A couple here in Vancouver had sextruplets last week and while they have chosen to remain anonoymous, apparently there are several groups that are demanding that the government assist families that have 'multiple births'.

Do you think that the government needs to extend parental paid leave so both parents can stay home for at least 6 months after the babies are brought home from hospital?

Do you feel that the government should give grants to the parents to help them pay for larger vehicles, multiple cribs, etc, multi-seat strollers and all the other financial things new parents would have to cope with? And what about nannies/housekeepers, huge costs of diapers and soap, etc.

Or should the parents take full responsiblity for everything, just as single birth parents do?

This is a touchy subject here in OZ also.Paid maternity leave in my opinon is a bit over the top,as why should my taxes pay for somebody who decides to become pregnant while working.Here they are paid for different amounts of leave if you work for Gov or Private enterprise.A young girl here can have a baby and we pay for the mother and babies welfare indefinately.I had nothing to do with her becomeing pregnant so why should I have to raise them out of wedlock with my taxes.They never have to work again,and the young ones have never had a job to begin with.
Here if you have a baby, the mother is paid a lump sum of 4000 dollars and so much for each year there after.This is on top of their weekly payments.We have 14 and 15 year olds coming on TV and bragging that they only got pregnant for the 4000 dollars,which they think is a huge amount of money for a 14year old,and it is.
If a Mother has multiple births,I am in favour of Gov helping them with, in some cases a nanny and financial help as the cost of raising a number of children all at once can far exceed the husbands income.And a young family would most likely have a home morgage to pay for as well, and with all the extra children would most likely have to buy a larger vehicle to carry them all.I feel with 4-6 babies all at once, the mother would go nuts without outside help.

Wow! I can see why this would be a "touchy subject" in your country, DSTM! To hear that the mother is paid a lump sum of 4000 with the birth of each baby - well, I'm still struggling to get my mind around that fact alone!

HI MaraM,I believe when this payment started, it was 3000 Dollars,now 4000 Dollars, and next year goes up to 5000 dollars.I have found a web page which gives some information,but not the one I was looking for.
You may have to hold the Ctrl key when clicking on the link.

http://economics.com.au/?p=213

It seems like most of the time when someone has a litter of babies that the public helps out because it is so hard to keep up with. I call it a litter because thats how many dogs and cats have.. I think they do need help, it is expensive to raise kids, and that many could bankrupt a person. I don't know if the government should pitch in or not, a lot times they make things worse when they try to help. Such as the $4000 thing.
How did they get so many? Was she taking some kind of fertility drug?

DSTM, here's a quote for you....

Being dead does'nt bother me, it's the transition from here to there that worries me.

My own thoughts is that the bonus should be paid in instalments,because often on TV it shows cases of the money spent on luxuries,drugs,furniture,anything but the purpose it was intended.
Most women that have multiple babies at one time are on a fertility programme.I have heard of many cases where teenagers give birth,collect the money,then immediately adopt the baby out,and repeat the cycle all over again.
My niece is a prime example.She has had 7 children to different fathers and hasn't worked a day in her life.She has survived on Welfare payments and the baby bonuses when applicable.
In my next life,I'm changing my religion,having multiple wives and breeding like crazy.
Theres a dollar to be made here.


Wildabeast quote
Being dead does'nt bother me, it's the transition from here to there that worries me.

I like the quote,Wildabeast.It's sure some journey,isn't it.

It's a hard call, beings parents should make them responsible for their own children, but having many at one time can be hard also.
Sextruplets would be hard on any family.
Here in Hawaii, some people hanai, or adopt, children of relatives just to help them out. It's not a true adoption, no papers or anything like that, but it gives the parents some time to work out whatever they need to work out so that they can be responsible for their kids. This mostly occurs when parents are young and irresponsible (which would account for them having children so young), or when someone has way too many children, or when the parents are druggies. It's sad to say though, that some hanai parents use having their relatives children as an excuse to collect welfare.
The children do grow up knowing and interacting with their biological parents so there's not really any confusion. It's like being sent to your grandma's house to live 'for awhile'.
I've grown up with this idea, so to me it seems the right way to go. I hope this couple has many family & friends who can help them out. Most new parents can't handle 1 child.


I'm moving to your country!! J/K That sucks! People shouldn't be able to collect welfare since every time they pop out a kid they get paid. It's like your government is saying that they'll pay for every kid, but why not collect welfare checks on your breeding down time!

If I understood correctly, this particular family with the 6 tiny ones are Jehovah's Witnesses so am hoping their Church will assist in some way, as well.

You're right, it is a "hard call" because with the increasing use of fertility drugs more and more parents are having multiple babies. And opinions, here at least, seem to be evenly divided between those that feel the parents should be fully assisted by the government since what parent can afford this - versus those that feel it was their decision to use fertility drugs and were fully aware that mulitple births is often the result, ergo, why should be tax payers have to support them anymore than any other family that chooses to have kids.

But I'm so thankful we don't hand a new mother 4000 dollars each time a baby is born here. Suspect it may have been started with the best of intentions but often our good intentions come back to bite us on the bum! Can't begin to imagine how frustrating it must be to see some women turn it into a 'baby=money' thing, at the tax payer's expense.

What a loving culture in Hawaii to havehanai, - and it would make great sense in many instances. For myself, though, I'd be heart-broken at the thought of having to seperate my children but I can surely understand why it could happen.

PM to DSTM - re: "In my next life,I'm changing my religion,having multiple wives,and breeding like crazy" - huge hoot! But if there is reincarnation, with our luck we'd come back as Bambi and get shot! Eek!