Are the Duggars - that happy-go-lucky, home-schoolin', Jeebus-praisin', birth-control rejectin' family of 17 that just became a family of 18 - really the models of good Christian family values (every child a blessing!), or are they, in fact, child-abusers?
Gawker raised the question last week, and I gotta say, having watched a few episodes over the holidays, it's kind of a good question. Obviously, nobody is suggesting that the Duggar mere and pere beat their children or whatever, but still - doesn't having so many kids that you couldn't, as a parent, possibly have a close relationship with any single one of them (18! How do they even remember their names?) count as a kind of benign neglect? You can't tell me that those children aren't effectually raising each other - there simply aren't enough hours in the day for the parents (especially seeing as they have multiple businesses and a TV show) to provide attention to each kid. Maybe it's not abusive or negligent, but there's a case to be made, as Gawker says, that it's at best disturbing and at worst terrifying.
Which, whatever. There are a great many children in the world that deal with much worse. But still - these people are cashing in on their apparent devotion to the principles fo family and the cherishing of children as God-given gifts. Gifts, shmifts - back in the day, when I was insisting to my parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles that there was no such thing as too many Barbies, a whole lot of those dolls ended up ignored, under my bed or stuffed in boxes. The first few were cherished, the first half-dozen, even, were doted upon - but once I had a crowd, they all kinda started looking the same and I couldn't remember their names and it just got a bit boring.
Children aren't Barbies, I know, but still - moderation has long been considered a virtue for a reason. Excess is excess. Just sayin'.
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