The Duggar Family: 18 Kids & Counting

[Squishified]

I'm truly surprised at how much this family seems to bother other people. Even while watching the documentary I never got the feeling this family was trying to push their beliefs on anyone, except probably their own family, which is done all over the world in different cultures.

The QF's aren't the only ones that think their religion is the only one people should believe in. I don't see them strapping bombs to themselves to impress their ideologies upon others.

So let them have as many children as they want. They aren't hurting anyone else. I'd rather have 17 Duggar's in my neighborhood than one Paris, Britney, Lindsey, or Osama.

Great post, Taximom!

 

[BhamMama]

Uhmmm Quiverful believers are not a cult. It's something they believe. You can be Baptist and still be a quiverful family. You can be Catholic and be a quiverful family. It's NOT a religion, it's a movement within the Christian faith.

These self same people go grocery shopping, ice skating, out to eat and meet other families out and about. Sounds normal enough to me.

So they choose to do most of their socializing with like minded people. Don't we all? I certainly don't seek out people who's ideals and lifestyles I don't agree with to hang out on a Sat with.

And what's wrong with their dress? Seems to me that a LOT of kids, male and female could take some lessons about covering up from the modest clothed ones. I, for one, am tired of seeing little girls dressed like hootchie mamas and boys with their underpants showing. They look like slobs.

Something in that not chasing a label thing too. A person is not their dress. So they don't dress in the latest and greatest..who really cares? I mean seriously, in this day and age we put down someone for how modestly they dress?

As for why they are making these shows? They were asked...same as every other person who gets on these shows. Someone thought it was interesting and I suppose enough people thought the same so they do updates. I see it as no different than those two conjoined girls or people with multiples that they follow until they grow up.

You'd be surprised at how many people have many children. And they started way before it was a movement to follow. Let's put it this way, in my circle of friends my 7 children are considered about average.

 

[FlowerChild]

So the children choose to dress in the same clothes, the same hair styles.

The girls can choose at 18, with 18 years of bible studies to "leave" on their own and live their own life and are not "expected" to adhere to 18 years of bible studies that have instilled the value of the QF life and religion.

Really, there would be no pressure if one of the girls wants to "shun" her religion and not have 17 babies and become a computer programmer.

That is not the backbone of this religion, they don't raise girls to think for themselves, the only purpose they have, they will every have in this religion is the pressure to conform to the biblical value of their church, their community and family.

I would like to see if an 18 year old girl showed up at her church in pants(that she chooses to wear) what would the community, the church and parents say to that "rebellious" 18 year old child.

You are turning your back on all of the "biblical" teaching, G-d, the bible, the elders, the community, the church, your family by wearing pants.

After all it is the teaching of this religion that no birth control is used. So tell me if no birth control is used and the future wife has been taught this all of these years, and she becomes pregnant year after year, how is she going to live the life that she wants when she is perpetually pregnant.

People who have 4 kids pay utilities, and taxes. But the difference is 4 kids will use a lot less "NATURAL" resources then a family with 17, but would still pay the same property taxes.

Remember a megawatt of power saved is a megawatt of power earned.

If you can convince me that this family uses the exact same resources, food, power, utilities as a smaller family and leaves a carbon footprint of the same size on this earth, then I will agree.

You assume that these kids have different personalities, but do they? Or are they all expected to conform to the teaching and expectation of family, community and church. I doubt little boy 8 will be a typical boy of 8. Not a chance, he will be exactly what is expected of him, less the parents are humiliated and the child punished for being a typical child of 8.

If these parents cannot support the children without "selling" out on TV with a grocery bill of 2K a week. It is their choice to have 17 kids and their choice to spend 2K a week to feed them. But without the 400K+ they received, would they really be able to support them properly, because if so they should have appeared on TV for free, just to spread the word of their religion and biblical studies.

The kids are not exposed to the outside world, so tell me if they are so sheltered in their biblical life, what type of profession and life experiences would "overlap" in the real world.

They are not prepared to enter a world other then the one that they have been raised in.

I cannot answer for the Duggar's finances, but before the TV specials they had 14 kids and got by, so I am assuming that they could with 17 kids. They DO own real estate and income producing property and they SAVE (vs spend and use credit cards) so since they WERE debt free before TV and continue to be debt free they must have income from somewhere. They did buy 20 acres and build a 7000 sq ft house without going into debt - including buying many things at auction, like the commercial kitchen appliances and commercial laundry machines.Discover/TLC helped by hiring a decorator to help decorate the house, got some donated furniture for them and a piano - they didn't PAY for the house OR all it's contents. BEFORE they built this house they lived an a 1600 sq ft 3 bed 1 bath home with 14 kids and 2 adults.

