Michelle Duggar pregnant?

[Joanne]

http://m.medicaldaily.com/19-kids-and-counting-star-michelle-duggar-says-she-pregnant-20th-child-259393

 

Have we talked about this? Me; unreal and cultish.

[LibraryLover]

I get all my Duggar updates here. First I've heard of it.

 

Jermagestry? That was some good snark.

 

I used to think they were cute. Their politics have changed my mind. It took me some time. :(

[Isabella]

I guess it might be true, but that video shown on the article was from the announcement of their last pregnancy that was Jubilee (i think?) who died in-utero.

 

[LibraryLover]

I guess it might be true, but that video shown on the article was from the announcement of their last pregnancy that was Jubilee (i think?) who died in-utero.

 

I thought it looked familiar.

 

47 is pushing it, although I know it happens.

 

Losing a baby is sad, so no snark there.

 

This link is dated Oct 2013.  That is pretty cheap 'reporting'.

[Crimson Wife]

There was apparently a recent "Today" show appearance where she said they were trying and hoping, but I'd be surprised if she were able to get pregnant and not miscarry at 47. One of my female relatives had a surprise pregnancy at 49 but miscarried at around 9 weeks. It was sad but she and her husband hadn't even had time to process their shock over the pregnancy when it ended.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I have never followed this family.  I honestly know nothing about them other than the fact that they have a bazillion kids.  I would be very surprised for her to get pregnant and carry it at 47.  It does happen though.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

I have to wonder if she's ever hauled off and smacked JimBob when he kinda snuggles up next to her in bed.

[Jane Elliot]

I didn't (and won't) read it. Nor will I be coming back to comment on this thread. I just wanted to say that the obsession with bad-mouthing the Duggars that some people have around here seems at best tacky and at worst "cultish and unreal."

[Joanne]

I thought it looked familiar.

 

47 is pushing it, although I know it happens.

 

Losing a baby is sad, so no snark there.

 

This link is dated Oct 2013. That is pretty cheap 'reporting'.

Yea. I knew about the miscarriage but the dates and content confused me.

 

I watched the anniversary episode. It was sappy but kinda sweet.

[Guest]

Slight tangent: Does anybody know if Anna and Josh remain committed to the same concept? I heard through the grapevine that she had said she thought 3 kids was "good," but didn't see any word elsewhere that they had changed their minds about having as many children as God gives them. 

[Joanne]

I didn't (and won't) read it. Nor will I be coming back to comment on this thread. I just wanted to say that the obsession with bad-mouthing the Duggars that some people have around here seems at best tacky and at worst "cultish and unreal."

 

You do realize that the Duggars deliberately, actively, and consciously put their very LIVES on TV, right? That they make MONEY for doing so? That they are aware of the level of counter cultural their values, religion, lifestyle, and choices is elevated.

 

If people weren't interested in, including in a hostile/adversarial way, them, that the Duggars wouldn't be a known icon. The Duggars would be out of "reality TV" income.

When they chose the first TLC show and agreed to become an ongoing show, they ALSO accepted the scrutiny, attention, discussion and debate. They CHOSE the exposure - for their many minor kids - and they have dictated for their family that their lives are public.

 

You do know that, right?

 

The Duggars are a religious, homeschooling family. People, including myself, post about them here because it's related to the homeschooling community, the perception of the homeschooling community, and issues relating to the homeschooling community. In person life, I rarely mention or discuss the Duggars at all. I rarely even think of them. The link I posted came from my FB newsfeed of another homeschooling family.

 

Have a great Sunday, Luann.

[mytwomonkeys]

Slight tangent: Does anybody know if Anna and Josh remain committed to the same concept? I heard through the grapevine that she had said she thought 3 kids was "good," but didn't see any word elsewhere that they had changed their minds about having as many children as God gives them.

On an episode they said they are content with 3 and will welcome what God gives them, buth they don't have a number or goal or agenda. I imagine they will have a bigger family though. She has 8 siblings in her own family. I doublt they're trying to have 20, but I will be shocked if they stop at 3. They seem like a sweet couple though. All of the Duggar kids seem like nice kids to me though. At least on my edited 30 minute TV visits, lol

[Soror]

I get all my Duggar updates here. First I've heard of it.

 

Jermagestry? That was some good snark.

