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The prolific eerily calm Duggar family recently faced their biggest challenge ever. Their 19th child, Josie, was born four and a half months premature last December and weighed just 1lb, 6oz at birth. Josie was in a neonatal care unit for nearly four months, went home for two days, and then had another health crisis that required months more hospitalization. Josie came home last month, and has gained 10 pounds thanks to lactose-free formula. The Duggars have admitted how heart-wrenching and stressful it was to deal with Josie’s condition, but they’ve never ruled out having yet another child and say that’s up to God. (It’s up to them to practice birth control, but that never gets brought up in any of these interviews.) Most of the huge Duggar family was on The Today Show to promote their TLC reality show and premiere their newest baby. Despite the fact that Michelle is 43, could have died during her last pregnancy, and already has 19 kids she’s more than willing to pop out another one. She gave an enthusiastic “yes” to the question of whether they would have another baby. Now that Josie has been home for a month and is out of the woods I guess it’s time to try again. Radar Online has a good recap of the Duggar’s appearance:
“She is doing remarkable,” mom Michelle told host Meredith Vieira, adding that the baby, who was born December 10, 2009, is now up to 11 pounds, 6 ounces.
When Vieira asked about another health roadblock in the baby’s path — she is lactose intolerant — dad Jim Bob said the baby is “doing very well” with a modified diet including lactose-free formula, and “her health is thriving” as a result.
Michelle said that while the child is still using supplemental oxygen, it’s only when she sleeps. Jim Bob said that the baby should be caught up with her peers developmentally by the time she turns 2-years-old.
“Its amazing how well she’s doing, and we’re just so thankful to God that she’s thriving and doing well,” the proud papa said.
The conservative Christian family follows Quiverfull, a movement that places an emphasis on the Bible’s demands to be fruitful and multiply.
When Vieira asked Michelle if the problems with Josie would inhibit her from having more children, Michelle responded: “When we look at Josie — we were just talking about it this morning — knowing how we went through the challenge we did, we would do it again. Here we have this precious gift and its a miracle, it really is… the precious life we see here is not a coincidence.
“Its a miracle,” she said.
[From Radar]
Radar transcribed most of what Michelle said, but they didn’t add the part where she said “God is the one who gives life.” Some people believe that, and it’s fair enough. God is not the one who kept their premature infant alive for months when she was struggling to survive, that’s thanks to the science that these people are definitely not teaching their children. Thank goodness that Josie is thriving and is surrounded by so many people who love her. I’m just kind of flabbergasted that they would feel this way, but I suppose if they ever let reality influence their reproductive decisions they wouldn’t have 19 kids in the first place.
Barf. I hate people like this. Them, octomom, whoever. People that have more kids than they can afford, or actually take care of make me sick. These people are a burden on taxpayers and society in general. Grow the f ck up. Your kids are going to be totally screwed up being part of a freak show circus like this.
I think Trojan has found their new ad campaign…
Selfish, delusional assholes. I normally dismiss most people like this as simple minded, but relatively harmless. And I understand that kids are a gift from God or whatever, but at this point, is it really about them receiving God’s gift, or is it about their own selfish need to procreate? Why does their want for more children overrule a future child’s right to health? I don’t get that.
As a general matter, I will go with a Jezebel quote: your vajajay is not a clown car.
More specifically, I caught a Say Yes to the Dress rerun with the Duggars yesterday. I’ve never watched the show, but admit that Michelle Duggar is genuinely a very sweet and kind woman. Who is totally subservient to a creeptastic dude. She did not express a single opinion of her own and constantly looked to him – not as a partner, but in an almost childlike way. There is no question in my mind that she will never put her foot down and therefore her health and the health of her children (born and unborn) will continue to suffer for it.
@jane16, before someone can use it against you (because I totally agree with what you’re saying) the thing about the Duggars is that they can actually afford it, have no debt, etc. Hence people look to them as some sort of great “example.”
Seriously, that last picture is just creepy.
And why is it that I’m feeling so mad after reading this post???
This family makes me sick.
They’re no different than any other reality show attention whores except they hide their true colors behind their ‘church’, what a joke.
I still say there will be some sort of scandal involving this family one day.
They’re followers of that Quiverfull philosophy, which is a rather radical Christian philosophy that one should have as many offspring as possible in order to provide souls for God’s Army. That tidbit is very much downplayed or ignored completely on that stupid show they have. Their old website had some info on it, as well as to a guy named Gothard (seriously!) who advocates “blanket training” for kids (Google that one, too tired to write it out). They’re religious fanatics.
At least the 20th baby should be able to walk out.
You think giving birth to #19 (or ET as I call it) would convince them otherwise. Are they going for a Guinness world record?
These 2 are the most selfish people in the history of television. Say what you will about Lilo, Snooki, Jessica Simpson et al. at least they’re not creating their own indentured servants on a televised work camp.
I truly despise how religious boneheads can call whatever bullshit they are into ‘holy’ or ‘righteous’ by hiding behind the bible. These people really make me weep for mankind. TLC should be truly truly ashamed as they play a large role in the victimization of all the Duggar children. If these people weren’t on TV they would have quit birthing blindly ages ago.
Ask ET when she turns 20 if she liked being part of a brood (or a swarm), getting no attention from her parents and being raised by a sibling parent.
Children should not be exploited for $$, conception should not be done to change the title of a show season by season and a womb should not be a Pez dispenser.
BOYCOTT TLC.
I could see hating on them if their kids were druggies, coke whores, and thugs but none of that is true. Their kids are well behaved and the mother AND father (love the fact that the babies daddy is in the picture) work hard to make their family work. Many people believe its God who decides when they stop having kids…do I agree with that no. However I am 22, as of today, and the last thing I am thinking about is having kids. Shoot I buy those economy size Trojan boxes. Anyway, However I just can’t hate on them for having a bunch of kids that are very loved, well mannered, and happy.
