Jessa, Ben and Their Brood: Making a (Diaper) Mountain out of a Mold House

[emmawoodhouse]

6 minutes ago, Ijustwantsomechips said:

I get the feeling Spurge is far beyond this level of workbook and it is Jessa, who is, in fact, stunted and behind the curve.

It's hard to tell unless Jessa films him actually reading, preferably from that Pilgrims Progress book. He appears to have a vivid imagination, but he's also obnoxious, so he comes across as stringent and a bit of a know it all. 

[Zella]

I don't think Spurgeon is a budding Einstein, per se, but the impression I have of him is that he is probably a bright enough child who would really benefit from some mental stimulation beyond whatever his hapless parents provide him. 

[ozziemom]

Spurge doesn’t need to be too smart just needs to perform for Jessa’s SM. It would be dangerous if he was too curious, memorization of Bible verses is what is important. Or spouting off math solutions like we’ve seen Henry do. Has Jessa posted anything recently showing Henry doing any kind of schoolwork?

[floridamom]

Jessa is not preparing for a profession guitar playing career so there is no need for her to spend anywhere near $800 on a new one. Nothing wrong with going to that second  hand store for a guitar for her to fool around with while sitting on her birthing couch. Wasteful if you ask me. 

[GeeGolly]

49 minutes ago, ozziemom said:

Spurge doesn’t need to be too smart just needs to perform for Jessa’s SM. It would be dangerous if he was too curious, memorization of Bible verses is what is important. Or spouting off math solutions like we’ve seen Henry do. Has Jessa posted anything recently showing Henry doing any kind of schoolwork?

I don't recall any recent school work of 5 year old Henry.

I also find it sad that these kids never seem to draw. Like you said its all rote work.

Edited April 2, 2022 by GeeGolly

[GeeGolly]

27 minutes ago, floridamom said:

Jessa is not preparing for a profession guitar playing career so there is no need for her to spend anywhere near $800 on a new one. Nothing wrong with going to that second  hand store for a guitar for her to fool around with while sitting on her birthing couch. Wasteful if you ask me. 

So true. Or even buying one in the $200 dollar range.

Who wants to bet within the year Ivy will somehow get a hold of it and do some type of damage to it?

[crazy8s]

24 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

I don't recall an recent school work of 5 year old Henry.

I also find it sad that these kids never seem to draw. Like you said its all rote work.

the new house with pavement out front would be excellent for the 3 kids to set out with a big box of sidewalk chalk. If jessa ever let them do that, I bet if it was there on sunday people coming to church would make positive comments about the great artwork. so jessa would have some content to post.

[Kbo]

13 hours ago, BitterApple said:

 

I watched Jessa's video and found one particular moment telling. When she was vacillating between the two guitars, Ben (wisely) suggested asking the sales clerks their opinion. She totally ignored him. When he brought it up again, she said they'd only recommend the one that cost more money. I imagine reasoning with her is like repeatedly bashing your head into a brick wall. What a marriage. 

That sounds exactly like something Jim Bob would say. 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Kbo

[dargosmydaddy]

4 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I also find it sad that these kids never seem to draw. Like you said its all rote work.

Henry did get an art set for his last birthday, so hopefully he gets to use it...

[farmgal4]

15 hours ago, BitterApple said:

It does look babyish. Alyssa Bates' oldest daughter is the same age and writes in cursive. I think Spurgeon is a bright kid, but he isn't getting the attention he needs. It also doesn't help that he has toddlers crawling over his desk when he tries to do his work. 

I watched Jessa's video and found one particular moment telling. When she was vacillating between the two guitars, Ben (wisely) suggested asking the sales clerks their opinion. She totally ignored him. When he brought it up again, she said they'd only recommend the one that cost more money. I imagine reasoning with her is like repeatedly bashing your head into a brick wall. What a marriage. 

I think Spurgeon is far behind where he COULD be.  The Duggars dumb down their kids on purpose.  Heaven forbid they get a real education and escape the cult.

