Season 9 Discussion

[Sew Sumi]

Ratings are way down. Good. 

[andromeda331]

So I guess Whitney's not working in real estate anymore? I love how we never actually see them doing any work for the business even while the three talked you could see someone working in the back. They annoyed me how they kept talking about how they wanted the business to be more then a business. Beauty but inner beauty. Sure that's why their selling dresses and always dressed up covered in makeup.  For inner beauty.

I'm still suspicious of Lawson helping that girl too. He was able to do what no one else was do. How? Why? He's a moron from Tennessee with no job or anything else. 

Oh good Katie's following her sisters example to pressure for a courtship and act like an idiot. I can't believe this works. It seems like guys would find that annoying.

Kade was really cute. 

[Sew Sumi]

Esther had a GoFundMe that raised over 80 grand the last time I saw. What happened to that money, Law?

[luvbadtv]

14 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

So I guess Whitney's not working in real estate anymore? I love how we never actually see them doing any work for the business even while the three talked you could see someone working in the back.

It was probably Michaela, who sweetly volunteered to help.

[sATL]

Even Olivia and Ester Walton (  historical fictional set-in the 1930s mom and grandmother who had modest means; series filmed in the early 70s) had a rolling pin... Rolling out dough with a glass??   I have never seen that hack before - I would be afraid of the glass breaking..

Bed Bath and Beyond (and any other kitchen gadget store) -where are you when the Bates women need you...

Edited August 2, 2020 by sATL

[sATL]

I am glad little Ester? is getting the medical help she needs to live a long healthy life....

However - Lawson how is that Nashville music career going??? Sending out demos to radio stations? Cold calling producers? Spending hours recording and writing?  Taking voice lessons? Have you even asked if you can be a volunteer at the CMA awards - so you could meet industry professionals? Just want to hear how the work ethic that you applied to the medical situation is also being applied to an endeavor here at home/Nashville.

And who was the pediatric nurse that flew with you???

Edited August 2, 2020 by sATL

[RebeccatheWriter]

On 7/31/2020 at 6:34 PM, andromeda331 said:

So I guess Whitney's not working in real estate anymore? I love how we never actually see them doing any work for the business even while the three talked you could see someone working in the back. They annoyed me how they kept talking about how they wanted the business to be more then a business. Beauty but inner beauty. Sure that's why their selling dresses and always dressed up covered in makeup.  For inner beauty.

Carlin referred to the girl in the background as Katelyn. 

I found their discussion of it being more than a business and something akin to a mission to be very silly and fake. They are selling cheap dresses and using Instagram statements that don't relate to that idea at all. Just like they aren't doing the whole leave it up to God thing that is supposedly central to their belief system, they need to quit reconciling their decisions and actions and admit that they want a ton of kids and to run a clothing business. 

[sATL]

On 7/31/2020 at 3:03 PM, RebeccatheWriter said:

She seems to go for the more neutral tones within the boho theme (some exceptions), which I can get behind. I like chunky knits and beiges, tans, and off white. I like wood tones and natural elements. It just kills the vibe to see these big blocks of unfinished wood in between sheetrock. I'm assuming it is intentional because they did not paint it when they painted the rest and still have it that way in more recent photos. 

 

