Pro-life video of the day: New Duggar baby on the way
by LauraLoo
From People:
The famously fertile family of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting have another baby on the way. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s oldest child, Josh, and his wife, Anna, are expecting their third child. They are already parents to daughter Mackynzie, 3, and son Michael, 21 months.
“It is very exciting,” says Josh, 25. “It’s fun for Michael and Mackynzie being so close in age and this baby will be, too. We feel very blessed and happy.”
The video below is a lovely montage of them as a couple, getting married and having their babies:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh_zk7H7GT8[/youtube]What a beautiful family – such cute and precious children! Congratulations again to Josh and Anna!
In other Duggar news, family patriarch and matriarch Jim Bob and Michelle are reportedly considering adoption as a possibility for expanding their family.
Email dailyvid@jillstanek.com with your video suggestions.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
I’m fine with their having a large family.
But I don’t support naming all their kids with the same first initial. Madness! You can only repeat a later once you’ve had your 27th child!
So long as they parent their children and don’t dump their parental responsiblities onto the older siblings then I have no problem with it either.
Come to think of it, those were my children’s ages when I was expecting a third, only my second one was a little younger!
bmmg39–who says Josh and Anna will stick with the ‘M’ name theme?
I do kinda agree with you though. Having too many people with the same first initial could get confusing! But, to each couple their own preference I guess!
Congratulations!
Such a beautiful little family!! :)
They seem like such a loving family. Come on pro choices why aren’t you congratulating them?? Aren’t you guys for choice even when its 21 children . Or would you be more supportive if it was her 21st abortion ?
I feel bad for some of the duggar kids. Wonder how much babysitting the oldest ones have to do. but there are worse fates, I suppose.
Like being chopped into pieces and suctioned out of your mother’s womb before you ever get a chance to know what the word FAMILY means??
Yeah. That would be worse than living long enough to babysit your siblings.
Hi A7x,
Yes there are, like being consigned to being a household drudge and nanny until such time as daddy gets around to finding you a husband.
Hi Carla,
The same argument could be made for child prostitution.
actually it gives them good experience! And I believe some of the Duggar children are volunteer firefighters/paramedics/emts. And I think one wants to train as a midwife. The older girls certainly know more about childbirth than those who think babies magically become babies in the birth canal AT BIRTH!
My only issue is that the girls have to wear skirts ALL THE TIME….I remember the episode when they were volunteering for firefighting or something and they needed to change the protective outfit to a skirt (can’t recall exactly)….seriously,….its OKAY TO WEAR PANTS in that situation!
Congrats to Josh and Anna…I am sure their two little ones are excited about having another baby!
Hi Liz,
Good experience at what? Raising the children mom and dad should be. Maybe JB could use some experience carrying kids, pushing strollers, and babysitting instead of dumping it on his daughters. Apparently this is “women’s work”, not parental responsibilities. So the older girls know where babies come from. How could they not, they’ve been raising them since they could walk.
Tell me when the ones who want to become a nurse and a midwife do. I guarantee you they will never be let off that compound.
Being volunteers is fine but you don’t support yourself or become self sufficient this way.
I wish Josh and Anna the best and as I said if they parent and take responsiblity for their children they can have a hundred for all I care. I hope little Mackynzie doesn’t become a household drudge and nanny.
Mary,
I know exactly how you feel about the Duggar family.
You have made it quite clear.
Surprised to see the day when the Duggars endured more criticism from pro-lifers than the Kardashians.
Sick.
Hi Carla,
I have no issue with the family, just the parents.
Hi Kel,
I don’t think serial reproduction makes you prolife or above criticism. You put your life and business out there for the world to know, expect criticism.
So they live together harmoniously, while each being responsible for the other and everyone helping out.
How dare they?
Hi Courtnay,
Show me JB giving kids baths, carrying the kids around, toting diaper bags, rocking a sick child, organizing and packing children’s clothes for trips, doing the vacuuming and dusting and a couple loads of laundry then we’ll talk about everyone helping out.
Amazingly – and this will be hard for some people to believe in this age of feminism – some women actually prefer that they and their older daughters learn to do those things and leave other tasks and household jobs for the men.
It may be different that what we’re used to, but that doesn’t make it wrong.
Hi Kel,
Parenting and the care of the home isn’t “women’s work”, as we have learned from one of our favorite posters.
