had around 7.


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## Tez3 (Dec 20, 2008)

BrandiJo said:


> *They can pay for them, they can support them, and they love them, so why not? *
> 
> Personally 18 children will never come out of my vagina, 4 would be pushing it for me.... but if it works for them then so be it.


 
I think thats the main point really, I've been pregnant five times but sadly only have two children, it's hard sometimes to see people who can push out kids like shelling peas! The main thing is that they are wanted, with so many children being born now that are 'accidents' it's nice to have children who are welcomed to the world. I have doubts about their religious thinking but as long as it doesn't involve me it's fine.


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## jarrod (Dec 20, 2008)

that's cool that they love them & can pay for them & all, but still...a middle child usually has some neglect issues, & these people have 16 of them!  can they even remember all their names?  how much time do they spend with each kid?  is there any privacy in the house?  how much garbage do they produce each year?  does anyone really think that they are _that_ great of a parent that they should raise 18 kids?  maybe they could have pumped out a couple of their own then adopted.  

i don't know, i try not to be a judgemental person, but something about this situation bothers me.  

jf


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## Big Don (Dec 20, 2008)

BrandiJo said:


> Personally 18 children will never come out of my vagina


Mine either, and I don't even have one.


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## Tez3 (Dec 20, 2008)

I wonder how many children they'd have if the men had to bear them lol?


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## Big Don (Dec 20, 2008)

Tez3 said:


> I wonder how many children they'd have if the men had to bear them lol?


Either the race would have died out several millenniums ago, or human cloning would have been perfected.


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## Tez3 (Dec 20, 2008)

Big Don said:


> Either the race would have died out several millenniums ago, or human cloning would have been perfected.


 

Although it shocked a lot of people when that 'man' got pregnant it was a disappointment to many women when it was revealed that actually 'he' was a 'she' who'd undergone a sex change op but not fully!


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## shesulsa (Dec 20, 2008)

And all those children in state homes without parents because they're not spanking new, sweet-smelling infants freshly squeezed and wailing.

And all those natural resources falling off the planet at an ever-increasing rate.

It's their freedom ... but also quite selfish.


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## arnisador (Dec 20, 2008)

If that's what they want, good for them.


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## MA-Caver (Dec 20, 2008)

shesulsa said:


> And all those children in state homes without parents because they're not spanking new, sweet-smelling infants freshly squeezed and wailing.
> 
> And all those natural resources falling off the planet at an ever-increasing rate.
> 
> It's their freedom ... but also quite selfish.


Well... yes... and no. They could be selfish by NOT having anymore themselves. 
They are also not wholly responsible for children sitting in state and foster homes waiting for adoption since there are thousands of childless couples out there who are just as qualified to adopt... but they don't... aren't they being just as selfish too? 
Many WANT to adopt but are denied for some reason or another. Are they being selfish? 

Just gentle counter-points m'friend. :asian:


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## shesulsa (Dec 20, 2008)

MA-Caver said:


> Well... yes... and no. They could be selfish by NOT having anymore themselves.
> They are also not wholly responsible for children sitting in state and foster homes waiting for adoption since there are thousands of childless couples out there who are just as qualified to adopt... but they don't... aren't they being just as selfish too?
> Many WANT to adopt but are denied for some reason or another. Are they being selfish?
> 
> Just gentle counter-points m'friend. :asian:



Oh, I know.  I just keep thinking about the growing population and the strain on the planet.  Ah well.


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## theletch1 (Dec 20, 2008)

shesulsa said:


> Oh, I know.  I just keep thinking about the growing population and the strain on the planet.  Ah well.


Now that sounds like a good idea for a new thread.


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## Big Don (Dec 21, 2008)

shesulsa said:


> And all those children in state homes without parents because they're not spanking new, sweet-smelling infants freshly squeezed and wailing.
> 
> And all those natural resources falling off the planet at an ever-increasing rate.
> 
> It's their freedom ... but also quite selfish.


So, people who have their own children rather than adopting are selfish?


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## shesulsa (Dec 21, 2008)

Big Don said:


> So, people who have their own children rather than adopting are selfish?


Bait much?


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## Big Don (Dec 21, 2008)

shesulsa said:


> Bait much?


Just asking for clarification of your comment:





shesulsa said:


> And all those children in state homes without parents because they're not spanking new, sweet-smelling infants freshly squeezed and wailing.
> 
> And all those natural resources falling off the planet at an ever-increasing rate.
> 
> It's their freedom ... but also quite selfish.


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## shesulsa (Dec 21, 2008)

Big Don said:


> Just asking for clarification of your comment:



Then you probably could have looked at this post where I did just that.


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## Andy Moynihan (Dec 21, 2008)

Well I'm not much for butting in to other people's lives to tell them what to do.

And if they have the financial means to ensure those kids an acceptable quality of life then there's not much I can say to that.

But I remain entitled to my opinion, and my opinion is that this is the negative consequence of considering childbirth a "right" rather than a responsible decision.

The argument could be made that this is how the human race survives.

That argument could have even held water a century or so ago, when large families were a necessity because the reality of life back then was that all of your kids would NOT survive. And when families still actually farmed in large enough numbers to affect the economy and needed all the helping hands.

Neither condition exists anymore.

*Shrug* I guess you're either born one of life's optimists or you're not. 

I'm not.

Like I say, I'm against government interference with family size, but I choose to go the voluntary extinction route myself.

Part of this is personal choice; I do not currently, have never in my youth, and by this time in life never will desire a permanent life companion or offspring. That's just the way I'm wired. I am not bothered by this as we have entire families pumping out 18 kids to make up for my, and 17 other couples' difference.

Part of this is on moral grounds:

Firstly, I was born with terrible genetics; Both my parents are diabetic, both have had heart problems and one has had a stroke. Both had eyesight that eventually needed correction and so have I from a young age. They did not develop diabetes until after their heart attacks, and so neither have I yet. I have done what I can with attempts to remain in better shape at my age than they were but again, no guarantee.

The fact of the matter is that I damnwell have NO RIGHT to pass that sort of defective "blueprint" on to some poor sap who has no say in the matter.

Secondly, I don't believe the human race has the right to survive anymore, owing to how each succeeding generation has increasingly ****ed up the world and left the mess for the next poor saps, and so no one should be making any more children, period. The difference is I am not so far insulated from reality as to attempt to ever try to force this to actually *happen* .

What can I say? My faith in humanity as a species has gone round the bowl and down the hole. No sense lying.


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## shihansmurf (Dec 26, 2008)

Tez3 said:


> I wonder how many children they'd have if the men had to bear them lol?



I passed a small kidney stone a couple of years ago. I mean really small. It was the most absurdly painful thing I think I have ever been through in my life, and I'm a married man that really doesn't get on well with the in-laws so I got a pain tolerance, ya know.

Now the stone I passed was about a quarter of the size of  typical bit of corn and given how many orders of magnitude a baby is larger......

We would of had to developed cloning technology as cavemen or I don't see us making it this far. 

Mark


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## Cryozombie (Dec 26, 2008)




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