 

I used to think they were cute. Their politics have changed my mind. It took me some time. :(

I feel the same way and it makes me very sad. The association with Gothard is just immensely troubling. I thought before that of course everything was fine as their kids appear nice and happy. I was very sickened to read that children,in these type of families have no choice but to act that way.

[mytwomonkeys]

I've read that she practices gentle discipline and they don't yell at or hit their kids ever. I'd say that's pretty good, no? Lord knows my voice might be hoarse with that many kids, lol

 

I will have to google Gothard and read more about it and their association.

[Jane Elliot]

 

You do know that, right?

 

 

Have a great Sunday, Luann.

 

Of course I know that. I also know that this is a public board, and when you put your typically derisive comments on it, you are opening those comments up to scrutiny. So I am commenting on your public comments, just as you are commenting on their public life. To me, your obsessively negative posts about the Duggars seem at least as tacky, cultish, and unreal as you seem to think the Duggars are.

 

Have a great Sunday, Joanne.

 

(FWIW, I actually am not a fan of the Duggars, do not adhere to their theology or philosophy, and have never even watched an entire episode, in case anyone was wondering.)

[StaceyinLA]

Well, I enjoy watching the Duggars for the most part, even though I may not agree with their lifestyle, so I'm not gonna get in on the thread in any way other than to say that we have a close friend who had her 12th child at age 48; a wonderful, natural birth with midwives. She was definitely the talk of the l/d nurses, but her baby was quite healthy and is now a busy almost 3yo.

[Joanne]

I've read that she practices gentle discipline and they don't yell at or hit their kids ever. I'd say that's pretty good, no? Lord knows my voice might be hoarse with that many kids, lol

 

I will have to google Gothard and read more about it and their association.

 

I'm totally willing to agree that they (she, especially) does not yell. That does not make their discipline gentle. They practice old school, religious based parenting with punishment, "training", etc. Their original website included links to it.

[mytwomonkeys]

I'm totally willing to agree that they (she, especially) does not yell. That does not make their discipline gentle. They practice old school, religious based parenting with punishment, "training", etc. Their original website included links to it.

I don't know anything about them, other than what I've seen on their show. They don't portray anything that seems cruel to me, but like I said, it's a 30 minutes edited and scripted TLC television program.

 

I just read they did not spank or yell. The article insinuated gentle discipline that involved kindness and respect for their children. I don't know about their links. I've never followed them closely enough to even visit their website. I believe you though.

 

I certainly am not defending the Duggars, only sharing what I had seen written about their parenting. I remember thinking kudos to them. Sorry to hear I was wrong.

[Joanne]

I don't know anything about them, other than what I've seen on their show. They don't portray anything that seems cruel to me, but like I said, it's a 30 minutes edited and scripted TLC television program.

 

I just read they did not spank or yell. The article insinuated gentle discipline that involved kindness and respect for their children. I don't know about their links. I've never followed them closely enough to even visit their website. I believe you though.

 

I certainly am not defending the Duggars, only sharing what I had seen written about their parenting. I remember thinking kudos to them. Sorry to hear I was wrong.

 

Their original site included references to blanket training, spanking, and revealed a basic assumption of the theory behind the punitive model. I think they linked to godly tomatoes, and Reb Bradley.

 

Do I think they are *abusive* in their application of old school Christian parenting? No.

[Zebra]

Well, I enjoy watching the Duggars for the most part, even though I may not agree with their lifestyle, so I'm not gonna get in on the thread in any way other than to say that we have a close friend who had her 12th child at age 48; a wonderful, natural birth with midwives. She was definitely the talk of the l/d nurses, but her baby was quite healthy and is now a busy almost 3yo.

 

But, did she previously have a 3 month premature baby who weighed something like 1 lb 6 oz? 

 

I truly feel for people who end up in the spotlight and didn't mean to.  People who were accused of crimes and later found not guilty, or things like that.   I have no pity for the Duggars.  They have purposefully put themselves in the spotlight, and have not made any attempt to get out of the spotlight.  They deserve people having all kinds of opinions about them.   Good, bad or ugly.  And they must like it, or not be bothered by it, or they wouldn't continue to do it.

[Murphy101]

certainly am not defending the Duggars, only sharing what I had seen written about their parenting. I remember thinking kudos to them. Sorry to hear I was wrong.