Why are we worrying about their "carbon footprint" anyway? How many millions of Americans live in a 3500+ sq ft 4 bedroom 4 bath home for 2 (two) adults? That's 1750 sq ft per occupant. The Duggar home, by comparison has 368 sq ft per occupant. Show me a 1 bedroom or even efficiency apartment in the US with 368 sq feet for ONE person. Even US subsidized housing standards mandate a TWO person per bedroom maximum - that is person's of any age - newborn to adult.

And do we even KNOW their carbon footprint? They built a STEEL beamed home - no wood products there. They probably have a well for water and a septic system for sewer. I assume they recycle. I would imagine that THEY aren't buying bottled water or soft drinks. They use a diesel fueled bus for a main vehicle. The kids certainly do not get a CAR when they turn 16. I doubt they waste food and most of their clothing and shoes - as well as household goods are purchased used AND the USED clothing and shoes handed down from kid to kid till worn out (recycling MOST of us do not do). Their laundry is done with very energy efficient commercial machines and cooking done on more efficient (for a family of 19) commercial equipment. For all WE know that house is heated with wood and NOT 100% air conditioned in the summer. I didn't see a zillion plastic kids toys, they seem to play BROOMBALL for recreation.There aren't a dozen TV's or computers or stereos in use 24/7 and I doubt they buy a lot of useless throw away crap - like most of us do. They aren't each driving all over the county every day. Person for person, I imagine their "carbon footprint" is LOWER than most of OURS.

One must not eschew utilities to maintain a "low footprint" lifestyle. One does not have to do TV specials to afford 17 kids and remain debt-free - there are MANY Quiverfull Families doing it and they are NOT on TV. Some of them are vegetarians even. Many have truck gardens, and raise livestock for milk and eggs. Like US, each family is different. I do not see the need to expect THEM to live a lifestyle fundamentally different from ours just because they have MANY children. And I am pro-population control and anti development.

Frankly from what I have seen I would rather live next door to the Duggars than most of the families and kids who are living in our upscale suburban neighborhood. 4 People in 4000 sq ft - 4 HUGE TV's minimum, pools and hot tubs in every yard. Families with Hummers and Land Rovers and Escalades and Mercedes SUV's. Each kid with a new sports car on their 16th. People spraying ChemLawn poison on their lawns every week, running the sprinklers in the rain. The kids are rude, noisy and obnoxious - screaming like banshees from every yard - with its manadatory heated pool and hot tub and trampoline and basketball goal. The Soccer Moms or the Nannies in their Gas guzzlers go from morning till night non-stop (with DUAL DVD Players in the back seat) - the tires on their SUV's never get cool. Their lawn service (with many polluting mowers, trimmers and blowers) comes every week..along with their maids and their pool service and pest control company. And we're berating the Duggars for THEIR lifestyle and it's impacts on the rest of us?

And I guess the Quiverfull kids must be a different species? Kids have been rebelling against their families for generations and without KNOWING anything about what they were doing either. Perhaps they will marry and with their SPOUSE decide they do not wish to live a Quiverfull life? Perhaps they will become missionaries and live far away from home? They DO have to eventually move in the bigger world and it only takes ONE person to open their eyes for them to sack it all and have their OWN beliefs apart from their family. Like I said - I give it 2 generations - we are a GLOBAL world now and even THEY cannot hide forever. How many GAY Qiverfull kids are their? How many depressed or mentally ill or ADD Quiverfull kids? The bubble will burst with the 1st scandal, pedophile or murdered kid. It has happened in EVERY closed, secretive society and it will happen to them too.

My response...bwahhhhh! Live and let live - the impact of a few thousand Quiverfull families is NOT going to make a knat's hair difference in how we are ruining the earth - but a few MILLION of my upscale neighbors WILL!

My Opinion, Really!

 

[Tom'sGirl]

Of course, they are on tv, so discussing them is fair game quote]

Yep, in fact they were just on the “Today” show this morning and we'll probably see them on there again next year

As long as they keep themselves in the public eye, the more people will discuss them, so you're right, 'fair game'.

