My ‘single mom’ example for class today was the infamous octuplet mom. Now it’s hard to stay up to date with all the latest gossip (and frankly who cares enough to keep up with it…)—but as far as I know the octuplet mom Nadya Suleman, had six children before she chose to have more children using the method of implantation. This woman is struggling financially (she has no job and no money) and is living with her parents in a 2 bedroom apartment.
Because she chose and wanted to be a single mother Juffer would place her in the ‘single mother by choice’ category. Another point that Juffer raises is the importance of a social network or community. Single parents are often overwhelmed and do all the work of raising a child without the help of another parent. This support community that Juffer talks about is seen in a lot of television programs that feature a single parent (for example Full House). Although the octo mom is living with some family members the negative publicity she has been receiving may affect those relationships leaving her with very little support. Nadya even mentions in an interview that she doesn’t know how she is expected to care for her 14 children without any support from friends or family.
Obviously the example of the octuplet mother is an extreme case but it definitely gets a ‘thumbs down’ review. The way in which the media is portraying her gives people a bad feeling about single mom’s with this many children. But knowing how warped things can get through the media maybe the octo mom should get a thumbs-up. In an interview on the Today show (posted below if interested) she claims to be committed to her children and claims that people are only going against her because she has chosen to take the unconventional route and chosen to be a single mother. Juffer states that a single mother must be committed to their children, that their lives are your life—but that you must also make time for yourself. The oct mom now has 14 children, no job, no money… how is she suppose to make time for herself? Especially since the little time she does have is probably spent trying to ‘recover’ from all the media and rebuild her image.
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I like that you tried to make the octo mom's decision more positive than the media portrays it. She is a single mother by choice and good for her for making that sacrifice and for caring for children on her own. I do have a problem, though that she is on welfare. The state is going to have to help her care for her 14 children and yes in a sense this is a community backing her up but it is a forced support. She should have thought about the community and see if she would be supported by those around her and her children before she decided to have more.
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