Seriously, I would not be surprised if Katie answered the door for Travis's next visit wearing one of her sisters' wedding dresses and throwing bird seed at herself. 

~~~~

Looking at the Bates Family Blog website I am seeing that we are getting more of Tori "teaching" soon via an UP sneak peek video. Apparently she tries to teach one on one and is surprised and annoyed that the other kids don't do things like she wants while she is not paying attention to them. Her narration is that she teaches Carson and Bradley while letting Kaci and Brooklyn do crafts/play. So many things wrong with this from an education standpoint.

what happens when she goes on maternity leave? which could be every other year...

At least she has flash cards...  www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8vJVme6WkE

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2020 by sATL

[RebeccatheWriter]

15 hours ago, sATL said:

what happens when she goes on maternity leave? which could be every other year...

At least she has flash cards...  www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8vJVme6WkE

 

 

 

Logistics and common sense do not seem to be big features of these people. I am a working woman. I am happy to see and support women owned businesses and endeavors. I'm a firm believer that children need consistency and tend to thrive, learn and grow when they have that in their lives. Tori spoke about how she does "school" while Kade sleeps. So what is the plan now that she has two children and her list of students is surely growing? Do Whitney and Erin teach Bradley and Carson at home other days or do they just get an hour or so with Tori twice a week? 

The sneak video shows Kaci and Brooklyn painting sun catcher things as a craft and Carson reading with Tori out of a book. Bradley proceeds to "scare" the girls over and over. Kaci reacts but Brooklyn is clearly over it. Did Tori give something to Bradley to do? Was he supposed to look at a book? Build with blocks? Color letter pictures? If she assigned him nothing to do, why is she surprised that he interrupted the girls? 

I get that Kaci and Brooklyn are slightly younger and maybe in their homeschool curriculum aren't ready for reading or sight words. But the way Tori speaks about the "crafts" she has them doing, it sounds as though she is degrading their abilities. When speaking to them, she should say that the girls are going to work on colors, patterns, etc. Give them some sense of accomplishment rather than looking at it as busy work while the boys do the real learning. 

One of my favorite activities I did when working with kindergarten and pre-k students was prediction pictures. The older students would take turns reading a story aloud. Then I would have those students and the pre-readers draw a picture of what they thought would happen next in the story. It helped with reading comprehension and allowed more interaction than simply reading or listening. The child who was closest to accurately predicting the actual end of the story got some sort of prize or privilege. I also used books that had splash pages of pictures. That way the readers could take turns reading and the pre-readers could have a turn on the splash pages explaining what they saw in the pictures related to the story.   

[BitterApple]

It just goes to show what an absolute joke of a school Clown College is. Tori got her degree in education and can't handle four kids, meanwhile public school teachers manage classes of 25+. 

 

[Sew Sumi]

Tori did some student teaching her last semester. But that was likely directed off the teacher's own lesson plans. Of course, she isn't credentialed.

[RebeccatheWriter]

3 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Tori did some student teaching her last semester. But that was likely directed off the teacher's own lesson plans. Of course, she isn't credentialed.

Crown's version of student teaching (which can be hell to try to teach 25+ kids while being observed nonstop) is a two week observation in a church school classroom and teaching one lesson that is developed in conjunction with the teacher. It is so different to teach one lesson that you have worked on for weeks compared to teaching multiple lessons per day and having to adjust on the fly to such things as a fire drill, supplies not being available, illness, an assembly, children losing their minds, etc. Much of teaching is both providing educational information, but also listening to students to see if they are absorbing it or if they are struggling. It is making adjustments and not being married to a certain method. It's being flexible and able to juggle. Tori doesn't really display that ability to me, but maybe she has that in private. 

That said, Crown's program is acceptable in church run preschool programs where there is a curriculum that comes with lessons already created and more rigidity. However, I would bet that 95% of Crown's Bachelor of Biblical Education graduates simply want to get married and help their children with their homework or do homeschool teaching with them. They aren't looking to actually become licensed teachers. As my mother used to say, they are going for their MRS degree. 

 

[Sew Sumi]

Wasn't Tori already pregnant during her last semester? She obviously wasn't going to teach anywhere. 

But that student teaching requirement is ridiculous. My grad school program had a semester of actually, I don't know, TEACHING. 

[RebeccatheWriter]

On 7/31/2020 at 6:34 PM, andromeda331 said:

So I guess Whitney's not working in real estate anymore? I love how we never actually see them doing any work for the business even while the three talked you could see someone working in the back. They annoyed me how they kept talking about how they wanted the business to be more then a business. Beauty but inner beauty. Sure that's why their selling dresses and always dressed up covered in makeup.  For inner beauty.

Whitney said on social media when asked a few months ago that she is "only doing real estate for friends and family."

[andromeda331]

41 minutes ago, RebeccatheWriter said:

Whitney said on social media when asked a few months ago that she is "only doing real estate for friends and family."

Thanks. I didn't see that but had been wondering.

[floridamom]

Whitney is 'doing real estate' for friends and family only? That means...no, she's not working at it. I thought from the start that her going to school for real estate was only a plot line for the show. I think I was right. We asked the questions here, like how is she going to be able to be in a house alone with a male perspective buyer? How can she sustain such a 'career' with 3 children to take care of?  ....and a 'clothing business'? Whitney is full of it like the rest of them. She tries too hard to please Kelly.

[RebeccatheWriter]

6 hours ago, floridamom said:

Whitney is 'doing real estate' for friends and family only? That means...no, she's not working at it. I thought from the start that her going to school for real estate was only a plot line for the show. I think I was right. We asked the questions here, like how is she going to be able to be in a house alone with a male perspective buyer? How can she sustain such a 'career' with 3 children to take care of?  ....and a 'clothing business'? Whitney is full of it like the rest of them. She tries too hard to please Kelly.

