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.