I wouldn't assume you were wrong just because Joanne disagrees with their parenting. :)

 

Some things I found

 

 

http://parentables.howstuffworks.com/family-matters/michelle-duggars-take-time-outs.html

 

I don't think spanking or some other forms of so called punitive discipline are abusive or necessarily bad parenting.

 

I don't know much more about the Duggars. I've watched exactly the first four episodes of season one and thought it was rather boring and that her style wasn't mine. She seems nice enough and her kids seem to be turning out law abiding decent happy citizens, so I don't really get why people have to be so hateful about their family dynamics.

[mytwomonkeys]

Their original site included references to blanket training, spanking, and revealed a basic assumption of the theory behind the punitive model. I think they linked to godly tomatoes, and Reb Bradley.

 

Do I think they are *abusive* in their application of old school Christian parenting? No.

Oh. That's really too bad. Maybe they've removed the links because they are growing and changing in their parenting. I hope so anyway. I honestly don't even know what blanket training involves. I will have to google it. There is a nice article I just read about Michelle answering if they spank or not. She didn't answer directly, but I thought her overall sentiment seemed respectful and kind.

 

http://parentables.howstuffworks.com/family-matters/do-jim-bob-and-michelle-believe-in-spanking.html

 

I hope that is more in line with how they are truly raising their kids. The courtship and group texts with mom & dad though -- that's a whole other thread, lol

[mytwomonkeys]

I wouldn't assume you were wrong just because Joanne disagrees with their parenting. :)

 

Some things I found

 

 

http://parentables.howstuffworks.com/family-matters/michelle-duggars-take-time-outs.html

 

I don't think spanking or some other forms of so called punitive discipline are abusive or necessarily bad parenting.

 

I don't know much more about the Duggars. I've watched exactly the first four episodes of season one and thought it was rather boring and that her style wasn't mine. She seems nice enough and her kids seem to be turning out law abiding decent happy citizens, so I don't really get why people have to be so hateful about their family dynamics.

Great links. Thank you :)

[LibraryLover]

Not only do the Duggars have a TV show, they also stump for politicians. Josh Duggar is now a political lightening rod due to his new job. They are trying to affect US policy.  When you insert yourself into politics,  or have a long-running TV show, you invite criticism as well as praise. That's the nature of being a public figure.

[Murphy101]

Not only do the Duggars have a TV show, they also stump for politicians. Josh Duggar is now a political lightening rod due to his new job. They are trying to affect US policy. When you insert yourself into politics, or have a long-running TV show, you invite criticism as well as praise. That's the nature of being a public figure.

Sure. I don't have a problem with folks having opinions about what the Duggars do. What I find .. Mildly annoying.... Is the bandwagon of presuming they're mental status and cultish ways. I'm willing to believe it, but I'm not willing to presume it.

[redsquirrel]

I've always admired the Duggars a little bit. I mean, they so obviously have a pregnancy fetish and they found a way to make a living off it. That is kind of impressive. It is the rare person who can make their kink worth anything.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

We can be called oddballs since we have only one, but if you're a Duggar, do you ever get to snuggle in mom n' dad's bed? Do you ever have that quiet alone time to play or read solo in your room and de-compress?

 

I don't doubt that there is real value in the skills learned in a giant family, but will a Duggar child know how to be alone as a young adult?

[SKL]

Not only do the Duggars have a TV show, they also stump for politicians. Josh Duggar is now a political lightening rod due to his new job. They are trying to affect US policy.  When you insert yourself into politics,  or have a long-running TV show, you invite criticism as well as praise. That's the nature of being a public figure.

 

If people were being that nasty about Michelle Obama, I suspect reactions would be different - on one side or the other if not both sides.  I mean, criticism is one thing.  The anti-Duggar obsession goes way beyond reasonable criticism.

 

As for "harsh" discipline, the children are obviously as happy and peaceful as any other children.  Physical discipline doesn't prevent that.  Abuse does.  Whatever they are doing is not abusive or you would be able to see it, considering how public the family is.  We would all know the details in three seconds if evidence of abuse came out.

 

Of course there are people who think that a spank on the butt is excessively harsh punishment.  However the majority of Americans don't feel this way, and I'm glad of that.