As with most careers, it is made of what you put into it. If you want to make it in real estate, you have to get out there and hustle. You have to find listings, find clients, sell, know the areas, etc. I know plenty of women who are successful in real estate with a family, but multi-tasking and prioritizing aren't really Bates family strengths. 

My bet is that she would be the agent for Chad if he went into the flipping business. The problem is that I don't see how Chad would ever have the money to buy and renovate houses if he is acting as the free help for Erin's family and the sole source of income for several of the Bates sons. Even that one episode where he was apprenticing (their word for following around and working for free) for someone flipping a house was incredibly staged for television. The guy was basically placating Erin as she tried to go all Joanna Gaines and talk about blowing out walls and the wood accents.

Like Chad, Whitney gets walked all over by Kelly Jo and the girls. Notice that it was her living room and kitchen that were used for the staging of the dresses that had to be shipped.  Because she and Zach are the two owning their home and land compared to Erin and Carlin renting, they ended up with the metal building in the backyard for the business. I would hope she would get a higher percentage of the profits (such as they are for selling cheap dresses) than Erin or Carlin for just the logistics of it all, but I doubt it. Yet she seems to defer to Erin for decisions while Carlin seems to complain that they had this idea while she was planning a wedding and pregnant with her first child. I'm having shades of group projects back in school.

Whitney is a people pleaser. I hope that when some of the other boys get married she doesn't feel as much pressure being the only daughter-in-law. 

[RebeccatheWriter]

Josie's business partner did not look interested at all when the client began showing pics in that made for television moment. I thought for a second they weren't paying her to talk at all and she was going to remain silent the whole time. Josie seems excited and was smiling in a genuine way, which I haven't seen since she got married. So that was nice to see. Kelton is a creeper, but he seems to have better business sense than most of those people. Bobby seems willing to learn, but I have to wonder if he is really okay with not being in ministry like he wanted. I'll give him credit for being in a profitable and steady field.  

Travis looks so young. I seriously started wondering if he even has to shave yet. 

The indoor skydiving was...well, it just was. I guess we should give them credit for taking Ellie and Addallee along this time since they normally leave them out of anything physical. But I felt bad for Addallee because she truly didn't seem to want to do it. Has this girl ever gotten her own birthday? She had to share a party months later with Ellie one year. Now she is having to be scared while her brothers have a blast. Then they go to dinner/lunch and the conversation is more about Jackson and his wanting to be in the Marines. Kelly Jo's conversation with Addallee was to ask her about her goals. WTH? Was that a birthday or an interview for a job? Their praises for her were that she never gets angry or shows frustration? We hope you are with us a long time...really? The Bates get kind of creepy when it comes to birthdays. 

Anyone want to take a bet on what excuse they will use for Jackson not joining the military? You know that's not going to happen. I just can't wait to hear what excuse they use about God calling him to do something else. 

Edited August 7, 2020 by RebeccatheWriter

[Sew Sumi]

But they did mention ALERT. I think he's the first Bates boy to go. I wonder if he was there when the Duggar boys were there? I have no clue what month it's supposed to be (sorry, I don't pay attention to birthdays).

[RebeccatheWriter]

42 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

But they did mention ALERT. I think he's the first Bates boy to go. I wonder if he was there when the Duggar boys were there? I have no clue what month it's supposed to be (sorry, I don't pay attention to birthdays).

I don't know, but this is apparently post Valentine's Day and pre-pandemic shut down in March. Tori was still pregnant and she gave birth in March. So I'm guessing late February. 

Interestingly, this is the second time Jackson has been on television talking about ALERT. They have the smaller ALERT Cadet trainings at Big Sandy. When Nightline did a feature on them a few years ago they filmed at Big Sandy. I have the episode on Amazon Prime from when I was working on a paper about the portrayal of religion in reality television. He was maybe 9ish or so? He was shown rappelling down a wall with ALERT painted on it. He said, "Cadet teaches me how to obey and do right." Then Kelly Jo says how he is smart and the thinker in the family. Compares him to a 30 year old with his deep thoughts. Next we see Jackson standing next to a shelf with hiking boots and fatigues on it. He says, "It's not like the Army, Army. US Army. It (ALERT) is like the Army of God." Then we cut to the reporter asking Kelly Jo if the girls want to ever do those same kinds of physical things. Kelly Jo says that is a good suggestion and that they probably do. 

[Sew Sumi]

Yeah, at the Big Sandy ATI homeschool conferences, Junior ALERT is one of the activities for boys. I remember seeing pictures of the Duggar howler boys participating. 

[cereality]

Didn’t watch the episode but I can see it now — J wants to be a Marine but the family talks him out of it bc OMG it’ll mean living away from the family in Tx or Japan or whatever bases he’s assigned to thru his career and the means not getting home for I Love You day or for the birth of niece/nephew no. 6235, so God instead calls him to work for Chad.

What field is Travis in and what’s his job? I always assumed traveling ministry musician was his job but sounds like he may have a 9-5 and maybe some benefits? From pics he posts from his parents house etc, he grew up with some money.

[sATL]

If Jackson , age 18, wants to go to into Marines - why fool with ALERT ? Does ALERT give you an rank boost -like being an Eagle scout or doing JROTC ? And the military can help out with college courses and expenses..

Jackson - you have my full support in joining. Any branch. Active duty or reserves. You are a brave young man, to be doing something different than your brothers..and upbringing. I hope you get to go.  If I was at that dinner - I would have taken you straight to the recruiter's office.

I am actually surprised Gil and Kelly would agree to let him speak about and go into the armed services.. On many levels -

• first of all he would be working for someone else, as opposed to being  self-employed. I just don't get why this crowd is against working a 9-5 where someone else's name is on the door
• can't easily quit
• on a fixed salary (that everyone knows via google ). again -didn't this this group liked jobs that paid on a salary basis
•  will have to live where his orders takes him - possibly overseas, west coast, etc.
• be around possibly non-Christians
• He might have to be on full duty on Sundays - ie missed church service
• possibly learn a skill or be assigned to an MOS (needs of the Corp come first) that isn't quite useful to living in rural TN (ie amphibious tank/ground warfare), if Kelli wants him to leave after the initial 3 years
• be around those who are possibly very proficient in hard core and graphic cussing...
