I think they're freaking nuts but probably not dangerous or hurting anyone by being so...

What I can't figure out is how this woman GETS pregnant so often. You have 17 kids and you have time (or the desire for) for sex?!?

What I don't get is how that woman still looks like she is 25.  I have wrinkles I know came just from having 3 kids.  I'd be one of those ugly wrinkly dogs if I had 18.  

Amy

Mom to 3

www.sofiabean.com

I think their behavior is irresponsible and disrespectful to the planet, everyone else on it and their own children.  How can a child who is one of 18 get the attention they need and deserve? Is it fair to ask the older children to care for 17 siblings?  It just rubs me the wrong way.  Does anyone know how they finance this "colony" of theirs?

What is really creepy about the Duggars is they make those little girls do all the cooking, laundry and housework for the boys.  Even though there are twice as many boys able to do housework as girls.  So 5 little girls care for all the guys.  All the older kids are assigned a child or two that they are responsible for.  So the big kids are raising the little kids while mommy and daddy make more kids. The reason they have so many kids is they are egomaniacs looking for a dime.  They got that house and the furnishings free.  Arkansas, the hub of technology and the arts, declared her "Mother of The Year" one year.  Disgusting. The older kids should get that title.  Oh, and there was a cash award.  

Other than their tv gig, how do they pay for food, diapers, clothes?  I'm sure that the welfare assistance going toward this family could be better used for those truly in need.

i read they both work in real estate

our bodies were built for being pregnant for most of our adult lives. granted, the life expectancy of our hairy ancestors was much lower...

While I have a tough time believing that God told them to have that many children, I don't think we have any right to tell them how they should live their lives. Personally I could never have that many children and still feel like a good parent. However it seems to be working for them, so as long as everyone in the family is happy and healthy I say good for them.

Maybe it was "God's will" that they adopt 18 kids ...

I think its wonderful for them! I saw them on the Todays show and all the children are well behaved and thriving. Good for them@!

As far one comment about the family being "disrespectful to the earth," etc. Go after the chemical companies not large families. For all we know they could be the biggest recyclin', organic farm supportin' family in town.

And I don't have necessarily a problem with their "quiver being full" as long as they are able to adequately provide,care for and give oppurtunities to the children--and let their kids be kids, not nannies.

Yes, the Lord almighty gave us the equipment to turn out our precious little ones until we run out steam, but he also gave us an instruction manual to use with that equipment called "common sense"

Oh and I hope they have a plan to put that tribe through college!

All you need is love.  A good community.  not money or a huge house.. no one had a plan to put me through college, but I figured it out.

After writing my blog on this earlier today I got some SERIOUS differing viewpoints from lots of people... and its left me wondering why we all care so much? Do we turn such a critical eye to our own parenting skills and lifestyles?

Why do we speculate what her vagina must look like? Why do we feel entitled to judge her parenting skills and lifestyle? What gives any of us that right, and if we're so willing to openly and loudly judge her, when none of us really know her, what does that say about us?

More to come on that, I'm sure...

I think everyone should have at least 20 kids. I won’t be happy until we have so many people on this planet that we can’t move or everyone goes starving. I want America 3 times as populated as China.  Then we can institute a law that allows only one child per family.  We don’t have other species that need space on this planet. We can put everything else in a zoo or better yet…just kill off everything else and read about it in a book.

FOR GOD’S SAKE…GOD also gave you a brain. Must we really become another China? Sure, people say that there is plenty of room…BS. There may be room but it also takes alot of room to support a person for food, etc. We are NOT the only species on the planet.

If you want to have that many kids…ADOPT!!!! There are plenty of existing kids that need a home.

Jim Bob should be castrated and Michelle should have her tubes tied.

I don't care how many kids they want or end up having as long as they can support all of them themselves on whatever money they make from whatever it is they do, whatever they do aside from reproducing that is.  I don't want tax money being spent on these people. I am not even sure I favor companies giving donations to these people.  You want that many kids, knock yourself out, but don't expect anyone else to pay the bills.  

I'm as uncomfortable saying that a woman *shouldn't* have a child as I am in saying that she *should*. Choice swings both ways, even if we don't always agree with it.

As for the planet, I don't think these people's extra kids are going to be what tips things over the edge. And since I don't see the Duggars starting a major trend with a lot of copycatters out there planning to have their own dozen or so kids, I don't think anyone needs to get too fired up over this.

For the record, my mom came from a family of 13, where the older kids took care of the younger, etc., and she IS best friends with her sisters.

Hey Doppelganger....read this!!

www.susps.org/.../numbers.html

It is exponentially increasing.  The graph that they show is a flat rise but they do not count immigration and the rising fertility rate.  I just cannot get over how many people are so blind.

Everyone on this planet should have a moral responsibility to live within some sort of limits.

