Double trouble?

The morning talk shows are abuzz today with stories about a 60-year-old woman giving birth to twins. There is much wrinkling of the brow, interspersed with concerned clucking. I have to admit, my first thoughts were not positive.

At these moments, the Little Voice in My Head always pipes up: "What is your problem?" it said. "She's not much older than you are, and you'd love to have another baby." (The Voice is a troublemaker, through and through.)

Well, Voice ... she's old. So am I, in case you haven't noticed. When those babies are ten, she'll be 70. She may develop health problems. She may never live to see them graduate from high school.

Voice: Younger mothers get sick too. Some of them die and leave youngsters behind. It's rough, but the kids manage. Do we say those kids should never have been born?

OK, Voice, but those kids are going to be teased all through school about their geriatric mom.

Voice: You mean like the kids who get teased because their mom is too fat, too short, too tall, too ugly, too poor, or wears funny clothes? All kids get teased over something. They'll cope.

Well, then, what about her own ability to cope? It takes a lot of energy to chase kids, you know. Not to mention the constant chauffer duty and scheduling. It's exhausting.

Voice: I hate to break this to you, but thousands of seniors are out there right now parenting their own grandkids. This is just not the big freakin' deal you're making it out to be.

Well, Voice, maybe you're right. Maybe I'm the one with the problem, not her. At any rate, I wish them all luck -- and joy in the journey.