 

[deanws]

I'd move if I were you flowerchild. Especially since your upscale neighborhood is SO out of control! My children were raised with all the heated pools and spas with their own phones in their rooms, cell phones, cars, and TV's in each of their rooms and they didn't turn out wild or obnoxious. All were honor students and two are national merit students, one will start medical school soon. I don't believe the fact they had nice things helped or hindered them. I believe parenting had the biggest impact...along with the grace of God giving them the ability to do well. Just MY opinion...really!

 

[Boyzmomee]

Hey...don't hassle them! They are a wonderful family and as near as I can tell...they are doing a "bang up" job of raising the all those children! I think personally they are crazy, but as long as they can feed, love, afford, and cherish them...who are we to say how many they can have?! I feel she is in denial with their religion and his uhm...er...obvious...oversexual problems...but they have privacy rights. We must respect them.

Lol... "privacy rights?" When you go on TV, start a family website for the public, the last thing you desire is "privacy."


I'm really sad to hear that you call "children raising children" a "bang up job"

 

[Boyzmomee]

I have a houskeeper, a gardner, and a pool. My kids have cell phones and the oldest has his own car. I have a small SUV. I still need to get pest control.

My kids are not rude, obnoxious, nor do they scream like banshees. My oldest has not been assigned to raise his brother. My sons are being raised by their parents.

My two sons will likely have one or two children each. How many do you think each Duggar child will have? Get your calculator out.

 

[Boyzmomee]

Uhmmm Quiverful believers are not a cult. It's something they believe. You can be Baptist and still be a quiverful family. You can be Catholic and be a quiverful family. It's NOT a religion, it's a movement within the Christian faith.

It is associated with a religion.

 

[GraceBlue]

Oh my God! 17 kids and wanting more!?!?!? They are crazy! I am dying here with 1 2 year old. There is no way, no way, no way, this woman does it all. She has her older girls as her servants, nannies, etc. I feel bad for those older girls.

I'd be interested if the Discovery Channel runs a program on them in 20 years from now to see how the kids turned out.

 

[Marthatex]

The thing I don't like, more than having all the children, is the taking away of options for the women, and female children.

Their bodies - "belong to God", not themselves; not even natural methods of birth control are condoned.

Women are to be submissive to men - and do the "womens' work" around the home.

Corporal punishment is suggested and condoned, to keep everyone in line.

I personally feel that womens' decisions about their bodies and reproductive choices should be THEIR OWN.

Also if women are college material and want to go they should be able to have that opportunity.

I think and old-fashioned home with mom cooking and a garden, everyone doing chores, is not such a bad idea - but they should have experience with the outside world.

It is a cult, because it is a very strict set of rules that controls their behavior and what women and children must do.

This particular family may not be on welfare, but I imagine many who have so many children are. Also, they sure don't pay much in taxes because they have so many exemptions. Some mothers may be able to handle this strict role definition and # of children; but some cannot so well - like Andrea Yates.

 

[CarpeDiem]

I think of Andrea too, losing her mind and those kids losing their lives.

 

[CyberLaw]

What if a mother has depression, and the Doctors tell her "not to have any more kids" or psychosis. The women is in her mid 30's and having more children could harm her health. What comes first, the health of the women, or the fact that she is not allowed to use any form of birth control.

Does the husband put the "be fruitful"and multiply before birth control for his wife, or do they not have any further martial relations. Is she now seen as a lesser being, for the fact that she is not allowed nor can have more kids.

Didn't Andrea Yates Doctor tell her not to have any more kids, after the last one and her husband choose to differ. After all the man rules in these families, women are second class citizens.

 

[BrendaStar]

Well, it's not my cup of tea having so many children. Families use to be large because the labor was needed on the farm. That's not the case anymore, so it must be a cult or pure narcissism to reproduce so many times.

It sure does make for interesting discussion, though, and seems to bring out a lot of different feelings in people. To me it seems the individual person in this family looses themselves in the collective, but if that is their choice, so be it.

 

[PaperDoll]

EEK!! 17 kids??? I couldn't do it :snooty: ... Oh well, that is their choosing and so be it. I have no problem with people wanting a ton of kids. From what I gather these kids seem well adjusted and I'd rather have that than one kid unadjusted.. hehe or, however you want to word that... Back in the olden days people use to have a lot of kids. I would think as the parents age, that they will have their kids to help take care of them. That is a plus.

