21 Kids and Counting.

For every child that's born, there are umpteen who are dying-------thus balancing equilibrium etc.
It used to be 151,000 people a second died worldwide to 173 births per second. So work that out on a ratio of births and deaths per year.

The UK is NOT overpopulated ,thats a myth.We in Scotland are keen to have immigrants and even extra babies .We NEED immigrants .The very south of England my be overpopulated but that is because so many companies locate there .
If every second family of child bearing age was having 21 children then all those who are screaming about the cost to society MIGHT have apoint , as it is its ONE family.
Like mcem the large family I know went on to produce ,one church minister ,one dentist ,two lawyers a couple of primary school teachers and not one of the rest didn't WORK for a living .The tax collected from them was likely to have paid for their child benefit ,although that wasn't much in the 50's and 60's and their parents didn't get social security payments .Their dad like the dad on the programme worked for them .
As to the father being prosecuted for under age sex,I dont think that happened back then,didn't they just squirrel the girl away and have her baby adopted? So they did better than most teen mums by managing to hold onto the first baby instead of repeating their own story of adoptions .
I am so sorry I offended people by saying that its none of their business ,but it really isn't.These will be the same folk who are excited about the royals breeding like rabbits ..I believe theres another new baby on the cards...according to the press.You all going to complain about what THAT one costs ?

It would be none of our business if it wasn't beamed into our living rooms, paddyann.

We do have a right to comment on what is deemed entertainment.

Are the royals breeding like rabbits?

paddyann, I am not crazy about the Royals but they couldn't be accused of breeding like rabbits.

Scotland does indeed have a great deal to offer.

Of course people can do as they wish but can it really be healthy for the Mum to produce so many children and the kids to be one of 21?
They have chosen to make their lives very public.

Is she planning on having any more, does anyone know?
Some women seem almost addicted to babies, then of course they grow up, and so it goes..

Well, it's 21 and counting so who knows?

I'm tempted to talk like Les Dawson about what 21 births must do to 'down there'..
I see nothing to recommend it, but to each their own.
I suppose there are plenty of people who grew up in care who can barely sustain a relationship..

I think I feel addicted to babies. Each of mine made me more broody not less.

But I have some impulse control.
My head can veto urges that I know aren't sensible.

I think some women think that having a broody urge is reason enough to have a baby.

To me you should have that AND it should also be a logical decision too before planning another child.

I'm tempted to talk like Les Dawson about what 21 births must do to 'down there'..
I see nothing to recommend it, but to each their own.

I think she has had some high risk pregnancies and births and a still birth

Yes its beamed into our living rooms but we have a choice, do we watch it or not. I didn't watch it, didn't even know it was on and I am not really that interested BUT at the end of the day it is their choice on how they live. But a good point about the under age sex.

She should now concentrate on her own health and well being although will remain very fertile into her 50's so we'll see.

My dad was one of 21 children. He was born in 1908 so it was a long time ago.

On paper the ages look awful but a/ lots of young girls, rightly or wrongly, do have sex at such an early age, especially if they are in care; and
b/ he might have been 18 in age but mentally, he might have been much younger. For those who are asking who was in loco parentis, if she'd been in care, the authorities would have turned a blind eye.
One of my stepsons got involved with a 14 year old when he was 18. Although her parents were around, the Social Services were involved and they quite happily sanctioned the girl living with her boyfriend. We were horrified but as he lived 200 miles away and his mother was ok with it, we could do nothing about it. Eventually she got pregnant at 15 and we were terrified for what would happen to him. Social Services, once again, did nothing because she would be 16 when our grandchild was born.
Now, I do not condone my stepson but there was absolutely no doubt who was in charge in that relationship to the point where she was abusive. Emotionally, he just didn't have the wherewithal to cope with her and was completely terrified of her temper. He also didn't have an adult in charge who said that underage sex was wrong but also facilitated it.
He made the best of it until he caught her putting her birth control pills in the bin when the child was a year old and he had been adamant he didn't want another baby until they were more settled. Fourteen years later he does a 400 mile trip around the country to get access once a month because she moved away and has paid maintenance dutifully. Meanwhile she has had several more children with several different fathers.

On paper the ages look awful but a/ lots of young girls, rightly or wrongly, do have sex at such an early age
"A lot of men do have sex with children"

Fourteen years later he does a 400 mile trip around the country to get access once a month because she moved away and has paid maintenance dutifully. Meanwhile she has had several more children with several different fathers.
"Meanwhile she has continued the pattern she learnt as a child when a man had sex with her"

There that's better

Years ago, I worked with a man who had 12 children. His family was part of some fundamental religion - he said it was their duty to raise as many children as possible. I remembered they were all dressed like the Amish and had no mod cons like tv at home. After his wife had the 12th child there were problems and she was told any more children could kill her. I don’t know what happened after that. I fear for this televised woman’s health - 21?

Sorry,I don't care what anyone says,or the fact that this family's actions don't affect me,but I think that having 21 children is utterly ridiculous. Flame me if you want.

Where are her piles, varicose veins, back pain? I got these on pregnancy number One!

Well, she is starting to look a bit tired, Luckygirl.

I don't think she has been unaffected by it all since they haven't all been easy pregnancies and births.

To me it s much more about the exposure to all the fame that concerns me what are those children learning, do something outrageous, tell the media and you get loads of money, it just feels all wrong if they were a big family just getting on with things I d say fine, do it your way, but to me it feels almost like she’s continuing the babies coming to keep the show on the road and that’s what I don’t like

Seem like a lovely family. But I disapprove of having so many because of environmental impact. There are far too many of us already. And 21 children is a ridiculous number. And, yes, her pelvic floor...

She was prolific online before the TV fame. Blogs, babyforums, facebook etc. Her followers/fans are her friends/social life IMO

^ varicose veins,^
Me too Luckygirl and they are still there!

It's a business.

notanan2, no it does not make it better. Sadly, this particular girl was sleeping rough on the streets and doing tricks before she met my step-son. She was completely out of control and her parents could not cope with her. They had other children who they managed very well and have grown up in a stable environment.
She was 14 going on 26 when I met her but emotionally, obviously much younger. At the time she told me that all she wanted was a baby. Later, after their baby was born she came to live with us and she said she had always wanted someone she could call her own who would love her no matter what. It was very sad. She was obviously a damaged young lady and I cannot believe that the Social Services would allow her to set up home with an 18 year old as her Responsible Adult. My stepson honestly believed he was in love with her and did everything he could to make the relationship work. Had he lived with us when he met her there is no way we would have sanctioned any of this. However, my step-son is not a sexual predator but was still very much a boy even though on paper he was considered to be nearly an adult. Now he is in his 30's he would not look at a 13 year old or probably even a 25 year old. His maturity has given him the common sense he didn't have when he believed he was acting out of love.

I was abused by a much older man when I was 13 so there is no way I would even consider there was a grey area there. I just think some 18 year old boys are much younger than their physical age. It might well have been the case for the original couple.

My youngest son was allowed to have his 15 year old girlfriend to stay when he was 16 but she slept downstair and he slept upstairs with a squeaky stair gate and a noisy, excitable dog keeping them apart. When you are young and the urge is stronger than common sense, it is up to you as a parent to make the boundaries very clear.