 

As for this being a homeschool-relevent topic:  do homeschoolers here think their homeschool methods are shameful and embarrassing to the homeschool community?

 

[SKL]

As an introvert the thought of living with that many people kinda kills me. 

 

Ah, but you might not be an introvert in that case.  ;)

 

Actually I'm an introvert who grew up in a family of 8, in a very small house, sharing a bed until I was 13.  I'm at the extreme end of introversion.  I have no idea how that happened.  ;)  The rest of my family is all over the continuum.

[LibraryLover]

If people were being that nasty about Michelle Obama, I suspect reactions would be different - on one side or the other if not both sides.  I mean, criticism is one thing.  The anti-Duggar obsession goes way beyond reasonable criticism.

 

 

 

Politics is a dirty business.

[Santi]

Michelle Obama had no choice in being well known beyond leaving her husband, these people did. What I just don't understand is how your children get any personal attention when they have 19 siblings.

[SKL]

Live and let live IMO.  As long as they are not asking me to be a SAHM homeschooling my 19 children, what do I care?  By all accounts their kids seem to be doing fine.

I never have watched their show yet, but I find them intriguing and definitely have it on my list of things to do.  ;)  If I ever get a chunk of free time.

[unfrumpable.]

Public figures get trashed on message boards, blogs, Facebook, etc on a daily basis. The only time someone gets upset about that is when it's someone they like. If it's someone they don't like, a lot of people don't have a problem with it.

 

I think it's only normal to get a little bit defensive when a public figure you admire gets trashed, but really, it's such a petty things and so many people have so many different opinions that it's not really worth getting too upset over.

 

I know I laugh at the ones I agree with and I scroll on by the ones I don't agree with. My commenting on it surely wouldn't change the posters mind and would really only be pot stirring on my part.

[gingersmom]

 

I don't doubt that there is real value in the skills learned in a giant family, but will a Duggar child know how to be alone as a young adult?

 

They won't ever be alone because they will be having child after child after child just like their parents. 

[SKL]

Michelle Obama had no choice in being well known beyond leaving her husband, these people did. What I just don't understand is how your children get any personal attention when they have 19 siblings.

 

We can agree to disagree about your first 9 words (I don't want to get political - it's against the rules).  However, I still say that choosing to be well known and to be a dinner table topic does not justify the degree of vitriol I see against the Duggars.  Speaking of cults, it does seem cultish the way some people jump at every chance to pick on these people when they haven't even done anything wrong.

 

Mrs. Duggar was blessed with a body that could produce 19 live babies (maybe more, who knows).  As far as I know, this was what nature handed to her and she was happy to accept it.  How some people blow it up into something extremely unnatural is beyond me.  Apparently embracing motherhood is a psychosis?  Or is having sex with one's husband the freakish part of it?

 

Also, doesn't a cult involve forcing or manipulating other people to do stuff your way?  I haven't seen any of that.  People admire and look to her for ideas, but as far as I know, there is no punishment for agreeing to disagree . . . .

[Santi]

I never said people should be rude to them. I just don't think comparing someone who chose to have a reality tv show to the wife of a politician is at all right. I'm going to assume the cult comment was directed at someone else as I said nothing about that.

[StephanieZ]

Michelle Obama had no choice in being well known beyond leaving her husband, these people did. What I just don't understand is how your children get any personal attention when they have 19 siblings.

 

Additionally, the Duggars are on TV promoting themselves as a family. Promoting how wonderful it is that they have a zillion children. Making it look like a great idea!! 

 

So, IMHO, the backstory on how exactly these children are being raised, whether the techniques used to create this image of happy children, happy parents . . . whether those are valid. They are on a "reality" TV show, but those few scripted minutes depict a family that is, presumably, based on my reading of Gothard (SCARY) principles, generated by hours/days/years of child rearing techniques that are abhorrent to many people. Those techniques aren't shown on TV. We don't see the forced "happiness" or the harsh shame-filled religious dogma being crammed into them, or the internal struggles of those children who, one would imagine, have varied dreams and hopes, many of which would generate shaming or shunning if pursued. We don't see the blanket training that involves smacking/HURTing little babies for trying to crawl off their square prisons. 

 

I think presenting a pretty, happy picture in 30 min that is generated by ugly, harsh practices behind the scenes is horrible. I think people wanting to shine light into the backstory is sensible. 