I know..maybe if we keep having more and more children in every country, it will have oil prices decrease.  Oh wait.  There is only a certain amount of production but yet more worldwide demand.  There are only two things that will get oil prices lower...less demand (by having less people on the planet) or new technologies.  Then the government wants to drill in prestine ares of our planet.  Must we F'Up are entire planet?  At this rate, I cannot imagine what it will be like in 3 generations from now unless we colonize another planet or have a holocost.  We are not living in the stone ages anymore.  Nor do we need huge familys to run farms.

Good grief.  I don't care who took care of who and who is friends with who.  It isn't quantity...it's quality.  A person can be just as happy in life with 3 sibliings vs 20.

By even one family doing this...that's 20 kids.  Then say they each have "just" 4 kids.  That's 80 kids in just the next generation.  My entire family going back 5 generations has only 40.  Do the FREAKEN MATH!!!!

It is like there is a wall coming but yet we just keep driving 1000 miles per hour until we hit it rather than thinking to slow down and evaluate.

I honestly think there is no reason to have over 4 children.  Like I said before, if you want more,adopt.  I did.

Rather than so many people saying how wonderful it is to have 20 kids, they should be shunned.  People complain about abortion.  This is the other extreme.

One final thought.  For people that say we are not paying for their 20 kids and other families like this...they are wrong.  Maybe they are not taking goverment assistance directly but they consume more.  More consumption means less per person and higher prices.  We ALL end up paying more for it.  

If there was only 1 billion people on the planet, oil would probably be 5 cents per gallon.  We wouldn't have all this polution providing the existing technologies exist.

The main issue I have with this family is how the girls are being taught to be subservient to the boys. Massive issues with that. Other than that, have at it.

I would love to know how they support this family. Where did the huge house come from? How can they feed and clothe all these kids? Who is paying for all this? Surely not them!

I would love to know how they support this family. Where did the huge house come from? How can they feed and clothe all these kids? Who is paying for all this? Surely not them!

On average real estate agents don't make that much. Hell, even an annual income of 300K for the both of them is NOTHING for how many kids they need to raise.

They built their house themselves...put in all the man/woman-hours, saved up for it and paid for it in CASH!  I saw this on a TV special devoted to the family back when they had ONLY 14 or 15 kids.  And, btw, I have no opinion either way on whether this is right or wrong...totally their decision.  BUT, they don't have 20 kids.  They will soon have 18, making them a family of 20.  Geez, read something before you comment about it people!

Discovery Nut.... 18 vs 20 kids WOOPDEEE DOO!!!!  Why don't you read something before you comment?  They are going to keep having kids as long as possible.  WIthin two years, it will be 20 kids.  Dumbass.

Quote from article:

www.chicagotribune.com/.../chi-duggar-family-18-080509-ht,0,5592489.story

"She and her husband, Jim Bob Duggar, said they'll keep having children as long as God wills it."

Discovery Nut:  They plan on having kids as long as God wills it.  18 vs 20 comment?  Once again, people are missing the point.  Sigh.

Quote:  "She and her husband, Jim Bob Duggar, said they'll keep having children as long as God wills it."

www.chicagotribune.com/.../chi-duggar-family-18-080509-ht,0,5592489.story

DiscoveryNut:  Read

www.chicagotribune.com/.../chi-duggar-family-18-080509-ht,0,5592489.story

Quote:  "She and her husband, Jim Bob Duggar, said they'll keep having children as long as God wills it."

18vs20?  Gimme a break.  It will be 20 in 2 years.  Talk about focusing on the wrong issue.

first of alll there is no way in hell 18 child births does not put a strain on the human female body so in that aspect i dont necessarily believe that is healthy

second the girls in  that family are pretty subserviant ( i to watched the discovery health special) that just makes 5 more girls who are being taught the barefoot and pregnant route is the way to go.  So i pray one of those girls rebels ends up with green hair in  peace core

They are completely out of debt and built most of the house themselves.  They homeschool - so no taxes are going toward their education, but the property tax they pay on their huge home sure does help the poor kids at the public school down the road!  They have the right idea - I have three kids, but wish I had more when I see the great job Michelle has done...

And PS - the little boys cook breakfast for everyone, and they all have chores around the house.  God bless 'em!

They don't pay property taxes on the huge house of theirs.  So, they are NOT helping the "poor kids at the public school".  The reason they don't have to pay taxes is they have declared it a church.

CelticGoddess: you're totally right there. They have declared it a church, and it actually does serve as one every Sunday. We're always amazed to see how many cars are lined up outside on Sunday mornings.

This family is supported by us and the reason I say that is because we watch the shows.  I will never watch another one again.  They are paid to do these shows and then every time it is on rerun, they are paid again.  As long we watch them, this family gets paid.  That is how they can live.  As for the family itself, all I see is a very selfish mom and dad pushing out babies and then handing them off to someone else to take of.  All the responsibility is heaped on the older children.  Then to go public with this family is even more appaling.  Once again they are paid for making appreances.  It is a shame that the girls are nothing but robots, doing most of the work.  They will never be able to think for themselves, or realize there is much more to life than sqeezing out babies.  

