Whoopi Goldberg | 09/30/2008 12:00 am

Whoopi Goldberg: Let People Have as Many Kids as They Please if They Can Afford It

In response to: When is a big family too big?

I think it’s to each their own and none of our business. If people want to have 30 kids and can afford it, it’s none of our business. Some people are very wealthy, only have one child and that’s too much for them. Some people have 18 children and they have it together. Who’s to judge?

Read more about: Children, Culture, Environment, Family, Health, Marriage, Money, Parenting, Psychology, Society, U.S., World

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never had a bad day? never regretted a comment? i have—-not to patronize, but i generally agree w/your post—-as for this site being for women? sounds like ‘the-good-old-boys’ cigar chomping clubs—-you think we need more of That—-

By gulliver fourmyle on 10/09/2008 12:56 am

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If this is an apology, Gulliver, I would accept it.

By Mugsy Peabody on 10/09/2008 2:19 am

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thank you—-chalk that one up to ‘male-menopause’?

By gulliver fourmyle on 10/09/2008 3:01 pm

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we agree 99+%—-yet i feel our(?) nation is going to Need a population that ‘suits’ such a massive size—-most of my life has been as a ‘Left-Coaster’, much in S. Cal—-20 years in San Diego (aka N. TJ)—-the amount of ‘reverse discrimination’ is more intense (Hispanic vs. ‘all-others’) than even the known situation in St. Pete—-here it’s Americans whose fate was to be black—-and admittedly it’s a ‘Honkey’ town. but if your ‘white’, you don’t walk through a St. Pete ‘hood’—-very unwise. i tend to be ‘color-blind’—-if i were on the ‘space-station’ and some ‘space-junk’ whacked a hole in it, would i spend a second thinking of the hand’s color that handed me oxygen? nope. on the other hand, last time i went broke, when attempting to get medicaid for family and self, i stood in a long line of Hispanics, mothers mostly, with a veritable army of children—-i completed all forms properly, the Hispanic mgr. would not really even look—-just hand me more forms, tell me to be back at 7:AM—-after days of this? i quit. the majority that stood in that line were not even ‘legals’—-i understand those fleeing the mess of Mexico—-if you’ve seen the horrors of TJ, well, i spent 2 weeks in Mexico city working a ‘catalog-printing’ deal that literally would have saved the old ‘Horchow’ biz +/- $20 mil/year—-i was used to doing biz with the Chinese—-importing photo products Not made in this country—-a hand-shake? honestly done. but Mexico/USA? naive? yeah—-soon as i linked my printing source—-i was defunct—-they both just went around me. that does not lead to trust. and in San Diego? we had a wonderful ‘live-in’ Mexican maid—-now she was savvy—-we had a manse, and below a 1/2 acre avocado grove—-she spotted illegals—-had me buy a 12-gauge ‘alley-sweeper’ that She kept—-no problems—-while before hiring her, i swear, we had illegals comin’ down our chimneys, dressed as Santa Clause—-if you’ve seen TJ, or Mexico city, you know many must ‘steal-or-starve’—-hard to cast blame on such—-i was, and remain a ‘Chavez’ supporter—-yet feel they must Teach this is not Mexico—-and be paid fairly—-most send much of their meager income back to their families—-in the interior—-not TJ, Juarez, Nuevo Laredo—- yet i feel your ‘perhaps’ call for ‘guv-control’ of family size very like the current situation in Germany—-their ‘lowest-birth-rate’ has led to so many immigrants, to ‘fill-the-gap’, now they’re raising hell—-so, i support big American families, simply as the German ‘problem, clearly stems from ‘low-native-birth-rate’. why oppose it here?

By gulliver fourmyle on 10/09/2008 7:12 pm

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Out of all the “celeb” responses Whoopi you come closest to my feelings on this. I have one child, she was a surprise (I was 38 when I was told I didn’t have the flu but was pregnant, true!)… we didn’t think we could have kids and were A okay with it… I didn’t want kids anyway. I decided that if the amniocentesis was good I’d go through with it and ONLY because my husband was so excited. Needless to say it was okay and she is now 14. Other than the usual “my god I can’t wait for these teen years to end” I now wish she had siblings. As age sets in and worries of being incapacitated in one of any number of ways I worry about her being left alone. In these days of enlightenment regarding mother earth I think a large family can have as small an imprint as a family of three. Most of my neighbours (most! it’s appalling) do next to no recycling… I do it all including composting, lights out, combined shopping trips, cloth instead of paper towels. So, there may be a well off family with 18 kids who love each other and support each other but don’t recycle and then there’s the family with 18 kids who barely get by but love each other support each other and recycle… which family should not have happened? Neither.

By Kim Speight on 09/30/2008 3:03 am

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i AGREE THAT IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, HAVE AS MANY AS YOU WOULD LIKE.if you can only afford 2 kids, well you should stick to 2..However with that said I do not want the goverment to ever have the power to tell me I CAN NOT HAVE ANOTHER CHILD< EVEN IF I CAN AFFORD IT,and my spouse and other chidren are ok with it.I ahd kids 3 of them in my 20’s. Now I want one so bad, my children are in college, working and I love children,but i would not want 18. i do not see how she has time for sex, I am sure somebody is fussing, crying, or just acting like a kid.and how on earth do they afford it.?But who is to judge what a couple decides to do? I hope it would be the couple and not the goverment.

By amy lamb-hall on 09/30/2008 7:18 am

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You are so right, Whoopi as long as I do not have to baby sit.