• won't be able to come home for every baby (including his own), courtship, wedding, holiday, anniversary

{reserving the right to add to this list - maybe I better stop before G&K, or some crying sister, change the young man's mind}

Edited August 7, 2020 by sATL

[RebeccatheWriter]

2 minutes ago, sATL said:

If Jackson , age 18, wants to go to into Marines - why fool with ALERT ? And the military can help out with college courses and expenses..

Jackson - you have my full support in joining. Any branch. Active duty or reserves. You are a brave young man, to be doing something different than your brothers..and upbringing. I hope you get to go.  

I am actually surprised Gil and Kelly would agree to let him go into the armed services.. On many levels -

• first of all he would be working for someone else, as opposed to being  self-employed. I just don't get why this crowd is against working a 9-5 where someone else's name is on the door
• can't easily quit
• on a fixed salary (that everyone knows via google ).
•  will have to live where his orders takes him - possibly overseas, west coast, etc.
• be around possibly non-Christians
• possibly learn a skill or be assigned to an MOS that isn't quite useful to living in rural TN (ie amphibious tank/ground warfare), if Kelli wants to leave after the initial 3 years
• won't be able to come home for every baby, courtship, wedding, holiday

{reserving the right to add to this list - maybe I better stop before they change the young man's mind}

Just speculation, but I don't know that Kelly Jo and Gil are supportive of anything more than the application process. It gave a new storyline that I can almost guarantee will result in a changed mind or redirection. Note the lack of discussion of it on the official Bates social media before this episode. If he was applying and serious about it, we would have heard from Kelly Jo about how proud she was at the time (earlier this year) instead of waiting for the subject to drop on the show. That says to me that this was producer driven to answer critics who say none of the boys are doing anything other than living at Mom and Dad's house and wandering around working for Chad or going on mission trips. 

If he were to join, I'd be all for it. It is a great way to live and serve. He'd be more legitimate than his pompous brothers and have more opportunities. It just seems too secular for the Bates who still do follow IBLP ways of life, including the rule that you don't work for or with people who are not of the same faith. If he goes through with it, it would be a big leap for the Bates children who so far have only spread their wings so far as to have the wedding dress of their choice with Kelly Jo's input and sometimes wear pants off camera.

1 hour ago, cereality said:

What field is Travis in and what’s his job? I always assumed traveling ministry musician was his job but sounds like he may have a 9-5 and maybe some benefits? From pics he posts from his parents house etc, he grew up with some money.

Sorry, that comment was meant to be about Bobby and Kelton.

[sATL]

I did read somewhere that the military - all branches - had to shift the timing of their troop movement, including deployments, new recruit training , and orders of existing members to a new duty location because of COVID. Yes late spring and summer is their peek time.

  So perhaps, Jackson has made, or attempted to make, some progress in joining the Marines, he could be in a wait state, which would explain why no SM updates. 

Just trying to hold onto a little hope for him.

Edited August 7, 2020 by sATL

[Sew Sumi]

Gil was sure hung go about the IDEA of the military. But that may only be lip service. Jackson is still working with Chad, as per SM pics I've seen.

[BitterApple]

I don't understand why Gil and Kelly are fostering this "failure to launch" mentality with their boys? Minus Zach, none of them have any semblance of a career.

The daughters' goals are primarily marriage and motherhood, but they have something by way of skills:

Michaela: Associate's and currently in nursing school

Erin: music degree

Carlin: education degree

Tori: education degree

Josie: cosmetology certificate

Katie: cosmetology certificate 

Whitney: real estate license, medical billing certificate

I know Clown College has a dubious reputation, but the daughters have at least proven they can start and finish a program. There's some semblance of hustle with the clothing boutique, Josie's wedding business and hell, even Carlin's and Alyssa's YouTube channels. The boys are so aimless by comparison.

[cereality]

I'd be happy to be wrong but honestly to me this sounds like another one of those fundie dreams that their sons talk about but don't know how to pursue it/don't have the skills or confidence to pursue it, but they keep talking about it and then the dream dies by the time they're 25ish because it's time to court and marry and have a litter of kids to support and that's hardly the time dad can be off at bootcamp (I mean in regular families yeah guys do it all the time but for this family -- noooo that would be too heartbreaking for dad to have to go away and you know provide actual $ and benefits for his kids). I mean didn't one of the Duggar boys talk about wanting to be an accountant (Josiah I think?) -- yeah I think he's out there hawking used cars with his brothers.

I'm not even sure if Jackson has a GED. I feel like for the Bates and also the Duggars while the older kids may have at least at GED but the younger kids, schooled by geniuses like Carlin just did whatever curriculum came from the religiously based software and got a print out diploma at the end. The Marines is the only branch (I believe) that takes a small % of people with no high school degree or GED but then you still have to take an Armed Services Vocational test and your score on that shows you have the minimum English/math to enlist and that score has something to do with your post bootcamp assignments. If G&K really wanted to be supportive, wouldn't Gil have gone down to the recruiting center with him by now, had this discussion and then had him do a bunch of the practice tests to see if he was scoring high enough and if he isn't, then get him enrolled in a bunch of math classes at community college or even someplace like Crown to make sure he's up to speed? Or decide that maybe it's not a good idea to stake his whole military career on one test -- and if he does bad he ends up serving sloppy joes at Fort Bragg after bootcamp -- and then say -- hmm your siblings don't have a GED, but you need one for this, let's make a 6 mo plan to get that done including allowing him to enroll in GED classes at a community college, even though it'd mean sitting next to blue haired kids per Erin (though these days you only see the blue haired kid virtually so win win).