 

recoveringgrace.org has some enlightening and tragic reading for anyone wanting some insights into the ugliness involved in Gothard religion and parenting.

[LibraryLover]

SKL, don't you find Josh Duggar's job to be just a little bit polarizing?  I think that is driving at least some some of the current public snark.

[mommaduck]

We can be called oddballs since we have only one, but if you're a Duggar, do you ever get to snuggle in mom n' dad's bed? Do you ever have that quiet alone time to play or read solo in your room and de-compress?

 

I don't doubt that there is real value in the skills learned in a giant family, but will a Duggar child know how to be alone as a young adult?

We have eleven people in our home...the answer is "yes" to the first two questions. We have a mix of introverts and extroverts. The extroverts know how to be alone and the introverts know how to be in a group.

[mommaduck]

They won't ever be alone because they will be having child after child after child just like their parents.

This is rude and not necessarily true. I've known many large sibling groups. I'm from a large sibling group (but was raised only with a brother). I'm the only one with a large family. One choose not to have children, another doesn't have any yet, another can't have any, and the rest of the siblings have between one and three children. This is more reality for those from both large and small sibling groups. My great grandfather was one of twelve; none of the twelve had large families.

[StephanieZ]

This is rude and not necessarily true. I've known many large sibling groups. I'm from a large sibling group (but was raised only with a brother). I'm the only one with a large family. One choose not to have children, another doesn't have any yet, another can't have any, and the rest of the siblings have between one and three children. This is more reality for those from both large and small sibling groups. My great grandfather was one of twelve; none of the twelve had large families.

 

BUT, the Duggar rationale for having a huge family isn't up for debate in their family. To be a good Gothard Chirstian, you MUST have a zillion kids if your fertility permits it. They are not raising their children to be independent thinkers. Their kids aren't allowed to choose to have one child or be childless or to have just five. Well, of course, they have free will, if they choose to go to the Devil and be evil selfish horrible people . . . But, in the Duggar worldview, if you choose to limit or control your fertility, you are doing evil, and are not OK.

 

So, of course, in most large families, children are raised with the expectation that they will each (with their spouse) choose what size family makes sense for their own selves, and the parents, the church, and their community will love and welcome their choices and whatever size family they each make. But, in the Duggar family, any child who chose not to have as large a family as their bodies could bear would be a fallen/sinning/bad living child. 

[SKL]

SKL, don't you find Josh Duggar's job to be just a little bit polarizing?  I think that is driving at least some some of the current public snark.

 

I just had to google to find out what you were talking about, since I do not follow these folks as closely as those who dislike them.

 

I will answer with a question:  are the adult offspring of the Duggars not allowed to pursue whatever legal activities and professions they desire?  Why should their every move subject their parents (public or not) to vicious attacks?  I can't think of any case where I've seen this happen with adults, whether they have shared their parents' politics or not.  Even GW Bush, who is more conservative than both of his parents, was attacked on his own merits, and his parents were not drawn into it.

[zoobie]

Not only do the Duggars have a TV show, they also stump for politicians. Josh Duggar is now a political lightening rod due to his new job. They are trying to affect US policy. When you insert yourself into politics, or have a long-running TV show, you invite criticism as well as praise. That's the nature of being a public figure.

They stump for politicians even when the politicians don't want their support. Kind of amused that the Cuccinelli campaign had to put out a statement that they did not invite the Duggars to campaign after Jim Bob started making comparisons to the holocaust and Nazis.

 

The Duggars supposedly scrubbed their site of controversial spanking references when they negotiated their deal with TLC. They've also re-edited clips of old X-teen kids specials that referenced blanket training, etc.

[SKL]

BUT, the Duggar rationale for having a huge family isn't up for debate in their family. To be a good Gothard Chirstian, you MUST have a zillion kids if your fertility permits it. They are not raising their children to be independent thinkers. Their kids aren't allowed to choose to have one child or be childless or to have just five. Well, of course, they have free will, if they choose to go to the Devil and be evil selfish horrible people . . . But, in the Duggar worldview, if you choose to limit or control your fertility, you are doing evil, and are not OK.

