<p>They have explained that at length in interviews, books and in Q&A sessions on the show.</p>
<p>So if my dad was a lawyer or a doctor or mechanic and I wanted to be like him I’m some evil clone?? Get a grip.</p>
<p>Some of the older kids are enrolled in college and have career plans outside the show.</p>
<p><a href=“Online College Degree Programs for Students & Business”>Online College Degree Programs for Students & Business;
<p>*How does this family pay for their health care, esp the ICU and ER stuff for poor Josie? *</p>
<p>It sounds like this family is rather affluent, so that suggests that they pay for their heath-care like many other families…thru health insurance premiums, co-payments, etc.</p>
<p>What are you suggesting? </p>
<p>their motto is “buy used, save the difference”. They certainly don’t appear to want for anything–beautiful home that for that many people is clean, children are fed and clothed, everyone appears happy and well-adjusted. In my grandparents time, families had many children (maybe not 20, but 10-12 was not that unusual) and the kids jobs were to help out on the farm, help with house chores, etc. That was just the way it was and expected. You had many children to help run the household. My grandparents and aunts & uncles & cousins and down the line grew up to be very normal well-adjsuted people</p>
<p>Exactly. </p>
<p>Just because their lifestyle is very different from our own doesn’t mean that theirs is wrong. There is a wide range of normal (thank goodness!)</p>
<p>And, if some of their kids don’t turn out perfectly, that doesn’t invalidate the parents’ ways …just like it doesn’t invalidate our ways when some of our kids don’t turn out the way we may have intended. </p>
<p>and, …if many of us had cameras broadcasting from our homes, what would others think about what they’re seeing? Many of us might create fodder for criticisms as well.</p>
<p>This thread just blows my mind…the misinformation, the judgement, the disapproval by so many (not all, but most it seems). I have watched every episode of the Duggars for years. I have NOTHING in common with them. But what would give me the right to judge them. Seriously I don’t get all the haters here. They seem like nice people. They are self supporting, and were long before TLC approached them. The kids are nice, respectful, hard working, bright kids. Would I have 20 kids. No. But that’s MY decision. Am I worried about Michelle carrying another baby, especially after how things went with Josie. Yes, I am worried. But the Duggars believe that God’s will is the most important. That he will make the decision as to how this pregancy will go. Michelle said, on this week’s show, that she IS worried, but she prayed about it and believes that she would lay down her life for the life of a child, even an unborn one. Who am I to judge her religious beliefs. She isn’t asking us for anything. And do you all seriously think that seeing this show gives you every detail of how those kids are raised? I think a long time viewer can piece together much more than those of you who have never watched, or watch a few minutes here and there. The older kids ARE taking online college courses now and are training in other capacities such as the emergency responder. The older girls don’t raise the younger kids without Michelle’s guidance and direct involvement. All you have to do is watch how the kids react to Michelle and Jim Bob to see that they are loved, cared for, protected.
As to the TV issue, the Duggars do watch TV, but only select shows and not often. And as to why they are doing the show, I think they have said that they see it as a form of encouragement to other families and I’m sure they feel they are spreading the word of the Lord through their actions and words. Is this how I would choose to live? No. But who are they hurting? I’d much rather see kids parented by the Duggars, than in the Gosselin household, although I think the Gosselins are sadly much more typical.