I also don't see him doing it because it'd be mind blowing for him and more importantly for G&K and G&K and the siblings have a way of influencing/talking them out of stuff. I mean you join the Marines, a good 15-25% of your bootcamp class will be minorities including people who look different from them like African Americans or Hispanic Am; guaranteed a good % of your class will be guys who aren't Christian, aren't practicing any faith, or [gasp] have done things that are un-christian like impregnate a girl who isn't their wife and then decide they must join the Marines to support said baby and said girl who they may or may not ever marry. The enlisted ranks are full of very young fathers looking for a way to provide. H'es also going to run into guys from inner cities, guys who'll tell him they joined up because otherwise life consisted of living with in one bedroom NYC apartment with 6 family members. None of these are bad things. In fact he and all of them NEED to open their eyes to life that isn't white fundies in rural America. But I can picture how mind blowing this would be when I think back to his then probably 25ish year old brother go on and on about visiting Ashley for the first time -- "there was a door, then another door, then another and all the houses shared walls" -- uh yes Nathan they're called row houses, did you think every house in America was 5 miles from the nearest neighbor??

To say nothing of -- you could be and likely will be reporting to some female commanders; you don't make your schedule so if that means you're working on I Love You Day or Thanksgiving or when grandkid number 6000 comes or frankly even on Katie or Nathan or whoever's wedding day, oh well -- no one is cutting you any slack for that.

I don't see it. Plus in the last year or 2 it was shown that J really looks up to Zach and was sitting down with Z to make a plan for the future. That plan involved working construction, which he's now doing for Chad. He goes back to Z with this -- and Z as much as he has carved out a life -- will NOT encourage it -- because it'll involve a move out of Rocky Top. He has carved out a life but believes in being 100% local. Z made a fairly big deal more than once about -- Trace CANNOT move to Texas, that's a big thing to ask TRACE to move blah blah. No way he's going to encourage Z to go to bootcamp in South Carolina and then live wherever the Marines want him for the next 10 years. He'll encourage him to either keep working construction and pick up law enforcement shifts like Trace does OR if J is more gung ho about it, he'll encourage the police academy and getting hired by Anderson County or a neighboring county or Tenn State troopers at the most.

Edited August 7, 2020 by cereality

[Sew Sumi]

1 hour ago, BitterApple said:

I don't understand why Gil and Kelly are fostering this "failure to launch" mentality with their boys? Minus Zach, none of them have any semblance of a career.

The daughters' goals are primarily marriage and motherhood, but they have something by way of skills:

Michaela: Associate's and currently in nursing school

Erin: music degree

Carlin: education degree

Tori: education degree

Josie: cosmetology certificate

Katie: cosmetology certificate 

Whitney: real estate license, medical billing certificate

I know Clown College has a dubious reputation, but the daughters have at least proven they can start and finish a program. There's some semblance of hustle with the clothing boutique, Josie's wedding business and hell, even Carlin's and Alyssa's YouTube channels. The boys are so aimless by comparison.

Small correction: Carlin's degree was originally music but switched to General Studies when she transferred to Liberty.

[BitterApple]

1 minute ago, Sew Sumi said:

Small correction: Carlin's degree was originally music but switched to General Studies when she transferred to Liberty.

Oops, my bad. For some reason I had it stuck in my head she majored in education. 

[andromeda331]

Gil and Kelly sure were quick to talk Jackson out of joining the Marines. Jackson ignore them and go sign up if that's what you want to do. No let's sign up for Alert which will show him what its like to be in the army. Yeah right. Maybe try the ROTC instead? 

I don't like Kelton but at least he does have a job. Unlike most of the Bates boys. 

Poor Addie forced to do what Jackson wanted to do for his birthday and what she clearly didn't want to. Why couldn't they each pick what something they wanted to do? I agree at the lunch they spent more time on Jackson then Addie. 

[sATL]

On 8/4/2020 at 5:47 PM, RebeccatheWriter said:

Whitney said on social media when asked a few months ago that she is "only doing real estate for friends and family."

Not sure I know how to take that... sounds a little insulting.. guess we don't to worry about seeing her business card hanging in the local store..

[RebeccatheWriter]

11 minutes ago, sATL said:

Not sure I know how to take that... sounds a little insulting.. guess we don't to worry about seeing her business card hanging in the local store..

My take on it was that she can't or couldn't seem to hack it with the people at the real estate firm in terms of bringing in new clients to either buy or sell. Most likely this was due to her schedule and lack of commitment, as people in real estate tend to have to work more than a few hours a day to get someone to list with them or trust them to find a house. Undoubtedly, she has a lot of family with Zach, but none of them are even buying (except at this point Josie and Kelton). One can assume her only other easy outlet would be people from church. However, that is only easy if she is the only realtor there. 

I did a leadership program through the local chamber of commerce. I was the only person there employed by the government. In a class of 25, there were about 15 real estate people wanting to network and 6 financial planners or banking people. I hated the bus rides to the different locations for our leadership days because without fail someone was sitting next to me wanting to know my housing or financial goals. People who aren't good at cold calling or networking can do well in the office waiting for a walk in or better still by getting assigned to make calls to anyone who submits an online query. I seriously doubt her coworkers would pass such leads off to her since they want to get paid too. 

[65mickey]

12 hours ago, cereality said:

Didn’t watch the episode but I can see it now — J wants to be a Marine but the family talks him out of it bc OMG it’ll mean living away from the family in Tx or Japan or whatever bases he’s assigned to thru his career and the means not getting home for I Love You day or for the birth of niece/nephew no. 6235, so God instead calls him to work for Chad.

What field is Travis in and what’s his job? I always assumed traveling ministry musician was his job but sounds like he may have a 9-5 and maybe some benefits? From pics he posts from his parents house etc, he grew up with some money.

Travis is a 19 yer old college student. Supposedly he comes from a wealthy family that owns a religious college and a music ministry  business. I have never heard of them until this show. Kelton owns his own plumbing business and Bobby works for him. 

[Absolom]

Ratings this week:  206 K viewers and a .03 rating.  141st cable show of the day.

[Jeanne222]

On 8/2/2020 at 10:48 AM, sATL said:

I am glad little Ester? is getting the medical help she needs to live a long healthy life....

However - Lawson how is that Nashville music career going??? Sending out demos to radio stations? Cold calling producers? Spending hours recording and writing?  Taking voice lessons? Have you even asked if you can be a volunteer at the CMA awards - so you could meet industry professionals? Just want to hear how the work ethic that you applied to the medical situation is also being applied to an endeavor here at home/Nashville.

And who was the pediatric nurse that flew with you???

Have you ever heard Lawson try to sing?  No future there.

[Sew Sumi]

51 minutes ago, Absolom said:

