The Duggars

[PrincessSuzanne]

I wonder if any of the poor girls were allowed to update their look and wear pants? She does look a 1000 times better.

 

[fakereadhed]

Really? Valued? HOW?? They are primped and pimped out to the television cameras. They are made to be cheerful little slaves - - one of those young girls is doing TEN LOADS OF LAUNDRY A DAY. Every day. Yeah, she's valued..........as a laundress!

NURTURED?? How on earth do you appropriate nurture SEVENTEEN CHILDREN at a time?!??! I barely have time to give my two the attention they crave. I just checked out the website, and every single picture I saw of the new baby, she was being held and/or cared for by one of the older girls. How is that nurturing your newborn?

While I don't personally buy into everything that I see about this family on TLC, I really don't see how you could think their children aren't valued or nurtured.

Valued- they clearly love their children, and make sure all their needs are met. Not their video gaming needs, or TV needs, but I think they'll survive.

Nurtured- is having a sibling help care for a baby in their own home somehow worse than having them cared for at a daycare?

 

[adoptionmomma4]

Jon and Kate would readily admit that the TV show and the fact that they have sextuplets have both contributed to their family income and the things that they have. The kids are dressed in GAP because it's good advertising -- the clothes are given to them by GAP, with the promise that they'll wear them on tv. Lots of companies donate items to families with multiples.

That is what I am talking about. All of the comment on the Duggers exploiting their children for money well.... Jon and Kate are doing the same thing. Is the difference that they are admitting they receive nice perks?

Not trying to stir the pot or anything but what else could they have done?
Selective reduction ??

No, no, no.... I am not suggesting that at all. I am just saying that yes, the Duggers planned to have a large family if that is what they were blessed with. As well as that by undergoing fertility treatments where the chances of multiple births are increased it is not an "accident" that they have had two sets of multiples.

When I was undergoing fertility treatment the monitoring I had with each cycle was crazy. My doctor would literally count the number of follicles that were mature enough, if there were to many the cycle would have to be canceled. I was monitored ever other day and then eventually everyday. You really can not accidentally have to many follicles in a monitored cycle of fertility treatments.

After the children were conceived I would never suggest selective reduction.

On Jon and Kate one time Jon was saying that he was happy with just the twins, but Kate wanted to give the girls a (singular) little brother or sister. They didn't try to have a lot of kids like the Duggars. Sure, they knew when on fertility treatments that there was a possibilty of multiples, but isn't that a possibilty with any pregnancy? Has anyone seen the special about the Mathias quads, they had identical quadruplets on their own, (or even the Dionne quints)!

There certainly is a chance of multiples with every pregnancy. The chance of having a set of triplets, quads or quints or in the case of Jon and Kate sextuplets is very slim naturally. Adding the use of fertility drugs greatly increases that risk. I did see the special on the Mathias quads and I remember them saying it’s a 1/1000000 chance of this happening naturally.

 

[LisaNJ25]

She looks queasy. Morning sickness?

 

[disneymommieof2]

I have watched all of the Dugger shows. I do not agree with everything they do. However I have heard many people saying the children are living in an abusive environment and I do not agree. I have been a foster mother for 5 years and am the adoptive mother of 4 children from the foster care system. I can tell you stories of children who were abused. Doing 20 hours of chores per week may not be fun, but I don’t think it is being abusive. We have had children who were left alone for days with little food, burned with cigarettes, abused sexually, lived in a house that had to be condemned, wore filthy clothing, infested with head lice, a 5'5 13 year old girl who weighed 80 pounds, children covered in bruises, missing hair that had been pulled out by the parent and babies addicted to drugs.... I could go on and on.

The Dugger’s support their children financially. I am sure Jon and Kate are also compensated financially. They are with their children all of the time. They have food (aldi's or not), clothes and love.

They do what they think it right for their family and I do what I think is right for mine.

I also wanted to add that on the last show I saw they took the older girls to the hospital when the baby was born because they wanted to be midwives and nurses. The parents seemed totally supportive and proud of that.

I agree with you- This is NOT abuse!! So sad what people do to others- I just don't understand it
Ok I started reading this last night and wow it has blossomed just like the duggar family Ok sorry bad joke
There are a few things I wanted to throw out-
*The Duggars & Jon & Kate are not the first couples to have many many children and accept "gifts" for giving interviews and having tv special or even endorse a product or two. What are they stupid- I don't think so- They know they have a lot of mouths to feed, bodies to clothes, hineys to diaper etc... When you have everyone beating down your door to give you "free" stuff what are you supposed to do???

*Didn't they already have 14 children whom they had supported for there whole lives on their own before Discovery knocked on their door???

*Don't they own a used car business on top of the real estate investments to support their family?

