Author |
Message |
Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:28 pm
I can't help thinking this family has nothing but worker bee children. The mother queen bee keeps popping them out and the family takes on more chores.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:35 pm
And to think they were married 4 years before they had their first kid! They could have 3 or 4 more kids than they have! I am all for a big happy family, especially if you have the finances. But at some point (maybe kid 5 or 6) the quality and quantity of parent/kid time starts dropping...
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Yankee_in_ca
Member
08-01-2000
| Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:47 pm
What I can't get over is how young the mom still looks, for having 16 kids.
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:51 pm
I'm definitely in the wrong profession, if real estate can help them pay cash for that ginormous house and all the fixins... They do seem to all be really happy people. I just wonder if they realize that there is another whole world outside of their house (other than family outings to a restaurant, the grocery store, or home schooling conventions). The oldest boy is really good looking, and more than once I caught him kind of "eyeing" the designer. How DO they keep the hormomes in check?!?
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Monday, March 13, 2006 - 9:06 pm
I didn't think they were all that rich -- doing the majority of the work themselves had to more than cut housing costs in half -- not to mention it took almost 4 years to get it built! No mortgage payments (only construction payments) at that point -- and that's IF they didn't pay upfront for materials. Remember them talking about the huge savings they got on the items in the kitchen. Feeding and clothing 16 kids has to be an ENORMOUS cost -- but they also save money by doing "family" things at home rather than traveling so much. I turned absolutely pea green w/jealousy when I saw that beautiful piano. What a lovely gift -- and it looked as if it will be not only well-used but loved by all. I too was amazed at how young the mom looked! Good for her -- if I had that many kids, I'd have killed a couple off out of sheer exasperation and would probably look like some old prison hag in my striped uniform before bars! LOL She has my admiration, but I certainly wouldn't want to BE her! 
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 3:16 am
Well, I don't have 16 kids to support, and I couldn't afford to pay for that house even if I did ALL the work myself...so they're still pretty damned rich IMHO!
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Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 8:41 am
I remember from an earlier show that they pay cash for everything and insist on having absolutely no debt. Mom needs an updated hairstyle in my opinion though. She does look good though and sounds like Dolly Parton when she talks...LOL! A lot of really conservative Christians believe that it is a good thing to remove their children from worldly influences. They realize, of course, that eventually their children will be exposed to the "outside" world but they try and protect them from it as much as possible. Can't say that would be my choice but I certainly respect their choice.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 8:56 am
I was thinking the same thing about the mom. She does look great, especially for that many kids plus homeschooling. (Though I do think she should have a little alone time sometimes.) I think a makeover would be great for her. Get rid of all that long hair and maybe some lighter lipstick. Also a visit from "what not to wear." Though the make their own clothes (girls only) so I don't know if they'd wear store bought clothes.
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Jhezzie
Member
07-05-2001
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:22 am
I think the long hair and the long dresses are a religious thing. They seem kind of cult-like, don't they?
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Aussiedeb
Member
07-05-2004
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:33 am
Jhezzie, that was what I was thinking. It looks like they belong to some serious religious group with the long dresses etc.. The mom does look great but I would definitely love to see her get a makeover and pampered for a day at a spa/salon. I am in awe how well behaved etc the children are and how grounded the parents are too.
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 12:01 pm
I think that, too Jhezzie. I also think the children need a day of total play. I know people who homeschool their children for religious reasons, but their kids have play days with other children in the community who are homeschooled. (Of all cultural backgrounds) When I saw that industrial kitchen, I couldn't help feel sorry for the kids who will have to cook for everyone. I also didn't like seeing the one girl doing the laundry. Yes, they do send helpers, but she is the main laundry washer. (Even with the new washers..)
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 12:09 pm
I was surprised that the kids did not want their own rooms. Or at least break the rooms down into smaller groups, like boys ages 1-5, 6-10, etc...
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Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 2:07 pm
I think that the dresses aren't necessary long - but they are demure. And I'm sure it keeps the costs down. We sure have changed as a society, haven't we? In past eras the whole purpose of having children was for cheap labor - hence the huge families of farm people. Now we find it appalling that children are taught responsibility and chores at an early age. I may send my beloved daughter to this family for a few months - she could use some responsibility!
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Yankee_in_ca
Member
08-01-2000
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 2:20 pm
My dad has 15 brothers and sisters. And everyone knew it was to work the family farm. I think the dresses aren't cult-like, but they are likely a result of religion -- women are demure, chaste. I still think the mom looks unusually fresh for having that many children! I've seen pictures of my grandmother in her 30s and she looked 60.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 2:38 pm
I can't seem to find this show in my listings. What channel is on?
