| Author |
Message |
Chieko
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, November 09, 2011 - 11:57 pm 
" I'd bet that doing the nasty is strictly for procreating,"
no, I don't think that is their belief, they just decided early on that they didn't want to use birth control.
As long as the Duggars are raising happy, well rounded children (which I believe they are) and are completely supporting their family on their own, I don't care how many children they have.
If they want and can care for their children, fine.
What I find more disturbing is women who find themselves with unwanted pregnancies being forced to continue with them.
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Christy358
Member
07-10-2007
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 12:26 am
I think you can find more on the Duggars belief system by searching for "quiverfull"
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 12:53 am
But it seems like they want to have children so their older children can be parents.. that wasn't the choice of the older children, or the younger children, seems to me.
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 5:31 am
They've made quite a handsome sum from TLC, having been on TV since 2004! I recently read that they get upwards of $40,000 per episode. The "buy used and save the difference" and "income from some commercial properties" isn't supporting that family in the lifestyle they have. That house is huge, and must have tremendous utility bills. We do know they have said they spend around $3000 a month for groceries alone. A motorhome like the one they have can cost as much as a house. And if they're not employed outside of their house, they must pay a huge premium for health insurance.
So I don't believe for a minute that all of the trips they take and all of the things they have are something they would be enjoying without the benefit of their TV appearances.
That said, they're a nice family and enjoyable to watch... but Kate Gosselin has been hung out to dry (actually, she's been burned at the stake) for raising her children in their big house, on TLC's dime. I don't really see much difference. I guess as long as everyone on the show is sweet and pleasant, we don't begrudge them the TV money and we don't worry about the children's psyches from living in front of the cameras. Interesting...
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Snoopsmom
Member
02-19-2003
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 5:40 am
I don't watch the show, so have no basis for my opinion, but reading about their 20th child being on the way makes me think of animal hoarders.
They think they are doing a "good" thing, but it's just never enough.
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 6:59 am
Oh I've raised the subject of the amount of work it takes to care for and raise a family of that size in the past. They don't hire help, so the vast amount of work falls on the girls. Here we have a new baby..so guess what? Jinger or one of those girls get a new responsibility! Yikes. Their whole childhood is filled with work. Can you imagine the laundry and cooking alone?
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Skydiver6
Member
07-21-2006
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 8:36 am
My issue with it is mostly for the health of Michelle. Women were not meant to have babies year after year after year after year after year. Her last pregnancy was high risk and she and the baby suffered for it. To not care about that and to just continue to have unprotected sex makes JimBob seem like some sick horn dog or egomaniac in my mind. And I have no respect for Michelle for going along with it.
It would also be one thing to have 20 children and care for them yourself as parents but to have them and pawn them off on the older children who are kept very isolated from the rest of the world and opportunities seems very wrong to me and selfish.
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Mamabatsy
Member
08-05-2005
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 9:01 am
My grandmother had 18 live births, 14 of which lived beyond their first year and only 8 reached adulthood. This was in the late 1800s/early 1900. It used to be common. She died in her early 50s which also used to be common. My favorite uncle was more like a grandfather to me since he was the oldest and 22 years older than my father who was the youngest.
I have two friends who were the oldest in large families. One the oldest of 7 the other the oldest of 6. Neither of them had, or ever wanted, children because they had already raised families by the time they reached adulthood.
I'm 70 and very large families were common when I was a child, but not so much now. The Duggars are just sort of behind the times. I think the boys will continue the tradition of large families, but the girls not so much.
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Lilfair
Member
07-09-2003
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 9:36 am
"... but Kate Gosselin has been hung out to dry (actually, she's been burned at the stake) for raising her children in their big house, on TLC's dime. I don't really see much difference. I guess as long as everyone on the show is sweet and pleasant, we don't begrudge them the TV money and we don't worry about the children's psyches from living in front of the cameras. Interesting..."
Kate and the Duggars, are 2 sides of the same coin.
Kate is disliked because some think she became greedy and made it all about her wants and uses the kids as props.
The Duggars are disliked because some think their form of religion is not healthy for the kids and that they keep having kids and the older girls are responsible for their daily care.
Kate feels that she deserves much because she has a gaggle of kids and the Duggars think that their gaggle will help promote their religious beliefs.
I find that both families have many haters for different reasons
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Ark
Member
07-09-2001
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 9:37 am
Women were not meant to have babies year after year after year after year after year.
Ummm, yes they were. It wasn't nature that decided they weren't supposed to have baby after baby, it was society.
The Duggars will continue having babies as long as nature or God allow Michelle to get pregnant. They had babies before the show started & they will continue to have babies if the show ends and until Michelle goes through menopause. It's not something I would choose for myself but it seems to be working for them so I'm not going to judge their lifestyle choices.
I've met some of the Duggars & whatever they're doing to raise those kids, I'd like to see other parents try. They are playful, energetic kids but they are so respectful & polite. I wish them well with this pregnancy & new baby.
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 9:51 am
I don't "hate" either family. In fact, I like both of them. Michelle can have 50 babies, I don't care. But I think it's stupid to put yourself and the baby at risk, especially after they really lucked out with Josie.