* Didn't they start building that house all by themselves and have alot of it done before Discovery stepped in and finished the huge undertaking of building and furnishing that massive house??

*It wasn't that long ago that people routinely had 10+ children- My grandma is one of 12!!! Yes it was before the pill but people have been having kids for centuries!! I'm sure they knew about fertility cycles and other birth control methods. Why is it such a big deal now?? Just because they choose not to use those methods.

* I have to admit that I admire that all of them play the Piano and Violin- how many kids in small families can do that. Even if they don't get 1 to 1 time they all get attention from their parents and from their siblings!! They all know they are loved and seem to take care of each other.

* On top of the music lessons they are learning real life skills and problem solving. They work together as a team to make their family run smoothly.
How many parents do EVERYTHING for their kids and then the kids go out into the world maybe off to college and guess what they can't even make a bowl of cereal because no one showed them how!! Forget about laundry, money skills and other basic daily living skills- HELLO have you seen Super Nanny!!!!
I am not familiar with ezzo or the parenting methods that have been discussed so I cannot speak to those but I think I have taken up enough of your time so I will now step off my soap box- thank you for reading

 

[DawnM]

This actually is a little disturbing to me.....so, reality SHOULD be a smaller house, lots of bills (loans/debt) and both parents working? That is reality? And a family that is completely out of debt, doing well, is not reality?

Dawn

Do the children even know about the big world around them?
Serving God includes serving others not just family. A dose of reality would be to see how others live.....small homes, lots of bills, school projects, no one to come home to because both parents are working.
Maybe giving of themselves to sew clothing for the homeless or kids living in shelters, maybe making tattot casserole for a soup kitchen.

I don't know, its just no how we live.

 

[Schmeck]

I don't think I have ever heard these views before. Do you think people should not have children? or just lots of children?

As for organized religion, I am a member of a church but that does not define my relationship with God.

Well, I don't think we're at risk of becoming extinct if we limit our population growth, that's for sure. Certainly are enough humans out there to wreak havoc on this planet as it is. So, 1-2 children per couple would be nice, as a decrease in population would be a pleasant surprise for mother earth. She could heal a bit before we invent the next great polluter.

I've always thought that whoever wrote the bible must have either been really angry at his mom, or frustrated about a relationship. Most definitely had to have been male, as the polygamy parts just crack me up. The men get multiple partners, but the women don't?

Of course the bible has been added on to, translated, edited, etc, over centuries, so many, many men have added their own viewpoint to it. Are there any other heroines in it besides the virgin-mother Mary?

Back to the Duggars - they are one of my favorite examples of psycho-religion gone bad. Wonder if they know the southern church that gay-bashes at the funerals of fallen soldiers?

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I don't think they are abusive but I personally feel that the kids don't really get to be kids. I looked at their website and it is such a scheduled day. While routine is good, it does not leave hardly any free time or time for playdates etc. It is good to socialize with people other than your siblings. They also go to bed at 10:00 and have to be dressed and ready for breakfast by 8am. To each their own, but I think young kids need a little more rest than that. But hey- that's just my opinion on it. To each their own. I also think it is great to help out in a family but it shouldn't be on kid's sole responsibility to cook lunch every single day or cook dinner every single day. We're not talking making a sandwich for your younger sister here, the kid has to cook for 19 people! Most adults wouldn't even have that many over for dinner to cook for for one night yet this kid has to do it every day. The older kids all have to help the younger kids with the lessons, cut up their food, cook their meals, do the laundry, the list goes on and on. I do believe that as a family we are a team that works together and yes, my kids help out, but they are still kids. I am not running a sweatshop. They help in a reasonable manner. I personally think their kids do it all and Mom is like a gumball machine just popping out kids. I have no problem with large families. I think it is awesome and alwyas wanted tons of brothers and sisters. I just think that the parents should be parenting and not the kids. Are they being abused? No. but I think that in the same way that the mini Britneys are growing up too fast I think the Duggar kids are forced to grow up too fast too. JMHO of course. They seem like sweet kids though and that is nice to see.

 

[pweyl36]

I agree with you- This is NOT abuse!! So sad what people do to others- I just don't understand it
Ok I started reading this last night and wow it has blossomed just like the duggar family Ok sorry bad joke
There are a few things I wanted to throw out-
*The Duggars & Jon & Kate are not the first couples to have many many children and accept "gifts" for giving interviews and having tv special or even endorse a product or two. What are they stupid- I don't think so- They know they have a lot of mouths to feed, bodies to clothes, hineys to diaper etc... When you have everyone beating down your door to give you "free" stuff what are you supposed to do???

*Didn't they already have 14 children whom they had supported for there whole lives on their own before Discovery knocked on their door???

*Don't they own a used car business on top of the real estate investments to support their family?

* Didn't they start building that house all by themselves and have alot of it done before Discovery stepped in and finished the huge undertaking of building and furnishing that massive house??

