Octo-cuckoo: When is someone going to worry about babies' rights?

OK, here is the bottom line: No one should care anymore about Nadya Suleman.

The octomom's latest bit of stupidity is firing the free nursing care she was receiving -- time donated by a national organization dedicated to offering assistance to those who need it.

The organization made it clear when it agreed to provide the extra hands that its volunteers were there for the babies -- and would act only in their best interest.

Well, it turns out that Suleman did not like having someone there keeping an eye on the care she was providing -- or not providing -- to the extremely vulnerable premature infants.

The nurses were prying too much into her business and she "did not feel comfortable in her own home," she told the news media she invited to chronicle her every movement -- at great peril to her children who need quiet and no or little commotion as they try to gain strength.

The nurses admitted they did call children's services to report some of Suleman's activities -- which they say included not caring for her young children, but reading her fan mail.

Now, not surprisingly, Suleman is talking about needing public assistance to take care of her now 14 children.

And she should get it -- right now.

There should be an investigator at her front door tomorrow asking for her family budget, her plan for providing the supplies and food these children need as well as how she is going to pay for the nursing care she needs, but has spurned.

That investigator should be a court-appointed guardian for not just the octuplets, but for the six other children Suleman is charged with caring for in what amounts to a home that is suitable for a family half that size.

The truth is -- and it is hard to hear -- the first and only thought right now should be for the babies -- no one else. Suleman's parental rights should be about dead last on the priority list.

It is time that someone said "enough" and put irresponsible parents in situations where they cannot destroy their children's lives.

Here is the chance to prove that we really do put children first in this country -- and to send a message to anyone else who seeks to use children as pawns or meal tickets.

No more second and third chances and no more horror stories because we sat around and did nothing.

If you do not care for your children -- you lose them.

Period.

Published in Editorials on March 25, 2009 11:16 AM