In watching the show, which I did just a couple of times, you see the parents are not raising the younger ones...Each older child has a sibling they are responsible for...There is no way each of those children could have quality time with a parent...
The thing that really, really got me. When they were building their house and ran out of time. A builder came in and finished it and then a designer came in a furnished it...They showed the parents walking through, admiring everything and when they got to the bedroom, he said something like, such a nice place to start the next one......

I agree, all children need parent time, not a older one raising a yourger one. And I mean really parent time not just a quick story, quick hug, but a whole day to enjoy the child.

I agree with you all about the parent time. The children are being short changed. Those parents are incredibly selfish and obviously don't give a fig about the planet.

Not having a lot of knowledge regarding this family...I have to say I "wish" I had been fortunate enough to have been able to have had more than 2 children..not necessarily 18 for sure,but more than the 2 the good Lord allowed me to have.

Having said that,I have to "assume" that there is a reason for these ppl doing what they are doing...anyone ever think of asking?

How do you afford to feed, clothe, raise & educate 18 kids? What kind of a job does it take to generate that kind of income? Pro athlete? Drug dealer? Inheritance from a millionaire? I'm sure these people get most if not all of what they have donated in some way shape or form. If they were poor schlubs they'd be out on the streets.

Exactly, if these eople didn't have a TV show, would they still have welcomed their 18th? I have two kids and it was very difficult, what with buying groceries, clothing, daycare, housing, education, minor and major medical bills. They must think they'll be on TV forever. I really believe pairing off the older children with a younger "buddy" to raise is sick-sick-sick. Every child and every teen needs a full time parent to guide them. These people are nuts!

I'll get flack for this, but I find them disgusting. In this day of people trying (or should be trying) to not leave a foot print, these people choose to keep bringing more and more people in the world. JMO Dottie

"How do you afford to feed, clothe, raise & educate 18 kids?"

They made their house into a *church* and pay no property taxes on it or part of their income. They get "donations". They also get paid money to appear on TV. They also contact businesses for "donations" of food and family items and their "church members" and followers give them handouts.

I wonder if this new baby will be OK. The last one did not look too healthy.

I read on one of the KT threads that "Jon and kate plus 8" get $60,000 per episode. Not bad for a week's work. So I am assuming the Duggar's are getting a hefty paycheck as well. I think they are in commercial real estate, but with our poor economy, I can't imagine it being too profitable right now.

I do believe this situation about this family has been discussed here before with many differing opinions! I am one that says they need to stop. The Duggars don't believe they need to stop so I guess it will continue. I'm also sure her bladder has to be hanging out of her vagina by now! Too bad the older ones have to be parents to the younger ones...

In the small town I grew up in, there were about 4 very large families. The largest had 22 kids, all single births. I went to school with some of them, ones that were almost the youngest kids.
They weren't like the Dugar family, for sure. All of the families were quite poor and the kids known as rowdy troublmakers, unfortunately.

I think they have some motives to having more kids such as they get more money from charity and the publicity. If they did not get this, then I would see no real problem with it. In this case though, I think they are doing it to get more free stuff. If they were not in it for the money, then they would have disappeared off the public radar by now. I think their motives are very disgusting.

i really probably should not answer this but i have to because it is just ridiculous imho. yes, it is their decision,to do what they want. then theres the fact that the older ones are taking care of the younger ones, that just bugs the @#$% out of me, not to mention,first im single and can barely take care of myself, then theres people i "know" but dont (kt) plus my neighborhood, who are struggling constantly day by day and paycheck to paycheck with absolutely no help, worrying constantly about what we should pay first and, well you get it im sure. all the attention this family gets for having more kids is nutso, they cant take care of them, the community takes care of them! im sorry to say my "donations" would go to a family that had 4 kids called it quits and worked their whole lives and never took a thing from anyone but would give the shirt off their backs to help someone in need, even if they didnt have a pot...... thats a donation to someone truly in need. these people are just sucking everything from everyone, and im sorry i think its totally selfish of the parents and to the community they live in and everything else. ill probably get slammed for this but it just sticks in my craw that i see people who have worked forever going to the food pantrys here and are so totally embarrassed that they wont even raise their heads,now that is sad!!! i see people just like me struggling everyday here on the kt and this is one place we can vent but somehow we muddle through..for some reason knowing your not alone makes an unbearable situation more bearable. we all cant be on tv but we do have each other!! sorry i know this is a rant and ill apologize ahead of time if ive offended anyone. happy holidays to all and again i am sorry if this offended anyone because it wasnt meant to.

Theyre mental....poor kids!!

She "just loves" holding a new baby..for about 4 months before she foists it off on it "buddy" sibling to raise. The kids do the cooking, cleaning,grocery shopping, laundry and rearing of siblings. She gets pregnant..The kids don't know any different, they are isolated from everyone who isn't part of the church group, and school at home.
I imagine these kids don't have a clue what it would be like to have some real one on one quality time with their parents. IMHO the parents are mentally off, sort of like the hoarding people, only hoarding a baby a year. I have yet to see the Dad or Mom pick up even a toddler and cuddle it. Not a good situation.Kathy

Groucho Marx to a Mrs. Smith, a contestant on his "You Bet Your Life" television show:

I'm with Dotmom. Overpopulation is a real problem, and 18 kids is more than any one family should produce IMHO.