JB has as much responsiblity to parent his children as his wife and certainly more than his daughters do. My opinion of this couple will change when on “vacations” and “family trips” JB and Michelle are carrying the kids and pushing strollers, and the sons are recruited to help, while the daughters relax and enjoy themselves.
I think its as important for boys to learn parenting skills as it is for girls.
” Parenting and the care of the home isn’t “women’s work”, as we have learned from one of our favorite posters.”
:D
Mary I agree with you to the extent that I think that the girls get the short end of the stick in that family. It’s not how I raise my kids nor do I agree with it. But the fact remains that the kids are well-fed, not abused, cared for properly (even if you and I don’t agree with some of the ways that they are cared for), and loved. As it stands JB and Michelle have chosen something that we don’t agree with and that’s why we live in a free country.
Though I would be pretty miserable if I spent as little time parenting as JB does. But he’s not me, maybe it works better for them.
Hi Jack,
I certainly respect your input. My issue is that the daughters have no choice and never had and how “happy” anyone is can only be speculation. What you see is a lot of editing a few hours a week.
I will agree it probably works out great for them which probably explains why JB seems in no hurry to allow his daughters, who are grown women, to have much in the way of social interaction with their peers,(ever see these girls just go out with friends not selected by mom and dad?), travel,(without hauling kids), attend college,(there are Christian colleges), or at least select husbands for them. Nice that Josh at least got to pick his wife.
Oh and Jack, I’m glad you recognized yourself! I didn’t think I was exactly subtle. :)
” I will agree it probably works out great for them which probably explains why JB seems in no hurry to allow his daughters, who are grown women, to have much in the way of social interaction with their peers,(ever see these girls just go out with friends not selected by mom and dad?), travel,(without hauling kids), attend college,(there are Christian colleges), or at least select husbands for them. Nice that Josh at least got to pick his wife.”
Well the thing is that the older daughters are adults and now it’s up to them if they are going to allow JB to run their lives. I don’t discount the effect of how they raised, believe me I don’t, but as an adult you have to make a decision if you agree with how your parents raised you and what you are going to do about it. If the girls want to get out, they have to make that decision. The Duggars are pretty controversial (the whole Quiverfull movement is, actually) and they would have plenty of resources.
It does concern me I see things similar to cults in that movement, And I do find it very disturbing that these girls seem to be on a leash. I wouldn’t want to be a female in that family. But still, I don’t agree with how a lot of people raise their children, and unless there is genuine abuse or neglect going on it’s really no one’s right to tell them that they have to change.
” Oh and Jack, I’m glad you recognized yourself! I didn’t think I was exactly subtle. :)”
Lol I am flattered I am one of your favorites. :) Feeling is mutual.
I guess Mary has watched every episode.
You can tell by the way that Michael is snuggled on Josh’s lap in the picture that Josh must be a horribly distant and uninvolved father.
I haven’t watched many episodes but I distinctly remember when JB and his sons were building their home. Watching him patiently involve even the young ones in the process I couldn’t help but think why the heck isn’t he getting involved in parenting! Doesn’t he know that passing on life skills has nothing to do with parenting! It’s all about diapers and laundry for goodness sake!
Hi Jack,
Good points. They are adults and the decision is ultimately theirs. I think its the cultlike factors you mention, I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees it, that keeps these girls in line. They know no different and good, bad, or indifferent, their family is their family. What happens if they walk away? The alternative, likely rejection and isolation, isn’t much better, especially in a world they aren’t prepared to live in.
It saddens me to hear of their dreams, one was to be a nurse. It shows that they pull on the leash anyway, but it gets snapped back.
I’m equally flattered that the feeling is mutual! :)
Maybe some of the daughters wanted to help build. That’s my problem with it.
I’ll save my pity for families with an only child. The Duggars seem perfectly happy to me.
Lrning,
I wasn’t talking about Josh. If you read my posts you will recall I wished them well and even pointed out I had my children that close together. I stressed that so long as they parent their children, they can have a hundred for all I care.
Yes I saw the episodes of the homebuilding, until they finally had to call in professionals. I wonder if OSHA would have had a stroke over those children being on a building site, you know power tools, electrical wires, etc. Right up there with JB having the kids put on hazmet suits to clean up the some rental property. Hopefully there were no rabid rodents, snakes, or other feral animals in the house or any dangerous items. Ever watch Call of the Wildman? Amazing what can turn up in a house. Maybe that’s why you call the professionals.