And if the Duggars make more money than they used to because of the show, and their kids have more opportunities to travel or experience new activities, good for them. I have no doubt they still would be doing just fine if all this hadn’t come along. They’d make do, they’d praise the Lord, and they would be happy.</p>
<p>If they aren’t ready to be judged, then they need to kick out the cameras. Everyone on television is judged, critiqued, discussed. That is partially the point of it. I think having 20 kids is irresponsible and I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and still call it borderline pathological.</p>
<p>^^^ Exactly. Everybody has the right to judge public figures. Sometimes the substance of the judgment is silly or misplaced or hypocritical, and ripe for criticism on that ground. But everything in pop culture is legitimately subject to debate.</p>
<p>They put themselves on TV, they get to be judged. Clearly, they can live how they want to live and they want to show me their lifestyle. It’s different from anything I’m familiar with.</p>
<p>I was interested in their motivation, so I looked up ATI and Vision Forum. I’ve daisy chained to a lots of scary tenets based on the Duggars, based on the information they support on their web site. They want me to know and now I know. And now I judge.</p>
<p>“Good question.” Post #99</p>
<p>It’s easy to pick someone’s choices apart. Heck, it’s easy to pick your own apart. (“Why doesn’t NewHope get that dented up Mazda fixed … or at least teach his D how to drive without hitting anything?”). Yep, it’s easy.</p>
<p>But the Duggars CHOSE television as the means for supporting their family. And that means they CHOSE the praise … and the critiques … that come with celebrity life.</p>
<p>It is apparent that they do show to sustain life style. Why else they would allow intrusion to family life? But if the show is being watched by many (definite yes, since it is not cancelled), then they provide valuable service - cheap entertainment for many viewers. And they are willing to subject themselves to all kind of opinions, positive and negative. at the same time, they have right to defent themselves if they choose so.<br>
I am completely confused about purpose of our discussion. Are we taking votes or just providing additional entertainment for ourselves. It looks like the family is much more successful entertainers than it appears on TV. Look how much entertainment we got here discussing them on CC!!</p>
<p>*This thread just blows my mind…the misinformation, the judgement, the disapproval by so many (not all, but most it seems). I have watched every episode of the Duggars for years. I have NOTHING in common with them. But what would give me the right to judge them. *</p>
<p>I don’t think that NYDancer is saying that people don’t have the right to form an opinion about them. I think what she means is that people need to be more open-minded and accepting that Americans come in all flavors (and we won’t like all the flavors), but that doesn’t mean that they’re “wrong” or “horrible” (so we shouldn’t judge them in those terms). It just means that they’re different than you are and have made choices that wouldn’t be yours.</p>
<p>I can’t help thinking a billboard might be in order …
“Congratulations on your 20th child Mrs. Dugger. Best wishes on your next twenty!”</p>
<p>What, forty’s too many? It’s not even a record.
[The</a> most children born to one mother is 69 - OMG Facts - Your Mind. Blown.](<a href=“http://www.omg-facts.com/view/Facts/5943]The”>http://www.omg-facts.com/view/Facts/5943)</p>
<p>Let us all be honest here. The entertainment value is in good part because they are out there, controversial, which stimulates our curiosity.
Getting a big reaction from us is what the producers hope for, while the Duggars certainly have other motives: proselytizing, financial, whatever.
It comes with the territory.</p>
<p>As an extension, once a person is on the public arena, the libel laws do not apply much at all.</p>
<p>And the Duggars probably expect some “discussion” about their choices!</p>
<p>@NewHope- There are very serious doubts about those births. It’s in the Guinness book, but it’s actually quite an amusing (and very doubtful) story and history.</p>
<p>^ You’re probably right. The record may be the 55 documented births by the woman in Chile. In any case, my point remains the same … it’s not the number that’s staggering, but rather its comparison to the societal norm, which is an order of magnitude smaller.</p>
<p>My point was that it’s an amusing history :). </p>
<p>Anyway- how is that even possible? It’s mind-blowing to me. My grandpa is one of 14 (I think… it might be 16) and even that is inconceivable to me.</p>
<p>The record may be the 55 documented births by the woman in Chile.
She has been dropped from recent editions of the Guinness book of world records. Perhaps there is someone with more?
;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>But clearly not to your great-grandmother. ;)</p>
<p>“Perhaps there is someone with more?”</p>
<p>Well, as sex has become more popular over the years …</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Mom2kc like you I was one of 7 kids and I thank God everyday I was NOT the oldest girl. Being the 2nd oldest girl I of course HAD to do my share of junior mommy work and I did not “love it” - which may explain why I am happy to have just one child. Two of my 3 sisters also only have one and the 3rd has 2 spaced 7 years apart.</p>
<p>To this day I still feel guilt and admiration for my older sister who spent her childhood helping to raise her 6 younger brothers and sisters.</p>
<p>Apparently the 55 children woman was a faker- [Record-breaking</a> mother was a fraud | BreakingNews.ie](<a href=“http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2001/0519/world/kfmhcwauau/]Record-breaking”>http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2001/0519/world/kfmhcwauau/) that’s why she was dropped. </p>
<p>I really wonder what the <em>real</em> most births is now. My curiosity is piqued! </p>
<p>I also wonder how many of the mothers really just happened to be especially fertile and how many are like Octomom- just an attention seeker and perhaps mentally disturbed. Fascinating.</p>