Ratings this week:  206 K viewers and a .03 rating.  141st cable show of the day.

Down again. Good.

[floridamom]

Maybe I missed it but Kelly talked her son out of joining the marines at that birthday lunch? Why are we surprised? We all know they don't allow any of their children in the real armed forces. That poor kid will never do what he wants to do in life...even worse for the girls. 

I would like to thank all of you here on these boards that know how to post the video clips and actually post them here for people like me who would never know how to even find them let alone post them here for others to view. Thanks so very much for giving me this opportunity. It's much appreciated!

[sATL]

2 hours ago, floridamom said:

Maybe I missed it but Kelly talked her son out of joining the marines at that birthday lunch? Why are we surprised? We all know they don't allow any of their children in the real armed forces. That poor kid will never do what he wants to do in life...even worse for the girls. 

I would like to thank all of you here on these boards that know how to post the video clips and actually post them here for people like me who would never know how to even find them let alone post them here for others to view. Thanks so very much for giving me this opportunity. It's much appreciated!

I didn't get that Kelli talked him OUT of joining - but she didn't exactly talk him IN to signing up, either. 

She started by asking about the ALERT application status and then asked what's next after the Alert - ie about finishing school, or joining . She made a comment in as a mom, she had worries about it. Gil also said he supported people who served (there must be a back story to sentiment). Kelli asked Jackson was he sure -  as sounds like the "Marines is the hardest branch."  I wish she would have expanded on that comment - is any branch, easy ???

One of the older brothers said that Jackson has always talked about the Marines. I too vaguely recall a past episode of Jackson's birthday he mentioned the marines. It was a episode where all of the guys did an outdoor obstacle paint ball course.  As  side-note: at least those older brothers can get off of that couch and start doing some physical training with Jackson. Nathan is putting on weight each episode - looking like he is busting out of his clothes.

I would be all for Jackson finishing school if he was at a place that the service would acknowledge his college credits, which I heard come in handy for later promotions in the enlisted ranks.

If anything - ALERT might convenience him to enlist, as I am sure they are going to holy water down every aspect, from sunup to sundown. Look at the Dugger men. It's no way on earth some ALERT camp/program can simulate a team of  trained career DIs, that will "motivate" at you at boot camp for 12 weeks.

Since Jackson looks up to Zach - I wonder what does Zach say/feel about all of the "join the marine corp " discussions? Did K&G tell Zach to keep his mouth shut? Zach probably works with those who severed, which would be a good resource for Jackson to talk to.

Edited August 8, 2020 by sATL

[crazy8s]

Jackson will get some constable or whatever certification to have a badge and carry a glock and pose for pretty pics like the older boys.

I posted this in the Counting On JD and Abbie thread.

New mediccorps non profit this week. they have dropped the fake DR. who was never shown on any of their "missions" and now have Duggar acct/tax preparer Jimmy C. Burns as a director along with JD and Nathan Bates. Jimmy Burns is listed as tax preparer for most of the 20+ Duggar LLC's including Deanna's.

according to the Mediccorps site they dissolved the LLC with same name once they got their 501c3 status.

let the tax deductible donations begin for Bates and Duggars to not get real jobs and go flash their silly badges and glocks in disaster areas. oh and Jana can continue her "amazing travel" or whatever Jase called it as their chaperone

 

 

Corporation Name MEDICAL EVACUATION DISASTER INTERVENTION CORPS

Fictitious Names

Filing #811258199

Filing Type Nonprofit Corporation

Filed under Act Dom Nonprofit Corp; 1147 of 1993

Status Good Standing

Principal Address

Reg. Agent JOHN DAVID DUGGAR

SPRINGDALE, AR 72762

Date Filed 08/04/2020

Officers JOHN DAVID DUGGAR , Incorporator/Organizer
KENNETH N BATES , Director
JIMMY C BURNS , Director

[3 is enough]

So sketchy!  How does this not raise any alarms?  And why do people still donate to this sham?

[sATL]

3 hours ago, crazy8s said:

 

according to the Mediccorps site they dissolved the LLC with same name once they got their 501c3 status.

let the tax deductible donations begin for Bates and Duggars to not get real jobs and go flash their silly badges and glocks in disaster areas. oh and Jana can continue her "amazing travel" or whatever Jase called it as their chaperone

Is that plumbing company Kelton running another disguise under a 503c? wonder does he have the motto "only work for family and friends"

being a finance major at Crown   probably had a seminar on how to keep the IRS out of your business, in the name of Jesus..

Edited August 8, 2020 by sATL

[3 is enough]

Kelton's business is an LLC.  Appears to be legit.  He is licensed and insured, and has recommendations from Home Advisor.

Chad's company does not appear to have a web page and I wonder if he does have a license or insurance.

[LynneH]

My interpretation on Whitney getting her real estate license was for her own personal benefit because she and Zach were interested in purchasing a house.  The second benefit is so that she can be the realtor for the family, when and if one of them wants to buy.

In regards to Jackson and the military, i agree with a previous poster, in my humble opinion, the military wouldn't take him. I've had many family members who have applied and most are accepted and a couple not be accepted (even me).  During peacetime they want people who are going to fit in and progress through the ranks.  Jackson, is not educated enough to make into the military.  

[RebeccatheWriter]

On 8/8/2020 at 4:14 PM, sATL said:

Is that plumbing company Kelton running another disguise under a 503c? wonder does he have the motto "only work for family and friends"

being a finance major at Crown   probably had a seminar on how to keep the IRS out of your business, in the name of Jesus..

Tennessee Standard (Kelton's business) is listed with the Tennessee Secretary of State's office as an LLC not a nonprofit. I haven't found any other entry with his name. As for the work for family and friends, he is working regular jobs. Part of my Jewish family had a plumbing emergency recently and hired him because their regular plumber was out of town. They said he was friendly and reasonably priced. They also said he never mentioned Jesus. They aren't even aware of the show. It only came up because my aunt was complaining about this emergency and mentioned using a new plumber. So I of course being the snarky heathen that I am asked was it him who showed up and was he praying over the pipes.   

He didn't go to Crown, as Crown doesn't even offer finance as a degree program. Their business programs are small business & entrepreneurship (geared toward men) and office management (geared toward women) He was at Pensacola Christian (also not regionally accredited but more highly regarded than Crown) with Bobby. Crown offers mostly Bible courses with a few career classes thrown in there. Looking at PCC, the curriculum is at least related to the major. I don't know that I would trust him with my financial planning, but he does seem to have a more practical background. 

