Octuplets mom unites country

We finally found something that conservatives and liberals alike can agree on, the disapproval, to put it mildly, over Nadya Suleman’s parenting choices. Forget the debate surrounding the stimulus plan and the economic downfall, leave it to Suleman to unite the nation in criticizing her.
In the last week, every time I’ve read the news, I saw a picture of this 33 year old unemployed, single mother of 14, who recently gave birth to octuplets. The most popular headlines on web-sites are all about Suleman: “Octuplets’ mom enrages California taxpayers” or, “Octuplets mom Nadya Suleman on food stamps”. I feel I know more about this woman’s ‘dysfunctional childhood’, as she herself described in an interview with Ann Curry, than about my own childhood.
Suleman already had six children when she gave birth to the octuplets in California, on January 29th. Suleman’s doctor implanted six embryos in her uterus (two split), and she delivered eight babies at around 30 weeks of pregnancy. I thought I had challenges and a large family with four children but boy, 14? I cannot even begin to imagine the laundry situation at Nadya’s home.
Her resemblance to the actress Angelina Jolie, and keen interest in speaking with the media, has fueled our obsession with her story and fed the increasing criticism over her choice of having so many children at once.
Rumors that she had plastic surgery lead to questions about how she can afford these procedures while receiving food stamps and disability payments for three of her children. She’s unemployed but paid for in vitro fertilization? Suleman’s interview on the Today Show and the fact that she hired a publicist doesn’t help her image as a dedicated mother, but as someone who is out to be in the spotlight.
For different reasons, many agree that Suleman is irresponsible, some even claiming that she’s a lunatic. The public wonders if and when county, state and possibly the federal government, a.k.a. the taxpayers, will have to shoulder expenses for the octuplets’ medical care, which could be very costly.
Suleman’s choice overloads my already tired brain, which is busy worrying about the economy. I ask myself, why have so many children at the same time? Was the doctor’s choice to implant six embryos ethical? More importantly, who am I to judge? Doesn’t she have a right to do what she pleases? I know that for many the answer to my last question is a definite no if others are paying for her choice.
I don’t know why Suleman wanted to have so many children, maybe she doesn’t really know either. I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but even I think that the risks in carrying so many children and her financial situation make this a tough case to defend.
In a climate of uncertainty about the future Suleman gives a name and face to reckless behavior, lack of planning and disregard for consequences. Whether she enjoys the attention or not, I hope she’ll focus on her many children and find a way to provide for them