Couple Welcomes 17th Child, Wants More

[Bono's shades]

I am from a family of nine kids. (Mom and Dad were good Catholics. ) But there's a HUGE difference between the way me and my siblings were raised and the way this family is being raised. We never had more than three kids to a bedroom, my sisters and I could wear jeans just like the boys, and although we were expected to help out around the house, it wasn't a huge burden (It did used to irk me that my brothers never had to help out with the dishes like I did - Mom always countered that it was the boys' job to mow the lawn and take out the garbage, but it still seemed kind of unfair to me).

In other words, I think it's fine for parents to have lots of kids if that's what they really want and they can afford it - but combining it with a lot of sexist crap like this family does galls me. Plus there's the whole "whoring your family out to reality TV" aspect.

(Edited to add my brothers and sisters and I were not sequestered from the outside world, either.)

 

[U2isthebest]

I'm liberal, and I'm certainly not Godless.That's a blanket statement and very uncalled for. Our country was founded specifically on the principle that church and state would remain separate. That's why we don't have government sanctioned religion. Christian morality, Jewish morality, Buddhist morality, etc. should never be law in a country who was founded by those who wanted freedom to practice whatever religion they chose (or disregard it entirely).

 

[Butterscotch]

The way they are raising their kids is their choice. They made the choice to have 17 kids, they made the choice to live this way and raise the kids this way. This is their own personal business. Right?

 

[Cin]

 

[Butterscotch]

I just now got the joke *is slow witted* a clown car is....small

 

[dazzlingamy]

The onyl go through 12 rolls of toilet paper a week? There are 3 people in this house and we got through about 4! maybe we use too much

Also, i don't have any problem with how they're being raised, they seem quite smart, and socialised - they ar efriends with another family of christians with heaps of children, plus their church friends.

i just want to see if oneof them goes off the rails! I wonder if they'll have a tv special on that?

 

[Butterscotch]

The onyl go through 12 rolls of toilet paper a week? There are 3 people in this house and we got through about 4! maybe we use too much

I use at least 3 just myself! That's not even 1 roll per person! I know they're trying to be frugal, but you know, sometimes, ummm, shit happens....and uh, you need to keep wiping or you'll end up smelling bad That just doesn't seem...right

i just want to see if oneof them goes off the rails! I wonder if they'll have a tv special on that?

I do think this will happen! Even some Amish kids go wild. I'm sure the media will let us know about it.

I grew up next door to a family who homeschooled and was very church oriented, but they only had 2 kids, both boys. Once the older boy and I started a rock band, and the father became furious, saying he could only be in a band that played only instrumental music, and only with his brother The younger boy was caught drinking beer with a friend at 17, and they literally disowned him and put him out of the house. Last I heard he was living in a dive down by the docks. True story. Kid's name was Matt.

The father was the biggest asshole you've ever seen. He was one of those Christians who believed he could do anything as long as he was 'forgiven' I must say the experience of knowing them had a large hand in turning me against organized religion.

 

[Bonochick]

With so many children, there is a sign-up list in the kitchen for children who feel they need one-on-one time with a parent. But Michelle says that she actually has more one-on-one time and quality time with her children than most because she home-schools them and is with them all day.

Wow. I just can't even imagine having to write my name on a sign up sheet in order to get some attention from my parents. The time spent home-schooling is quality time...but it's not the same as doing things with your parents like throwing a football, swimming, playing board games, playing in the sandbox... I'm not trying to pass judgement on them, I'm just viewing this based on my own experiences. I just can't even imagine growing up in a household like that.

 

[Irvine511]

Give me the Waltons over 2 yuppies, IPODs, ninetendo and 2.3 kids.

the Waltons weren't real; they were a pretend family on TV.

 

[Irvine511]

Great homeschooling job!

i find the poor grammar most offensive.

 

[Irvine511]

We are not to conclude from the foregoing expressions that they were Godless liberals of today.

but conservative evangelicals would consider them as such, they being deists and all, and no mention of Jesus, not anywhere.

but we've all been through this a million times before.

 

[martha]

The time spent home-schooling is quality time...

Maybe.

 

[BVS]

We are not to conclude from the foregoing expressions that they were Godless liberals of today.

dbs

Nor can we conclude they are the self serving God-manipulating conservatives of today.

 

[ewings]

the Waltons weren't real; they were a pretend family on TV.

The Waltons were somewhat real. They were based on the Hamner family who lived in Schuyler, VA. I visited the quaint community this year.


http://www.delsjourney.com/travels_2001-02/story_list/us/waltons_mountain.htm

 

[Butterscotch]

the Waltons weren't real; they were a pretend family on TV.

Yes, they were. "John Boy" was author Earl Hamner, Jr., and he wrote books about his actual family, like Laura Ingalls Wilder did with "Little House." Though most of what happened on the shows didn't really happen, the families, characters, and general situations were real. I've even seen shows where Hamner's siblings discussed which character on the show was based on them. I've been to the Virigina town where they came from, and saw the museum, and the house. It looks exactly like the one on the TV show, and "Jim Bob" still lives there.


And besides that Diamond was not meaning just the Waltons, but that type of large, happy multigenerational family like I described in my post that is now mostly a thing of the past, but that these people seem to be trying to be like.

 

[martha]

And besides that Diamond was not meaning just the Waltons, but that type of large, happy multigenerational family like I described in my post that is now mostly a thing of the past, but that these people seem to be trying to be like.

The Waltons didn't have schedules for parental time.

 

[Butterscotch]

The Waltons didn't have schedules for parental time.

Remember it's their CHOICE! Don't be so judgemental. They have a right to do what they think is best for their children.

