Duggars excepting baby #17

I have seen this family on TV. I dont understand what the problem is. They can have as many kids as they like if they can support their kids financially and also in the non-financial ways a parent needs to care for a child.

Bob and Michelle are a very good example of parents...their children are very well raised, respectful, bright individuals with good futures ahead of them. They have done with 16 what a few dont do with just 1 or two!

Good luck to them! I hope Michelle has a safe and healthy pregnancy. She sure does defy the odds!

I saw a programme on tv about this family recently. Tbh, if they are self supporting they can have as many kids as they like - none of my business. The only thing I would say about very large families like that (talking generally, not specifically about this family) is that sometimes when I've heard the mothers talking on tv shows they've come across as being a bit desperate and wanting to keep on having more and more children because it's the only thing that makes them feel worthwhile and useful, and once their babies grow up they need another one to care for because they can't think of anything else they could do with their time. I also sometimes worry that the parents don't have time to give each child individual attention. While most may enjoy being part of a large family I wonder whether some parents would notice if there was one particular child who was unhappy with the situation. Quite a few years ago there was one such family on one of the tv talks shows (I forget which one now) and the mother was wanting another child. One of her older children was really upset about it and said she didn't feel she got any of her mother's time as it was. I found that very sad. But generally, each to their own. Although I can't imagine being almost permanently pregnant like this woman must be!

Well said.

I looked at their personal web site and I see that their oldest daughter who is 17 years old is in charge of cooking dinner for the family. I don't agree with that at all. That poor girl has no childhood. At a time when she's supposed to be having fun in her youth, perhaps taking a part time job after school, she's at home helping raise her siblings. That's not right at all. But it seems that the Mother is so busy raising kids that she doesn't have time for anything else, so the other responsibilities fall on the older kids to pick up the slack.

I'm wondering based on their website if they even believe in birth control. It seems that they are ultra religious and that their days and evenings are largely spent studying the Bible, which isn't a bad thing, but it seems that is mostly what they do.

As for income, does anyone know what type of work this guy does that he makes so much money to afford to raise so many kids without government aid? Or do they use their family as a circus sideshow selling their story and documentaries about them to make income?

As long as she's not on public assistance I don't see the problem with it.

However, you'd think that she'd stop at some point just because being pregnant is so hard on a woman's body. My worry is that in the long term she may be shortening her life span because of how many children she has had.

I dunno. Whatever floats your boat, I guess. But if that was someone who'd just got their 17th cat or dog they'd be accused of hoarding.

yep same here. if they can afford them its there business.
then can even have my share.

It's her uterus; I guess she can do what she wants with it... however, I am concerned about the older kids being treated like live-in nannies, and I have to wonder if ANY of them get the individual attention that kids need.

Ahh don't get me wrong. I would be living in a little slice of heaven if I could have that many animals. I'm just saying not everyone feels that way.

Again, whatever makes them happy. As long as there's enough love to go around, then why not?

Let's just say I don't envy them #17, but if that is what they want - all the more power to them. Their children all seemed loved, responsible and well adjusted.

But considering all of the kids names start with "J" I can't imagine what this one will be called!

When my mother went back to work full time, I was 14. Every day after school, I took care of my little brother who was 8. My sister was 12, so didn't need much. We were responsible for dinner (mom would usually leave a casserole at first, then just the ingredients once I learned how to make everything), laundry and keeping the kitchen clean. Everyone had to help out. Did it mean I missed out on hanging around town aimlessly after school with some of the other kids I went to school with? Yes. But it also meant that, by that age, every one of us knew how to do laundry properly, make a variety of meals, clean up after ourselves and settle disputes without the involvment of a parent (in most cases). Because we helped out, we were afforded certain privledges, such as rides to movies, sleepovers with friends, and, when I was driving, a car (which was given with the understanding that I would share the responsibility of getting my siblings where they needed to be for work/hockey/etc).

I don't think that giving children jobs and responsiblities in the family is a bad thing. Quite the opposite, in fact, I think it teaches valuable life skills. As long as the child still has free time, what's wrong with it? Making dinner shouldn't prevent a 17 year old from having a social life. Now, if she's forced to stay home every single day planning meals, shopping, cooking and cleaning until bed, then it's an issue. But how do you know this isn't the job she likes best?

All of the kids are home school - I admire that and the fact they can play at least 1 instrument. I think that they are learning many life lessons that they wouldn't get if they weren't part of this family. I'd like to be a Dugger for a day - but just a day!

Also they are a very strict religious family and they have nights out as a family, but the children are supervised on outings. But they do go out to dinner and skating, etc.

holy moly that's a lot of kids!! but if that's what they want, then more power to 'em!

I also don't agree with it being wrong for the 17 year to be responsible for dinner, I was responsible for dinner and watching my little sister from the time I was 12 till i got a job at 16 and a half, better for her to be home being responsible than out doing who knows what, like drugs, sex, drinking etc. this kind of family is not really all that rare, granted most of them do not have this many children but there are families like this in almost every community

I saw the opening of the article and at first thought, "she is nuts".

After reading through the entire article though, I thought "if it works for them... great..."

Apparently they aren't living (mooching) off the government like so many multiple-breeders do. Women who keep on cranking out the babies and apply for Welfare, WIC, government assistance... instead of just fixing themselves and not having any more mouths to try to feed... make me sick. This woman however, has some strong convictions and, more power to her, since she has the full support of her kids and husband. And, they have the money & the room.

I personally think she must be Wonder Woman. I only had ONE baby and had to say 'no more'. Women are all different and some women can have lots of babies, some can't. Some shouldn't. She's not a "shouldn't".