On 8/8/2020 at 4:58 PM, 3 is enough said:

Kelton's business is an LLC.  Appears to be legit.  He is licensed and insured, and has recommendations from Home Advisor.

Chad's company does not appear to have a web page and I wonder if he does have a license or insurance.

Given that Chad uses Warden, Jackson, and Isaiah as labor (two of whom are still under 18), I have to wonder about the insurance thing. That's got to be sky high.  

[Tikichick]

On 8/7/2020 at 2:06 PM, BitterApple said:

I don't understand why Gil and Kelly are fostering this "failure to launch" mentality with their boys? Minus Zach, none of them have any semblance of a career.

The daughters' goals are primarily marriage and motherhood, but they have something by way of skills:

Michaela: Associate's and currently in nursing school

Erin: music degree

Carlin: education degree

Tori: education degree

Josie: cosmetology certificate

Katie: cosmetology certificate 

Whitney: real estate license, medical billing certificate

I know Clown College has a dubious reputation, but the daughters have at least proven they can start and finish a program. There's some semblance of hustle with the clothing boutique, Josie's wedding business and hell, even Carlin's and Alyssa's YouTube channels. The boys are so aimless by comparison.

Alyssa also used to work darned hard at a small cleaning business she and her husband started.  At that time I had hope for her, definitely living away from the family, imposing rules about family piling in on them, working hard with her husband to bring in extra money.  Then the baby train started.

[RebeccatheWriter]

5 hours ago, Tikichick said:

Alyssa also used to work darned hard at a small cleaning business she and her husband started.  At that time I had hope for her, definitely living away from the family, imposing rules about family piling in on them, working hard with her husband to bring in extra money.  Then the baby train started.

Alyssa was never going to be a doctor, lawyer, or CEO, but she does seem to have a work habit that is not present in her parents or many or her siblings. I used to think this was because like Zach, she was not all that happy growing up in a home where Mom and Dad's need for a vacay to make the next baby or Dad's desire to preach for free at a little church instead of working a job to put food on the table. However, she is falling into that same trap her parents were in when they had so many kids. I think that a large part of it still lies with her upbringing. She's never had the opportunity to understand or know what it was that a woman could do without 500 kids. They are raised to think that their roles are to be a wife and mother. The most career oriented stuff they do is normally supporting their husband's efforts. 

Some of the girls have stepped out with career ventures. Michaela with nursing school and with any luck a real job. Josie has with cosmetology. Erin did a bit with teaching music. But you can't tell me that any of them would keep it up if their husband said he preferred them to stay at home. Josie's got her own business with her friend, but even that may fall away as baby 2 or 3 comes along. Carlin, Erin, and Whitney have their business and talk about having more children at the same time. Great! But what happens when one of their kids gets strep throat or the flu and all the other kids between the three of them get it. Or Carlin and Erin both have this blood clotting disorder and are listed as high risk. So what happens when both are pregnant at the same time and end up on bed rest or something? Whitney has to run the business alone? Tori's teaching everyone else's kids, but what happens after she has 3 or 4 little K's running around and Bradley/Carson are even more advanced. 

These are all considerations that working women and moms face. The difference is that the Bates girls have had nobody modeling normal behavior in such situations. Kelly Jo didn't work outside the home once the babies started coming. Even their grandmothers didn't (at least while the girls were in their impressionable years)...Kelly Jo's mother is probably not used as an example much with the divorce and remarriage. I don't know if they even know they can have a career and children. Looking back they even say things like, "I'm going to school to do _______ until I have children." Alyssa said on one of the family's Nightline stories that she didn't want to "start a career and end up pregnant and have to quit." 

I am not knocking work at home moms. My mother stayed home with me until I was school age and even then worked part-time for several years. After that she was in a bit of a pickle because her own mother (who had never worked) was widowed and too young for social security or Medicare. My grandmother was about to lose the house she and my grandfather had built right before his death. My mom went to work full time and with her sister payed the mortgage on the place until we could come up with a new plan. The plan never came to light, as my grandmother passed away not long after. My mother continued working in her career and kept being promoted. She was more educated and skilled than my father so she was really the breadwinner in our home. I can't stay at home as a single woman with two kids. Even this pandemic and working from home (love it) has taught me I don't want to be around my kids 24/7. I love them, but dang if I don't want a break. 

Edited August 10, 2020 by RebeccatheWriter
Edited because I forgot that Mama Jane was a nurse.

[sATL]

1 hour ago, RebeccatheWriter said:

Alyssa was never going to be a doctor, lawyer, or CEO, but she does seem to have a work habit that is not present in her parents or many or her siblings. I used to think this was because like Zach, she was not all that happy growing up in a home where Mom and Dad's need for a vacay to make the next baby or Dad's desire to preach for free at a little church instead of working a job to put food on the table. However, she is falling into that same trap her parents were in when they had so many kids. I think that a large part of it still lies with her upbringing. She's never had the opportunity to understand or know what it was that a woman could do without 500 kids. They are raised to think that their roles are to be a wife and mother. The most career oriented stuff they do is normally supporting their husband's efforts. 

Some of the girls have stepped out with career ventures. Michaela with nursing school and with any luck a real job. Josie has with cosmetology. Erin did a bit with teaching music. But you can't tell me that any of them would keep it up if their husband said he preferred them to stay at home. Josie's got her own business with her friend, but even that may fall away as baby 2 or 3 comes along. Carlin, Erin, and Whitney have their business and talk about having more children at the same time. Great! But what happens when one of their kids gets strep throat or the flu and all the other kids between the three of them get it. Or Carlin and Erin both have this blood clotting disorder and are listed as high risk. So what happens when both are pregnant at the same time and end up on bed rest or something? Whitney has to run the business alone? Tori's teaching everyone else's kids, but what happens after she has 3 or 4 little K's running around and Bradley/Carson are even more advanced. 

