17 Kids and Counting!! (HBO, parents, pregnant, Nevada)
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I agree we are entitled to our own opinion and reading back over my post, I realize the general mood behind it is one of annoyance. I don't want to misrepresent myself however so to clarify, I don't have any hard feelings towards Michelle or Jim Bob and I don't wish to 'bash' them in any way. I am more fascinated than anything else by Michelle's sheer physical capacity and the order with which they run their home. My frustration comes from their publicizing themselves and profitting from the fact that they choose to have so many children and also the fact that they use their celebrity to propogate their religious beliefs so fervently.
I have never claimed that they are abusing their children at all or that my posting this thread means that I'm more concerned with their procreation than the terrible things that go on in the world. Just because we are discussing this show and the Duggar family, doesnt mean we give it top priority or anything.
Wow, unbelievable. I saw this on the news last week and actually considered starting a thread about it myself (yours is much better than mine would have been, i was laughing through the whole thing)
agreed alicen. Just because you talk about something doesn't mean it is all consuming or top priority.
I was poking around on their website.
The Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Family | Official Website (http://www.duggarfamily.com/index.html - broken link)
It is just crazy to me. Yes, they believe that God gives them the kids, fine, they don't believe in birth control, fine. But what the hell, is the rhythm method off limits for them too? How the hell does this woman have the energy for sex in the first place? With 18 kids I'd be on lock-down!!!
I also read on their website that they have a lady who has been coming to the house for 12 years helping out with the laundry. Come on, you are going to keep having kids to the point where you need someone to come over twice a week to keep up with the laundry?
It's just too many kids. What is their opinion on having as many kids as God allows if everyone was doing it? I mean, come on, everyone having 10 or even 15+ kids would rapidly lead to overpopulation, esp. at American standards of living.
It's crazy. I don't know how these kids can be getting a proper education? I mean homeschooling a couple kids would be hard enough, but what about 10+. How are they learning algebra, chemistry, biology, etc? I'd like to see test scores on these kids......
It is just amazing, the whole story, really. I have never watched the show but I am going to tivo it so i can take a look. Without seeing it, I cannot imagine how they function. Very soon the married kid will start having his own kids, while his parents are still at it.
I don't get it, they both still look so young too, I look more of a wreck than this lady and I've only got two little rascals running me ragged. How do they look so young with 17 kids? It's mind boggling!!!!!!!!!!
I mean the whole thing is wow, just wow!
They definitely are capitalizing on the gang of kids they have, which is just allowing and encouraging them to have more and more. What the hell is going to happen when the kids are all married and having kids. If each of their 17 kids has, let's say 8 kids on average, that's omg 136 grandchildren!! what the hell are they going to do on holidays?
They definitely are capitalizing on the gang of kids they have, which is just allowing and encouraging them to have more and more. What the hell is going to happen when the kids are all married and having kids. If each of their 17 kids has, let's say 8 kids on average, that's omg 136 grandchildren!! what the hell are they going to do on holidays?
I wonder what the world record is for extended family...1st and 2nd generation. Anybody know?
If you look at family trees from the 1800s, people used to have tons of kids, probably b/c they needed all the help they could get on the family farm and b/c some would die from childhood disease, accidents. This is not surprising for a traditional rural family and I think its quite inspirational. The family survives and thrives b/c the older kids help w/ the younger, etc. If it was just the mom doing all the work, yeah, she would have a nervous breakdown in a New York minute. For those of you who complain about "overpopulation", not everyone lives in an overpriced tiny condo in a big, crowded city and is therefore limited to having small families. Take a drive out of your congested environs to the true countryside and see that there is still plenty of room out there.
If you look at family trees from the 1800s, people used to have tons of kids, probably b/c they needed all the help they could get on the family farm and b/c some would die from childhood disease, accidents. This is not surprising for a traditional rural family and I think its quite inspirational. The family survives and thrives b/c the older kids help w/ the younger, etc. If it was just the mom doing all the work, yeah, she would have a nervous breakdown in a New York minute. For those of you who complain about "overpopulation", not everyone lives in an overpriced tiny condo in a big, crowded city and is therefore limited to having small families. Take a drive out of your congested environs to the true countryside and see that there is still plenty of room out there.
I live in rural Tennessee on 20 acres. I don't view it automatic permission to people the whole of Smith County w/ my offspring. Crowds don't limit my child-bearing decisions, finances and responsiblity do.
I have never claimed that they are abusing their children at all or that my posting this thread means that I'm more concerned with their procreation than the terrible things that go on in the world. Just because we are discussing this show and the Duggar family, doesnt mean we give it top priority or anything.
I certainly don't think you or people in general do give them top priority although I guess there is some website out there that is devoted to bashing them. My point is that there are people out there who should definitely not be having kids but do and that I think there is nothing wrong with the Duggars having their large family. People bring up the overpopulation thing so many times when discussing this family and personally I think let them have as many kids as they want as I don't believe they are a drag on society. They shop at thrift stores, budget, make a lot of their own clothes, etc. I think we could all stand to learn something from them - but certainly not all of us having that many children. I'm more concerned with the people who shouldn't have children being a drag on society and overpopulation.
Perhaps to them being on TV isn't as much about the money as it is about teaching us to live a simpler life. I have no idea of course but trying to give them the benefit of the doubt that it isn't all about the money for them as it probably is for the Gosselins.
Perhaps to them being on TV isn't as much about the money as it is about teaching us to live a simpler life. I have no idea of course but trying to give them the benefit of the doubt that it isn't all about the money for them as it probably is for the Gosselins.
I don't think they live a simple life...not by a long shot. They have lots and lots of 'stuff' to keep those kids busy...it's not like those kids are out there 'Little House-ing' it, skating on the neighbor's pond, playing in the creek, climbing trees. Have you SEEN the game room? The ATV's? The 'Duggar Deli and Buffet'?
Its not a life that I would want to live but its theirs and they seem happy with it. I do watch the show and find them interesting. I don't share their beliefs by a long shot but respect their right to live how they see fit. They seem fairly self sufficient and have multiple business to support such a large family. If they were on welfare and using public assistance that would be a problem but they take care of themselves so whatever they do is their business.
With all that being said I do hope that the children are allowed to explore their own paths as they reach adulthood and are not forced into the lifestyle of their parents. I'm not suprised that the eldest son followed his parents but I have doubts that all the children will.
I feel sorry for these kids, being raised not by their parents but by their brothers and sisters. I feel sorry for the bigger brothers and sisters having to raise their siblings. And never having any privacy...good god, what are these parents thinking? NOBODY has genes that are special enough that they warrant reproducing them this many times.
As for the mom...after that many kids, I bet having sex with her is like throwing a hotdog down a hallway.
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Crowds don't limit my child-bearing decisions, finances and responsiblity do.