Imagine what the Christmas's are like at their house! Mayhem and fun, I bet.

If you watch the TV shows of them, they actually seem like the most well-adjusted family I've ever seen on tv. They all help out and don't seem to mind it. They're a rural family, and the lifestyle they have is pretty much what any kid in that area has, just there are more of them. And yes, they are entirely self-supporting, and never buy anything they can't pay cash for. The only thing I could fathom disagreement with is the level of isolation, but they do socialize a little. The oldest boy even has a girlfriend. The Duggars are just ridiculously old-fashioned, think, a couple hundred years ago nobody would have blinked about them.

They should just call this baby what it really is: J'Meal Ticket.

The way this family exploits themselves really bugs me, not to mention the whole sheltering issue. Gender roles, anyone? But seriously. All of these Discovery and TLC specials? It's no real secret that a lot of the money to build the dorm they put those kids up in came from the (surprisingly conservative and pro-life) Discovery Network.

And what's with the "buddy system"? I guess mom is too busy popping out children to raise them.

Can you imagine how much waste this family and other quiverfull families produce? And since they probably a) don't believe in global warming/environmental destruction and b) probably believe that Christ is coming back for them within their lifetimes, I doubt they do much to stem the tide.

I have cousins that are REALLY Catholic and used the rhythym method of birth control.

That worked SO well that they wound up having (I think) about 15 kids. I lost track after baby # 13. My cousin finally went into menopause, so she stopped conceiving.

I think it is RIDICULOUS. We have overpopulation issues as it is - ADOPT if you want that many, for Pete's sake!

Thank you both for saying exactly what I was thinking, but didn't want to say since everyone else seemed so supportive of the Duggars'. While I think it's great that the Duggars are self-sufficient and appear to be able to support (emotionally, financially, etc.) their family, there's a large part of me that is appalled at a family having so many kids. I can't even think of a way to describe how this issue makes me feel without making myself sound like a callous, cold-hearted .

I don't see a problem at all with the 17 yr old daughter helping out around the house. Shoot, when I was 12 I was babysitting my little brothers and when my mom was at work I would help cook meals. I also was working a full time job at 16 to help support the family. So IMO I dont' think the 17 yr old has it too rough. The lady has so many children she can't possibly have enough time to do everything!

I don't see a problem with her having this many children, either. As long as they can financially/emotionally take care of ALL the children, then more power to them! LOL good luck with that one!

I don't see a problem with it. They all seem like well rounded, good kids to me- and they seem happy. More power to them! I know I wouldn't/couldn't have 17 kids!

So what? I don't have any debt either. The rent is paid out of my checking each month, I pay off my entire credit card, I haven't taken out any loans (despite having just purchased a car), I'm just finishing school at a private college...still no debt. And some debt, like a mortgage, is considered an asset rather than a bad thing.

The house was built what? Like 2 years ago? And the special did what? Totally glorified the way this family works. Do you know that they haul all of those kids out to wear placards with pictures of mangled fetuses on them at anti-abortion rallies? That, to me, is disgusting. No kid needs to be wearing pictures of mangled anything in order to push mommy and daddy's politics.

That's another thing. Despite really obvious environmental problems with the Quiverfull movement, that love is SO CONDITIONAL. I shudder to think of what would happen if one of those girls wanted to be a lawyer or something (not that she'd have the background to go anywhere but Bob Jones University), or heaven forbid, if one of those kids is GAY (and we're getting to the point where statistically, one of them will be).

As far as I am concerned it is completely up to them to decide how many children to have and I do not agree at all that they should adopt rather than have their 'own' children. If religiously they decide that contraceptives are not for them and they can afford another child, so be it.

The father runs a successful real-estate firm and was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, what politician doesn't use their kids for political reasons? I work in politics and even if we aren't talking about anti-abortion rallies, they all use their children for Christmas cards and publicity events.

As far as the educational qualifications, the last story I read about them said that the two older daughters wanted to be nurses and their education was being geared towards that.

As far as cooking for the family at 17, I did it and it didn't hurt me!

That bothers me too, that they don't get enough individual attention. As soon as the next baby is born the kid is passed off to a 'buddy'

It says her name will be Jennifer Danielle

It just seems to me that the mom doesn't do anything but have babies.

All the children have chores, (which is great). But it also appears to me that the children do all of the housework. The children also help take care of the other little kids. It just doesn't seem like to me that the kids can just be kids. Which I think is very sad. I think they are growing up way to soon. They need to be kids too.

I had one sibling younger than me that I had to help to take care of, and I did not like it, being a child. I can't even imagine helping to take care of 16 siblings. And the mother is getting to be older in years. Does anyone think it's healthy for a woman to have that many children?

I have a bit of an issue with how many there are, I have to admit, even though it's not the majority feeling in this thread.

I can't help but think if someone was pretty indiscriminately breeding cats willy nilly it'd be pretty frowned upon here. If you want 17 kids, what is the problem with adopting a few? Really, there are so many homeless, desperate children out there that could do with being raised in a large, loving family.

Again - we always say, if you want a kitten, go to a shelter. There's a ton of needy cats out there. Well, there's a ton of needy kids out there. Once you are getting to the double digits maybe you could give back a little.

Plus, it seems, I dunno, greedy somehow? It's hard to explain.

My best friend is from a very fundamental Christian family with five kids. Three of them are adopted (including her and her biological sister). It's lovely. They're lovely people who wanted a lot of kids and also wanted to help out kids in need. Nice way to do it, IMO.