Why I Love the Duggars (parents, pregnant, Arkansas, Kansas)

[MAtheBanker]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Then why the need to mooch for FREE vacations and such? If they were so upstanding and such then they would happily pay their own expenses. When we all know they take these vacations and don't pay for them out of their own pockets. Sure the places they visit hope to gain some exposure out of the "exposure" on tv it still isn't right. The Duggars are taking advantage of the situation. Being that they are able to do all of these things and not have to pay for such a large brood to do it makes a BIG difference in how much money they can sock away vs the average family. The average family of 4 or even 5 can hardly afford a nice weeks long vacation. Therein lies the problem. They are no different than Jon and Kate by accepting the freebies for their large brood for free meals, trips, tours, etc.

The other thing is the cost of education that the NORMAL average household has that they don't. They are not paying for any of the normal expenses that most people do. Again, easy to sock some away when your not paying for that. They are also not paying for ANY college for ANY of the kids. They expect their kids to be self sufficient on their own at 18. That means that none of them will have a lick of any college education. What if one of them wants to be a doctor? A teacher? Too bad, too sad. Does Jim Bob have a college degree? Why would he not want that for his own children? So they are saving all of this money, for what? You can't take it with you and if they are the least bit religious they should know that. It really is sad if you think about it. He was granted a college education but is not even going to be there for his own kids even though he has the financial means to help them get it.

Soo...if some TV network came to you and offered you millions of dollars (remember, you have 19 kids) plus free vacations, you'd turn it down?

I didn't think so.

Who ever said he didn't want his kids to have a college degree? I moved out of my parents house at 18 with no monetary support from them whatsoever. I didn't cry about it, because that's life. If I was relying on mommy and daddy to pay my way through life, where would that get me? Surely not a homeowner at 23, career at 18, like I am now. This family is doing it right, and I guess only time will prove that. I'd like you to compare how these kids behave next to any typical American child. They're 1,000 times better, beyond compare.

[kentuckydad95]

How do you know that they DON'T pay their own expenses?

[momof2dfw]

Yes, I would turn it down. I don't care to be in front of cameras nor my children exploited. It was their choice to have that many kids. So your practically saying it is okay to do a reality show and expose your kids to something they may not care to have exposed if they were an adult and had a say. If they want to have that many kids and could not afford the big house and all without exploting it then maybe they should not have. Just sayin, some of their ways are not exactly Biblical.

[kentuckydad95]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Yes, I would turn it down. I don't care to be in front of cameras nor my children exploited. It was their choice to have that many kids. So your practically saying it is okay to do a reality show and expose your kids to something they may not care to have exposed if they were an adult and had a say. If they want to have that many kids and could not afford the big house and all without exploting it then maybe they should not have. Just sayin, some of their ways are not exactly Biblical.

How many times do I have to say this:

THEY HAD MONEY LONG BEFORE THEIR SHOW!!!

[PA2UK]

Originally Posted by MAtheBanker

Tell me, what do you consider "childhood"? Playing video games all day? Having your face glued to a cell phone texting your 13 year-old friends? Having your butt welded to the computer seat while you surf the internet for hours on end?

Call me ignorant, but I'd rather have my kids at home with me, helping care for their siblings, doing chores, helping around the house, cleaning, homeschooling, learning REAL world skills, instead of the things kids these days get themselves in to. Pardon these kids for being RESPONSIBLE and learning valuable skills to help them when they become adults. Since when is caring for a sibling a bad thing? It promotes family closeness. Heaven forbid a family is tight-knit

While I always think it's great to see well behaved kids because they seem so few and far between these days, I do think there's some kind of middle ground you're missing here. Since when does a childhood include making sure your younger sibling brushed their teeth and did their chores? Yes, I consider that a bad thing because you're expecting a child to hold adult responsiblities that they shouldn't have to worry about until they themselves are adults and parents. The opposite of that does not have to include being addicted to video games, TV, internet and the phone. It does not mean you can't have a close knit family or well behaved children.

What this family does is amazing. I'd like to see any of you haters try to raise a large family while living debt-free and contributing to society.

None of us would ever choose to have a large family. That's the whole point. We have REASONS why "us haters" would never try to raise a large family. And we're simply stating those reasons.

[seven of nine]

Originally Posted by kentuckydad95

How many times do I have to say this:

THEY HAD MONEY LONG BEFORE THEIR SHOW!!!

I have wondered what their source on income was in the past, care to tell me gentle stranger,

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by seven of nine

I have wondered what their source on income was in the past, care to tell me gentle stranger,

Both parents were realtors, in a place that had a booming economy. They also owned several rental properties. And owned a car dealership. They had some land, including the property their house is built on. The father had served a term in the Arkansas legislature.

[Mercury Cougar]

Originally Posted by MAtheBanker

Tell me, what do you consider "childhood"? Playing video games all day? Having your face glued to a cell phone texting your 13 year-old friends? Having your butt welded to the computer seat while you surf the internet for hours on end?

