Six babies. All at the same time.
A world fascinated with multiple births can now focus its attention on the Caribbean for the moment. The first sextuplets born in the Caribbean entered the world at Mount Hope Maternity Hospital on March 4, 2013. It’s already in Wikipedia… I think that makes it officially history.
The government has pledged to “co-parent” the babies, which means lending financial support to the family. Since everything comes with a price, I am not sure what else is involved on the part of the parents and the kids, but who knows? Could be commercials, public appearances – you just never know. Everything comes with a price. It very well could be that this is the one thing in life that actually is free. I remember watching a documentary a few years ago about the Dionne quintuplets born 79 years ago in Canada. When I read “co-parents” and “government” it made me think of them.
After four months with their parents, they were made wards of the King under the Dionne Quintuplets Guardianship Act of 1935. The government and their caretakers profited from their celebrity status and a world in awe of multiple births for years.
Approximately 6,000 people per day visited the observation gallery that surrounded the outdoor playground to view the Dionne sisters. Ample parking was provided and almost 3,000,000 people walked through the gallery between 1936 and 1943. Oliva Dionne ran a souvenir shop and a concession store opposite the nursery and the area acquired the name “Quintland”. The souvenirs pictured the five sisters. There were autographs and framed photographs, spoons, cups, plates, plaques, candy bars, books, postcards, dolls, and much more at this shop. Oliva Dionne also sold stones from the Dionne farm that were supposed to have some magical power of fertility. Midwives Madame LeGros and Madame LeBelle opened their own souvenir and dining stand.[8] In 1934, the Quintuplets brought in about $1 million, and they attracted in total about $51 million of tourist revenue to Ontario. Quintland became Ontario’s biggest tourist attraction of the era, at the time surpassing the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. ~Wikipedia
Let’s hope that it doesn’t get THAT serious. Since then, thanks to IVF (in-vitro fertilization), multiple births are more common – but still something of a spectacle for onlookers. Large families of multiples have sparked several reality shows, and parents have been able to secure lucrative endorsement deals, magazine covers, interviews, and television specials.
As of now, the parents aren’t open to publicity, and no photographs are allowed in order to protect the family’s privacy. One of the six babies, three boys, three girls, is breathing on its own.
What do you think financial help from the Trinidad and Tobago government will mean for the sextuplets and their parents? Do you think that with the Internet, reality TV, and social media that they will be able to cash in or not? What do you think that the government could mean by “co-parent”? What decisions do you think they should be able to make for the family if they are contributing financially to the care of the children?
