Even if we want more kids, we can’t afford them

M Y maternal grandfather was one of 13 children. It sounds unusual nowadays, but back in Ireland in the early 20th century large families were not unusual.

Having so many mouths to feed wouldn’t have been easy for my great-grandparents, but somehow they managed to raise their brood.

Their offspring then went on to have children of their own, but none of them had such large families – not least because of the expense of bringing up children.

Having spent the past week doing the annual shopping trip for school shoes, trainers, sports kit and uniforms, I know how expensive it is to have just two children.

Like many parents, even if my husband and I wanted more kids, we simply couldn’t afford to do so.

Goodness knows how Joanne Sheppard of Staple Hill in Bristol is coping at the moment.

She’s expecting her 12th baby, and most of her children are of school age. Anyone who pulls the ticket after her when shopping for school shoes should resign themselves to a long wait.

Still, there are compensations.

Ms Sheppard, 36, and her partner Gary Bateman, 46, can at least enjoy living in a five-bedroom house, which they were moved to because their previous three-bedroom home in Yate was deemed too small.

Not a bad move considering Ms Sheppard hasn’t worked since getting pregnant at 17, and Mr Bateman is on incapacity benefit because he has a bad back. (This has not, however, stopped him taking part in off-road motor biking.)

The couple haven’t been pleased about recent media interest in their lifestyle. Bateman declared: “People should mind their own business. We’re not doing anyone any harm.”

He doesn’t seem to understand that taxpayers are funding his large family and five-bedroom home – and therefore it is their business.

In my grandfather’s day, if you had a large family it was your business and your responsibility.

Nowadays, hard-pressed taxpayers are increasingly having to take financial responsibility for other people’s large families.

I couldn’t care less if Miss Sheppard and Mr Bateman go on to have another 12 kids – but I don’t see why that should entitle them to an even bigger house and more benefits.

Isn’t it time that it was accepted that children are a responsibility – and parents shouldn’t bring them into the world unless they can take on that responsibility?

Perhaps the only way to make some people realise this would be by capping housing benefits, and limiting child benefits to two children?

That way anyone who choose to have a large family would have to cram their offspring into three bedrooms, and stretch their child benefits further.

Or they could try getting a job with a bigger income – and providing properly for their own children