The same parents that don't believe in tvs, don't have them in their home, don't want to socialize with the outside world are on tv displaying themselves and their kids, reaping the benefits in return such as money, new furniture for their home and a trip.  Imagine that.  Sounds hypocritcal to me.

Older kids looking after the younger kids 24/7.  No wonder mom doesn't have a problem pumping out more kids.  That's all she has to do.

No socializing with kids and others in the outside world.  Kids have never had a chance to go to a school dance, go bowling, attend a sporting event, attend a movie, etc.

Who as a female wants to dress like something from Little House on the Prairie? This is the 2000's, not the 1800s.

While yes kids should have responsibility, isn't looking after another child 24/7 plus all the household work thrown in a little extreme?  

Parents don't encourage individuality.  I've only heard of the older boy expressing desire to attend College.  

One teen girl is respnsible for making the lunch for everyone else; another teen girl makes the dinner for all.

It just seems that it's all about the parents and what they want, no consideration for the kids.

And why is the media promoting all of this?  A woman who has sex, gets pregnant and then pawns the babies off onto the older kids.

This all reminds me of that polygamist compound in Colorado minus the multiple wives.  Haven't all those women said they love their life in that compound? They dress similar to the Duggars and pump out more kids, don't socialize outside the compound.  Those that have escaped the compound said this is all the women have known as they were raised that way.  They have been brainwashed.

Sorry Mr & Mrs Duggar, you do not have the perfect family.  How does that saying go?  If it seems to good to be true, it probably isn't?  No one knows what really goes on behind closed doors when the cameras aren't rolling.

Wow, I am amazed at how strongly people feel about this. I think many of the commenters have grossly exaggerated things and are making really harsh judgments of a situation about which they know very little. I don't think it's the wisest thing to have this many children, but these are good, honest people. They work hard and they love their kids.

All you have to do is read their own website they have online and watch Discovery.  If that doesn't tell you what is going on, what does?  No one would know anything if it wasn't for the parents of this family putting it out there.  They then open themselves to criticism.

First I have to say in about every other post there is something incorrect.  It's always best policy to know what you're even commenting on before you do so.  The male Duggars do have household chores and they do help as much as the girls.  They may have different chores, but hey, so do my husband and I.  

They do claim their house as a church because, well, it is.  They have been conducting religious services from their home for years.  They also record it and make it available to the public who can't make it to their services.  So if it's not proper for an actual church to receive the tax break, there would be no point to the exemption.

The children do leave the house and they do socialize with other people.  They actually have their own softball team, so yes they do go to sporting events.  Though no where has any developmental expert ever said that socialization skills must be developed only outside the home environment.  Every parent has the right to withhold their children from something they don't see fit for their child to encounter.  So if they don't want their kids visiting the mall on Saturday night with the teenagers dressed like hookers smoking pot out front, so be it.  That's their decision.

Honestly I get the vibe, not just from this blog at all but from all over the web in general, that some folks are channeling their bewilderment into jealousy.  The stuff I seen being spewed about the family being on welfare and depleting the environment and burdening their older children...come on!  Like it or not the Duggars made some sound financial decisions way back when and it's working for them now.  They both have their real estate license and Jim Bob is familiar with construction.  They also have rental properties.  And yes, they are compensated for being on TV.  They are also totally debt free due to the fact that they shop thrift stores and reduced price grocers, they save for everything they purchase with no credit.  They are not on welfare or food stamps.  I admire them financially.  Some of the ugly (and often untrue) things said about them just drips with green.  No one's perfect and maybe things are different behind the scenes, but jeez, these people aren't starting the crumble of society becuase she uses her uterus frequently.

Astute observations.

I'm with you on this one cottonlily...

I've spent a considerable amount of time this week on the topix web site and have seen more prejudice in this area than one would imagine. Some people couldn't be any more judgemental.

I find it very interesting that people just say whatever they want regardless of whether its true or not. They assume things. When you call them on it, they typically don't respond but typically do continue their rant. Some admit that they are assuming things AND continue on assuming even more things.

I don't think you can overcome 'objections' that many people have to families like the Duggars. Some people would rather continue on with their biggotry than acknowledge that maybe things are not as they imagine

them to be.

Terrible family, really.  They make their kids do chores?  Who does that anymore?  They actually teach their kids morals...how dare they?  Their kids spend more time caring for each other than their appearance...what were they thinking?  These kids are deprived from designer clothing just so another human being can be brought into the earth.  It's practically child abuse.   Really, we should get mad at more parents who raise a lot of polite, clean cut, good citizens who know nothing else but to care for a fellow human being.  They're brainwashing their kids to share.  I'm disgusted.

I agree with Dyann. I watched 1 show, never again will I encourage it. Clone-like children, controlled, uniform, no individuality, they don't even have their own initials for God's sake. How much money does it take to raise 18 kids and do the older kids want to spend their childhoods raising siblings? How much individual time does a kid get with a parent? Do they need to make an appointment? and yes there is a world population and resources issue....