 

[FlowerChild]

I'd move if I were you flowerchild. Especially since your upscale neighborhood is SO out of control! My children were raised with all the heated pools and spas with their own phones in their rooms, cell phones, cars, and TV's in each of their rooms and they didn't turn out wild or obnoxious. All were honor students and two are national merit students, one will start medical school soon. I don't believe the fact they had nice things helped or hindered them. I believe parenting had the biggest impact...along with the grace of God giving them the ability to do well. Just MY opinion...really!

I am happy your kids are doing so well, but here in Dallas/Plano just about anywhere I'd move it would be the same or worse. We're the "wanna be" town. And it isn't so much the kids behavior (although I find many kids today have no limits or rules or respect for others - I have been told to FO by kids barely school age who crawled over my fence and were in MY back yard - and then told by their Dad "boys will be boys" ) ---- Anyway, I was responding to the comment about the Duggars wasting resources and having a high carbon imprint/impact. My point was/is that the folks in my neighborhood with only 2 kids are much more detrimental to the planet than the Duggars with their 17 kids are. I know in my area there is little or concern for the environment - big cars, many cars, big houses, lots of chemicals, pesticides, gas powered lawn equipment, water wasted et al. Everything is bigger in Texas, including our appetite for oil and levels of air pollution!

One day, in the not too distant future, I am moving to the country - I wanna be 20 (all organic) acres from MY nearest neighbor using hydrothermal, wind and solar power with my own well. Till then I do what I can to keep my imprint as small as possible without sacrificing a pleasant, even luxurious home and life.

And BTW - Good kids are a testament to their parents - all who have polite, successful, talented, well behaved kids should be PROUD - you taught em! They will go far in life and do you proud!

My Opinion

 

[Smurf]

My nephew has 10 kids (we thought they might be done at 8) and his wife who is a year younger than me (34) home schools them. She won the Tx homeschool teacher of the year award and is a spokesperson for that organization. They are involved in their church as well. Between church mission trips and Homeschool sports leagues and activities they stay busy while having fun. My nephew was an only child and he must have been very lonely to want such a big family. I'm sure they get grants or something for teaching them at home and he works in real estate/mortgage. They seem to be a very well-rounded happy family. She always looks nice; with her make up on and seems in a happy mood. When they go over to visit the grandparents (my brother) it messes up the septic system since too many people are flushing LOL.

Is it a little odd-yes; but not against the law or anything so I say 'go for it and good luck' I always say her poor uterus is going to fall out like and old muffler in a car.

 

[Tom'sGirl]

My nephew has 10 kids (we thought they might be done at 8) and his wife who is a year younger than me (34) home schools them. She won the Tx homeschool teacher of the year award and is a spokesperson for that organization. They are involved in their church as well. Between church mission trips and Homeschool sports leagues and activities they stay busy while having fun. My nephew was an only child and he must have been very lonely to want such a big family. I'm sure they get grants or something for teaching them at home and he works in real estate/mortgage. They seem to be a very well-rounded happy family. She always looks nice; with her make up on and seems in a happy mood. When they go over to visit the grandparents (my brother) it messes up the septic system since too many people are flushing LOL.

Is it a little odd-yes; but not against the law or anything so I say 'go for it and good luck'

I always say her poor uterus is going to fall out like and old muffler in a car.

On that funny note, think I'll unsubscribe to this forum

As long a taxpayers don't have to support those who have huge families, ME no really cares how many kids people have, better them, than me

 

[Jack]

It is associated with a religion.

I must have missed something. Are people not allowed to practice their religious beliefs in this country anymore?

I was thinking about this just this morning. Most American families have what 2.5 children? I only had one, so I'm alotting my other 1.5 share to the Duggers.

 

[Marthatex]

I'm just wondering - how in the world would you cover that many children for health insurance? And, are they covered?

Also, what if the husband should die young? Since the wife has no job experience except homemaking, who would support the family? Do they have a great big life insurance policy?

And, even a wealthy man might find it difficult to support that many through college, should they want to go.

Do the children of a family of 19 really have the same opportunities that children from families of 4 or 5 have?

Just wondrin'.

 

[PSUfan]

I must have missed something. Are people not allowed to practice their religious beliefs in this country anymore?

I was thinking about this just this morning. Most American families have what 2.5 children? I only had one, so I'm alotting my other 1.5 share to the Duggers.

So that leaves about 13.5 of their kids not alotted for.... hmmmm... my youngest sister adopted already born children... never had any of her own, so I am sure she would gladly alot her full 2.5 to the Duggers, which would leave them with only 10 kids to account for? And I only had 2 children, so I could bring it down another .5 on their behalf. We are nearly there!!