” I haven’t watched many episodes but I distinctly remember when JB and his sons were building their home. Watching him patiently involve even the young ones in the process I couldn’t help but think why the heck isn’t he getting involved in parenting! Doesn’t he know that passing on life skills has nothing to do with parenting! It’s all about diapers and laundry for goodness sake!”
It’s more that he seems to neglect teaching/spending time with the girls in favor of the sons, in my opinion. And what X pointed out, he might have a budding female builder in the family. I personally don’t think it’s fair that the girls don’t even get the chance to even try these things, just like I don’t think it’s fair that the boys don’t get the chance to be more nurturing/parenting types.
Both my kids “help” me fix stuff with the car or apartment (help as in drop wrenches on my foot and lose my lug nuts and stuff lol), and they help me cook and clean (as in get flour all over the kitchen :D). I don’t see a reason one shouldn’t get the chance to learn either of those things. But that’s me, they don’t have to have their family that way. I still think it’s wrong though.
Hi X,
Good point. I did see some of the girls on the site though. Their long hair and skirts around that machinery made me cringe. My husband has a shop full of those power tools and I know what could happen if a head full of hair is caught in them.
” Good points. They are adults and the decision is ultimately theirs. I think its the cultlike factors you mention, I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees it, that keeps these girls in line. They know no different and good, bad, or indifferent, their family is their family. What happens if they walk away? The alternative, likely rejection and isolation, isn’t much better, especially in a world they aren’t prepared to live in.”
Well, I see them the same way as I see the Amish (which is a cult, you can’t even argue with that one). I don’t agree with the lifestyle, I think that it’s extremely limiting and I strongly, strongly disagree with the shunning/excommunication aspect. But I’m not going to prevent them from living that lifestyle just because I have an issue. And even if the consequences are dire people still have to make their own choices. The consequences of me running off from home when I was a teenager were pretty dire, I still did it because the alternative was intolerable. If the Duggar girls find their circumstances intolerable there will be people to help them.
I do think it’s *hilarious* that people who have no problems saying how wrong they think certain lifestyles are get so upset when people criticize a lifestyle that they personally agree with. Now that’s funny.
Mary, Call of the Wildman is my son’s favorite non-animated show. I think it’s hilarious.
Hi Jack,
I hope the little ones don’t hear you say naughty words when the wrenches hit your foot!
I remember my husband cursing up a storm in the basement shop, just as the Jehovah Witnesses came to the door!
Hi Jack,
Don’t the Amish young people have the option to leave for a while? Its then their choice to rejoin the community or stay on the “outside”. If they choose to stay and adhere to the strict rules, so be it, but at least they have that choice.
Hi Jack,
Another favorite of mine is the one down by you. Swamp Wars. The Miami Dade paramedics that wrangle snakes, lizards, etc. They just love those disgusting reptiles!
From what I know from an ex-Amish buddy (and this might not hold true for all Amish communities, they have a small period of time in their late teens when they are allowed to try out the outside world. My friend says that the social pressure to not actually do this is intense, and the guilt instilled from years of being taught all that is sinful is extremely difficult to disregard enough to actually get any experience. They take their vows usually around eighteen or a little later, and if they break their vows they can be ostracized and shunned from the community.
Well it might be hilarious, Jack, but some of us actually do believe that not all life choices are as valid as others.
Pretty sure you have standards, too… You just draw the line someplace else.
And by the way, I don’t personally choose to live as the Duggars do, but I just happen to think that large families get treated unfairly in modern society just because we are no longer familiar with that way of life since the advent of birth control.
This talk about the Amish reminds me of a former friend who has joined some sort of Mennonite community. Well, not joined, really, but goes to their church fairly often.
She used to let her kids be fairly normal but now she refuses to let her daughter play any kind of sport or do anything outside the home because “that’s not a girl’s job.” The kicker is that she believes the rest of us are sinning for allowing our daughter to dress in pants and be involved in extracurricular activities.
I would say her behavior has become cult like. They, however, are a small family.
Oh heck yeah. Nothing gets me *so upset* as when people don’t approve of the Duggars. Pfft.
Hi Kel,
The issue isn’t large families. I lived in a neighborhood full of large families, and was related to a few. The difference was they didn’t have parental responsiblities dumped on them. They interacted and socialized with children in the neighborhood and school. They attended public and parochial schools. They helped out at home, which is fine. So did my small family. My sister even liked helping out with me as a baby and toddler…to a point. Then I got older and became a “little brat”. Over the years her opinion of me hasn’t changed very much! :)
“Well it might be hilarious, Jack, but some of us actually do believe that not all life choices are as valid as others.