Personally, I think they're nuts, but to each their own...

I have 2 kids and I feel like there are not enough hours in the day. Some days there are too many hours (because they're driving me nuts!) although I guess it would be nice to have 13 or 14 babysitters on hand! lol

As for the chores, I think each child has one "job" to do in the house, so 14 kids later, most of the stuff is done (I'll excuse the littlest ones!). I'm all for that, except it must take the girl doing laundry all day to get 10-15 loads done. Yes, I know they have about 3 sets of washer and dryers, but clothing for 20 people!!! I think the saddest thing is that one show it introduced each child and listed name, age, favorite food etc and hobby. A bunch of them said their hobby was doing laundry or ironing. I'm sorry but that's pathetic. Kids hobbies should be playing sports, reading, crafts or music-things like that, not chores!

Plus, how is it even physically possible to have that many children??? I realize she must have started young, 20 or so? She doesn't look that bad.

They're both real estate agents. "Jim Bob" was in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003. They figure they're serving God and letting Him decide how many kids the baby factory should have. BTW, did anyone notice, all the kids' names start with "J"? Wonder who they're sucking up to? LOL

When I was growing up, a neighbor had 12 or 13 kids. And we're not talking about a 7000 square foot house. We're talking a 760 sf house! Granted, they built an expansion to effectively have about 3/4 floor more and I imagine the basement was finished off a bit too. Not a big income either as I recall. One big old fashioned station wagon. I called it the sardine can. Each had a pumpkin on halloween in decending size. They ran Christmas lights to light them. But at least they stopped.

It's a strange world in which we live... That's fershure...

Wow, this thread is alot different from the last time she dropped a kid. Then there were lots of people defending their brood. I'm another one who thinks they're nuts. I'd like to read about the kids in say, 10 years.

Did you see that show where the other family visited them she's just one baby trailing behind the Duggars,she must have had her 17th baby by now,when the 2 families got together, there sure was alot of people, that's 39 people sleeping in one big house. I liked Jim Bob's niece, she's funny, even she said ,too many people, help.

Oh, don't get me started...

Oh, lighten up folks!

I wouldn't choose to have that many children, but I did grow up with 8 siblings. Yes, we all helped out. I was second born, and my little sister Elizabeth was my special responsibility. It meant I helped her brush her teeth, and dress for school. I was her buddy, and kept my brothers from playing to roughly, or flat out pounding on her. Big deal. I often babysat the whole brood, too. It didn't warp me.

It's not like they are on welfare! The parents provide for the family. They do work. A network came to them to make a TV show, and plenty of people want to watch the TV show.

her very first pregnancy was a miscarriage, and they feel that because she was on birth control, that is why the baby died, so evidently that is why they nixed the BC and decided to let god decide how many they have...all these babies later, I cannot get over how fortunate a person has to be first of all to survive that many births is a feat in itself- with no hemorrhaging, no blood clots etc..then to have 18 healthy babies with no birth defects, no stillbirths, so sids... god has truly blessed them that is for sure. I could not imagine having that many kids, or trying to afford them..i find it strange how their kitchen is set up like a buffet line etc.. and those kids are so sheltered and old fashioned..but they seem happy!!

And, of course, they are on TV. People will watch anything. No one can convince me that it is a good thing for the kids on these shows to be on display all the time. Anything for a buck.

Oh, I won't share my feelings again. Someone flamed me the last time I did! But I still feel that way. I think they are now playing the media, to immediately say, after having baby #18, that they can't wait for more. Okay, I won't say anything more.

'It's not like they are on welfare! The parents provide for the family."

No, they're not on welfare. Nobody said they were. But to say "the parents provide for the family" is a gross misstatement. The only reason the parents are even able to "provide for the family" is because they are paid, and paid well, to have tv cameras in and around the house on a 24/7 basis, and because company after company, manufacturer after manufacturer have donated goods and services to them.

It's a form of gluttony and greed. Your opinion, of course, may vary.

Posted by polarprincess: "her very first pregnancy was a miscarriage."

That is not true.

"her very first pregnancy was a miscarriage"

That is what i read on their website

No, they may not be on welfare, but if they made their home a "church" then they are tax exempt. Then the companies who donate stuff to them just pass the expense on to the next customer. In these days of recession, just how much can they be making as real estate agents. Then think if each of their brood decide to have 18 or more kids. The world is moving in to being in trouble with too many people and lessening materials. JMO, it may differ than yours, but so be it. Dottie

To each their own, but in my mind the term "brood mare" comes to mind.

In this country, they are free to have 40 children if they want. hmmmmm How many illegals in this country are getting welfare and free medicine?

JMO

Polarprincess is correct. Here is the link to their website which states that their first pregnancy ended in miscarriage.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Duggar Family

I can't stand this show, it's too 'milk toast' for me. She's like a queen bee churning out workers.

