Friday, September 26, 2008

You never know what battle someone is fighting

I've been following with interest the story about the man in Nebraska who dropped 9 of his children off at a local hospital under their 'safe haven' law. I honestly wasn't quite sure what to think when I first read this, when the father was completely anonymous and didn't have a 'story' to go along with his actions.

So today when I check the news, he has a story. He is widowed and unemployed. A recently widowed single dad raising 10 kids (one was over 18). Obviously this guy can't work, there's no way that one person could put in 40 hours and then keep up with that many kids. Unless he's making super-huge bucks, he wouldn't be able to afford daycare. So, I'm just kind of miffed. I mean, on one hand, I can certainly see where someone would get overwhelmed in that situation and be too proud to ask for help, but is that really justification for just giving up on your kids? He claims that he feels the kids would be 'better off without him'. Is any kid better off without any parents?

I guess it just makes me very sad that this guy felt so helpless. Those poor kids though. To know that their dad gave up on them. At the same time, who does he think he is having that many kids? Did he not know how to stop? What would the Dugger's do?

2 equal yet different opinions:

Knit Geek said...

I don't think any of us plan ahead at all when we're baby-making machines. It's more of "Well, let's have a baby" and then you have one, then "How about another baby?" and out it pops. We don't think that there could come a time when the other parent is no longer there to help us out. So I get that part.

What I don't get is where the REST of his family is. People who have many kids are normally from families that also had many kids - where are the aunts and uncles? The grandparents? Couldn't anyone help out? Isn't that what family is for?

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a crap of a story. Call me selfish, but even if I was living on the streets, I COULD NEVER walk away from my kids. I would fight tooth and nail to keep them together and with me - their mother.

The Duggars would never turn a child down. And they are just plain crazy......that many kids???!!!! No WAY....