A Duggar Grandchild

tierre0

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Don't know how many of you have heard of the Duggar family of Arkansas but its a family I have been following with some interest since the birth of their 14th child. My interest is not surprisingly in how many babies to these people actually intend to have.

They have a show on TLC called now 18 kids and counting thanks to the birth of Michelle Duggar's 18th child just after Christmas...

This season one of the shows featured the wedding of their oldest son Josh. My sister and I made a bet as to how long it would be before they were expecting their first baby, I said less then 6 months, she said more.

Well I won, Josh and his wife Anne announced yesterday that they were expecting their first child, two whole months after the wedding.

So it looks like the Duggars are going to go inter-generational soon....



Makes you wonder what everyone is thinkins or whether they actually are thinking.
 

goldenkitty45

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In some ways I really feel sorry for them. They don't even have time to solidfy their own marriage with each other and are pregnant. Couples should really take a few years of just the 2 of them and doing what they need to do, work out issues/problems, and get a good solid foundation built before they even think of having a baby.

Sadly very few really do that. And the kids suffer in the end with break ups a few years down the road.
 

clixpix

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I'm getting a bit weary of people having too many kids being rewarded with a TV show. I don't watch any of them, they really irritate me for some reason.
 

white cat lover

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Originally Posted by clixpix

I'm getting a bit weary of people having too many kids being rewarded with a TV show. I don't watch any of them, they really irritate me for some reason.
Same here.
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by clixpix

I'm getting a bit weary of people having too many kids being rewarded with a TV show. I don't watch any of them, they really irritate me for some reason.
In a way they kinda remind me of people on welfare, with the amount of money I think that they are being paid. They just keep on having babies. And all Michelle does is take care of the new baby, all the other children take care of each other and cook and clean. I feel sorry for the children, they don't have time to be children, they are having to act like adults.



Originally Posted by white cat lover

Same here.
Me too.
 

rang_27

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Ahhh 2 months? I will be intrested to see if the baby is born "early" like they used to say when people had shot gun marriages and didn't want anyone to know the baby was concieved before the wedding.
 

sneakymom

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Originally Posted by Rang_27

Ahhh 2 months? I will be intrested to see if the baby is born "early" like they used to say when people had shot gun marriages and didn't want anyone to know the baby was concieved before the wedding.
Aren't they Mennonite? Or something like that?

On the one hand- I kind of admire them. One of the ladies in my Sunday School class bought her book, and she said that they were pretty much debt-free- which is amazing for a family that large.

But on the other hand- I feel kind of sorry for her. I mean- I love my kids and all- but I would NOT want to spend my entire married life either pregnant or nursing. What do you have AFTER all the kids are gone? Do you think she's going to know what to do when she can't have any more kids?

Whenever I heard the teaser last week my first thought was "good heavens she's pregnant AGAIN". Then I thought "Oh no, what if the mom AND the dtr in law were pregnant at the same time"?


Didn't the oldest child and his wife say that they'd be happy to have a family as large as the one he came from?

Whatever. Not for me

Cheryl
 

sneakymom

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

Same here.
I cannot STAND John and Kate +8. Kate doesn't strike me as a very nice person.

Cheryl
 
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tierre0

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Originally Posted by Sneakymom

Aren't they Mennonite? Or something like that?

On the one hand- I kind of admire them. One of the ladies in my Sunday School class bought her book, and she said that they were pretty much debt-free- which is amazing for a family that large.

But on the other hand- I feel kind of sorry for her. I mean- I love my kids and all- but I would NOT want to spend my entire married life either pregnant or nursing. What do you have AFTER all the kids are gone? Do you think she's going to know what to do when she can't have any more kids?

Whenever I heard the teaser last week my first thought was "good heavens she's pregnant AGAIN". Then I thought "Oh no, what if the mom AND the dtr in law were pregnant at the same time"?


Didn't the oldest child and his wife say that they'd be happy to have a family as large as the one he came from?

Whatever. Not for me

Cheryl
Christian Fundamentalist of some kind. Apparently they own several rental properties and that is how they make their money.

Personally I have nothing against large families if that is what you want, however I believe it would make more sense to have a couple of kids and adopt the rest if you really wanted that many children.

The thing that gets me is that I get the feeling that it could become a contest just to see who could have the larger family in the end. It's all very bizarre especially to someone like me who never wanted children...
 

kluchetta

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Originally Posted by Sneakymom

I cannot STAND John and Kate +8. Kate doesn't strike me as a very nice person.

Cheryl
Ha ha. I watched that for the first time when my sister got stranded here during a blizzard. What a bizarre premise for a show (or maybe that's just me.) One of the episodes they were hanging venetian blinds and Kate was just over the top picky on how they were hung. She doesn't seem very....motherly???
 

rockcat

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Originally Posted by tierre0

The thing that gets me is that I get the feeling that it could become a contest just to see who could have the larger family in the end. It's all very bizarre especially to someone like me who never wanted children...
It's their first child, right? Isn't it a little early to make that judgement?
 

Moz

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It's sad. Josh and his wife lived in different states before they were married, and now they've been together for a few months. They weren't even allowed to kiss before their wedding day, so actually, it's not that surprising that she's pregnant already. But don't you think they should've set some time aside you, you know, get to know one another? Have fun being young? Oh, wait...

