The Duggar Family is pregnant AGAIN!

[ChrisnSteph]

Shield your kids from everything and watch them "respect" you. You can have well rounded kids without having to prevent them from watching TV and filling their days with chores.

It's not that some parents can't instill those values, it's that they WON'T instill those values in their children. I think it's fine that some parents don't believe in traditional parenting. My kids will need employees some day.

I don't think there's anything wrong with not letting your kids watch TV. I think kids should watch way less then they do now, that's for sure. And I don't see anything wrong with doing chores either. Kids are lazy these days! When I was young, I had to do WAY more chores then I make my kids do.

And what is "traditional" parenting anymore? These days it's hard to be a traditional style parent when society tells you that everything you do emotionally and physically damages your kids! And of course, there's ALWAYS the parents who think that they're raising kids that are better than everyone else's - just look at your last comment.

 

[ilisao]

Ummmm...I don't believe TV is necessary for normal development...

I think her point is that it's possible to instill respect in children and have them develop into well-rounded people without shielding them from the outside world - not that they HAVE to watch tv. Frankly, IMO, that's the cowardly way out. It's easy to mold them if they have no influences from outside their doorstep.

On their website, Jim Bob states "Start protecting your family by removing books, magazines, television, or internet that have worldly or sensual content. Replace them with good things like wholesome music, biographies of great Christians, good old-fashioned family fun and games."

None of those items are mutually exclusive. The can co-exist.

 

[WDSearcher]

The Duggars won't let their kids off the compound alone, let alone allow them to go out drinking and meeting with kids of the opposite sex without chaperones.

Again ... why is that wrong? So the kids can't go out drinking or meet the opposite sex without chaperones. Sounds like pretty good parenting to me! And not letting your kids off the compound alone ... how many of us let our kids go off by themselves? We always want to know where they are and what they're doing. Granted, the Duggars take that perhaps to excess compared to the rest of us, but still. You'd be hard pressed to call it abuse.

 

[NY Disney fan]

Jim Bob and Michelle need to heed this statement: Prepare your child for the path, Don't prepare the path for your child".

 

[chobie]

Again ... why is that wrong? So the kids can't go out drinking or meet the opposite sex without chaperones. Sounds like pretty good parenting to me! And not letting your kids off the compound alone ... how many of us let our kids go off by themselves? We always want to know where they are and what they're doing. Granted, the Duggars take that perhaps to excess compared to the rest of us, but still. You'd be hard pressed to call it abuse.

At 16 they should not be allowed to go out with just a group of friends without being chaperoned, or even (gasp) alone? If that is considered good parenting than I think almost 100% of us here on the Dis must be bad parents.

And I didn't call it abuse. I think they should be allowed to raise their kids as they see fit. But I don't think they are doing anything wonderful or should be praised for popping out litters of children and keeping them isolated from the world they live in.

 

[Quest4fun]

Ummmm...I don't believe TV is necessary for normal development...

Where else are they supposed to learn about life?

 

[wishspirit]

Again ... why is that wrong? So the kids can't go out drinking or meet the opposite sex without chaperones. Sounds like pretty good parenting to me! And not letting your kids off the compound alone ... how many of us let our kids go off by themselves? We always want to know where they are and what they're doing. Granted, the Duggars take that perhaps to excess compared to the rest of us, but still. You'd be hard pressed to call it abuse.

even the 20 year old boy?? Seriously??

 

[WDSearcher]

John and Kate don't pretend to be living a Godly life. There is nothing bibilical about pimping your lifetstyle. The Duggars do not allow their kids to watch tv, but they can pimp them on it.

But isn't part of a "Godly" lifestyle to promote your beliefs to others in order to create new believers? The Duggars have chosen TV to do this -- which is actually pretty brilliant. They can write books, have a website, preach ... but if you want to reach the masses with your message, you use television. I'd be interested to see how many hits they had on their website before the TV specials vs. after. Even the people who go there to mock still come away with the information -- whether they choose to use it or not is up to them.

The Duggars are not forcing anyone to watch; they're not telling people they must convert or start home-schooling their kids or to do any of the things they do themselves. They're not preaching on TV and telling people to send them money in order to get blessings. They're simply saying, "Here's how we live. If you're interested in knowing more, there are ways to find out. If not ... thanks for watching."

 

[Quest4fun]

I think her point is that it's possible to instill respect in children and have them develop into well-rounded people without shielding them from the outside world - not that they HAVE to watch tv. Frankly, IMO, that's the cowardly way out. It's easy to mold them if they have no influences from outside their doorstep.

On their website, Jim Bob states "Start protecting your family by removing books, magazines, television, or internet that have worldly or sensual content. Replace them with good things like wholesome music, biographies of great Christians, good old-fashioned family fun and games."

None of those items are mutually exclusive. The can co-exist.

You are correct with one exception. I'm a guy.