Pretty sure you have standards, too… You just draw the line someplace else.”
Of course I have standards (probably they are more lax than most of you guys, but I have them). I just think it’s funny that people get offended over people having opinions on the Duggars’ lives. I’m not meaning you guys on this blog, people IRL who will spend hours telling me how wrong families headed by gay people are will tell me it’s none of my business how Quiverfull people head their families. It’s just amusing to me. Either everyone can have an opinion on what family structure works best or no one can.
“And by the way, I don’t personally choose to live as the Duggars do, but I just happen to think that large families get treated unfairly in modern society just because we are no longer familiar with that way of life since the advent of birth control.”
But Mary, and me, and X, and a lot of other people sincerely don’t care about their family size. Seriously, they could have fifty kids and that doesn’t matter to me. My concerns revolve around the gender roles their kids are trained into, I don’t think it’s particularly healthy or fair. They and you don’t have to agree with me, but the problem isn’t their amount of children. I would have the same concerns if they had the same amount of kids that I do.
I do agree that big families get a bad rap unfairly, though. If I see people being unfair about family size I do call them out on it. My family had a lot of issues, but the amount of kids my parents had wasn’t the problem, and I find it annoying when people try to blame my parents being psychos on the fact they had a lot of kids.
“She used to let her kids be fairly normal but now she refuses to let her daughter play any kind of sport or do anything outside the home because “that’s not a girl’s job.” The kicker is that she believes the rest of us are sinning for allowing our daughter to dress in pants and be involved in extracurricular activities.
I would say her behavior has become cult like. They, however, are a small family.”
Yup some of the biggest hallmarks of cult-like behavior is isolation and rigid rules. That’s part of what I see in the Duggar family. It’s concerning to me, even if no one agrees with me. If you can’t really leave without significant social censure it’s not a free choice made.
The Duggars are a cult now?
Good grief.
Cult doesn’t mean “damaging and evil organization”. It’s just a set of criteria for a type of controlling ideology or group. The Quiverfull movement and families like the Duggars meet some of the “warning” signs for cult-like beliefs. It doesn’t mean they are evil or deliberately damaging, though cults can easily end up that way. Most Amish communities are cult-like or just flat-out cults and plenty of people are happy and healthy in them.
And really, I’m not biased against them because I don’t agree with them, I’m not saying that they have some cult-like beliefs because I don’t like their beliefs. I don’t use that term as an epithet. A lot of groups that have values I identify with strongly have off-shoots that are cults or similar to cults. The animal rights and environmental groups are famous for this. PETA has some markings of a cult-like organization, the Animal Liberation Front is definitely a flat-out, grade A, typical crazy cult.
Hunh.
I think that is a bunch of crap.
I will save my disdain for families that beat their kids, neglect their kids and truly endanger their little lives.
Perhaps if I haven’t seen so much joy in their home I might buy what you are selling.
And yes this family gets more disparaging comments than I can stomach sometimes.
Agreeing to totally disagree with you Jack and Mary.
At least both of you and Amanda Marcotte agree on something.
I’m not disparaging them, I actually think they are nice people, as little as I know about them and as little as I agree with them. You can criticize someone’s behavior without hating them or disparaging them.
But you’re right, some of the worst comments I have ever seen have been directed at them. I saw people telling them they deserved to have Jubilee die, that JB deserves to go to prison and be raped because he’s controlling of his wife, and that Michelle deserves to die of pregnancy-related complications. There’s a lot of disgusting rhetoric towards them.
Low blow comparing us to Amanda Marcotte!
“At least both of you and Amanda Marcotte agree on something.”
Ouch!
It’s not even a fair comparison. Amanda Marcotte is “anti-Duggar” because she thinks big families are damaging, and I’m pretty sure she looks down on housewives and homemakers as a rule. Mary and I aren’t doing that, at all.
I have watched them since they were 17 and Counting……
I love them. My kids love them. I think they are amazing and it pains me every time I read such hateful things that are said about them. It is nauseating. Truly.
And you have the facts to back up all of these assertions???
Until I hear otherwise I choose to think the best of them.