 

So, of course, in most large families, children are raised with the expectation that they will each (with their spouse) choose what size family makes sense for their own selves, and the parents, the church, and their community will love and welcome their choices and whatever size family they each make. But, in the Duggar family, any child who chose not to have as large a family as their bodies could bear would be a fallen/sinning/bad living child. 

 

Every kid is raised with some sort of views about religion and how it should (or should not) influence what we do.  As they approach adulthood they learn about other beliefs and think it over.  Often they go back and forth.  Sometimes they do things to please their parents despite not really believing in them.  This is how it's always been.  It's really not a big deal.  There is no way you can tell me that any sane, literate adult with real-world human interactions and access to the internet can't think for himself.  (And there is no way for anybody to know whether Josh and Anna Duggar are or aren't "trying for another child" in the privacy of their bedroom, so I don't believe parental pressure is determining what they do there.)

 

If it happens that Josh thinks a lot like his parents, that's no different from most other young adults.  It's normal.

[mommaduck]

BUT, the Duggar rationale for having a huge family isn't up for debate in their family. To be a good Gothard Chirstian, you MUST have a zillion kids if your fertility permits it. They are not raising their children to be independent thinkers. Their kids aren't allowed to choose to have one child or be childless or to have just five. Well, of course, they have free will, if they choose to go to the Devil and be evil selfish horrible people . . . But, in the Duggar worldview, if you choose to limit or control your fertility, you are doing evil, and are not OK.

 

So, of course, in most large families, children are raised with the expectation that they will each (with their spouse) choose what size family makes sense for their own selves, and the parents, the church, and their community will love and welcome their choices and whatever size family they each make. But, in the Duggar family, any child who chose not to have as large a family as their bodies could bear would be a fallen/sinning/bad living child.

Children grow up. Not all children will follow in their parents' footsteps. With Anabaptist families, there is greater tendency. With Gothardites, there is less tendency, fme. I believe the Duggar children will be all over the map size wise in their own adult lives. Many will probably choose to have nothing to do with Gothardism. The Duggar parents weren't raised under it; they chose it.

[LibraryLover]

I just had to google to find out what you were talking about, since I do not follow these folks as closely as those who dislike them.

 

I will answer with a question:  are the adult offspring of the Duggars not allowed to pursue whatever legal activities and professions they desire?  Why should their every move subject their parents (public or not) to vicious attacks?  I can't think of any case where I've seen this happen with adults, whether they have shared their parents' politics or not.  Even GW Bush, who is more conservative than both of his parents, was attacked on his own merits, and his parents were not drawn into it.

 

Of course they can. And people can have opinions/feelings about highly public/controversial figures.

 

ETA:  And at least one adult Duggar daughter was not allowed by her parents to pursue a nursing career.

 

There seems to be much more here than how darn cute those little kids are, and for sure they are adorable.

[mommaduck]

Of course they can. And people can have opinions/feelings about highly public/controversial figures.

 

ETA: And at least one adult Duggar daughter was not allowed by her parents to pursue a nursing career. (I think the reason was because she would have to see men naked.)

And one day, hopefully, she will find her way out from under the thumb holding her down and pursue whatever her dream or calling is...an RN degree might be good for one of them.

[LucyStoner]

I've read that she practices gentle discipline and they don't yell at or hit their kids ever. I'd say that's pretty good, no? Lord knows my voice might be hoarse with that many kids, lol

 

I will have to google Gothard and read more about it and their association.

Blanket training isn't gentle.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

ETA: And at least one adult Duggar daughter was not allowed by her parents to pursue a nursing career. (I think the reason was because she would have to see men naked.)

Over the past 3 years, I have worked with the most astounding nurses whom I could never repay with anything that might compensate them for their professional compassion. That religion might keep another kid from pursuing the same calling really hits a nerve with me. You can oject to a whole bunch of career choices your kids might make, but nursing? That's not faith; that's a sick level of control.

[LucyStoner]

Not only do the Duggars have a TV show, they also stump for politicians. Josh Duggar is now a political lightening rod due to his new job. They are trying to affect US policy. When you insert yourself into politics, or have a long-running TV show, you invite criticism as well as praise. That's the nature of being a public figure.

Exactly. Do whatever the heck you want. Try to change laws to restrict women, punish divorce and more, expect to get called to the mat by those that feel they have the right to live differently than you. I will never be down with the Family Research Council and their ideas about gender and the law.