The Duggar Family: 18 Kids & Counting

[txsvicki]

That 'cult' of long hair and dresses would be a religious expression...such as wearing yahlmukes or dreadlocks or a headdressing,etc etc.....
come on, sensitivity people, I am so surpirsed, coming from a board that is so compassionate.
Okay bash me, but I think this is incredible and to be respected. Do I think we all should do it- NO WAY- first of all we all could not do it, it takes VERY special people to be so loving. Secondly, they can obviusoly afford it and she is homeschooling her kids so its not even a burden on your taxes for education. Thirdly and finally, I have seen MANY MANY children grow up in unusual settings and be loving productive adults. How come different is always ridiculed....:waitasec:

I'm suprised that it wasn't mentioned on the program or website just what religion these people belong to. Not that it matters I suppose but they arent' your run of the mill Methodists. They are sort of dressed like many people I see around my town, Mennonites. They are always shopping at Walmart but don't have alot of children with them and I believe many of the kids attend public school. I would just die if I had to take care of that many kids and homeschool them.

 

[sondrad]

Yes, this an interesting topic. I guess much depends on what type of hovering one does and what tools you arm them with whilst hovering.
While I would never solve my kids problems for them, they knew I was available for each and everyone of them to come up with solutions.
Even when they were in grade school, I would see the paper they worked on all night, forgotten on the kitchen table, as they walked out the door for school.But they knew better than to call me and ask me to bring it to the school,when they realized they had forgotten it, because I would never do it. Part of the assignment was to do the work and turn it in. What I taught them was to be independent and do for themselves. As they all went off to college, they took care of their own business.

:blowkiss: Jbean = my hero :blushing:

I wish I had done those things. DON'T get me wrong, my kids are great kids, and they ARE kids, not adults, so there is room for much failure. And I know the brain isnt fully grown, especially the judgement region.
But, yeah, pretty much, hovering didnt work too well for us. Other than giving my kids a regal childhood. They're not spoilt by any means.....quite the opposite: compassionate, spiritual, bonded, witty and very friendly. But they are adjusting now to things they should have learned and experienced in their childhood.

thanks for sharing Jbean !

 

[deanws]

Thats a lot of diapers & breastfeeding! Good luck putting them all thorought college

That is exactly what I said. No one can afford to put that many through college. Too many children.....no way to spend quality time with that many children. Such a shame.

 

[deanws]

I noticed that too----- -- I read they are just about to move into the new house they have been building for 2 years- 7,000 square feet- yes i said 7 thousand square feet- not a typo-! 9 bathrooms and the article stated dormitory type bedrooms for the boys and girls.....commercial type kitchen, and 4 washers and dryers..apparently "dad" who was in politics, has done pretty well for himself in the real estate business..........sounds like they are growing their own commune...:crazy: :doh:

That is not big at all. We had 5 children and we had a 5,200 square foot house with two laundry rooms and six bedrooms with 5 bathrooms, and a half bath for guests. And we were still POURDED into that house. With a house that small with that number of kids....it ought to be against the law. And yes, even with all my children getting scholarships( for brains, NOT financial aid) it still has been tough getting them through college. We still have three in college. No one can give that many kids attention. Children deserve a life. These kids are nothing but free slave baby sitters. Shame.

 

[Sassygerl]

That is exactly what I said. No one can afford to put that many through college. Too many children.....no way to spend quality time with that many children. Such a shame.

I agree. Plus, with the children ranging in vast ages I can't imagine home schooling such a group! That is a whole class, of many different ages...how can one mother keep up??? I'm not one for home schooling...JMO....if anything that is definitely "hovering" not to mention I worry about the children's social skills. I realize they belong to other groups and get together, but they aren't exposed to what those who are in school are, which IMO leads to some wild spirits when they do leave home for college or to live on their own.

I don't believe in having children to raise other children. You can't tell me these older kids don't have to babysit or help the younger ones often, or all the time. Even with my three I try and make sure my older boys don't have to take care of my younger one. It's not their responsibility...it's mine and my husbands! Although, they don't mind babysitting for some extra $$$. JMO, of course

 

[Sassygerl]

That is not big at all. We had 5 children and we had a 5,200 square foot house with two laundry rooms and six bedrooms with 5 bathrooms, and a half bath for guests. And we were still POURDED into that house. With a house that small with that number of kids....it ought to be against the law. And yes, even with all my children getting scholarships( for brains, NOT financial aid) it still has been tough getting them through college. We still have three in college. No one can give that many kids attention. Children deserve a life. These kids are nothing but free slave baby sitters. Shame.

I agree, 7,000 sq. ft. for 18 people is very, very tight quarters!!!!! I wouldn't want to live there!

 

[nanandjim]

I once dated a guy who was 13th out of 26 kids. His mom had 13 with his father, then married her daughter's ex husband and had 13 more.

Isn't this hard on a woman's body?? I had one child and have never been the same since...

