I was listening to the radio this morning. I tend to listen to talk radio when I am on my way to work in the morning. I do this so that I can get my blood pumping and get warmed up since the heater in my truck isn't working right now. More often than not I hear things that make me wonder 'Who in this fresh hell thought that was a good idea?' and I also hear strange ideas that may not always mesh with mine. Those are fine and good. They give me something to ponder during the day. But then I hear something that just sticks in my craw all day. And it drives me batty.
Today, as I listened to the radio they played an audio clip. This one was from a 30-something woman with 15, yes, 15 freakin' kids. Her voice, filled with a hint of anger, serenaded me from the speakers in the door in my truck. She is in the news, or should I say on the radio because her 'baby daddy' got his ass arrested for selling drugs, and she has had to figure out a way to care for 12 of her 15 kids. According to her, she has been to every agency, and asked for every kind of help available. But they won't give her anything. And on top of all this, she wants, begs and pleads, through my 4 inch speakers, 'who is gonna pay for my pain and suffering?'
My jaw hit the bottom of the steering wheel. I was listening to this lady who has had more kids than the Octo-mom, bitch and moan about taking care of them. I could hear the demand in her voice. She wants someone else to pay for her to raise her spawn. No. Shit. I had to listen as they re-played the clip. I wanted to make sure that I was hearing things right. She was demanding to know who was going to compensate her for her pain and suffering.
I think after having 15 kids, she wouldn't feel much pain. Then I thought, damn, this woman is about my age, and I know that things are kinda crappy right now, but I am not demanding that anyone pay anything for me. Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't turn away money if someone decided to give me some, but I don't expect a pile of $100's on my porch when I wake up in the morning. There is a reason that I only have one child. It was all I could freakin' afford! I also realize that with some people they have lots of kids for cultural or religious reasons. Let's look at that shall we? In the time before the industrial revolution, disease and infant mortality was sky high. People had lots of kids, and were hedging their bets that at least a few of their offspring would survive to carry on the family name.
What's the excuse now? You didn't figure out what caused that the first time? If your religious views forbid any type of birth control, then lay off the sex, or lay off the religion! I was raised to believe that the world didn't owe me a damn thing, and if I wanted something, then I either had to save the money to get it, or I had to do without. That is how I am raising my son. But my heart goes out, not to the adult in this situation, but to the kids. They are in a terrible position. They are learning that if you don't want to do something, then all you have to do is complain loud enough and someone may take care of you. There is no incentive to learn how to handle money, or even learn personal responsibility.
More now than ever, I hear these types of crazy. I see people who don't feel they need to work and things should be handed to them. It's kinda like a rich kid who gets kicked out of the house. They don't know better, but they expect things to be just the way they were when they were at home. And given these examples, I am so glad that I was raised to be responsible for myself and my actions. But I do worry about those who aren't going to have the chance to learn those lessons. And I hope that our society will encourage the learning of those lessons rather than enabling the lack of responsibility.
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