“God is not the one who kept their premature infant alive for months when she was struggling to survive, that’s thanks to the science that these people are definitely not teaching their children.”
My sentiments exactly. I don’t care how many kids they have, or who they worship or why. But my guess is that they put no weight on conventional education, yet are happy to use the wisdom of those who do. I guess just anyone who is so far to either end of the spectrum scares me a bit. And these people are clearly fanatics about what they believe. But hey, if the kids are healthy/happy, to each his own!
What I find disturbing in them is an example of a Stepford family. Everyone is designed to follow the parents master plan. No individual thought, expression or ideas possible.
Michelle said: “…we were just talking about it this morning…”
Oh, we KNOW what you were talking about, lady. Guinness Book of Records on Line 1 !
@jane16-I thought the same at first but then saw they don’t use any state services and pay for their own things. I had family that lived in that area and said the kids seem very well behaved and happy. I don’t know how she does it b/c I have a daily struggle to maintain my sanity with 4 kids.
Seems like the complications with this baby were more of a fluke (gall bladder issues first for the mom) and not something that definitely going to happen again.
“If these people weren’t on TV they would have quit birthing blindly ages ago.”
I think to say that this family is having all of these children for the sole purpose of having a reality show is a bit far-fetched. They have full grown children, who were born long before the advent of reality TV. They obviously would be doing this with or without a TLC film crew.
Please don’t have any more kids. It’s horribly irresponsible.
But the 20th comes with a Fudgie The Whale cake and a voucher for a free hysterectomy!
Actually, we don’t seem to have Carvel cakes (in Canada?) Are they any good?
Why ARE they on TV? I’m with Simplicity – Stepford Family!
I hate these people more than I can possibly say.
I know this is going to sound horribly, horribly cruel, but I was almost hoping Josie wouldn’t make it because maybe then they would stop having kids.
@Annicka – jeez, maybe it’s time for you to take up a hobby or something. Why in God’s name (no pun intended!) would you wish for the death of an innocent baby? What has this family done to you or to the fabric/safety of our society to enrage you to that point???
these two creep me out big time.
I don’t understand why they wouldn’t start adopting. It’s getting more and more dangerous for her to be pregnant…this last baby should’ve taught them that. There are SO MANY children without homes who I would love to see taken in by a family like the Duggars. Sure they’re backwards hypocritical fundies, but they’re loving parents and they’re better than like 99.99% of foster homes out there.
@ cantbelievethis:
@jane16-I thought the same at first but then saw they don’t use any state services and pay for their own things.
Jim Bob served 1 term in the Arkansas state senate. As a result, he and his family of 21 have free healthcare for LIFE.
“Free” as in the taxpayers of Arkansas are paying for it.. And these people aren’t leeches how??
They will probably keep having kids until Michelle’s womb falls out from overuse or she dies in childbirth or something equally horrific. This couple is obviously on a mission…..
Annicka – why would they stop just b/c a child died? And you are right. Your comment does sound horribly cruel.
The mom had a gall bladder issue … she had to have a freak surgery during the pregnancy which caused the baby to have to be delivered premature. Losing one child usually spurs people to try to have another. Not stop having them all together.
If they want to keep having unprotected sex, who cares? Don’t watch the show if you dislike them. Don’t click on anything that shows their family on a gossip site if you hate them so much. They are providing for their own family, they love their children … that is the life they choose. Good for them. I personally would never have that many kids but if that is what they want, more power to them …
@Iggles: Jim Bob served 1 term in the Arkansas state senate. As a result, he and his family of 21 have free healthcare for LIFE. “Free” as in the taxpayers of Arkansas are paying for it.. And these people aren’t leeches how??
How is that leeching? If that is for every senator or congressperson, what’s this guy doing wrong that he should be criticized? If you don’t like what our civil servants get as perks for being in the gov’t, then fight to change the law. You telling me that if you had this perk from working a previous city/state job, you would hand it back after your term and go “no thanks, I don’t want to be a leech”? Pffft…ok, whatever.
These people are not ever going to admit anything negative or dark. They’re promoting religious ideology that is very strict and requires absolute conformity. They are essentially proselytizing, which Christians have a biblical imperative to do. It’s one of the more annoying qualities of Christianity: The idea that everyone who doesn’t agree with must be converted and “brought into the fold”. How appropriate that the church is so fond of sheep metaphors.
@Iggles He didn’t serve in the State Senate. He served as a State Representative.
In an interview on Larry King he said they pay $400+/month on health insurance premiums w/a $2500 deductible (probably per person) and it doesn’t cover maternity. So they aren’t getting free health insurance for life.
They also pay taxes. (I had heard they didn’t pay taxes on their home, but there are property tax records)
She just should have her tubes tied by now !!!!
I find these people to be just so unbelievably disgusting. Sometimes I can forget they exist, and then these posts here pop up! Selfish, horrible people.
Oh please just stop doing babies. 19 is a lot, more than enough. And, truthfully I can’t stand another one. Those two parents are kind of creepy, don’t you think?
If God wants? Please, don’t give me that XD If YOU use birth control or stop doing sex or whatever but don’t put it on God.
And it’s not Christianity it’s bigotry, ’cause no person in his right mind would act like them.
God also gives you a brain and the ability to use it to make rational decisions. They always seem to leave out that part…
I’m glad they’re self sufficient and it’s their life, but if they’re making that life public, I’m going to say I think they’re nuts, and it’s unfair to the kids.
I feel bad for the new baby, glad she’s doing “remarkable” but I would imagine there will be more struggles in her future. I also find it kind of creepy how they put all of this out there for public consumption, like that last photo, including all of the health struggles – that baby is a human being, who deserves a little…dignity, doesn’t she? It just seems wrong.
Reading between the lines: “Yes, we are going to continue to have sex every day, and the bible says we can’t use birth control.”
Lady, stop having so much sex, and pay attention to your children.
Rather have fewer children that I can spend more time with than bushels of them, so sad they get passed onto a sibling. It’s not fair to either kid.
While I think it’s insane, don’t any of you have a Libertarian bone in your body? Her uterus, their time and sanity raising them, their money. If they want to follow The Church of Lint, as long as they don’t impede on others, that’s their damn business. Do I watch them? No. I have a frigging remote.
@Iggles, I totally agree with you. A one term senator and the people of his state now have to pay for prenatal care and births of a gazillion kids, not to mention HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS for a micro preemie and now they want to make another one. Next time, let them pay for the NICU out of the $$$ they make for pimping out their kids.
I love how people praise the Duggars and their kids, but hate on Jon and Kate for making money from their kids. At least J&K’s kids didn’t have to build the freaking house and wearing DRESSES no less! Disgusting famewhores. They pimp those kids out like crazy, including video and pictures from INSIDE the NICU. Sick, sick, sick. I’m sure that’s what God wants. Sure it is.
What makes me sad about all of this is that the other kids aren’t allowed to be kids. They have to help take care of all of their siblings instead. To me that is selfish of the parents.
The whole religious thing is crazy to me, as well. But I don’t believe that there is a magical man in sky controling everything, either. The kids may not be a drain on society now but when they are older and require healthcare then people will bitch about it. As for them not being on public assistance now: They don’t need it right now. They have a TV show and are well paid. Give it a few years.
I can respect them if their kids are well-behaved. In my humble opinion, Id rather have her birth 40 kids with polite manners and proper civility than have 40 ‘modern’ women who birth one little monster each and unleash it into society. God, I must sound like an old fogey. I cant stand misbehaved children.
These people frighten me. They have got to be robotic baby making machines. They always have fake smiles and think the world is full of sunshine and baby jesus.
Just having one or two kids, let alone, 19 is a challenge and a half. I’d slit my wrists after downing some liquid drano if I had to birth 19 kids and raise them
hahahahahah mamma!!! fudgie the whale cakes are awesome!
@Jo “mama” bessar Yes! I love Carvel! I’m lactose intolerant, but their ice cream is so good I’ll actually shell out for lactaid tablets on occasion just to get a fix. If you ever find yourself near a carvel, get the cake mix ice cream. That stuff used to be my own personal crack when I was younger.
As far as this family goes, I agree with CB and most of the other posters here. I wish this family would just stop reproducing already.
Mmm, sounds good. It seem as if Carvel cake are delicious AND timely.
Urgh! That man is seriously creepy looking.
And I’m pretty sure her vajajay is about to give her the pink slip.
Just do the math. Let’s assume about a dozen of the kids have 2 children of their own (and this is all a very conservative estimate, because I’d think that they would have large families each). That’s 24 people, who will then beget 48, and so on. In a matter of two generations you have over 80 people just from 2 parents. I think this is completely irresponsible regarding the planets dwindling resources. I get that everyone has a right and can have the children they want, but come on! Most of our problems stem from overpopulation anyway.
Look at the big picture! These people are ignorant and selfish!
When you have to get your own reality TV show to pay for your kids upbrining, its time to stop. How else could they afford it.
“God is not the one who kept their premature infant alive for months when she was struggling to survive, that’s thanks to the science that these people are definitely not teaching their children.”
_____________________________
as a mother whose twins were born in my second trimester and spent several months in the NICU and now has two healthy children thanks to the fabulous doctors and nurses and PAs….who is anyone to tell anyone else that its not GOD who helped keep them alive, but just science?
You may not believe, but i do and so do millions of people. Just because i believe in science does not preclude me from believing in God. I am not fanatical, and i am college educated and work in the medical field and I am catholic.
as long as you take responsiblity for your family, no one should care how many kids you have. But I do think she needs to stop or there will be 19 kids without a mother next time. Pre-eclampsia is no joke, the best predictor for it is 1) maternal age ( check!) and 2) having had it in a previous pregnancy (check!). And obviously it was really bad b/c to deliver a baby at 26 weeks is to basically say, look, your baby will probably die, but if we don’t take her out, you definitely will. Period. Now they’re playing with fire.
Out of curiosity I read their book.
The way that they explain it, is that back when Michelle was younger she was on the pill. She got pregnant anyway and had a miscarriage. To them, this was a sign from God that she should not be on birth control.
Also, I just can’t imagine having 19 children. She is the same age as I am and we started having babies at the same time. My 3 are all grown up and moved out on their own and she is still popping them out. No Way I want to do it all over again and again and again!!!
I get they are doing it because God say so and all that, but I think is alredy time to stop. Actually, it was time to stop, like, 16 kids ago.
Anyway, I respect their decision and at least the kids look healthy 🙂
PS: Ive always though that some of those kids are gonna rebel big time….
Oh, and I have a quick question to those who complain about over-population and how these two are contributing to global-heating. Do you secretly rejoice when a natural disaster takes place and hundreds are killed? or how thousands die in poverty and disease in Africa? I mean, every time someone perishes, that is one less person to pollute the world, one less who might have offspring who contributes to mass-consumption. So what would be a realistic and valid response to justifying this?
Don’t they have any different clothes? They always seem to be wearing the same button down shirts.
These people are disgusting. I feel sorry for their kids.
@hatsumomo
No, I do not rejoice in those tragedies. But I cannot help but think that this is nature’s way(or God’s way if you want to call it like that) to balance out earth’s population.
If it were not for science, this woman would have already died, or half of her children wouldn’t have made it past infancy. Which is great, mankind has made great advances with science, but sometimes not with the responsibility that should go hand in hand with it. Some of you have a valid point that the kids seem to be well mannered and educated (I don’t watch the show). But it seems irresponsible to me anyway.
Just my two cents by the way. Sorry if I offend.
She had her own serious health problems with this last kid, not even going into all the problems Josie had. I think it is a miracle that they have rolled the dice 19 times and had 19 perfect children. Even though Josie was seriously undercooked it does look like she is now healthy.
The part that worries me is that she doesn’t seem to consider that another pregnancy at her age seriously threatens to leave 19 children motherless. And that, in my opinion, is just bone deep selfishness. If she died I guess they would just shrug and say it was God’s Will.
@can’t believe this:
“Seems like the complications with this baby were more of a fluke (gall bladder issues first for the mom) and not something that definitely going to happen again.”
Unfortunately, Michelle ended up not having gallbladder problems but preeclampsia (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20009267-10391704.html). And two of the biggest risk factors for preeclampsia occurring again are maternal age over 40 and having had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy, ESPECIALLY if the onset was before the third trimester – which Michelle’s definitely was. (http://www.preeclampsia.org/FAQ.asp#five).
Hopefully for Michelle and the next baby, not to mention the other 19 kids who need a mom, everything will be fine if she gets pregnant again. But it certainly seems like a lot of risk.
@Whatever He wasn’t a one term senator and doesn’t get free health insurance for life or at least the kids don’t. He stated they pay for their health insurance.
This is gross. Her vagina must be of the size of the grand canyon, I bet she doesn’t even feel it anymore when her husband puts it on .
pookie – I wasn’t wishing for her to die, but if she did, perhaps the Duggars would have taken it as a sign from God that it’s time to STOP having children. They enrage me because of their ridiculous amount of children and their insistence on broadcasting it for all to see. I know I can turn away from it, or change the channel. I don’t watch their show, but I get to see plenty of commercials on TLC when I’m watching other shows. And I like reading gossip websites, but it’s hard to turn away when they’re routinely part of the gossip, parading about their newest addition while unsurprisingly talking about how they’ll keep adding until Michelle can’t conceive anymore or possibly dies in childbirth.
Chrissy – Since they took a miscarriage as a sign from God that they shouldn’t use birth control (which makes no sense anyway), perhaps the death of a child would also be taken as a sign from God to stop.
They also upset me because they make the rest of their children babysit. There’s nothing wrong with asking an older child to help watch their younger siblings, but there are 19 children babysitting each other while mommy and daddy have private time and make another sibling the kids will have to watch.
With the kind of site this is – and I do enjoy the snark, I admit – I suppose all the judgmental comments should not be surprising.
However, how many here would say a woman who had nineteen abortions had a right to do with her body what she wanted to? I don’t want nineteen children, but I support Michelle’s right. They are her babies. And they aren’t on welfare. People can criticize the work ethic taught to the children but it is the same thing that will keep those kids working after they leave the home. Ask anyone who grew up on a farm.
Loads of responses here suggest the Duggars’ choice is abnormal… but the truth is that is just old-fashioned. Dial things back a century and few would be shocked or appalled.
I read somewhere that they don’t pay personal property taxes on their home/land because they use it as a church. Can anyone verify this?
In my opinion, her long skirt and Winger-like hair are as oppressive and controlling as a burka (sp?). They de-sex a woman so she can’t “tempt” a man.
Someone plug that sh!t up already.
A century ago most Americans lived on farms, life expectancy was in the 40’s, and the population was smaller.
In 1950 world pop was 2 billion and around 40-50% of Americans still lived on farms.
In 2010 there are almost 7 billion people on Earth, the majority of jobs in America are white collar, and life expectancy is about 72 years old.
This crazy 20 kid stuff is nothing to celebrate and it’s not “traditional” to do something so out of step with your community’s entire way of life and the world’s resources.
Plus, these people are breeding for fame on t.v. and books which isn’t the most religious thing to do to your kids.
“dial things back a century”? Well that’s a slippery slope. Reading about the Duggars always reminds me of how grateful I am to be living in current, modern, progressive times, especially as a female. There’s so much more to life than constantly churning out babies.
It all comes down to religion. The bible says “Be fruitful and multiply” and they chose to interpret that to mean that in order to get into heaven they have to have as many kids as they possibly can. It’s no different than Muslims who read the Koran and interpret that to mean that they have to strap explosives to their body and murder anyone who doesn’t agree with them. All religion is evil. That’s the main problem and the human race will never survive if we don’t stop living our lives based in fairy tales that were written 2000 years ago.
Why yes, @hatsumomo, I celebrate when there are mass disasters and thousands of people die. Absolutely! I’ll never forget that fabulous New Year’s Eve/Celebrate 250,000 Dead in Tsunami bash I threw in 2004! For Katrina, about 1200 dead, I hosted a cookout with a Cajun theme. You know, in their honor. For the various earthquakes in Iran and Pakistan, about 20,000+ dead, I played the Cars’ album “Shake It Up” for some background music.
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@ Di
I have a Libertarian skeleton. They have every right to live as they choose. Just like I have every right to mock them mercilessly.
No one here is advocating taking their kids way from them or sterilizing Michelle. I think it’s great that they aren’t sucking the system dry. That being said, I still think they’re wackier than Lady Gaga.
Have any of you seen the wedding episode? It’s the creepiest thing ever. I won’t say what many people say and wish one of their kids turns out gay, because that would imply that I think being gay is a bad thing. I DO, however, hope that one of their kids grows up to be a sex-happy liberal.
((Prt 1 of Wedding Episode – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge7b0a_fQIU))
If it is truly God’s will, have your babies at home and if they survive, that’s God’s will. This is modern science. God has nothing to do with it.
Never mind all the babies and stuff…I am just amazed that she still wants to sleep with the man after having 19 babies!
I know i’m generalizing – and , as is often the case when i generalize, I don’t care – but like most religious folk, these people are hypocrites. They use faith to excuse their lack of birth control, citing the will of God gives life, but will mechanically prevent said will from taking it? If they were true believers, they would have let Josie pass on, rather than sustain her for ratings. Jim Bob is a megalomaniac.
For them to be considering having another child after the health complications both Michelle and Josie had last time is, in my opinion, either extremely selfish or just plain deluded.
Although I guess with 18 siblings, and the older ones looking after the young ones while mummy and daddy are making babies, the younger ones probably wouldn’t even miss her, sadly.
Quote
Loads of responses here suggest the Duggars’ choice is abnormal… but the truth is that is just old-fashioned. Dial things back a century and few would be shocked or appalled.
@slm – sorry to keep beating this dead horse, but that’s just exactly it. You are right on that point, but a century ago, women had no reliable birth control and people just had many children, be it because of religion, mindset (children helped with labor), etc. Or simply because, there was nothing else to do at night ;)… BUT, few children made it past infancy, and many mothers died during childbirth. There was a natural “control” if you will. Now there is none. And people like the Duggars don’t realize the consequences of their actions in the long run, be it danger to the mother’s health, repercussions in the kids psyche later on, what have you. Their behavior just smacks of gratification to themselves in a way that makes my nerves grate.
Forget whether they can afford it. It’s selfish because they’re depriving their kids of that special relationship where you mean so much to your own parents. The older kids are stuck caring for the younger. How much individual attention do these 19 kids get? None.
The other day when I was at my obgyn appt., there was this girl, very young, she was like 20 with 4 kids and asking for her tubes to be tied. The people told her no, cause she has to be 21 to do so…and she just simply said…well, you better do it, or I’ll be here pg next year. She was also complaining how she wanted her baby born on New Years, (which it wasn’t), but that she was upset cause if it were to have been born on that date, she would have gotten a whole years supply of free pampers, so she might try again. Sad and pathetic, as if that was a threat or somewhat? I’m 30 and barely pg with my 3rd child, I think people should not rush it and spread out the ages of their children they choose to have, not back to back and definitely not that young. Some don’t see having kids seriously, it’s like toys to them or something, a game to play to name them all the names you like, some don’t even take care of their kids right. I’m not saying these people are like that, but ya, in my opinion, it’s too many kids. I also read this interesting fact that a long time ago, this Russian lady holds the record of having the most children, she had 69. I don’t know how that was possible, but that’s what it said.
“While I think it’s insane, don’t any of you have a Libertarian bone in your body? Her uterus, their time and sanity raising them, their money. If they want to follow The Church of Lint, as long as they don’t impede on others, that’s their damn business. Do I watch them? No. I have a frigging remote. ”
Yup. And I also agree with the poster who said that how do we know God didn’t have a hand in keeping the baby alive after she was born? I happen to be a scientist AND a Christian, and have no problem believing that both were contributing factors. I am sure the Duggars prayed for Josie’s physicians on a daily basis.
Gads. Tribalism at its worst here. No one can stand anyone who does things out of the ordinary, even if they aren’t hurting anyone but themselves. And if you want to argue that they might hurt another baby, then you’ve got to be ready to be just as outraged at abortion as at prolific child bearing to make that dog hunt.
So a miscarriage was a sign from God not to use birth control, but her having preeclampsia and the baby barely surviving AREN’T signs that it’s time to stop having kids? Sounds to me like tailoring God’s will to fit their own agenda.
slm, I don’t think anyone has said that they shouldn’t have the RIGHT to do this. There’s a big difference between having a negative opinion of something and wanting to take someone’s rights away.
If they didn’t have a reality show and go on TV all the time, no one would know or care or offer an opinion. They’re putting it out there and making money from it, so people are going to respond.
I think that her husband, like most cult leaders, is a horny bugger and he has informed her it is her duty to submit to his desires. Maybe pregnancy is the only thing that keeps him off her. She probably is addicted to the oxytocin hormones of pregnancy and nursing, and he feels all manly because he’s so virile. Creeptastic
Disgusting! I am sick of these tv shows and the media rewarding irresponsible behavior. These parents are idiots. All they do is breed like rabbits. If they “love children” so much – they should adopt. I hope their next kid comes out like a science project.
(Visualizes hordes of Duggar clones roaming the earth, runs screaming from room)
I think they are being deprived of a lot, including parental attention, a childhood, education and individuality for starters. These older kids are teaching the younger kids for a good part of their day in their buddy system. They should be studying and getting ready for college. Of course Ma and Pa Crazy are grooming those girls to be birthers, not educated women with choices.
They are all too the same, wearing the same clothes and they don’t seem obedient to me, they seem vacant. It’s a little creepy. I saw one episode where they were trying to respond to the lack of individuality issue and they had one of their girls answer for them. She said, “We ARE individuals. Some of us like chocolate and some of us like vanilla ice cream!!” This wasn’t a two year old, btw. I was like WTF???????????????
I think these kids appear stepfordy and so well mannered, but it isn’t healthy for them to be cooped up, playing parents to younger sibs, educated by crazy and even staying home for church. Of course, I can’t wait for one of them to escape and write the tell all. I’m preordering that one!
And they’ll announce she’s pregnant again in 3, 2, 1…
@Crash2GO2 – Your point about God and science having a hand in the NICU is fine but why can’t they accept science when it comes to birth control? Why is science only given credit when a life is in danger? Why is it okay not to use science (birth control) in the beginning but if something goes wrong then it is okay to rush to the hospital for help? Shouldn’t they leave it all up to God like they left the conception part?
And if they really loved their children they would take time to raise them and not cast them off on the other siblings.
That last photo as some have already said is just plain creepy.
I’m not so sure they see birth control itself as being against God’s will. I think they have made a choice about what is God’s will for THEM in their life.
I see nothing wrong with having older siblings help raise younger siblings. It is a common practice in many countries where it is customary to have large families, and was customary in the eons before just recently when it was customary to have many children.
What is so creepy about the last photo? The fact that any of this ‘creeps’ you out kind of suggests to me that you have strong personal feelings about these people, which makes it a little hard to have an objective conversation about what people have a right to do with their lives and bodies.
My last pregnancy was extremely unplanned (I was 38 and our older children were a Senior and a Sophomore in high school), and I was watched v-e-r-y carefully by my OBGYN. My pregnancy was normal (if you call constant morning sickness and vertigo “normal”) except for one incident of a spike in my blood pressure. My OB sent me to the hospital, and after being monitored for hours I was dubbed fine and released.
When I went into labour (almost 3 weeks early), I waited to go to the hospital since the contractions weren’t “frequent enough” to go. By the time I got to the hospital, I had been in labour for 36 hours, I was bleeding, and my blood pressure was so high they thought I was going to stroke out right there. After an emergency c-section and over a week in the hospital (spent getting my BP under control) I was allowed to go home.
Bottom line: my next pregnancy will not happen unless my OB says it will not kill me or my baby.
Michelle Duggar said outright on her show that they believe that Birth Control caused her miscarriage and they took it as a sign from God not to interfere with his plans for them.
And I see this becoming a morbid sort of full-circle. Just like they stopped Birth Control because they lost a baby and took that as ‘a sign from God’, I think that is what it will take for them to stop having more children, too. Another ‘sign from God’, if you will, in the form of a still born. Or worse, a baby who struggles like this one and loses the battle for its young life. Sad, morbid, but true. That’s the only thing that will stop them I think.An ‘intervention’ from God. They practically say it outright: as long as God keeps giving them to us, whatever is God’s will, et cetera. And there whole family will have to go through that. All twenty-f-cking-one (perhaps more) of them.
So absurd.
Also, good point about Science–not God–being the thing to keep this baby girl alive. They can accept that kind of Science, but not the Science that prevents this suffering in the first place?
@lucy2
I completely and totally agree !
Oldest Duggar Sons Help Save Child’s Life Following Car Accident
http://tv.yahoo.com/19-kids-and-counting/show/43716/news/tv.accesshollywood.com/tv.accesshollywood.com-oldest-duggar-sons-help-save-childs-life-following-car-accident
I think they should have children, because they can take care of those children.
They should not feel obligated to adopt just because other people are irresponsible, and bring a child into the world and wish to dump that child on someone else. That is not the problem of the Duggars or anyone else.
I believe you, GrnMtGirl, but I don’t believe her. Religious fanatics don’t practice birth control. It is just a back door argument saying that birth control is essentially the same as abortion. Also, I don’t believe a miscarriage affected their behavior at all. I think if she had a miscarriage now, she wouldn’t stop trying to get pregnant.
TQB, thanks for that comment. I’m not surprised she’s so childlike. That’s how the females are raised and that’s how their female children are being raised now. The boys have the option of going to college but the girls are expected to marry and essentially keep providing the slave labor they provided throughout their childhood. Well-behaved and Stepford are two different things. I really can’t stand parents who don’t raise their female children to be strong, smart and able to make up their own minds rather than letting a man do it for them.
what a crock of s**t. those kids have no chance of a normal life. the older kids will be taking care of the younger kids. stupid duggars
“yes we would do it again”
It already sounds like they do it again and again and again and….
Well, for most of history, older kids taking care of younger kids WAS normal. It’s not typical in our society now, but I don’t think it’s some freakish unfair thing that’s never been heard of before.
That said, I’ve never watched the show, and I’ve never wanted 19 kids. My mother, in many ways a devout Catholic, used birth control. She felt that God gave her a brain so that she would use it, and concluded that she thought the Church was wrong on that. So people believe in all kinds of blends of faith and science.
I’ll continue to pass on this show. I don’t actually have a big issue with the number of children they have, but it sounds like I’d have objections to some of their opinions.
1. I hate when all the blame is heaped on her. HE is the BOSS in their religion and she has to submit. He’s just as much to blame as she is. In fact, he’s in charge here.
2. When she keeps referring to Josie and her recovery as a miracle, it makes me think they’re just stupid.
A miracle does not happen billions of times. Every time a baby is born, it is not a miracle.
A baby being born to a woman with no ovaries or uterus? MIRACLE! A baby born to a woman who never had any sort of sex at all? (Jesus.) MIRACLE!
Parting an ocean: miracle.
Babies might be considered by their parents to be a BLESSING. But miracles do not happen every single day, hundreds of thousands of times a day! That’s not even the definition of a miracle! A miracle is something that goes against EVERY SINGLE law of nature, physics, science in general, everything we understand about everything.
Babies? Sperm + egg + happy place to grow = baby. Happens ALL the damn time. And babies born way too early nowadays are also helped by medical science to survive. Happens all the time.
Not. A. Miracle.
3. I don’t care if these people have a splillion dollars, they are disingenuous because they claim they only want God’s will, but she stops nursing each baby at 6 months to re-start ovulation. They interpret the miscarriage as a sign that they should have as many babies as possible, but they DON’T interpret an extremely premature birth to a micropreemie with serious health issues as a sign to stop. They only interpret things the way they want them to go, which is the opposite of just wanting God’s will.
4. As a Christian, I have to say that God didn’t just give them reproductive organs, he also gave them a damn brain and religious beliefs are no excuse to throw away your COMMON DAMN SENSE.
They’re such idiots.
In their particular religious sect, they are not allowed to adopt.
Which is just BS if you ask me.
Mark my words, she will have as many babies as she can crank out, because that’s what Jim Bob says and that’s what the guy says (can’t think of his name off the top of my head) who wrote all the stuff they follow and if something happens to her in the process, they can always count on medical technology to save her, yay! Instead of God’s will and just letting her die!
Some of you have no trouble mocking their seemingly odd religious views, how about Catholic Hispanics w/ 10 kids? Muslims? Or do you respect that they can have views that differ from yours? If you truly believe we all live as “one world,” then shouldn’t you give them the respect you would give other religions? I would never do what they’ve chosen to do, but I will always fight for someone’s right to do as they please as long as they are not infringing on me. Define the word “progressive” correctly.
Their total disregard for science and home schooling their children but not teaching science is the worst part. They are breeding ignorance and it isn’t fair to their children. I can’t wait for them to grow up, and see how many of them will feel slided out of a real education (not to mention be able to wear clothing that isn’t basically a burlap sack).
They do believe in adoption and have said it is something they have considered and have friends who have adopted special needs children.
Who says they don’t teach their kids science? The curriculum they use teaches science.
I have watched their show and find them both honest and loving towards their family. Although I do not agree with having so many children or their religious values, they have the right to live the way they want. And just to correct one poster, they earn every penny that they live on. They do NOT take handouts from the government, unlike many people that have multiple children. They work hard, built their own house and the husband at one time was in politics. Don’t judge them from this story, watch their show its better then a lot of loser reality cr*p that is out there!
If these overly religious people believe God gives life, then why take the baby to the hospital at all? The advanced medical knowledge that saved that kids life is based off scientific discoveries and theories that the church doesn’t support and in fact often campaigns against.
I know that very few people will get around to reading this, but the Duggars are part of the Quiverfull movement and there are some rather disturbing stories are “spiritual abuse” on:
http://nolongerquivering.com/ by a woman who left the movement and some other contributers.
I used to think the Duggars were a bit quirky but now I just feel creeped out by them.
I wonder how the oldest Duggar daughters feel about having children/large families? After caring for so many of their siblings would they really want to have children of their own?
SPRAY AND NEUTER!
Ugh. This is tough for me because in my heart I agree with most of the posts but I’m trying to reserve judgment. I guess it ultimately doesn’t matter to me what lifestyle they chose, it’s more just the reality TV show nonsense that bothers me. It’s hard for me to turn a blind eye to the fact that this seems to be in direct conflict with the religious ideals they so freely tout–But that’s not my judgment to make.
@di butler-I agree with the idea of defending peoples’ right to live as they chose which is why I avoid the posts about Tom Cruise and Xenu etc etc. People usually get all crazy about Scientology and how it’s a “cult” and it usually kind of bothers me because I just don’t understand why people care about how others chose to live. That being said, I’m a humanist (“friendly” word for atheist), raised by two atheist parents and on a personal level, I abhor all religions equally. I do think that people should be able to live their lives as they chose as long as it doesn’t directly affect me but the problem with institutionalized religion is that it is much, much larger (and more insidious) than that. My issue is that these people are not just living out their lives in privacy, they have a public forum to display it and some sort of personal responsibility/moral accountability should go along with this.
@LOVE ANGELINA: Happy Birthday 🙂
@ succinct yet adequate…nice…
Well, GOD-willing, menopause comes with the quickness providing decisive indication that she needs to stop because at this point it’s rather irresponsible and rash.
Michelle is 44. I could see her having at least four more before menopause hits. That’s the only thing that will stop the reproductive process. I feel the most sorry for the older girls in that family, no further education other than what they’ve learned at the kitchen table, definitely no college, nothing ahead for them but marriage. In the meantime they are unpaid maids and babyminders.
I once saw a documentary about a black sharecropper family in the South with 23 kids (maybe “sharecropper” isn’t the right word). No one celebrated or adulated
them and, no, they did not get their own reality show. They were dirt poor. I always wonder if the Duggars were not white, if they’d be getting such a free pass about their excessive number of children. Politically, I find it deplorable. I can see people who support “White Rights” (whatever the hell that is) being in love with this family. Truly sickening.
To those who say we are not to judge them for wanting to “be fruitful and multiply”: That’s true, mostly because (from what I’ve seen and heard at least, I don’t watch this show), this family is not vigorously and violently pushing their agenda on the rest of us.
HOWEVER,
While God did say in the bible “be fruitful and multiply” (or something to that effect), isn’t there something in there telling people to love and cherish what they already have?
Because when it comes right down to it, the Duggars are being beyond irresponsible.
The damage to their adult kids is already done. They’ve missed out on a proper childhood, proper teenage years, and the traditional amount of attention that any child would need to grow and be happy adults.
As far as the kids that are STILL in need of their parents loving care and attention? They still have a chance – if Michelle stops becoming pregnant that is. Or maybe not – they most likely see their older siblings as their true parents – because they’re the ones that take care of them.
I feel sorry the most for the very youngest ones. A family friend gave birth to a preemie last year – I want to say she was around two months early. The girl had to spend a number of weeks in the hospital, and EVERY SINGLE MEMBER of the couple’s extended family lent out a helping hand to help the couple and the baby through this time.
Right now, the girl is a happy, healthy, and downright adorable one year old. But she’s also an only child. Little Josie is the youngest of 18. Preemies take away quite literally all of the attention of the parents – and letting one of the teenage Duggars take care of the tots and barely-school-age Duggars is downright immature, irresponsible, and absolutely sad.
These people should NOT be on national television broadcasting these views to impressionable, immature teenage girls that are already getting that horrid message of abstinence for sex.