*It wasn't that long ago that people routinely had 10+ children- My grandma is one of 12!!! Yes it was before the pill but people have been having kids for centuries!! I'm sure they knew about fertility cycles and other birth control methods. Why is it such a big deal now?? Just because they choose not to use those methods.

* I have to admit that I admire that all of them play the Piano and Violin- how many kids in small families can do that. Even if they don't get 1 to 1 time they all get attention from their parents and from their siblings!! They all know they are loved and seem to take care of each other.

* On top of the music lessons they are learning real life skills and problem solving. They work together as a team to make their family run smoothly.
How many parents do EVERYTHING for their kids and then the kids go out into the world maybe off to college and guess what they can't even make a bowl of cereal because no one showed them how!! Forget about laundry, money skills and other basic daily living skills- HELLO have you seen Super Nanny!!!!
I am not familiar with ezzo or the parenting methods that have been discussed so I cannot speak to those but I think I have taken up enough of your time so I will now step off my soap box- thank you for reading

That is what I wanted to say ,but too lazy to type it

 

[crisi]

I actually have a friend of a friend with somewhere north of 14 children doing the quiverful thing - and the oldest kids are now hitting the danger age. They've been pretty sensible - they allow their kids to read a lot of material others in their religious position do not find appropriate and their kids have been exposed to - and taught to respect - people who make other choices, but its scary. I really think the majority of their kids are going to end up leaving home, turning into Pagan Goths with multiple piercings, and become sensible in their late 20s.

 

[fakereadhed]

I really think the majority of their kids are going to end up leaving home, turning into Pagan Goths with multiple piercings, and become sensible in their late 20s.

Just like everybody else's kids!

 

[crisi]

Just like everybody else's kids!

Yep, although I suspect I'll be a little better prepared for my daughter's belly button ring and won't look at it as a betrayal of our values.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

I do love a nice Duggar thread

 

[fakereadhed]

I do love a nice Duggar thread

 

[LAH LAH]

I can't seem to get enough of the Duggers. I think they are an inspiration to many...

...and it is their reality...not ours (more specifically not "yours" to the ones who just can't stand them) and if it bothers you so much just find something/someone else to watch.

GO DUGGERS!!!!

 

[DB&KS]

I just have bigger aspirations for my child other than cooking and cleaning. Call me crazy.

 

[LAH LAH]

^^^ The kids do much more than just chores...the oldest son aspires to work in film production...and has lots of equipment to learn on. They seem to be raised in a loving, well rounded household...with many hands to help.

I suppose we all have our own opinions but I trully have never seen more content kids than those 17 in the Dugger episodes.

 

[DB&KS]

When we hear the phrase "reality tv" we need to remember that there is still producers involved and that this family was picked by TLC for the fact that they will bring out discussions such as these, which means ratings for them, in turn big money and that is the "reality".

P.S. For the previous poster I hope I used the correct form of "there"

 

[chrisw127]

I actually have a friend of a friend with somewhere north of 14 children doing the quiverful thing - and the oldest kids are now hitting the danger age. They've been pretty sensible - they allow their kids to read a lot of material others in their religious position do not find appropriate and their kids have been exposed to - and taught to respect - people who make other choices, but its scary. I really think the majority of their kids are going to end up leaving home, turning into Pagan Goths with multiple piercings, and become sensible in their late 20s.

Well statistically, at least one of the Duggar kids will end up in jail. One will have an unplanned pregnancy. Two will become vegetarians.

And half will become Democrats.

It ain't gonna be pretty.

 

[mommytobug]

Well, I don't think we're at risk of becoming extinct if we limit our population growth, that's for sure. Certainly are enough humans out there to wreak havoc on this planet as it is. So, 1-2 children per couple would be nice, as a decrease in population would be a pleasant surprise for mother earth. She could heal a bit before we invent the next great polluter.

I've always thought that whoever wrote the bible must have either been really angry at his mom, or frustrated about a relationship. Most definitely had to have been male, as the polygamy parts just crack me up. The men get multiple partners, but the women don't?

Of course the bible has been added on to, translated, edited, etc, over centuries, so many, many men have added their own viewpoint to it. Are there any other heroines in it besides the virgin-mother Mary?

Back to the Duggars - they are one of my favorite examples of psycho-religion gone bad. Wonder if they know the southern church that gay-bashes at the funerals of fallen soldiers?

Wow, I dont know why (LOL) but I feel attacked. If I started telling you why the Bible is true, etc you would be offended. As for your last statement, you should know that (it appears you have read it). I do know that our God is a loving God and when I look around me I am in awe at his doings. For the record I attend a southern church and we dont gay bash.

As for populating the earth, I did not want children to polpulate or not, I wanted children because I wanted a family.