 

[ewings]

Yes, they were. "John Boy" was author Earl Hamner, Jr., and he wrote books about his actual family, like Laura Ingalls Wilder did with "Little House." Though most of what happened on the shows didn't really happen, the families, characters, and general situations were real. I've even seen shows where Hamner's siblings discussed which character on the show was based on them. I've been to the Virigina town where they came from, and saw the museum, and the house. It looks exactly like the one on the TV show, and "Jim Bob" still lives there.


And besides that Diamond was not meaning just the Waltons, but that type of large, happy multigenerational family like I described in my post that is now mostly a thing of the past, but that these people seem to be trying to be like.

I believe "Jim Bob" passed away in 2006. The house was empty.

 

[Irvine511]

Yes, they were. "John Boy" was author Earl Hamner, Jr., and he wrote books about his actual family, like Laura Ingalls Wilder did with "Little House." Though most of what happened on the shows didn't really happen, the families, characters, and general situations were real. I've even seen shows where Hamner's siblings discussed which character on the show was based on them. I've been to the Virigina town where they came from, and saw the museum, and the house. It looks exactly like the one on the TV show, and "Jim Bob" still lives there.

gosh, i didn't realize it was a documentary. it couldn't have been sentamentalized for television? were all problems in their lives neatly wrapped up in 43 minutes?

And besides that Diamond was not meaning just the Waltons, but that type of large, happy multigenerational family like I described in my post that is now mostly a thing of the past, but that these people seem to be trying to be like.

yes, nostalgia is quite a seductive thing.

everything was like this before women started voting:

 

[Butterscotch]

I believe "Jim Bob" passed away in 2006. The house was empty.

What a shame. I didn't know that. But I doubt it's empty with all the grandkids in that family, someone will inherit it, unless they're going to make it another museum.

 

[Butterscotch]

gosh, i didn't realize it was a documentary. it couldn't have been sentamentalized for television? were all problems in their lives neatly wrapped up in 43 minutes?

No no no, I said I saw one documentary, but that's not all there was to it. Really, there are books written by this guy, years and years of proof, the family was real. Look it up.

http://www.the-waltons.com/home.html

 

[martha]

Remember it's their CHOICE! Don't be so judgemental. They have a right to do what they think is best for their children.

How is what I posted being judgemental? I stated a fact.

 

[martha]

Remember it's their CHOICE! Don't be so judgemental. They have a right to do what they think is best for their children.

Of course it's their choice. I disagree with it, but I don't support legislation banning it or requiring permission to do it.

 

[Irvine511]

No no no, I said I saw one documentary, but that's not all there was to it. Really, there are books written by this guy, years and years of proof, the family was real. Look it up.

http://www.the-waltons.com/home.html

so you think everything you saw on the show happened in real life?

you don't know much about television. there's a myth to be manufactured, a brand to protect, an image to be bought into.

 

[indra]

i just want to see if oneof them goes off the rails! I wonder if they'll have a tv special on that?

Until a couple of years ago a family much like this one (not quite so large -- but not because the parents didn't try! The woman said she "didn't feel complete unless she was pregnant" ) were my neighbors (it was a rural area, so it was about a quarter mile away). They were home schooled (Bible based, of course) and not allowed to really interact with kids outside their church friends -- they didn't want them to have all those bad influences (the mother actually said that to us, it's not me just making it up).

The family was always very friendly and helpful -- but apparently the kids believed that "God will provide" meant they could take what they wanted, even if it was someone else's property. Those kids would steal anything. Of course their parents did that too. The father got canned for stealing from his employer. Last I heard the three oldest boys had each served time for various theft related charges. In addition the eldest boy and his wife were awaiting trial on charges they beat their infant to death.

They may well have been rotten people with a more secular upbringing too, but their isolated religious one sure didn't make them good. And they can't blame outside influences either (although I bet they do anyway), since the didn't have any.

 

[BVS]

Remember it's their CHOICE! Don't be so judgemental. They have a right to do what they think is best for their children.

Where was the judgement?

 

[anitram]

i find the poor grammar most offensive.

That's exactly what I was referring to. The rest of the site is full of spelling errors as well.

 

[Butterscotch]

so you think everything you saw on the show happened in real life?

you don't know much about television. there's a myth to be manufactured, a brand to protect, an image to be bought into.

Uhmmm did you even read my original post?

Though most of what happened on the shows didn't really happen, the families, characters, and general situations were real.


And besides that Diamond was not meaning just the Waltons, but that type of large, happy multigenerational family like I described in my post that is now mostly a thing of the past, but that these people seem to be trying to be like.

There is no 'myth' of the way the family was portrayed on the show, because my own grandparents were raised that way, and I have known a lot of people who came from families just like that. Diamond was only using that scenario for an example, large family, multigenerational, everyone helping, etc. for an example. It's not only the "Waltons" but that type of family, and yes, sorry, they did exist and were happy.

 

[Irvine511]

oh for chrissakes.

do the waltons take a piss? take a shit? argue? yell at mom? break someone's nose?

no. you see an idealized situation because it is created for ENTERTAINMENT, and the danger is that some people look at ENTERTAINMENT and think, "gosh, it was so nice back then," as opposed to people who actually had to live through life way back when and deal with outhouses and spousal abuse and alcoholism and not having enough money to fucking eat during the depression.

want to bet that there are many miserable intergenerational families? why do you think young adults moved out and got their own places once they had the money post-WW2?

 

[yolland]

The Duggars aren't a 'multigenerational' family anyway...just a very large nuclear one.

The Little House books were highly idealized as well (portraying them as far more self-sufficient than they actually were, etc.), there's been quite a lot written about that.