[MarkJ]

We had a heating customer with 11 kids, plus countless dogs and cats that lived in a large doublewide mobile home. You needed a strong stomach to handle the smell. After their kids started having kids, they kept building additions to accommodate their growing family. Their septic system couldn't handle their sewage, so their yard was always soaked and smelled like the sewer. Many of the family members were drawing mental/physical disability benefits, unemployment benefits, public assistance benefits or working under the table. Our heating assistance program paid for much of their fuel, plus it paid for their new furnace, ductwork, windows, insulation, weatherization, repairs and annual maintenance.

I can't imagine how much some of these large extended families of prolific breeders cost the taxpayers.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('darwinsdog', 'I')f I invited young people to come here to participate in a commune, they'd have their own ideas which would mostly be wrong & I'd end up having to correct them & boss them around.

[holmes]

Just sit back relax and watch the folks with children struggle more and more and eventually become desperate.
Desperation is correlated with # of children and age of children.
The weird part is that generally folks that are in parts of the economy that will stay afloat are breeding 1 or none.
It eventually will get nasty with the amount of energy from the sun past and present that we have converted into human biomass.
Just think about how much energy and matter that has been converted into human biomass. Then you will get an idea of the level of desperation and brutality. Starvation and cannibalism are not a thing of the past. Technology never got rid of that as much as the technocrats want to believe otherwise.

[Novus]

I think they will do better than your average family of 4 and definitely better than those in the cities with no kids or only childs. I think the grow you own farm hands mega family will work a lot better than the commune of strangers working together. I think it is fantasy to think anyone with a farm stead will be getting useful work out of the zombie hoards begging at their doorstep. I expect nothing but the worst from the zombie hordes who will be coming not to work but to loot and plunder.

Having 17 kids means having 17 loyal workers and 17 loyal soldiers to shoot at zombies and defend it. If they get their heads on and straight and prepare for this they will do alright.

[Ludi]

I've never met a zombie. How do you know so much about them?

[Novus]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I')'ve never met a zombie. How do you know so much about them?

[charliebrownout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Mominator', 'I') want to speculate on how PO and TEOLAWKI will affect humongo families like the Duggars. 18 kids who are used to working hard. . .How will it play out?

[stu]

They remind me of the Flanders family from the Simpsons but with 9 times the children.

If stereotypes have taught me anything it's that families like that will put all of their faith in praying to the big man upstairs, but the last time I looked there wasn't a section on agrarianism in the bible.

[charliebrownout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('stu', 'T')hey remind me of the Flanders family from the Simpsons but with 9 times the children. If stereotypes have taught me anything it's that families like that will put all of their faith in praying to the big man upstairs, but the last time I looked there wasn't a section on agrarianism in the bible.

[stu]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('charliebrownout', 'I')'ve got to say, when the whip comes down, I'd much rather have Ned Flanders in my lifeboat than Homer and Bart.

[blukatzen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')esides that, I don't find loving, dedicated families having large broods a bad thing. I find people f*cking and then saying "whoops" and then neglecting their many, many offspring offensive. Not large, loving families.

[Falconoffury]

I think that, unless you already have a farm with almost complete self sufficiency, children will be a burden.

I will have to depend on my survival knowledge and the equipment and planning I have in place. If worse comes to absolute worse, I will have to head for the hills. I will try to survive on shooting or catching wild animals, and eating edible plants.

I don't have any selfish delusions about passing on my genes. I just know that I will live for a while, and then die.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Falconoffury', 'I') will have to head for the hills. I will try to survive on shooting or catching wild animals, and eating edible plants.

[Falconoffury]

I live not far from the Florida Everglades, which has an abundance if insects if anything. I haven't done any true survival test there, but I have done plenty of camping and I know what to expect. Mosquito-proof tents are a must-have out there. I have hunting weapons, various supplies, and know how to build traps for insects, snares, fish nets, and other traps. I also have some knowledge of salt water fishing, and edible seaweeds. I wish I could afford a nice plot of land for a farm, but I have to live with what I can afford. Trying to survive in this way with children will certainly amplify your problems.

[oilysnoily]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kpeavey', 'I') browsed the link above. The family has their act together.
7000 sqft home, built debt free. --snip-- politically active
In a slow crash, I suspect they will be just fine.

[taizee]

RE" Duggars: I hate to burst the "large loving family" sentiment. I am from a large family that started with all the best intentions, religious, moral etc.... but now that we are all grown up we don't mix or get on much at all. Rearing many children because you think they will look after you or each other is rubbish.

Many people who have large families really want to be the dictators of their own little empires. Who says the Duggars are "loving".... the parents ? Wait until they are adults out in the real world.

[mos6507]

Not only were the Duggars in the news for pumping out another puppy, but now it's passing down to the next generation. (queue Brando ala apocalypse now) The horror. The horror. Maybe we should set up a Duggar population bloom billboard to keep track of this?

[JJ]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('blukatzen', 'I')'ve heard of these folks, but haven't heard the news that 2 more came since I've heard of them last time. (and another one in '09, eh?) Good luck to them. --snip-- Families have persevered with a lot of children if the older ones help the younger ones, thus relieving the burden on the parents. (no I don't have children.)

[hillsidedigger]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', 'N')ot only were the Duggars in the news for pumping out another puppy, but now it's passing down to the next generation. (queue Brando ala apocalypse now) The horror. The horror. Maybe we should set up a Duggar population bloom billboard to keep track of this?