These are all considerations that working women and moms face. The difference is that the Bates girls have had nobody modeling normal behavior in such situations. Kelly Jo didn't work outside the home once the babies started coming. Even their grandmothers didn't...Kelly Jo's mother is probably not used as an example much with the divorce and remarriage. I don't know if they even know they can have a career and children. Looking back they even say things like, "I'm going to school to do _______ until I have children." Alyssa said on one of the family's Nightline stories that she didn't want to "start a career and end up pregnant and have to quit." 

I am not knocking work at home moms. My mother stayed home with me until I was school age and even then worked part-time for several years. After that she was in a bit of a pickle because her own mother (who had never worked) was widowed and too young for social security or Medicare. My grandmother was about to lose the house she and my grandfather had built right before his death. My mom went to work full time and with her sister payed the mortgage on the place until we could come up with a new plan. The plan never came to light, as my grandmother passed away not long after. My mother continued working in her career and kept being promoted. She was more educated and skilled than my father so she was really the breadwinner in our home. I can't stay at home as a single woman with two kids. Even this pandemic and working from home (love it) has taught me I don't want to be around my kids 24/7. I love them, but dang if I don't want a break. 

To add one more point - Alyssa also has be said to be one of the closest grands to Momma Jane, who I'm sure said an respectful earful about her son and his wealth of kids. I wonder if Momma Jane worked outside of the home. And a son who yes - sad to say was downsized from his corporate job - but surely has had the time to bounce back into a salaried profession.

Edited August 10, 2020 by sATL

[Tikichick]

33 minutes ago, RebeccatheWriter said:

Alyssa was never going to be a doctor, lawyer, or CEO, but she does seem to have a work habit that is not present in her parents or many or her siblings. I used to think this was because like Zach, she was not all that happy growing up in a home where Mom and Dad's need for a vacay to make the next baby or Dad's desire to preach for free at a little church instead of working a job to put food on the table. However, she is falling into that same trap her parents were in when they had so many kids. I think that a large part of it still lies with her upbringing. She's never had the opportunity to understand or know what it was that a woman could do without 500 kids. They are raised to think that their roles are to be a wife and mother. The most career oriented stuff they do is normally supporting their husband's efforts. 

Some of the girls have stepped out with career ventures. Michaela with nursing school and with any luck a real job. Josie has with cosmetology. Erin did a bit with teaching music. But you can't tell me that any of them would keep it up if their husband said he preferred them to stay at home. Josie's got her own business with her friend, but even that may fall away as baby 2 or 3 comes along. Carlin, Erin, and Whitney have their business and talk about having more children at the same time. Great! But what happens when one of their kids gets strep throat or the flu and all the other kids between the three of them get it. Or Carlin and Erin both have this blood clotting disorder and are listed as high risk. So what happens when both are pregnant at the same time and end up on bed rest or something? Whitney has to run the business alone? Tori's teaching everyone else's kids, but what happens after she has 3 or 4 little K's running around and Bradley/Carson are even more advanced. 

These are all considerations that working women and moms face. The difference is that the Bates girls have had nobody modeling normal behavior in such situations. Kelly Jo didn't work outside the home once the babies started coming. Even their grandmothers didn't...Kelly Jo's mother is probably not used as an example much with the divorce and remarriage. I don't know if they even know they can have a career and children. Looking back they even say things like, "I'm going to school to do _______ until I have children." Alyssa said on one of the family's Nightline stories that she didn't want to "start a career and end up pregnant and have to quit." 

I am not knocking work at home moms. My mother stayed home with me until I was school age and even then worked part-time for several years. After that she was in a bit of a pickle because her own mother (who had never worked) was widowed and too young for social security or Medicare. My grandmother was about to lose the house she and my grandfather had built right before his death. My mom went to work full time and with her sister payed the mortgage on the place until we could come up with a new plan. The plan never came to light, as my grandmother passed away not long after. My mother continued working in her career and kept being promoted. She was more educated and skilled than my father so she was really the breadwinner in our home. I can't stay at home as a single woman with two kids. Even this pandemic and working from home (love it) has taught me I don't want to be around my kids 24/7. I love them, but dang if I don't want a break. 

I agree, it's fine if someone chooses to be a stay at home parent -- when they choose that with the knowledge of all of the other options they could also choose.  I find it hypocritical that when the parents were young they were able to freely choose their path, knowing full well they had other options if they chose.  It's unconscionable to me that they feel their choice should be binding upon their children -- and future generations, and they have absolutely zero qualms about that idea.

[RebeccatheWriter]

11 minutes ago, sATL said:

To add one more point - Alyssa also has be said to be one of the closest grands to Momma Jane, who I'm sure said an respectful earful about her son and his wealth of kids. I wonder if Momma Jane worked outside of the home. And a son who yes - said to say was downsized from his corporate job - but surely has had the time to bounce back into a salaried profession.

Jane apparently was a nurse, which Carlin confirmed during an episode where they were there for Thanksgiving. Carlin is walking on the table and Jane reprimands her while Carlin lies as says her shoes are new and clean. I might be wrong, but I think they said she took time off to raise the three kids and then went back to work. However, I doubt she is used as a good example for the Bates kids for that. 

Gil's claim of being downsized was a rewrite of history. He originally claimed when they were just occasionally appearing on the Duggars' show that he quit his job to have more time at home and to start his own business (right around the time IBLP starting encouraging that). Then there was some backlash on this and the Nightline interview where he talks about not having insurance on the kids and taking them to the ER for everything because they can't be turned away. When the Bates got their own show the story (and others) were changed to package the family in a better light. 

Edited August 10, 2020 by RebeccatheWriter