Mega-Multiples, Pre-Jon & Kate

Before there was Octomom and the confusing equation of Jon & Kate, there were plenty of other mega-multiple births.

We’ve been spoiled by the willingness of Nadya Suleman and the Gosselin parents to prop their brood before all kinds of media, letting us watch as they push their kids to perform like trained monkeys. But these modern reality starts are hardly the first parents to go down that path. Parents of multiples have been using their babes to shill diapers and lifestyles for decades.

Newsweek found one group of quintuplets — now 26 — who were willing to talk about growing up multiples, which is to say, in the spotlight.

What do we learn? 

They’re surprisingly normal.

Newsweek features a slideshow of the most notorious multiples, a short history mega-family maina.

For those who worry about the fate of reality TVs big draws — I’m talking to you, Kate Gosselin — the Dionne sisters make a good case for working doubly hard to garner their kids some privacy.

From Newsweek:

When an American family, the McCaugheys, gave birth to septuplets in 1997, the remaining Dionnes penned them a letter of advice. “We hope your children receive more respect than we did. Their fate should be no different from that of other children. Multiple births should not be confused with entertainment, nor should they be an opportunity to sell products,” they wrote. “Our lives have been ruined by the exploitation we suffered?.?.?.?”

Do the Pisner quints make you feel less worried for the Gosselins? Or do the Dionna parents make you think Kate’s been a saint?

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Birth Film for Traumatized Fathers

Photo: NY Times, Mental Floss

Related Posts:

• Octomom and Jon Gosselin?
• Move Over Jon & Kate! TLC is Looking for Your Replacements
• Jon and Kate Meltdown: Shut up for Your Kids’ Sake!
• Octomom to Kate: Don’t You Judge Me
• Like Jon and Kate – Only Nicer

Tags: jon & kate plus 8, Jon Gosselin, Kate Gosselin, Madeline Holler, multiple births, nadya suleman, Octomom