The mother of the eight babies born recently has been under fire for her decision to have additional children on top of the six she already has. This, combined with her current unstable financial situation, has raised serious ethical questions. What do you believe are the moral and ethical implications of her actions? And from your faith’s point of view, what covenant, if any, could she have violated?
Although I have heard many opinions about this situation, I return to Jesus’ words, “Judge not lest ye be judged. “ I would want to speak directly to the mother of these children in order to formulate any beliefs I may have regarding the moral and ethical implications of her actions. Assuming she values education because she is a college graduate, her intention is most likely to include higher education for each of her children. As a mother and former parent educator, my main concern is the nurturing and personal growth of these children. Each child must be given the time and attention required for their emotional needs — that can be difficult in a large family. I was raised in a large two-parent family where my eight siblings and I had great times together. I was rocking buggies and changing diapers when I was 5 years old and my parents’ “system” of the older children assisting with the care of the younger ones worked very well. Difficult as it may seem, we were each made to feel special.
