Nadya Suleman, AKA Octomom, Ashamed About Being on Food Stamps

Octomom Nadya Suleman drew a lot of ire just by adding to her brood of six by eight with the births of her octuplets, bringing the total number of children she has to a stunning fourteen- but she hasn’t redeemed herself in the eyes of the public just yet.

For a normal family, that is a staggering number of children. Even the Duggars and the Gosselins were widely hated upon for massive broods as intact families. But Suleman’s situation was ever more baffling to the public, as she opted to take on the huge responsibility of being a mom to 14 without the benefit of a spouse to share the massive burden.

In fact, when Suleman’s octuplets first made their appearance, little was known about the strange situation- but along with the notoriety, details of Octomom’s bizarre family life and odd habit of seeking out expensive IVF procedures became public knowledge. And the question of how anyone- much less a single parent- would be able to afford to feed and house 14 children was rapidly answered in the seeming circumstance of Suleman not actually having a plan past the whole “have lots of babies” kickoff.

After the initial press money was burned through, it did not surprise many to learn that Suleman and her 14 kids were now relying on welfare to eat, and that the single mom’s home was in foreclosure. Suleman has popped up on the talk show circuit again, and Thursday on TODAY, she explained that she is ashamed to rely on food stamps, but also said that many people are supportive.

The mom-of-mega-multiples tells Matt Lauer that she doesn’t plan to be on welfare forever:

“People are saying, ‘Nadya, people are thinking you have been on (assistance)… ‘Who cares if you even do this? They thought you were on it already.’ My priority is my children — their health, their well-being, their safety. I’m giving myself another 2 months to be on it.”

Backstage, she said that she thinks she is a good role model for women:

“I’m the wrong person to harass, to use as a bad example. I should actually be perceived as an inspiration to women, for having gone what I’ve been through and being sane.”

Suleman also said that people calling social services on her huge brood is an ongoing problem, and she doesn’t understand why people are so keen to have her children removed from her care:

“Hundreds of people, random people, call (social services) on a daily basis, and it’s sick and sad and to me. (It’s) unbelievably fascinating in regard to humanity, how many people are foaming at the mouth for my children to be taken away from me. The saddest part is 15 years from now when they’re 18 and legal and in college, people will still be foaming at their mouth for them to be taken.’’

Nadya Suleman also says she has “huge dreams,” but did not elaborate- hopefully her aspirations don’t involve adding to her family any further.