 

[chobie]

But isn't part of a "Godly" lifestyle to promote your beliefs to others in order to create new believers? The Duggars have chosen TV to do this -- which is actually pretty brilliant. They can write books, have a website, preach ... but if you want to reach the masses with your message, you use television. I'd be interested to see how many hits they had on their website before the TV specials vs. after. Even the people who go there to mock still come away with the information -- whether they choose to use it or not is up to them.

The Duggars are not forcing anyone to watch; they're not telling people they must convert or start home-schooling their kids or to do any of the things they do themselves. They're not preaching on TV and telling people to send them money in order to get blessings. They're simply saying, "Here's how we live. If you're interested in knowing more, there are ways to find out. If not ... thanks for watching."

I think they are doing it purely because for the money and because they are media *****s. JMO.

 

[lilyv]

I think they are doing it purely because for the money and because they are media *****s. JMO.

Interesting what folks will do for money, isn't it?
It doesn't impress me in the least that folks who extol the evils of TV will happily invite cameras into their children's lives and display them to millions via the "evil" medium.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

It doesn't impress me in the least that folks who extol the evils of TV will happily invite cameras into their children's lives and display them to millions via the "evil" medium.

Let's just hope that the Cabbage Patch Kids aren't watching their show.

 

[Quest4fun]

I don't think there's anything wrong with not letting your kids watch TV. I think kids should watch way less then they do now, that's for sure. And I don't see anything wrong with doing chores either. Kids are lazy these days! When I was young, I had to do WAY more chores then I make my kids do.

And what is "traditional" parenting anymore? These days it's hard to be a traditional style parent when society tells you that everything you do emotionally and physically damages your kids! And of course, there's ALWAYS the parents who think that they're raising kids that are better than everyone else's - just look at your last comment.

Traditional parenting involves teaching values and respect. Not just respect for their parents but for everybody else. You don't need to convince your child that they're the center of the universe for them to have good self esteem.

I think there are too many "precious little snowflakes" out in the world today.

 

[NY Disney fan]

I think there are too many "precious little snowflakes" out in the world today.

 

[WDSearcher]

even the 20 year old boy?? Seriously??

But he's been living by these rules all his life. He knows what to expect ... knows what's expected of him. This is normal to him. He may see what other kids do and wonder, "Why do their parents let them do that?"

So he has a chaperone. He can't make out in public, drink or do drugs, or behave inappropriately on a date because he's got a chaperone along. Yeah, I can see how that might be unfortunate.

 

[Quest4fun]

even the 20 year old boy?? Seriously??

You mean man right? Their religion dictates that they are under parental control until they marry. I think that even means that he's not about to try out life in the big bad world. I don't think there is suitable home schooling for him to obtain his law degree though. He's in for a real shock.

 

[LukenDC]

On their website, Jim Bob states "Start protecting your family by removing books, magazines, television, or internet that have worldly or sensual content. Replace them with good things like wholesome music, biographies of great Christians, good old-fashioned family fun and games."

None of those items are mutually exclusive. The can co-exist.

So bios of non-Christians are out of the question or somehow unwholesome? Are Christians the only people capable of good or worthy of respect?
I wonder if the works of Jane Austen are out of the question because they feauture romance and other "sensual content?" Are the Greek classics verboten because they were written by pagans? Is Shakespeare too bawdy for the sheltered minds of the Duggar children?

 

[Quest4fun]

So bios of non-Christians are out of the question or somehow unwholesome? Are Christians the only people capable of good or worthy of respect?
I wonder if the works of Jane Austen are out of the question because they feauture romance and other "sensual content?" Are the Greek classics verboten because they were written by pagans? Is Shakespeare too bawdy for the sheltered minds of the Duggar children?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.

 

[chobie]

But he's been living by these rules all his life. He knows what to expect ... knows what's expected of him. This is normal to him. He may see what other kids do and wonder, "Why do their parents let them do that?"

So he has a chaperone. He can't make out in public, drink or do drugs, or behave inappropriately on a date because he's got a chaperone along. Yeah, I can see how that might be unfortunate.

Right so I guess the very best parenting would be to ensconce your child in a plastic bubble from birth until you marry them off so they can never fall down, get into trouble, see/hear/smell/taste/feel anything the parent does not approve of....

 

[meandtheguys2]

Where else are they supposed to learn about life?

I guess that my point is that kids/people don't have to all be socialized in the same manner. That one way is not the only way. I know one family that seems very sheltered to me. It is a farm family, homeschooled, and I dont' believe they have tv, etc. Their way of socializing is at out local farmer's market. And there, you see that the kids get along great with others (any kids that come along) are social, fun, kind kids.

It isn't the way I'd choose to raise mine. I'd die being that isolated, but to each his own, imo. I also would never choose to live in a big city, and schedule outside activities every night, to the point of no family time (my SIL's family). They think they are a part of a multicultural environment, when they really just hang with people just like themselves. No difference. I think that is as "lacking" as the Duggars and their limited socialization.

As long as the "big scandal" doesn't emerge, they seem reasonably happy. One doesn't have to be exposed to all choices in the world to be so.