Originally Posted by Rockcat

It's their first child, right? Isn't it a little early to make that judgement?
A few of the kids said they wanted a large family too. I don't remember if Josh said that, though.
 

forensic

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

Ha ha. I watched that for the first time when my sister got stranded here during a blizzard. What a bizarre premise for a show (or maybe that's just me.) One of the episodes they were hanging venetian blinds and Kate was just over the top picky on how they were hung. She doesn't seem very....motherly???
I think Kate's very OCD, it's probably her way of coping with stress, thinking that if she controls EVERYTHING her life won't be as crazy.

There was one episode where Jon and Kate got to get away without any of the kids and it was pretty incredible how well they got on all of a sudden, considering how much they bicker and such most of the time.
 

Willowy

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I think it's cool to have a large family....if that's really what BOTH parents want and they're good parents in general. I know plenty of people who shouldn't have ONE kid, having more would be a disaster for them. But some people are loving and effective parents, so no problems there.

I do think young couples should wait awhile before getting pregnant, though. It's a real strain on a new marriage to have a baby that quickly. This particular couple do have a lot of family support, which is a big help. I guess if you want to have a lot of kids you have to start early.
 

kara_leigh

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I think to each their own and we are no one to judge how they live their lives. They seem very happy, and the children seem fairly well rounded for the most part. If that is how they choose how to live their lives and are content with their decision, then so be it. They could just as easily look down on all of us for the decisions we have made in our lives. How are large families now, especially for a family like them that seem to easily afford it, any different than back in the day when it was completely normal for there to be large families?? Both of my great grand parents came from large families...my great grandfather had 14 siblings and my great grandmother had 12. I doubt they did near as well as they Duggars are, but back then it was common place.

People seem think that young couples need to spend some time alone before having children, but it happens ALL the time. Not every couple splits up just b/c they have children right away. Maybe that is what they WANT?? My husband and I had children immediately and we have been together for coming on 12 years and are as happy as ever.

Personally, I think this thread has become very hurtful.
 

wellingtoncats

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I think the thread in IMO makes for very interesting reading - I think once a family like this has their own TV SHOW then it makes them very open, hence open for comment/judging.

Now if my crazy family was on TV for everyones viewing pleasure - I'm sure there would be remarks about "WOW she has how many cats?", "She feeds her cat where?" "Her cats sharing her cereal?"

 

kara_leigh

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Originally Posted by WellingtonCats

I think the thread in IMO makes for very interesting reading - I think once a family like this has their own TV SHOW then it makes them very open, hence open for comment/judging.

Now if my crazy family was on TV for everyones viewing pleasure - I'm sure there would be remarks about "WOW she has how many cats?", "She feeds her cat where?" "Her cats sharing her cereal?"

People talked about them and said hurtful and judgmental things about them long before they had a television show. People would say the same things about them even if they didn't have a tv show. At this point I don't think it has anything to do with it b/c they didn't start the show until they already had 17 kids.
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by Moz

It's sad. Josh and his wife lived in different states before they were married, and now they've been together for a few months. They weren't even allowed to kiss before their wedding day, so actually, it's not that surprising that she's pregnant already. But don't you think they should've set some time aside you, you know, get to know one another? Have fun being young? Oh, wait...


A few of the kids said they wanted a large family too. I don't remember if Josh said that, though.
They CHOSE to not kiss before marriage, both of them. Nobody forbade them to kiss - it was their choice, based on their beliefs, which, IMO, I must say it was a much more responsible choice than those of 15 yr old kids we see getting pregnant around the World. Would I do the same? No... For my life, my choice was different, and I don't believe in saving yourself for marriage... But they do, and who are we to judge?
These kids are happy, balanced, love and respect their families, and their family love them back dearly. This family, is, by the way, much more balanced than many in our so-called "normal" society. In our "normal" society of divorced families, overworked parents that leave their children upbringing to their babysitters... Families buried in debt...
Why are people judging this family? Because their way to live is "different"? So what? Where is our tolerance to people's beliefs? They have no debt (and BTW, didn't have it before the show either), are not on welfare, and have done harm to no one. What is the bother? Why can't they just be?
They are happy, and I guarantee you those kids are not the ones anyone should worry about it. I guarantee you they are not going to be the kids who will carry drugs or guns to the schools to harm their fellow students.
I am happy for them, and I think they did an outstanding job raising well rounded and healthy kids who will do some great things to society. I really don't see how we could possibly dare to judge them.
 

kara_leigh

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Originally Posted by carolinalima

They CHOSE to not kiss before marriage, both of them. Nobody forbade them to kiss - it was their choice, based on their beliefs, which, IMO, I must say it was a much more responsible choice than those of 15 yr old kids we see getting pregnant around the World. Would I do the same? No... For my life, my choice was different, and I don't believe in saving yourself for marriage... But they do, and who are we to judge?
These kids are happy, balanced, love and respect their families, and their family love them back dearly. This family, is, by the way, much more balanced than many in our so-called "normal" society. In our "normal" society of divorced families, overworked parents that leave their children upbringing to their babysitters... Families buried in debt...
Why are people judging this family? Because their way to live is "different"? So what? Where is our tolerance to people's beliefs? They have no debt (and BTW, didn't have it before the show either), are not on welfare, and have done harm to no one. What is the bother? Why can't they just be?
They are happy, and I guarantee you those kids are not the ones anyone should worry about it. I guarantee you they are not going to be the kids who will carry drugs or guns to the schools to harm their fellow students.
I am happy for them, and I think they did an outstanding job raising well rounded and healthy kids who will do some great things to society. I really don't see how we could possibly dare to judge them.
DITTO. I completely agree.
 
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