What is the purpose in having so many children when you are poor?

Question

I don't get this.
This lady had her 12th child and it was monster in size but thats not the issue at hand.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20995289/wid/11915773?GT1=10412

She said “I ate everything, we don’t have the money for special foods so I just ate potatoes, noodles and tomatoes.”

Why do people have more children or a child at all if you can't afford food?
Does the quality of life not matter?
Are people just too selfish or unitelligent to not see that the more you have the more the whole family suffers?

I won't say this is a race thing but it is for sure cultural.

This isn't judging an individual. I'm simply asking a question which generalizes thousands of families.
There are many answers I just would like to hear why people do this.

Answer 1

because women like this, families like this, know how to work the government... and so they get compensated for having more children. they get PAID to have children, essentially...

i guess the rest of us get a tax return or exemption or whatever, but seriously... to have children when you are ALREADY considered to be poverty-stricken... that is just irresponsible.

i have a family member who, rather than go to school or get a job, just had children and filed for all the free money she could get.

her kids are now struggling to make a life for themselves, wearing old hand-me-down clothes and feel miserable about their lives on a daily basis... is that how you want your children to feel?

i don't think that people who KNOW they have no way of supporting anyone, including themselves, should willing go out and procreate. if you're raped, and a pregnancy results, then that is one thing. if you were using protection and it simply failed due to no fault of your own... that that's another. but to knowingly and willingly bring more children into this world... that is just selfish and wrong.

sometimes i cannot stand this country.

Answer 2

For some I think it is their religion. My neighbor who had more than 10 said that after the 6th one she didn't notice another one. The older took care of the younger and there were always hand me downs. They just tossed a couple more potatoes in the soup pot. But I too question this. The quality of life when you live in a very full house. No privacy. But at least there would be a lot of people paying attention to the little ones. And lots of kids to do housework.

Answer 3

Well first of all she is in Russia. I don't know a lot but my guess is that it's not for the welfare as some are mentioning. My guess is that she doesn't have access to good health care or birth control considering that she had no clue she was about to have a 17lb baby. It may very well be her religion as well. There are also still areas of the world where people have more babies to have more help on the farm and such.

It's no ones business to judge a woman for her choices when you don't know her or her full situation.

Answer 4

I think that first, by having so many children it makes them poor (children are so expensive). Then you have to think about how much effective birth control costs. The pill costs anywhere from $30-$60 dollars a month. Condoms are free at clinics but honestly, how many married couples will wear condoms. The most common method is "the pull-out method". We all know how well that works. Bottom line is when you are poor and you have children its hard to find any other way to have fun.

Answer 5

I can understand where you are coming from but I think we're all being a little judgemental here. There are plenty of good things that come from being poor and in a large family. My mother was one of 12 children; they bought their food in bulk and wore hand me downs for clothing but they are the kindest; most giving people in the world. My mother would give the food off of her plate to anyone who needed it without thinking twice about it. On the other hand, today there are many families with only one child and that child believes everything should be handed to them. Remember, everything has a consequence so who are we to judge?

Answer 6

Well, if she has 12 kids she probably start having kids before Welfare stopped adding more money to the monthly benefits after the 2nd child was born. Some women would just keep popping them out so they would not get kicked off of Wlefare. I knew a lady that had 4 kids and she let them run wild. She lied and said her husband had moved out, but it was funny that his car was in the driveway everynight and every morning. She had 4 more kids after we moved from the neighborhood.

Answer 7

Sorry to tell you that its not only food you no,i don't no her but maybe she is very happy and loving for her children's,that's what it takes to be a good mommy.What they eat its better than starving her children's.Why not have a charity party for them.Or have a wold street to have a garage sale,and they share half of what they made to put in a bank account manage from some like you.Or even have a bake sale or craft sale that would be nice or donations of clothes.I think that's would be a good gesture for her and her kids.And maybe drop food to the church like can food or any thing else.I hope i help you a bit.Give her all my love for her and her children's.God loves them all i do.xo

Answer 8

I'd rather have 1 or 2 kids and provide the very best life possible than have 16 kids and not be able to feed them...life is stressful enough!!

Answer 9

Its because thay dont have anything to get busy of.In some poor countries, you will usually see a culture like this.For them, its an honor to have kids when youre poor, so dont feel weird about this. Its what they believe in.

Answer 10

Some people believe its the woman job to produce and that what they do, now being poor is another issue but if she wants to keep keeping having kids that's her problem as long as she doesn't complain abut being poor.