enough, already

A woman in California recently gave birth to eight children. At once.

Maybe you heard?

After the first "isn't childbirth a miracle?" happy thoughts, reactions went sour quickly with the news that she also had six more children at home, and that she was unmarried.

Maybe you caught the occasional headline about this story.

Since then, the mother of 14 has been everyone's favorite punching bag. Irresponsible. Stupid. Selfish. Mentally ill. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Okay, I get it. Bad, bad mom. And I'm as flabbergasted as anyone else as to why any sane woman would take on this kind of responsibility deliberately, when she lacks the financial and familial resources to handle the challenge.

But I also have to admit that the vilification and piling on has me feeling something else.

Sorry for her. Pity for her children.

Regardless of how stupid the choice was, I hate to think of her children paying the price anymore than they already will.

It reminds me a little of how I felt when my daughter told me she was pregnant. I was angry and disappointed and it certainly wasn't the best choice she could have made. Once it was done, however, the most important fact was that we were having a baby and that baby had to be taken care of to the best of everyone's abilities.

And now I can't imagine life without him.

So, yea, I feel sorry for "Octomom." And I hope that no matter what else happens, those babies get taken care of.