 

[Cypros]

I just saw a report on TV that said that ALL of the children have names starting with "J". That's not cute. That is insane!

 

[Sassygerl]

I just saw a report on TV that said that ALL of the children have names starting with "J". That's not cute. That is insane!

Yep...I can't imagine they get the names right often!

Their children include two sets of twins, and each child has a name beginning with the letter "J": Joshua, 17; John David, 15; Janna, 15; Jill, 14; Jessa, 12; Jinger, 11; Joseph, 10; Josiah, 9; Joy-Anna, 8; Jeremiah, 6; Jedidiah, 6; Jason, 5; James, 4; Justin, 2; Jackson Levi, 1; and now Johannah.

 

[indigomood]

Yep...I can't imagine they get the names right often!

Their children include two sets of twins, and each child has a name beginning with the letter "J": Joshua, 17; John David, 15; Janna, 15; Jill, 14; Jessa, 12; Jinger, 11; Joseph, 10; Josiah, 9; Joy-Anna, 8; Jeremiah, 6; Jedidiah, 6; Jason, 5; James, 4; Justin, 2; Jackson Levi, 1; and now Johannah.

Jinger?? :bang:

referring to my old 'baby names book', there were plenty of other J names they could have chosen...

 

[Cypros]

Yep...I can't imagine they get the names right often!

Their children include two sets of twins, and each child has a name beginning with the letter "J": Joshua, 17; John David, 15; Janna, 15; Jill, 14; Jessa, 12; Jinger, 11; Joseph, 10; Josiah, 9; Joy-Anna, 8; Jeremiah, 6; Jedidiah, 6; Jason, 5; James, 4; Justin, 2; Jackson Levi, 1; and now Johannah.

Ok. I want to know how one distinguishes the difference between Joy-Anna and Johanna when called. Janna will probably come running as well.

P.S. The next child should be named Jumpin' Jehovah!

 

[Jules]

They probably just holler "Jay" and they all come running.

 

[JBean]

I wish I had done those things. DON'T get me wrong, my kids are great kids, and they ARE kids, not adults, so there is room for much failure. And I know the brain isnt fully grown, especially the judgement region.!

You are very sweet.
I'm sure your kids are great. They stll have plenty of time to learn. Mine still have plenty to figure out.
The hardest thing I had to do as a parent was to let them fail. There is a lot to be learned every time they fall flat on their face,as long as we let them get up off the ground and figure out where they tripped.They'll make the adjustment next time if they really feel it.
You're a good sport and I'm sure you passed that along too! Good luck to your college baby! :blowkiss:

 

[Floh]

The parents are surely poster stars of groups such as Quiverful.com! :truce:

http://www.quiverfull.com/index.php

Quiverfull Response Letter

We have been told that many children in one family is a great financial burden and it is unfair to the other children within the family to have a large family. We believe that this is very untrue. We have already established that children are a gift from God. Why would He bless us with something that was too great a burden for us to handle?

http://www.quiverfull.com/articles.php/id11/

but i feel they can not give appropriate attention to so many children, IMO.

 

[dolceaura]

I saw this family not to long ago on tv and I agree. The older children do seem to be baring the brunt of the duties in the home...although they seem happy, they did have cameras in their face and they are all homeschooled and even have church services in their home so probably not a lot of contact with the outside world to even know their life could be better.....

 

[indigomood]

Jinger bells, Jinger bells, Jinger all the way... :dance:

 

[Lesleegp]

These folks were on the Today show this morning. Anyone else see it?

 

[jannuncutt]

These folks were on the Today show this morning. Anyone else see it?

I saw them and I think that they are very strange. Of course, I am not certain, but I think that some of the older children might be embarrassed by their parents. I wouldn't want the whole world to listen to my mother talking about how all of their clothes are bought from thrift shops, etc. Also, if these parents have a problem with letting their children watch television why do they have them on tv?

 

[deanws]

I saw them and I think that they are very strange. Of course, I am not certain, but I think that some of the older children might be embarrassed by their parents. I wouldn't want the whole world to listen to my mother talking about how all of their clothes are bought from thrift shops, etc. Also, if these parents have a problem with letting their children watch television why do they have them on tv?

:waitasec: Good question!:waitasec:

 

[englishleigh]

I am Catholic and attend a large Catholic church, and there are NO families like this in our church, and Catholics are notorious for the "no birth control" thing...the biggest family in our church has 6 kids and one on the way, and that mother is an acquaintance who told me, they are done after this one. The associate priest is a good friend of mine and we were talking about this family the other day and he said he has never seen a family this large in his life...it's irresponsible. Sure, God wants us to be fruitful and multiply, but He also wants us to know when it comes to the point where the children are not taken care of properly, and stop.... and I don't just mean money-wise...I am totally in agreement with the people here who have said these kids aren't possibly getting the attention they all need, and the older ones are losing precious childhood moments by having to help "parent" their younger siblings. It's not fair.

And I'm not even going to comment on this family's appearance in dress and hairstyles..... :silenced: