No I didnt have them as a kid either.

Sorry to hear that hopefully you had some strong adults to lead you in the early years. We as a species can and will adapt.

Knowing what you know about not having parents (not sure of the circumstance) but would you personally have a ton of children that you couldn't give as much time to and have to engage your other children to raise them?

People are gonna probably give me hell but I find it to be neglectful and somewhat abusive. Our children didn't ask to be born and it's our job and duty to raise them to the best of our ability and give them the tools and morals and help in becoming the best adults they can be to raise the future generations of our children. I personally think I would as though I were shirking my duty and neglecting my children to not be able to give them more one on one time and actually do the raising myself (JMO).

I didnt have anyone. I ran the streats and done as I pleased. To answer your question yes I would have 20 kids if god had planned that for me. What I dont get is that mother is there everstep of the way. Who tought them to cook, do the wash, clean the yard, give baths, do there lessons. As on evershow you dont see the whole picture. As i said before i would to to be part of the family. There are people that only have 2 kids and cant seem to show both kids love (my SIL) . This lady may have something other people dont.

Ok, you didnt have any parents. I just think it is wrong to have so many children when there are so many out in the world that need parents.
Why the obsessive need to have child after child?

It isn't fair. These "kids" are mini adults. Mini parents. They don't deserve or need all that responsibility!!!! It is the PARENTS choice to have so many kids and not enough time to raise them as individuals. They dress the same, they talk the same, they believe all the same beliefs their parents force on them.
Their appearances are "odd." Strange. As if they aren't human at all - more stepford like but in a BAD way. All of them so well behaved?? Bullsh* *!!

These - Duggers - are not children in the normal sense of the word. They will be allowed to grow up when the parents allow. They will possibly go to a college the parents have chosen, they will meet and possibly marry someone their parents picked for them. This isn't a life. It's a dictatorship.
I don't care how many fake smiles they paste on. Look in those vacant eyes of the kids. They haven't got a clue - unless given to them by mother or father.
Where is the FREEDOM? Where are the choices? The opportunity to find what they want for their own lives? What they believe in? What is best for them? The chance to really screw up and learn. It's almost like a cult.

If you read the duggers website you will find that all these "pregnancies" are out of guilt because she miscarried a pregnancy while taking birth control.
That makes sense. Make all your kids pay for something you feel responsible for-- with their lives.

How can you not accept them? They are so religious. Who's exploiting who?


God has opened many doors for them to share that children are a blessing from the Lord! is a direct quote--I just hope they are positive the blessings are from the Lord!! and not Satan.

lol that's prob. true:rolleyes:

But they are all diff. ages, does she do it at diff. times since they are all at diff. levels? I think they are missing out on what's going on in the outside world, once they move on and get married etc. i think it will prob. be a big shock to them what goes on in the world. I think they also need relationships outside their family, friends, something!

Michelle teaches the older kids some of their subjects in a group setting. I think math and maybe English is done separately. The younger ones get help from the older one because JimBob and Michelle feel a good way to learn is to teach.

They all take piano and violin.

They do hang out with neighbors and go to homeschool conferences. They took a trip to NY not long ago and the older kids have cars from what I've heard and jobs outside the house. They are far from unsocialized.

(jubes) They are not unsocialized they are just only socialized with children of families that have the exact same beliefs. They had said on the show that they want the children to continue the way they are being raised. The had another family that they went out with on a group outing to ice skating...the dads grew up together etc. They were kind of hoping or rather guiding a relationship with their oldest son to the oldest daugther.

I have no problem with a family that prays together but I think that children need to be a part of the ever evolving world.

There is an atty that I work with who is Jewish. He has raised the children very religiously and all that stuff. They have gone to yeshiva etc. Now that the eldest who is turning 18 is getting ready to go to college (a main stream one) she is kind of floundering.

I think it's fine to raise them in your faith but when you limit them to only that world it will bite you in the behind in the end. That young girl is now having anxiety attacks about the whole main stream and about how things in the outside world will and might infringe on her way of being raised.

I guess this is why we live in the USA. To each his own. We can all have as many kids as we want and raise them as we like. I only wish more people would raise there kids like the Duggars do. I have been to lots of schools all over the country and kids these days feel somebody owes them something. Most Kids today only care about them self. IMO The Duggars have something good going on.

You don't really know how these kids are being raised. You are watching something that has all the negative things edited out. All the bad things, words, looks, THE TRUTH, is cut out and laying in the edit room. You see smiles, happy, pretty, clean. That right there should tell you something. Every human being should be allowed to grow. Physically, emotionally and mentally. Within relationships at school, in the community - where the individual feels they need to be.
There are too many restrictions placed on the GROUP. That is what they are: a GROUP. A single entity. And the older ones have - MUST - bear the responsibility of RAISING THE YOUNGER GROUP MEMBERS. It is not a choice for them. THEY HAVE TO. How can you possibly watch this and come to the conclusion that they have something good going on? It looks like some type of prison. Has anyone asked the kids if any of the 15 would like to go to an actual school? Private or otherwise? Would their voices be heard? Would their desires be met? That's part of life to. Seeing dreams and realities come to life. To have interests outside the home? To find out what dating is all about? Without MomBob or DadBob right there in between them 24/7???? Come on. Take the blinders off. Having a large family is a big responsibility: FOR THE ADULTS HAVING THE CHILDREN
IT SHOULD NOT BE FORCED ON THE CHILDREN.

:thumbup:

Yes and the other part of life is making mistakes and learning from them. That is how we grow. I feel kinda sad that they are being held back like that. I think it may come to haunt them one day when they can't make decisions on their own.

Protecting our children is good but sheltering is bad and it does totally hinder them as they get older. Life is not easy and simple. Things get thrown at you forward, backward and sideways and you have to be able to adjust. It just feels as though their life is scripted and there is no deviation so when that time comes not sure how well they will do.

ohhh that is good. I have only seen that 1 hr episode on TLC so i dont know much about them. That's good they have jobs, etc

That is true. I remember seeing an documentary one time about how the Amish live, i think it was on MTV or disc. channel, anyway it was about how when the kids turn 18 they have to choose if they will continue to live the Amish way or go away to college and live like a normal kid. If they choose to continue living the same they have to work with the family or something like that and marry with an Amish girl/boy and if they decide to go away they are disowned by their family and i think never see them again. They are not part of the fam anymore. In the doc. most of the kids went to party for 2 week straight in the city, etc and got drunk, tried drugs, slept with numerous partners even though it wasn't what they were brought up with, i think it was a big culture shock to them. Some stayed with their fam after that cause they had to choose and some moved away and lived a normal life and chose their religions or not. It was very interesting. Basically they are given freedom for like 2 weeks and chose which life to live after that.

I think the older ones are scared, since they don't know the 'real world' they are scared that the parents will disown them if they tell them they are interested in going to school, etc and then they won't know what to do, where to go. If i was brought up in a family like that i know i would be scared to to be on my own, i wouldn't know what to do with myself.

I have read all the responses and I still feel that the Duggars are doing a good job. There kids are healthy and happy and have all the things that are needed to live. The world today lives by materalistic things. They mentioned
J O Y Jesus first Others second Yourself last....In our house we live by
Y O J....and I find that very sad. After watching the Duggar family I feel somehow I have failed as a parent. My kids ask for something and right away I see that they get it but unfortuanately they just want more and more and more....they have no needs just wants....how selfish.

Many have mentioned that the mom doesn't do anything that the children are doing all the work...I feel that there is alot going on in this house and the children are helping out....just as families should do...I'm sure that while Jana is making supper mom is not taking a nap...she probably is dealing with a little one...and I am also sure that someone is helping Jana....these kids do not look like they are being deprived....they have many things....my gosh...they took a month long trip in a RV and saw many things that my kids will never get to see because we can't afford it...well maybe we could if we weren't so materalistic. I say having that many children is a personal choice and we shouldn't be bashing them. Those children are not lacking anything and I think I takes strong parents to live by your beliefs and teach your children strong morals and values....I wish I could be half as strong. There are many children in this world that are abused daily maybe we should bash those parents instead of the parents that are really do a good job.

Thank you !!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

I don't think anyone is bashing them. I think you have a lot of people on here that are concerned that the children are not children and are raising their siblings.

I am a mother and will not have my children raise each other. I will not have that many children where it's necessary that everyone has to buddy up so another sibling can care for them. It's very necessary for children to have chores and responsibilities but I want my children to be children, adolecents, teens etc and not be young parents.

I am a strong believer in the fact that parents should be parents. I do believe in community parenting where children will respect their elders, aunts, uncles, family friends as though they are their parents and will know to obey and respect them.

But by no means will I continue to have children when I need to have the other children parent them. I think overall that is what worries others on here. It's a good thing to enjoy the blessings of a new life but when is enough enough.

Very well said.:)

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Perhaps I should'nt have use the word bashing....but their are a lot of strong opinions on here about them having so many children....When I was little my best friend came from a family of 22 children.....oh yeah...22 and I loved going to their house. I am from a family of 3 siblings who fought all the time. We are now in our 40's and still fight and have never gotten along...my friend...hers get along great...I still see the family alot..there is 2 nurses.....3 teachers....physical therapist.....CPA. another one that owns his own construction company....thats all I know. They lived by most of the same rules that the Duggar family lived by....(my friends family did not believe in BC due to religious faith) and they have turned out to be not weirdos but respected people in our community. They all helped raise each other...they lived on the farm and had many chores to do to keep the farm and household running. They did not have very much in the way of "things" but I still had so much fun with them. Their dad use to nick name me "Fred" I think that was because all of the kids names started with L and my name was Lynn which they already had one of so to keep me seperate he named me Fred..which I am still amazed that he knew I was not one of his children with so many...lol.... Having this huge family did not hurt them in any way....
As for the strong opinions....that is whats so great about living in the USA....everyone is entitled to their opinion.....and we can converse here and give ours.....;)

I would have loved to have more bros and sisters, i only grew up with my brother so it was lonenly at times. And he is 4 yrs older so its a big gap kinda. We neer like hung out like that, he was always just my big brother lol I always wanted like sisters to be close to. My friend's house was a family of 4, 2 girls, 2 boys and i was always close with them, well still am. I consider them like my sisters and they are only like 2 yrs apart and very very close. And the brothers were close too. I want a big family when i have one, but not as big as the duggars lol

I think it's amazing any parents can have that many children :)

I hope for one, at the most two at some point in my life, but think that's the most I could handle. :)

I was telling my DH since we already have 4 furchildren it really only leaves room for 1-2 skin babies LOL! Then we'd be considered a large family :p.

How do you know they are happy? You know for a fact that they are Happy?
By watching TV? How do you know if they are lacking. By watching them on TV? Do you really think any negative comments would ever be recorded by the children? If they said boo about mombob or dadbob? Do you really think that would ever be allowed? You don't think for a moment what you see on TV is fake or made up to look good? you believe everything you see on TV? You need help too.
There is a heck of alot more to a child FREE TO BE THEMSELVES than having parents run every thought word or deed. The kids don't even have their own feelings. They sound like robots. They don't even have personalities.
It's a lot easier for us to say it looks all nice and sweet and cute, and wonderful. Oh, glory they read the Good Book together - then they are perfect. It's a television show. And not a very good one. Let them have 50 or 60 kids. Let the drones carry on the chores of the PARENTS. Whatever. They have been brain washed. They have no LIVES. My dogs have more freedom.