Come on Carla,
We discussed cult like behavior and what we think it is. You take this as a personal insult. Instead look at the facts:
You have to admit every aspect of the children’s lives are isolated and rigidly controlled. Do you see these children attend friends’ birthday parties, go to friends’ homes or have friends over? You see the children socialize only with families their parents designate and when they designate. Compare this with your own children and their social interactions. These kids live, are educated, and churched under one roof. Do you see them expand their social horizons in any way? Everything, family trips, vacations, shopping trips, is done “together”.
The Duggar “girls” are grown women. Do you ever see them go out with friends their own ages? Have they ever? I mean just for a movie and a burger, not all nite parties or anything. Why can’t these young women attend Christian colleges? Why can’t they travel? Why does going anywhere and doing anything still require parental permission or parental presence? I think they are a tad old to have daddy stop them from talking to young men. Their lives are confined to “women’s work”…child care and housework…and waiting for daddy to provide them with a suitable husband.
Are the children educated and prepared to live in the world or is their world the confines of their estate? Also, the children take computer college courses. Nothing wrong with that of course but you have to wonder, is it to keep them on the compound and under mom and dad’s control? There are student loans, scholarships, community college. Low income students attend all the time with financial aid or parttime jobs. The Duggar kids certainly could too. But then they might be exposed to people and ideas.
Jack is right, we are not critical of large families. I grew up where and when large families were an every day occurence. If anything, I was jealous!
Also I have found the comments Jack mentions in his 8:42pm post as despicable as we all do.
Unfortunately, anyone in the public eye will be subjected to this kind of abuse. Look how viciously Jill has been attacked at times.
Also Carla, how many times have you been shocked to discover the “perfect” couple is divorcing? That a situation turned out not to be what you “knew” it was? Happens all the time. Please remember that what you “see” in anyone’s life is what they want you to see. You “know” about their lives what they want you to. That goes for any and all of us.
I’m not sure why you’re so angry with me, I’m not saying they’re bad people or insulting them. I just think that their ideology is similar with cult-like control. I’m sorry I make you mad. It’s just an opinion of mine.
There’s a book by Robert Jay Lifton that has eight ways to classify a controlling or cult-like ideology, the main one I can think of off the top of my head is Milieu Control, which is controlling the environment around members of the group to ensure that they are immersed in it and do not hear dissenting opinions. The Duggars live out in the boonies, the children don’t have friends that aren’t approved of by their father, they are exclusively homeschooled, and they don’t seem to have any alone time. Another aspect of cults is controlling the dress or other mannerism of members to the extent that it’s impractical or even dangerous, those girls wear those dresses even when it would be much more comfortable and practical to wear pants.
Cults also rely on putting their beliefs above question. Now, a lot of people think all religion does this, but that’s not true, plenty of Christian churches and other religions allow dissent and debate and differing opinions. The Duggars seem to have “thought terminating cliches”, which are terms of speech designed to stop yourself from questioning the ideology. That J.O.Y mantra is a good example. In the cult I was raised in we were supposed to recite Romans 9:13 if we had any thoughts that weren’t good to remind us that God would hate us if we thought like that.
I don’t think they are a full-blown cult, and of course I just see them on TV so I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. But I’ve seen enough to make me a bit wary of their ideology.
“You can criticize someone’s behavior without hating them or disparaging them.”
This cannot be emphasized enough! I like the Duggars too, and I disagree with Jack’s opinion, but I think his criticisms have been a fair explanation of how he views certain behavior.
Anyway I’m sorry Carla I didn’t mean to say anything wrong or upset you.
I really do want it to be clear that I don’t think that most people in cults or cult-like environments are bad or evil at all. Many of the people in my parents’ cult (which is way, way worse than anything going on with the Duggars) are decent human beings who got caught up in a controlling ideology and haven’t gotten out. Shoot, my ex’s parents are great people and they belonged to it for a couple decades, they didn’t leave until I ran off and they realized to their horror the damage their ideology was causing people. They left really soon after that, and they were never bad people in the first place, even though my FIL and I don’t get along he isn’t a bad guy. And my MIL is one the nicest people in the world and one of the very few i trust. Really Carla, I don’t think that the Duggars are bad people and I’m not trying to insult and disparage them. I’m sorry and ill stop commenting on this thread.
Hi Carla,
Like Jack, I did not mean to offend you. Certainly nothing we say is meant as a personal insult. I only ask that you take into consideration what we have said. I think we have raised some valid points. While I have my issues with the Duggar parents, I have none with the children and I do not view any of them as bad people.