FYI, when I was a child, there were no video games or texting or cell phones or internet, and I'm far from being 13 years old anymore.

Childhood is not having to perform the role of parent to your younger siblings. That is what those children are forced to do. Childhood is spending quality time with your parents, not being the parent. Those children are deprived of sufficient parental attention, because the mother and father simply CANNOT give each of them the time they deserve and need. That's a travesty.

Call me ignorant, but I'd rather have my kids at home with me, helping care for their siblings, doing chores, helping around the house, cleaning, homeschooling, learning REAL world skills, instead of the things kids these days get themselves in to. Pardon these kids for being RESPONSIBLE and learning valuable skills to help them when they become adults. Since when is caring for a sibling a bad thing? It promotes family closeness. Heaven forbid a family is tight-knit

I have nothing against regular chores, but those kids aren't learning anything about the "real world". I've been in a religiously isolated house, I know what I'm talking about. If any one of those kids leaves and enters the REAL world, they're going to have a hell of a time coping with everyday things, because they have been prevented from contact with them.

What this family does is amazing.

Amazingly selfish of the parents, yes.

I'd like to see any of you haters try to raise a large family

I don't think anyone's genes are wonderful enough that they should pollute the world with so many of their offspring. I find it morally reprehensible.

while living debt-free and contributing to society.

They don't support themselves 100%, they take handouts. Plus, tell me exactly what you think this family is contributing to society?

Complain all you want. The values these parents teach their kids is something 95% of families (if you could even call them that anymore) have forgotten.

What values are those? That women are chattel who are nothing but baby-factories? That you should crank out as many crotch-fruit as you can because your genes are just that amazing? That mom and dad should have more kids than they can financially support on their own because god commands it? That kids are supposed to raise their brothers and sisters because mom and dad are reproductive idiots and don't have proper time for all of them?

Sorry, but I raised my TWO children differently than that. They had daily chores and homework, but they also had time to just go outside, ride their bikes, go swimming, play in the dirt, and JUST BE KIDS. They didn't have to raise each other, and I certainly had plenty of time to spend with each of them, helping them with homework or playing with them, and just being a mom.

Shame on the Duggars. They disgust me.

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by Mercury Cougar

FYI, when I was a child, there were no video games or texting or cell phones or internet, and I'm far from being 13 years old anymore.

Childhood is not having to perform the role of parent to your younger siblings. That is what those children are forced to do. Childhood is spending quality time with your parents, not being the parent. Those children are deprived of sufficient parental attention, because the mother and father simply CANNOT give each of them the time they deserve and need. That's a travesty.

I have nothing against regular chores, but those kids aren't learning anything about the "real world". I've been in a religiously isolated house, I know what I'm talking about. If any one of those kids leaves and enters the REAL world, they're going to have a hell of a time coping with everyday things, because they have been prevented from contact with them.

Amazingly selfish of the parents, yes.

I don't think anyone's genes are wonderful enough that they should pollute the world with so many of their offspring. I find it morally reprehensible.

They don't support themselves 100%, they take handouts. Plus, tell me exactly what you think this family is contributing to society?

What values are those? That women are chattel who are nothing but baby-factories? That you should crank out as many crotch-fruit as you can because your genes are just that amazing? That mom and dad should have more kids than they can financially support on their own because god commands it? That kids are supposed to raise their brothers and sisters because mom and dad are reproductive idiots and don't have proper time for all of them?

Sorry, but I raised my TWO children differently than that. They had daily chores and homework, but they also had time to just go outside, ride their bikes, go swimming, play in the dirt, and JUST BE KIDS. They didn't have to raise each other, and I certainly had plenty of time to spend with each of them, helping them with homework or playing with them, and just being a mom.

Shame on the Duggars. They disgust me.

I'm not sure why you say they "take handouts". While I'm sure some people have been generous to the Duggars, they really aren't charity cases. When I ran into the hardware store the other day to get some nails, and they owner didn't charge me, I didn't consider that a "handout". I think that the trips they've gotten to go on since the TV show aren't "handouts" either, the businesses involved are marketing themselves. I can understand disagreeing with the Duggars, because in a way they are marketing themselves and their lifestyle by doing this TV show, and I can understand disagreeing with the Duggars about their religious beliefs and how those beliefs have guided their lifestyle choices. But I cannot understand why people have to expand the disagreements into attacks that really don't have any basis. The Duggars have never believed in accruing any personal debts. They were 100% debt-free before the TV show, and they are 100% debt-free now. They didn't live on charity or welfare before the TV show, and they don't rely on charity or welfare now.

[Mercury Cougar]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

I'm not sure why you say they "take handouts". While I'm sure some people have been generous to the Duggars, they really aren't charity cases. .

They admitted on TLC that they take charity from their church! Also, they don't pay property taxes -- you know why? Because they claim their house is a freakin' church, and thus they don't pay taxes on it.

How is that not taking handouts and leeching off society?