It amazes me how low stressed they all seem. I want whatever they are on....lol
I think they are all well raised, may not be my ideal way of doing things, but it seems to work for them.
I don't have the patience, nor the gumption to ever have had that many kiddos. 3 was enough for this mama.
Lots of people did this in days gone by, but not sure in todays world this is a good thing, again, it works for them and I enjoy the show.

Trin

Count me in with the ones that feel this is wrong. Michelle Duggar's body has to be about worn out. It is like an addiction with them. And I too, think it is wrong that the older children have "buddies". If you want to have that many children...then it should be YOU that takes care of them, not the older children. He thinks that since his "quiver is full of them" (meaning children) that he will be happy.

My mother was one of twelve children,and yes times were different back then...not much money,her father was a fisherman.All those children helped out and grew up to be responsible adults.
As I see it,it's up to them how many children they want to have,but for me having 4 was just fine.

There is something kind of wrong with having so many children. I am a bit a child of the 70's and zero population growth was talked alot back then, for many good reasons. Limited amount of resources on this little planet of ours etc. I guess to each their own however it just is a bit too much. I also don't think it's healthy for her to have so many children. Something will eventually happen healthwise...hopefully she will still be around to raise all those kids.

Posted by mickey15: Polarprincess is correct. Here is the link to their website which states that their first pregnancy ended in miscarriage.

No. Polar princess IS NOT CORRECT.

You have to take the time to READ what is says on the Duggar website. Don't just link to it. READ.

They got married and used birth control pills for years. Then, they decided to have a child and went off the pills. First child was born. Then, they went back to using the pills to space the births of their family. Then they got pregnant while using the pills. Then, the miscarriage happened. That is what is says on their website and everywhere else. Facts. It is what is says right on their own website in their own words.

Here is mention of the miscarriage on the news with link below:

"When the Duggars were married in 1984 (she was 17 and he was 19), they didnÂt want children immediately, feeling they could not afford them. After four years, Michelle stopped taking birth control pills to have their first child, then went back on birth control after giving birth. When she got pregnant anyway only to suffer a miscarriage, which they attribute to the birth control pills."

Some may think that is is a minor point on whether it was her first pregnancy or her second that resulted in miscarriage, but the facts surrounding the story point to Bob and Michelle being normal thinking people, until the miscarriage happened and then the insanity started. Michelle should have gotten some grief counseling after the miscarriage and had a better informed doctor who, it appears, to have cruelly blamed them, and their birth control choice for the miscarriage. It's a sad situation.

From Wikipedia:

"Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar had a child, then Michelle miscarried. They believe her miscarriage was due to birth control."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bob_Duggar

Here is a link that might be useful: MSNBC News Duggar Miscarriage

Dillydally, I did read it, and not just link it. I thought what Polarprincess said I had read myself, so I went back to their website.

It said "Four years later they decided to have their first child. Then, Michelle went back on the pill, but she conceived and had a miscarriage."

Because it said "they decided" to have their first child, but did not say that they actually did and name the child, I took that to mean they decided and then changed their mind and she went back on the pill. As I'm sure you know, many people decide they are ready for a child but it doesn't always happen right away.

As I said, I did "READ" the link. I just misunderstood what they said.

Next time I'll be sure to come to you when I want to reference something at a site, and I'll make sure you explain it to me correctly.

I agree, I think they held alot of guilt, which they shouldn't have, it wasn't their fault. My cousin felt the exact same way and would have kept having children if not for a medical condition. 28 years later and she still blames herself for the miscarriage. It's very sad

Good grief people, let the people live their own lifestyle. At least their kids aren't joining gangs, stealing, etc.
As for quality time with parents, I don't remember ever having one on one quality time with my parents and I feel I turned out reasonably well. My parents only had 6 but my aunt had 12.
As for the donations, I'm sure the companies do it for their own reasons, publicity, free advertising, etc. I would accept any donations that anyone would want to give me too.
What upsets me more is the illegals in this country having baby after baby and getting welfare and medical help. We used to have apartments in Ca. and most of the tenants were illegals and one woman asked me why I didn't have more children and I replied I didn't get paid to have babies, I had to work to support them. Her kids had better clothing, etc. than mine and she didn't use birth control, after all these kids were income.

I know I'm in the minority, but that's the way I am and believe.

We each have lessons to learn and lessons to teach.

Looks like they turned on the key to start
the machinery then somehow lost the key to
shut it off.
Dolly

LOL, Dolly, that is so true. And then they realized they could make money by being on TV.

I'm with Donna. I don't give a rat's behind if they have 30 kids.

And ditto on the money spent on illegal aliens. And people wonder why states with high populations of them are going broke???

As long as I'm not the one having them and raising them I couldn't care less how many kids they have.
Their life and what they do has nothing to do with me.
I wish half of the kids I see out in public behaved as well as they seem to.

Amen Jenni.

Reminds me of people who won't get their pets spayed because puppies and kittens are just so darn cute.

LOL Coral - I agree. (And I can just see you saying that, too! LOL) ((Coral))