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Jhezzie
Member
07-05-2001
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 2:42 pm
We sure have changed as a society, haven't we? In past eras the whole purpose of having children was for cheap labor - hence the huge families of farm people. Now we find it appalling that children are taught responsibility and chores at an early age. While breeding children as laborers was a necessity back in the day, it isn't today. But it's their right to have all of the children they can support. Who are the 'we' who were appalled at teaching responsibility at an early age?
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 2:49 pm
I think they should offer a summer camp! I would send my kids. I was so impressed with how well the kids behaved and how calm the parents were.
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 4:59 pm
I believe she said she was 39 years old having the last (or perhaps most recent baby). She was 17 when they married and had 1st child @ 21. Are there 2 sets of twins? I also think the kids have too much responsibility. As an oldest child, I can say and know that it is common for the older kids to watch over the younger. My impression is also that they seem quite insulated. This would not be my choice, but it does seem to work for them. I think in the 1st show, 15 and preg again, they did show that their style of dress was both part of the religious beliefs and part necessity. They want to call attention to the face, not the clothing or body. The girls all wore white socks, the boys all black to make laundry easier. (Wonder if the laundry child thinks that helps?). I seem to recall them being part of a very small religous community with just a couple other families and they held services in each others houses. I felt sorry for the little 10 year old boy who is in charge of the pantry. He is too small to even reach the shelves and could be seriously hurt when climbing. The 1st show also made more of how the older kids were partnered with a younger child or two. I'm not too sure they have much of a childhood or any interaction with other kids. I kept thinking what a great Inn that house would make. Of course you need more than 3 bedrooms. My mom's health is shot from having 6 kids in a short period of time. I was 7 when my youngest sister was born. I just can't imagine a life of being perpetually preggers, home schooling, running the household like a mini military operation and living in that tiny house for so long. Good heavens, I'd of been in the corner crying and suckin my thumb, hauled off to the sanitarium for a good long while, leaving a bunch of poor motherless waifs behind.
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 5:00 pm
Naja it was on TLC last Saturday night I believe.
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 5:21 pm
I think children should be taught responsibility, but they should also be given time to be kids, too. Children aren't robots to be programmed. They're individuals. I wouldn't send my child to them without a thorough inspection of their religious beliefs, either. There seems to be something cult-like about the father. His kids do not attend a regular school. They only attend the church in their own home. They only play with children from the church, and they are regimented throughout their day. I didn't see any cultural diversity in their life, either. I just don't admire these people..sorry. I'd rather see the messy loving Roloff (Small people) family any day!
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Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 7:11 am
I don't recall anything about where they attend church. And I see around their house places for children to play - they even put a slide from the bedroom to the playroom. While I think these shows have concentrated on how the family manages to survive together I would guess that they also get plenty of time to just be kids. I remember that the family goes out on regular "field trips" when they are learning something new - they showed more of this on the earlier special than they did this one. None of these children seemed "programmed" or unhappy to me. I guess the true test of how well the parents' choices for them will work is what happens to the children when they have to get out in the real world. It would be interesting to follow their lives and see how they turn out.
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Brenda1966
Member
07-03-2002
| Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 8:18 am
I'm with Twiggy. I'm getting cult vibes too. I wouldn't send my DD there, not for one minute. While I'm sure they're happy with their life of controled and isolated experiences, I also see them as being programmed from the day they were born and not allowed to question or be free-thinkers. I'm sure they'll never leave that lifestyle and that is fine for them, but I don't admire it or long for it at all.
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 10:41 am
They mentioned it several times that they attended church in their home. I also visited their family website. They mention it there, too. They also have links to other sites. One link is for an ultra conservative Christian group. That group advocates insolation from outside influences. I'll post links here: http://www.jimbob.info/ (Old website) http://www.duggarfamily.com/ (New website) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bob_Duggar This is a link from the Dugger site. It's an ultra ultra conservative Christian group: http://www.iblp.org/iblp/ If you google the leader of this group,Bill Gothard, you find he has been under heavy scrutiny from other religious leaders, as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gothard Be sure to read the mother's note to other mothers. (On both sites)
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 6:51 pm
Ok, which show is it..LOL My listings have this: • Raising 16 Children DHC, Wed Mar 15 10:00pm CST • 16 Children and Moving In TLC, Sun Mar 19 12:00pm CST • Raising 16 Children DHC, Sun Mar 19 02:00pm CST • Raising 16 Children DHC, Sun Mar 26 08:00pm CST • Raising 16 Children DHC, Sun Mar 26 11:00pm CST Nothing with "house" included
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 7:20 pm
16 Chldren and Moving In (TLC)..I was being funny when I wrote that. Mods can fix if they like
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