it ended up being the longest match in Australian Open history.

Man, Nadal can certainly work. My recording will probably run out before the second set is complete--do I spoil myself, or wait and see if ESPN2 re-airs it?

I don't get to say "how people build their own families is their own business" unless I mean it all the time.

So there's no way someone can build a family that's irresponsible? No way at all? That seems unlikely.

Because someone tried to have a seventh child?

In these circumstances (or rather these circumstances as reported; as Kat points out, we may not be getting the full story), yes.

Because someone tried to have a seventh child?

But we don't know that that's what happened. We may never.

I'm pretty judgey about birthing anything more than 2 kids in the last decade. Also on anyone continuing to have more kids by any means if they need government assistance to get by.

Because someone tried to have a seventh child?

As Perkins said, in this case -- given what's been reported so far -- I would say yes. Raising kids is a lot more than cute babies. It's, as Strega said, human lives. Does this woman have the resources to raise even six kids well? No way to know. But once again, I'll say if you really want to parent as many kids as you can, if you have that kind of love to give, ADOPT. There are too many children out there *right now* who could use a family.

Why are the kittens riding the Roomba?

The Roomba wonders that too.

Why is there not a "Stuff on my Roomba" website? The url is even available. Hmmmm.

My paternal grandmother was the 11th of 12. My maternal grandmother was the oldest of 6 or 7. Again, farm families.

Given limited medical resources, I'm wondering why a doctor would agree to provide fertility treatments to someone who already has six kids. I mean, that couple is the last people who need treatment. It's like giving growth hormones to someone who's already 6'8".

That said, I need a better reason to say "No, you can't" than "I think it's a craxy for you to do that."

So there's no way someone can build a family that's irresponsible? No way at all? That seems unlikely.

There are lots of ways that are irresponsible. But since different people are going to make that call differently it needs to stay in the realm of "private".

In these circumstances (or rather these circumstances as reported; as Kat points out, we may not be getting the full story), yes.

Kat seems fairly certain she was not TRYING to have eight babies and that her guess was free-lance or foreign fertility treaments.

We know nothing else. Maybe the contractor gig was money enough to support a seventh child and the family was gung-ho? And its sort of none of our business.

Also on anyone continuing to have more kids by any means if they need government assistance to get by.

This, most of all. If it is not within your means to support your existing family, NO MORE KIDDIES FOR YOU.

I don't get to say "how people build their own families is their own business" unless I mean it all the time.

False dichotomy. There's no reason I can't support this woman's legal right to choose her family while also thinking on a personal level that she's not making good choices.

But once again, I'll say if you really want to parent as many kids as you can, if you have that kind of love to give, ADOPT. There are too many children out there *right now* who could use a family.

Adoption isn't right for everybody. It's just not. Again, people need to make their own calls on these things.

That said, I need a better reason to say "No, you can't" than "I think it's a craxy for you to do that."

I guess this is what I'm trying to say. And, imho, the tone around here seems a little more of the former than of the latter (altough I fully admit this would not be the first time I've misjudged a tone).