To me, they’re closer to the Waltons than a cult. Maybe the show is keeping the older girls at home a bit longer. I haven’t seen the last few seasons, but wait a while.
Maybe the producers are just following them as a family. Do we know they don’t visit friends?
It does seem unfair that the daughters have to wear skirts all the time and have to do “womanly duties” and stay at home. I find it incredibly sad that on the website, under the “What I want to be when I grow up”, all of the girls say something like have children, be a mommy etc. I’m not saying that that is a bad goal, but girls should be allowed to pursue anything they want. sure the kids are well fed, but there are other forms of subtler abuse. And I do wish they’d let them go to college…doesn’t seem right that the kids are on such a tight leash, esp the girls.
Mary,
You have spoken like this for years whenever the Duggars are mentioned. And I have to wonder where I can find the facts that you seem to have found and when can you share them?
Your issues with Jim Bob Duggar go beyond just disagreeing. I read contempt.
Personally? I had four children under the age of eight once. I thought I might lose my mind. I loved watching Michelle. I loved hearing her advice and I realized that perhaps I could do it!! She has miscarried and also lost Jubilee. I share the grief of child loss. And as fellow believers they are my brothers and sisters.
Until I read all of the allegations you seem to have I will continue to think they are amazing.
And I am not “mad.” Or “offended.” I happen to admire them. And choose to say so.
That da$#@d patriarchy! Takes the fun out of everything!
Hi Hans,
No the show isn’t doing anything. Daddy Duggar is keeping them home until he gets around to finding them husbands. I doubt he’s in any hurry to lose the household help. Lucky Josh, he at least got to pick his spouse.
Think about it Hans, when have you seen these children interact with other children that weren’t designated by their parents? By any standard their lives are very rigidly controlled.
Well, they’re the “anti-Kardashians”, which is not such a bad thing in my book.
As someone who had her social life rather limited as a teen and replaced with helping to rear children, I definitely understand Mary’s point and sympathize with the older Duggar girls. But at least when I was a kid, Dad treated us all pretty much the same. That’s an advantage I had that these kids don’t. :(
Think about it, have you seen the girls shower or use the toilet? Daddy doesn’t even allow them to do that!
Reality check: They film the show 3 days a week for a few hours each day. The majority of the Duggar’s living is done off screen.
Hi Carla,
The truth is I used to strongly defend them. Over the years I have observed various things that have been red flags and the more I see the less I like.
I have stated time and again on previous threads and posts what my concerns are.
The following situation especially enraged me. Their lack of judgment in leaving a child like Josie in the care of an older sibling while they skipped the country is beyond appalling.
http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/06/josie-duggar-rushed-hospital-ambulance-jim-bob-michelle-19-kids-counting-video/
Sure didn’t take them long to dump Josie on an older sibling, did it? Somehow Carla I’m convinced the hounds of hell couldn’t keep you from one of your children in a situation like this. I don’t picture you snivelling about how “helpless” you feel. I also don’t see you leaving a child with such an extensive medical history while you skip the country either.
Contempt for JB? Absolutely. I have contempt for any man who can’t wait to fertilize a wife who nearly died in a previous pregnancy and sits there smiling like an idiot when he succeeds, oblivious or indifferent to the danger his wife and expected child are in, or that his children may be left motherless. I have contempt for a “Christian” man who relegates his daughters to being second class citizens and household drudges. Or who “jokes” on national TV about the fun he is having trying to make another baby, especially in front of his children. Gag. Sorry Carla but this is how I see it. The man makes my skin crawl.
I can empathize about several children at once. As I said mine were spaced slightly closer than Josh and Anna’s! The main difference Carla is that you and I didn’t dump our children on older siblings as soon as they could walk. We took care of our children.
Who’s caring for and chasing the kids while Michelle chirps like a songbird on the joys of motherhood and offers her sage advice?
My heart goes out to you both on your losses.
My allegations are observations of certain behaviors that I find troubling to say the least. If you can show that my observations are incorrect, fine. I only ask that you consider what Jack and I have discussed and pointed out as our concerns.
If you admire them, so be it.
Lrning 5:04PM
I do recall the children’s shower and bathroom times were severely limited before they had that palatial home built for them.
Hi Hans,
The Kardashians are what happens when you put white trash and millions of dollars under one roof.