But I do NOT like that Kate went on trips courtesy of TLC and bought a great big house and that was seen as greedy and bad. She writes books and earns some money being on Dancing With the Stars, and it is suggested that instead of living off of her TV career that she should go back to nursing and downsize her house.
The Duggars have gone on multiple trips courtesy of TLC and built themselves a gigantic house, and they're seen in a very different light. Their children have been in front of the cameras far longer than the Gosselin kids, yet we don't hear cries of how it's going to damage their lives. They're raking in money from the show and from a few books and not a suggestion is made that they should go find jobs instead of living off of TLC.
So I don't know whether it's Kate's vs Michelle and Jim Bob's personalities that create this disparity or what. And I've yet to hear the term "your 15 minutes of fame are up" in regard to the Duggars.
There's nothing really I'm arguing about here, I just don't see why it's so black and white with one family and so gray with the other
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 10:39 am
So I don't know whether it's Kate's vs Michelle and Jim Bob's personalities that create this disparity or what.
IMO that is it. Plain and simple.
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Lilfair
Member
07-09-2003
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 10:44 am
Huk, I think it your right it's about personalities-Kate's personality of entitlement that makes it hard for many to like her and it's the Duggars life style due to their religious beliefs that make some people dislike their personality.
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Brenda1966
Member
07-02-2002
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 10:45 am
Yes, it's the personalities, the sense of entitlement that Kate seems to show. Her thirst for the spotlight, the hollywood lifestyle. I don't see that with the Duggars. I think if their show was cancelled tomorrow they'd go on having babies and grandkids and going to church. Not searching for another venue to be in the spotlight.
The Duggars are like some fascinating cult, a mystery, a puzzle. Whereas Kate is like that bratty girl from school that we all have met. No puzzle there, no mystery, just spoiled. The families seem so different to me and both being on TV are opening themselves to criticism and review.
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Frogichik
Member
06-11-2002
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 11:08 am
I just hate the "We leave it up to God" what a crock. I bet when their kid breaks his arm they aren't "leaving it up to God". I bet they use their free will and take their child to the hospital for proper care. They are not leaving child birth up to God, they are CHOOSING to keep having children. Just be honest about it.
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Rissa
Member
03-19-2006
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 11:22 am
What I don't get is how they pick and choose when to listen to god. Michelle miscarried their third (? I think it was the 3rd) baby and in their minds that was god's way of telling them that birth control was bad and they should leave it up to god. But little Josie almost dying wasn't a message from god to quit tempting fate? They can do what they want, as long as their kids are happy and have opportunities it's nothing to me. I just find the justification amusing.
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Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 12:17 pm
They aren't Jehovah's Witness, or whatever that sect is that is against medical intervention.
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Iluvreality
Member
05-08-2011
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 12:37 pm
If the older girls didn't have to raise the babies it would be different. They are denying their children a childhood. Kids need to be kids, not a nanny to a baby. They will have to be grownup soon enough.
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Lorib
Member
05-18-2011
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 12:54 pm
I don't care if they have 40 kids,as long as they are healthy,happy and taken care of. With the beliefs they are instilling in their children,they are going to make wonderful contributions to Society. I WISH that I had the calm personality Michelle has,and I only have 4 girls. I wish them well and that God blesses him as much as he sees fit.
PS- I wish we had a "like" button in here,because y'all made some great posts/points!!
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 12:56 pm
Yup.. I bet if Michelle was the primary caregiver and those girls weren't there she'd slow down on the baby making.
I do think the kids seem polite..etc.. but time will tell if all the kids follow the religious course set out for them. I just bet there's a rebel or two in their midst.
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Iluvreality
Member
05-08-2011
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 1:50 pm
Yeah, let's wait another 10-15 years and see how these kids turn out. I hope it is good, but you never know.
Michelle's calm personality is really not normal. What mother doesn't occasionally lose it now and then.
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Chieko
Member
11-20-2003
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 3:08 pm
"Yup.. I bet if Michelle was the primary caregiver and those girls weren't there she'd slow down on the baby making."
Well, by the time the oldest daughter Jana was nine years old, there were 11 children in the family so I think Michele did manage to do most of it all on her own for many years.
Isn't it common in a family for the older children to look after the younger ones. There were only three children in our family, my two younger brothers and I. I was responsible for them a great amount of the time as my parents both worked. I don't remember feeling put upon at all, I also did a fair amount of the housework, laundry ect. My husband was the youngest of five children and he was driving a tractor and helping out on the family farm when he was nine. I thought all kids did. Don't kids have family responsibilities or chores any more?
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 3:15 pm
Chores are one thing, but I think the older girls have incredible responsibilities. On their question and answer show the other night, Jinger said that she's in charge of the laundry...TEN loads a day! I have to wonder how 20 people make 10 loads a day! Do they wash all the beds every day or something? I just think that's over the top to ask of one child.
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Ophiliasgrandma
Member
09-04-2001
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 3:23 pm
I understood her to say that Grandma Dugger has taken over all the laundry chores.
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 3:48 pm
Maybe she did say that OG, I get distracted by shiney things. But Jinger DID do the laundry then, same thing!
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