Home Alone for 19 Kids
 

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20...ring-heat?lite

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What in THE hell on so many levels. :mad:

How do you squeeze all those kids + all those animals into a 3 bedroom house? Ridiculous.

Who does this?

People who say that there should be a test for parenthood may be on to something.

;) Conscious people know that a parenthood test would be more biased and problematic than standardized tests like the SAT.

This year I got into a heated debate with people who proclaimed that parents are only doing what they have to do to survive and therefore should not be brought up on charges or have children removed from their homes. They argued that parents who have to work will have no choice but to leave children (most of whom cannot fend for themselves) unattended. The people I debated with posited that these parents are not to blame and helpful neighbors, family, and friends should offer to help rather than call 911 or CPS. While I see what those people are trying to say in terms of a community effort, I call complete bullshit. There are many instances where we need to hold people accountable rather than always coming to the rescue and making people believe that they can do whatever they choose because someone else will always pick up their slack.

Some states have laws making it illegal for children under the age of 12 to be left unattended. If you're a mandated reporter, like a teacher or social worker, and you know there is a child being left unattended, then legally you must report.

Why do people who claim such things as Dr. Phil posted have kids in the first place?
You have kids, you feed them. Can't feed them, don't have them.

It ain't rocket science.

Why have them? Because unprotected sex is just way too convenient.

Because having 19 kids and no food or utilities isn't a family emergency.

What were the neighbors supposed to check?

"Yup, still no power or food. It's all good."

Hey, at least one of the kids was 14 and capable of watching the others. What's the issue here?

In all seriousness, this is unfortunately not all that uncommon with regards to children being abandoned by their parents for extended periods, requiring students to go to neighbors for food and necessities. I doubt it's new either. Common sense isn't common. I'm guessing drug dependency played a role here or this could have possibly been part of a poorly run human trafficking operation.

The issue is, there are 18 others. That's a tad much to put on a 14 year old.

I was being facetious.

I thought "in all seriousness" would clarify that.

Or our schools failed in teaching proper reproductive health and family planning.

You'd think after 19 kids, the 'ol trial and error approach might have yielded results?

Kind of amazing these folks didn't show up on CPS radar prior to this.

Yes, 19 times within the same nuclear/blended family unit. But, yes...let's put it on the schools.

I'm still going to go with not wanting to put on a condom.

That poor uterus...

Never mind, just read that the kids weren't all from one woman.

I'm on the Munchkin team with this one. :)

Why are schools being blamed?

Perhaps based on the view that they should have done a more effective job teaching the parents about responsible sex and methods of birth control.

Not sure if I agree. I'd hedge a bet that these parents might not have been at school that day. But then again, I'm not sure how effective these programs are.

That is not the role of formal education.

Thanks for explaining the proposition, though. :)

I definitely disagree and think it is a ridiculous proposition.

For starters, not everyone attends schools that offer sex education. For seconders, taking a sex education or parenting class does not promise safe sex or "good" parenting. There is no promise of safe sex or "good" parenting just like someone who takes a math class is not guaranteed an "A" in mathematics/to do well on the math portion of the SAT/to become a mathematician.

This is where the schools factor entered the equation.

I didn't have sex ed in high school. I still managed to learn sexual health. Maybe my high school had condoms in the nurse's office; maybe it didn't. I knew where to get them.

My point stands--unprotected sex is just super convenient.

I know it is agzg's fault. :) I was just wondering why blaming the schools would even be an option.

It is summer, so if the kids were in school they may have been found out sooner, but maybe they would have had school lunch. For some reason though I think these kids might be home schooled, and probably wouldn't have learned anything at home. I can't believe a neighbor would agree to look in on even a 14 year old left alone, let alone a 14 year old with 18 younger siblings. At lest someone called CPS, but it is long overdue.

Since the kids are from both parents, a blended family if you will, I'm curious where the other biological parents are, and if these kids can get placed with other relatives. I just can't see a way for 19 kids to stay together even in a government run facility, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are issues (physical, emotional, and developmental) related to neglect for all of those 19 children.

It was a "19 kids ----> 19 kids and counting ----> Duggars ----> Abstinence-Only Education" jump for me, then my ass got chapped about abstinence-only education because my ass always gets chapped about abstinence-only education.