And what I find even worse, is that I bet the younger Duggars don’t view Michelle as a mother very much at all, and they definitely won’t when they grow up – they’re going to view her as a baby machine.
Being a parent isn’t primarily about birthing the kid (or giving the kid sperm to create life). That’s only part of the equation. Being a parent is about nurturing the child, caring for the child, being there for their first tooth, first haircut, first dentist and doctor appointment, first day(s) of school, helping out with their school projects (and often being the one to complete the bulk of it), helping them study for their tests, being their when they start dating, giving them proper advice on sex, being their for their first breakup, helping them find the right college….the list is infinite.
But neither Michelle or Bob will be there for all of that with their younger kids – the older siblings will be doing that.
To me, that’s the greatest tragedy of this family, and that’s where I get angry about this family.
That poor child. I think they are being very naive to think she will catch up by the time she is 2. Babies born that early often have problems that never go away. With that many kids under foot it will be too easy for her to get lost in the crowd once the immediate medical dangers have passed.I hope they give her the extra attention she will need developentally.
Well, for most of history, older kids taking care of younger kids WAS normal.
_______________________
Right, but now they have something far more important to do, like getting their OWN education. Teaching younger siblings and having merely a rudimentary education that does not include science will seriously impede their options for higher education. I know the Duggars don’t value that, but it would be nice for any that want to break free of the cult to be able to do so.
If those kids were in school, their teachers would be fired for not teaching them science and having them spend a large part of the day educating younger students. I’m actually fine with homeschooling when there is school involved, not just basic math and bible readings. Although they live like it was 100 years ago, it isn’t and it is sad to see kids deprived of a proper education.
There is nothing wrong with older siblings helping out, but helping out does not mean caring for your assigned child all day long. That isn’t helping, it’s parenting. Helping is “watch your brother while I take a shower/make dinner, not teach him, care for him and basically raise him for me! Sorry, that is the job of the parents.
Very creepy, indeed. So busy making the next one, would they have any time for anything?
I have one child and to be honest its exhausting to function at 100% because it’s not only meals and baths – it’s book reading, playing, going to all sorts of extracurricular activities, having conversations and discussions that she needs, teaching her to read, helping her with her assignments… It’s taking up so much time. How can you do that with 19?
I bet they are just like relatives to them, do they really know these kids well?
“Well, for most of history, older kids taking care of younger kids WAS normal.”
that is a ridiculous argument. for most of history, beating your wife was normal. so was slavery. so was child labor. so was debtor’s prison. either make a sound argument or don’t bother.
Go get ’em O.K.
Well, I guess they can have as much as they can handle without burdening the society or harming their kids. And I agree older siblings taking care of younger ones are pretty common all over the world. My dad, for instance, came from a family of 8 siblings. They have an extremely close-knitted and loving family that single child like me envy a lot.
Never seen their show but I agree with everyone who said he looks like a psycho creepy controlling person. You can tell by just looking at his eyes and phony smile. The wife looks glazed over, or zombie like with her perpetual smile. He must be great at mind control.
You can’t predict a large family or a religious one will be a “better” one. I’m the youngest of 7 kids from a very religious, conservative upbringing and there’s a lot of antipathy between the siblings. There was a great deal of darkness, but when you’re “religious” you’re very discouraged from ever letting on that anything is less than ideal within God’s Perfect Plan. Ugh. So glad I got out from under that. It’s a very harmful thing, brainwashing.
‘Be fruitful and multiply’ – I don’t think this is what is meant by that biblical message. I bet there isn’t a single reputable OB/GYN that thinks it’s a good idea to have child after child, just because you can. If Michelle is actually 44 she is way past the age of conceiving children without genetic defects. How will that affect the family as a whole if the Duggars have a special needs child? Will Michelle continue to conceive well into her 60s just because she can?? This is just one huge freak show.
i find it inspiration that they can be together that long and with so many children… they’re just good god fearing old fashioned folk. i find all the children as representation of love between the two.
Woow.. this family have 19 children. You can share another person how to that especially to infertile person
2 people could never care for and provide for 19 children.The depend on frends family neighbors and even the childre who have to provide care for the younger children. The wapping hospital bill was paid via charity that the hospital raises. They live on the fring of their belief that God desides.
All children should have been born at home and then let God deside to pull little josie through If the really just left it all up to God they would have 3-5 kid probably They say God but its there sex life and various systems that support the ability to keep popping out babies
If Jim Bob’s sperm could enter the Olympics, they would kick Michael Phelps ass! Moving on…I find it hard to believe that Jim Bob and Michelle never get irritated. The kids never raise their voice at each other. Never experience sibling rivalry. Never question their parents choices ie how come J got to do XYZ? Never get caught masturbating? U mean to tell me unlike all, yes all children of the world infant, toddler,teen…the Duggar children don’t innocently discover their sexuality until they get married like big brother Josh? Unless Michelle is a Stepford Wife and the children are preassembled parent dream robot children, I call bullshit! I call shenanigans! At least with Kate Gosselin people may not have liked her, but we saw different sides of her…good and those that showed her as a human. If we go with the Duggars TV personna, the Duggars never have any emotion changes unless someone dies or is in the hospital like when Josie potentally could have died. So, again what human is never angry, frustrated, afraid,etc? Whoops, I forgot these are super humans.
all of you hating on the duggars, don’t you know HATE is terrible? the duggars are upsetting to all the “ladies” on here who have cases of trojans at the ready because you don’t like their example of wholesomeness, played next to your example of sluttiness. sure, you’re WAY BETTER than the duggars. congratulations trash
It is God who gives life and God takes away. If he wanted to he could have taken both Michelle and Josie’s lives, but he spared them. He allowed them to live, providing them with the proper care of nurses and doctors to help them along the way. We have an awesome Lord who does amazing things!
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