By Juanita Ward on 09/30/2008 8:40 am

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Oh Whoopi - you are the best! I continue to love your attitude totwards everything and watching you on the View so we can all get to know what a great person you are has been wonderful. I do think that, unfortunately, too many people don’t use common sense when it comes to having babies. Its so easy to keep popping out those sweet little babies. Most of my children still go to a church that encourages mom to stay home and have babies. All but one have stopped with 4 or less, but I have a daughter who is now pregnant with her 5th and she also has a stepdaughter. They are living off the church, WIC, and Medicaid because the husband who I keep quiet about, but have become very disenchanted with, can’t seem to find a job that suits him. At least he doesn’t quit a job until he finds a new one but … one day all these kids are going to want to go to college, in this case 4 boys will be encouraged to go on missions which are very expensive. So, again, I would just say, it would just be nice if they use a little common sense and think ahead before popping out a dozen (certainly not cheaper by the dozen). That guy who took his 9 kids and left them at the hospital because he couldn’t care for them … how sad for those little ones.

By Hazel Lewis on 09/30/2008 9:46 am

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Took nerve to answer that way, Ms. W…..I have seven children,,,,I can afford them,,,,all of them have been to college….some for LONG time,,and one of them went to college of hard knocks,,,,but she is fine now….All of them are hard working viable citizens of their communities…on boards and are volunteers and are terrific parents….of my nineteen grandchildren. I do not think I owe them a house…why would I do that for them,,,they need to earn their own way so they can have the satisfaction of doing so. They are really best friends to each other…and to their parents. And,,,the grandchildren are just the best kids in the world. They are the delight and gift and treasure of my old age. BAS

By BA Scherrman on 09/30/2008 10:08 am

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Big families are fine and when you can afford it it’s great! I think leaving people alone and letting them live their own lives is also a great idea. I personally have 10 brother’s and sister’s. And before all of you people out there start attacking my parent’s for having a big family, look at the situation. My Mom’s first marriage produced 3 of us. Us older kids as we like to say. We are now ages 30-38. My Mom then married a man who had one son of his own (my step-brother, also in his 30’s). This man then adopted the 3 of us, and became my real Dad. Now, when all of us moved off and went to college and got jobs and a life of our own, my Mom and Dad decied to adopt 3 boys ( I was 32 at the time). The boys were ages 5,7, and 9 when they were adopted from the foster care system. Then CPS (my Mom and Dad were foster parents for a while) asked my Mom and Dad if they could take a little 16 month old girl for a while. The while turned into 4 years and now she has been adopted by my parents too. Then a co-worked with my Mom said, “I have a brother who has 4 children and is dying of cancer and the children’s mother is no longer in the picture. We can afford to take the 2 older children, but not the 2 year old twins (a girl and a boy). Would you and your husband consider adopting them?” Mom and Dad thought it over and they then adopted the twins. So, while there are now the 4 older kids (ages 30-38) now I have 6 adopted brothers and sisters that mean the world to me. I am very proud of these kids and I love them very much! They are now ages 5 (the twins), 6, 11, 13, and 15. I love our big family and wouldn’t change it for the world. The kids are all doing great and get along fine and the is plenty of time and love for all of them. Angel

By Angel Harper on 09/30/2008 10:16 am

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My mother’s sister had 14 children. The family didn’t have very much, but they appeared to be a happy, close-knit brood. My aunt was a very loving and patient woman, and didn’t appear to favor one child over another. She cooked all of their meals, and when they were young, she made their clothes. However, my aunt’s body never had a chance to recover after giving birth to so many children. She had a stroke in her 60’s, and she never fully recovered. Some of her children were less than a year apart, and some of them were born at home. I don’t know whether that had anything to do with her health, but I do believe it contributed to her early deterioration. My aunt was my mother’s youngest sister and would have been the first one in the family to go to college. My mother always told us how intelligent and talented my aunt was, and she even played a violin.

By Bobbys Gurl on 09/30/2008 10:54 am

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I agree, Whoopi. But we need to start teaching the negative impact of population density…especially while sex ed is still under attack.

By Ms. Dee on 09/30/2008 1:34 pm

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I once had a client who had given birth to 18 children. A couple of her granddaughters had gifted her with a facial for her birthday. She looked to be in her early 70’s. She was 52. “None,” I replied when she asked me how many children I had. “Why? Couldn’t you conceive?” she continued. “No, I could conceive, you just had my share.”

By iris odonata on 09/30/2008 6:02 pm

And mine.

By Mugsy Peabody on 10/03/2008 6:48 pm

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It is fascinating to me those of you making the argument of population growth being at the root of this. Who is it for anyone to determine what families do and/or don’t do by way of numbers. I have friends raked over the coals for not wanting children, I have been through unseemly questioning regarding a decision to have my daughter alone and now for those who chose to have large families are crucified as well under the premise that the environment can not tolerate the growth? Perhaps the problem is consumption not population. There are families who possess multiple cars, televisions in every room, never think to wash a dish and have ‘disposable’ everything. I have found in my experience, larger families conserve in ways a family of three would not even consider. I have been joked at for recycling infant dresses my daughter wore one summer and having them serve as smock shirts with shorts underneath the following summer. I suppose my point is, families are a personal choice. Why does society have a role in that decision making. I know so many people who have 1 child they neglect. For my money counting heads is the least of the concerns when we examine the state of being for a given family.

By Dalissa Vargas on 10/01/2008 12:21 pm