Yeah seriously, I’m just not seeing the “one big happy family” vibe. It’s there on the surface, but look a little deeper, and you see that there is something not quite right going on behind the scenes. Sure, they have a lot of money, but what’s money when you can’t even go out with your friends at night? What’s money when you can’t even go to school with kids your own age and are stuck at home with your family all day long? And loving or not, I still think that all the love in the world, all the $ can’t substitute for freedom.
Mary,
You are no where near as fair as Jack. In fact I clicked on the comments yesterday b/c I saw how many there were and couldn’t remember who was always foaming at the mouth over the Duggars. You clearly have personal contempt for them as people.
“Contempt for JB? Absolutely. I have contempt for any man who can’t wait to fertilize a wife who nearly died in a previous pregnancy and sits there smiling like an idiot when he succeeds, oblivious or indifferent to the danger his wife and expected child are in, or that his children may be left motherless.”
Nevermind that he and his wife have made this decision together. That many people, like them, believe in trusting God with such decisions. That many women with more severe medical isssues still get pregnant. You may not agree with it and that’s fine and fair, but you go way beyond that by attributing the most evil motivations you can think of (a desire to enslave his wife and daughters and indifference to his wife’s health) – and frankly you have zero evidence of that. Whether you believe it’s the right choice, I don’t think you have any basis to think that this family is not acting in the way that they believe is right and best.
Hi CT,
I have contempt for JB and have clearly stated why. I have little in the way of respect for Michelle and that video I posted helps explain why. They displayed an appalling lack of judgment and total indifference to this child. Sure didn’t take them long to dump her on an older sibling did it CT? BTW, where was the rest of the devoted family during this crisis? Why was Jill alone?
CT, there are people who handle rattlesnakes believing it is divinely ordained. Do you consider them to be exercising good judgment because they claim a religious basis for what they are doing?
BTW I see JB has some weight issues. Maybe he’d lose some of that lard if he started chasing after and caring for all those kids he produces instead of dumping them on his daughters. You notice they don’t have any weight problems.
“BTW I see JB has some weight issues. Maybe he’d lose some of that lard if he started chasing after and caring for all those kids he produces instead of dumping them on his daughters. You notice they don’t have any weight problems.”
Pretty much makes my point. There’s a difference between thinking people are using bad judgement and attributing bad motivations to the person making the judgement. The first is a debatable point. The latter is just uncharitable speculative gossip. But you run with it like you have some sort of knowledge about it. You clearly don’t see the difference between what you write and what others have written, so carry on.
The only good thing I have to say about the Duggars is that they are remarkably better parents than most of the other parents in shows on TLC (why is it called the learning channel anyways?!) such as Toddlers and Tiaras and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. :p
and when you have a reality show, you basically invite gossip. Isn’t that the point of being on TV, so people can talk about you, good or bad?
Hi CT,
Those are my observations and opinions, you can draw whatever conclusions you want.
If you can disprove anything I have said, I’m willing to listen.
In fact there was a show, or brief part of one, where JB is whining about his weight and of course the dutiful daughters are trying to help daddy with his diet. I just suggested what would probably help him even more. Apparently “having fun” trying to make babies, his words not mine, spoken in front of his children and millions of people, isn’t helping his waistline.
Hi A7x
I think the parents on all these shows just run on a spectrum, they all leave much to be desired. I don’t really know who is worse or better.
I don’t know if they invite gossip or just observations into what and who they really are.
It’s not reasonable to assume you know what someone does for 167 hours each week based on what you see them do for one hour.
Mary,
yeah, I suppose you’re right. It’s hard to say which is worse: putting makeup on a four year old and plucking her eyebrows for pageant competition, or the Duggars. both are pretty bad. I have to admit that these shows are amusing, but I feel guilty for being amused.
I think the beauty pageants for children are clear cut child abuse. The Duggars are not abusing their children, it’s quite a different matter.
I don’t know, there are kids that truly seem like they want to do the pageants. Personally, I would be inclined to agree with you though. No little girl should feel like her worth rides on her ability to look pretty.
It doesn’t matter whether the kids want it or not. Kids accept and “want” all sorts of abusive situations, it doesn’t meant they aren’t abusive. Sexualizing little girls is always going to be child abuse in my book though, no matter if the little girls think it’s fun.
I know. it’s creepy. I always wonder how they keep pedophiles from going to that sort of thing. There are different types of pageants though, not just the weird glitz ones.