Wonderful or Selfish?

Witchie · 05-11-2013 09:20PM #1

Carrickmacross family the Maher's welcomed their 13th child into the world recently.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/baby-daithis-arrival-completes-a-bakers-dozen-for-maher-family-29727908.html

Does anyone else think this is quite selfish of them to have so many children? I think really anymore than 4 is pushing the planet to the limit and there are so many kids needing homes without people having so many.

Or are they all a wonderful gift and a large family is a blessing?

The One Who Knocks · 05-11-2013 09:22PM

Neither.

...I guess Johnny didn't have someone covered.

Banjo String · 05-11-2013 09:24PM

Witchie wrote: »

Carrickmacross family the Maher's welcomed their 13th child into the world recently.

http://http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/baby-daithis-arrival-completes-a-bakers-dozen-for-maher-family-29727908.html

Does anyone else think this is quite selfish of them to have so many children? I think really anymore than 4 is pushing the planet to the limit and there are so many kids needing homes without people having so many.

Or are they all a wonderful gift and a large family is a blessing?

My father had 14 brothers and sisters, 13 of which survived to adulthood and are all still alive and well.

My mum has 11 siblings too.

Rural Catholic Ireland had little entertainment bar ridin and contraception was frowned upon back then op.

MJ23 · 05-11-2013 09:25PM

The amount of money they're costing the country is unreal.
Buy yer man a few boxes of Johnnies.

Witchie · 05-11-2013 09:27PM

My dad is the 13th of 14 children but 3 died in childhood. I understand it "back in the day" without contraception it kinda just happened. Just don't understand it in this day and age.

I stopped at 2 coz I wanted to make sure I could afford to educate them to as high a level as possible but would have loved another one or 2. Decided it wouldnt be fair on them to have more than I could hope to afford to give as good a quality of life as possible so I didnt.

dodderangler · 05-11-2013 09:30PM

Sure that was the norm back in 19 dickety 2
We had to say dickety cuz the kaiser stole our word 20

marshbaboon · 05-11-2013 09:31PM

It's impossible to judge previous generations based upon modern principles, but it is child abuse to fire out a litter of children if you are unable to provide for all of their needs.

Jonny Blaze · 05-11-2013 09:31PM

The One Who Knocks wrote: »

Neither.

...I guess Johnny didn't have someone covered.

Hey I cover everyone!

NoCrackHaving · 05-11-2013 09:33PM

How do you actually afford that many kids? Most people from those huge Irish families grew up dirt poor.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 05-11-2013 09:34PM

Are they Islamic Traveller Gypsy Jews from Nigeria?

It's just ****ing typical if they are!!!

Link doesn't seem to work.

FoxT · 05-11-2013 09:34PM

Witchie wrote: »

Carrickmacross family the Maher's welcomed their 13th child into the world recently.

http://http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/baby-daithis-arrival-completes-a-bakers-dozen-for-maher-family-29727908.html

Does anyone else think this is quite selfish of them to have so many children? I think really anymore than 4 is pushing the planet to the limit and there are so many kids needing homes without people having so many.

Or are they all a wonderful gift and a large family is a blessing?

13, eh? Lucky for some...

Artful_Badger · 05-11-2013 09:38PM

Whats all this talk about previous generations living rural lives in catholic Ireland ? This couple have had 13 kids in the last 15 years. They had an excuse back then, these people are just idiots.

Muise... · 05-11-2013 09:38PM

Some of those children are blond. :eek:

CALL THE GUARDS!!!!!!!

Moonbeam · 05-11-2013 09:38PM

The link is not working for me.
But I can not imagine having personal time for 13 kids,I have 3 and #4 on the way and it is hard enough having time with all of them,never mind trying to afford college when the time comes.
Once you can afford the amount that you decide on and have time for them I don't see an issue,if you can't and the kids don't get to be kids then I think it is a different story.

I found the link..Carrickmacross to DUblin Airport is some commute for work.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2171637/And-thought-Duggar-family-big-The-vastly-different-lifestyles-megafamilies-globe.html craziness.

Seedy Arling · 05-11-2013 09:39PM

A vagina is not a clown car.

Electric Sheep · 05-11-2013 09:43PM

I had friends who grew up in huge families like that. The older girls were practically house slaves, expected to miss school to help out at home whenever their mother demanded it, and pretty much full time unpaid babysitters. It was better for the boys, and better for the younger kids.

Pushtrak · 05-11-2013 09:47PM

Reading the comments, there were people mentioning having big families there too. Oh, and link some of you might find interesting... Or terrifying.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-population-could-top-pre-Famine-levels----estimated-to-reach-67-million-by-2046--206002691.html

Vito Corleone · 05-11-2013 09:48PM

Neither. A non story.

Menas · 05-11-2013 09:49PM

I would not say it is selfish or wonderful. Just mad. Providing the emotional and practical support that one kid needs is demanding, must be impossible for 13.
And if one parent passes or gets sick then the eldest kids have to take over....

Wattle · 05-11-2013 09:51PM

Pompey Magnus · 05-11-2013 09:57PM

Witchie wrote: »

Does anyone else think this is quite selfish of them to have so many children? I think really anymore than 4 is pushing the planet to the limit and there are so many kids needing homes without people having so many.

"Selfish: having or showing concern only for yourself and not for the needs or feelings of other people"

How exactly is it selfish (except for in some vague genetic sense)? Considering the Irish birth rate is now below replacement level would it not be more selfish for those of us (myself included) who are refusing to have children because we don't want to miss out on the benefits the childless life has to offer, ignoring demographic issues that may arise in the future with a declining and aging population?

At any rate thinking the odd couple here and there having more than 4 children should feel some guilt for pushing the planet to the limit is just silly.

The Pheasant2 · 05-11-2013 09:57PM

How can yer man even get it in anymore? Must be like trying to do it with a black bin bag!

Pushtrak · 05-11-2013 10:02PM

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

Considering the Irish birth rate is now below replacement level

Where are you getting this? See link in my last post, it points out the birth rate is 2.1 which makes it highest in Europe.

Pompey Magnus · 05-11-2013 10:13PM

Pushtrak wrote: »

Where are you getting this? See link in my last post, it points out the birth rate is 2.1 which makes it highest in Europe.

Page 63

The CSO say the Total Period Fertility Rate, a better index than simple birth rate, is 2.01, below the 2.1 replacement level.

Bog Standard User · 05-11-2013 10:15PM

Witchie wrote: »

Carrickmacross family the Maher's welcomed their 13th child into the world recently.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/baby-daithis-arrival-completes-a-bakers-dozen-for-maher-family-29727908.html

Does anyone else think this is quite selfish of them to have so many children? I think really anymore than 4 is pushing the planet to the limit and there are so many kids needing homes without people having so many.

Or are they all a wonderful gift and a large family is a blessing?

so long as i dont have to pay extra tax money to feed n clothe them they can have as many kids as they like

cuana · 05-11-2013 10:19PM

Trigger Happy wrote: »

I would not say it is selfish or wonderful. Just mad. Providing the emotional and practical support that one kid needs is demanding, must be impossible for 13.
And if one parent passes or gets sick then the eldest kids have to take over....

Agreed! I love my parents dearly but there are 7 of us!! My sister always says that she felt she missed out on quiet a bit as she was always minding someone!

I think my parents have done right by us for the most part however we missed out on things such as getting to lets say getting to par take in an interest of choice they just didn't have the time to accommodate us like really simple things I only learned to swim as an adult! It was a nightmare to bring us anywhere thus we never ever ventured too far! I'm sure at times they must have struggled financially and otherwise yet we pretty much turned out to be all well rounded, successful in our chosen careers etc etc

Now having said that we have amazing stories, experiences, memories!! We did in fact all take care of each other & still support each other today.

Pompey Magnus · 05-11-2013 10:20PM

Nice to see though that it wasn't just Catholic Ireland that judged the morality of what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own bedroom. Modern, secular Ireland is keeping up the tradition it seems.

Pushtrak · 05-11-2013 10:28PM

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

Nice to see though that it wasn't just Catholic Ireland that judged the morality of what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own bedroom. Modern, secular Ireland is keeping up the tradition it seems.

The Catholic Church did more than judge, they had dictates. People here just aren't exactly fans of parents having more children than one could reasonably expect them to afford. There is a marked difference there.

Artful_Badger · 05-11-2013 10:46PM

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

Nice to see though that it wasn't just Catholic Ireland that judged the morality of what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own bedroom. Modern, secular Ireland is keeping up the tradition it seems.

Except its not what they do in the privacy of their own bedroom thats the issue at all is it ?

anncoates · 05-11-2013 10:49PM

Personally I think it's way too many kids to have but it's their call I .

Pompey Magnus · 05-11-2013 10:50PM

Pushtrak wrote: »

People here just aren't exactly fans of parents having more children than one could reasonably expect them to afford. There is a marked difference there.

I might be wrong but I have a sneaky suspicion that in 20 or 30 years when many of those here judging this couple begin to approach retirement age they may just be regretting that there were not a few more couples around with large families today, especially those who actually believe we will be experiencing a population boom here by then!

Wonderful or Selfish?

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