I know a similar family - in fact, I used to go to the neighborhood church that the father started. They have eight kids, and I have no doubt that number nine will be on the way shortly. Of course, all are homeschooled. I saw the poor mom just the other day, driving one of those big-ass 15 passenger vans out of the Sonic drive-in. She looks like she’s aged 20 years in the 8 years I’ve known them. I worry about her health.

Much like the D’s, the oldest kids raise the younger - I’ve often wondered what people think when they see the 16-year-old girl out with an infant on one hip and a toddler on the other.

On the plus side, they are some of the nicest and politest kids I’ve ever met.

I just have a strange fascination with this bunch. Very unsettling, creeping fascination…sort of like the feeling I get when reading Stephen King’s “The Langoliers”…I’m not for sure what is going on and things don’t outwardly seem completely bad but something just isn’t right.

The college info is interesting. Is it that one down in Louisiana? What sort of career options will the daughters have? One episode they asked the girls what they wanted to do with their lives and all of them said “be a mommy.” Really, each and every one of them Jim Bob and Michelle?

The parents are media whores. Several TV specials, now a book, their website…anything to get free merchandise or money by pimping their brood.

Meg, your post was well written and even if I did not agree with all of what you had to say, it would still be inoffensive , at least to me!

I agree with a lot of you…this family concerns me (over population! using resources!). How is it possible for TWO parents to give SEVENTEEN (soon to be EIGHTEEN) children equal attention? I was amazed at the fact that they had a sign up sheet for “one on one time with mommy”. I grew up in a small family (just one older brother) and we both thrived because of the attention we received. Although I don’t know the family personally I can only imagine how hard it would be to give them the attention they both need and deserve.

Also, I’m not sure if I agree with the idea of a sibling “raising” another sibling. I believe that’s the parent’s job and the children should be allowed to enjoy their childhood while they have it! To me I think this gives the wrong message to the general public…that the parents have so many children that they have to enlist their older ones to help them out. I mean I think children should help but certainly not raise another sibling. I think it’s too much to ask of a child.

Ok and LASTLY…does anyone know if they plan on sending their kids to college? I’m curious to know. That would be EXPENSIVE to pay tuition for all of them! Also, does anyone agree with me that announcing to the kids on the Today show about the 18th child is a little tactless? I would want to inform my kids in private before announcing it to the public. I don’t know…to me it just seems more considerate that way.

Anyway…hope I didn’t offend anyone. But I thought I would at least put my opinion out there

I saw a segment where Michelle was asked if she thought it was too much work on the older kids to help out w the younger ones…she said “I don’t think so,they’re mentoring the younger ones’,and so on,blah blah blah.What bothered me about that is the KIDS themselves weren’t asked that question.They have no say in how many babies mom n dad pop out,and how much help they’re expected to give.

I would LOVE to see the kids be allowed to honestly answer (after being ASKED in the first place! that would be the kind and considerate thing to do)if they’d be willing to help out with another bro or sis BEFORE Mom n dad pop out their “We’re pregnant (again!)” line that always comes up every yr and a 1/2 or so.

However, I agree with Jon and Kate Plus 8…I get the feeling more with them that what you see is what you get.

The show makes me sick. Jon and Kate plus 8 is much better- At least they are normal and don’t have dumb ass rules that sound like Mother Goose”NEVER RAISE A HAND TO HIT?” What the hell? Most of the kids are teens