[BitterApple]

5 hours ago, floridamom said:

Jessa is not preparing for a profession guitar playing career so there is no need for her to spend anywhere near $800 on a new one. Nothing wrong with going to that second  hand store for a guitar for her to fool around with while sitting on her birthing couch. Wasteful if you ask me. 

I think that was an F.U. Interwebz moment. "See we have money! My man-child husband provides!." Jessa wanted to make a point that she could drop $800 without a care in the world. I agree it's a total waste. She'll fiddle with the guitar for a while before it ends up chucked in a corner to collect dust. Or as someone else said, one of the kids will damage it. 

[Cinnabon]

14 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

It's hard to tell unless Jessa films him actually reading, preferably from that Pilgrims Progress book. He appears to have a vivid imagination, but he's also obnoxious, so he comes across as stringent and a bit of a know it all. 

Sounds a lot like Jessa. And Josh . . .

[Dehumidifier]

2 hours ago, BitterApple said:

I think that was an F.U. Interwebz moment. "See we have money! My man-child husband provides!." Jessa wanted to make a point that she could drop $800 without a care in the world. I agree it's a total waste. She'll fiddle with the guitar for a while before it ends up chucked in a corner to collect dust. Or as someone else said, one of the kids will damage it. 

She and Ben both play. It's $400 for each of them.

[Cinnabon]

1 minute ago, Dehumidifier said:

She and Ben both play. It's $400 for each of them.

Still $800 from a household in which no one seems to work.

[Minivanessa]

20 hours ago, BitterApple said:

I watched Jessa's video and found one particular moment telling. When she was vacillating between the two guitars, Ben (wisely) suggested asking the sales clerks their opinion. She totally ignored him. When he brought it up again, she said they'd only recommend the one that cost more money. I imagine reasoning with her is like repeatedly bashing your head into a brick wall. What a marriage. 

 

7 hours ago, Kbo said:

That sounds exactly like something Jim Bob would say. 

That's exactly what I thought. Jessa really is her parents' daughter. 

[lookeyloo]

26 minutes ago, Cinnabon said:

Still $800 from a household in which no one seems to work.

And that is a mystery still.  Ben keeps such a low profile and off social media except for these snippets, he might have a job somewhere that doesn't involve toilets and has a salary.  We just don't know.

[Tigregirl]

On 4/1/2022 at 4:29 PM, Madtown said:

Spurgeon can't even do his "homework" without a sibling getting into his workbooks. Makes me wonder just how much he is learning? This was in an Insta story. She didn't say who it was, but I'm assuming it was Ivy.

Anyone get a chuckle out of the middle word in the bottom row on the right hand page?   Yes, the maturity level of my humor does not match my age.

[Spazamanaz]

8 hours ago, Tigregirl said:

Anyone get a chuckle out of the middle word in the bottom row on the right hand page?   Yes, the maturity level of my humor does not match my age.

Oh yes,  I caught that right away! Lol. 

[iwantcookies]

Cue to videos of spurgeon playing guitar. He will be labeled a musical prodigy in no time.

 

[BigBingerBro]

26 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

Cue to videos of spurgeon playing guitar. He will be labeled a musical prodigy in no time.

 

Maybe the Seewald kids can be the next Christian Hanson - mmmmm bop

[iwantcookies]

More like 

 

mmmm not 

2 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

Maybe the Seewald kids can be the next Christian Hanson - mmmmm bop

 

[iwantcookies]

Yeah I saw the word dill. Great now I want a dill pickle.

[Jynnan tonnix]

On 4/2/2022 at 1:26 PM, dargosmydaddy said:

Henry did get an art set for his last birthday, so hopefully he gets to use it...

I recall some posts of Ben's artwork back in the courting days. There was a horse drawing which was quite well done. Maybe Henry showed some interest. I'd really like to see some kid drawings posted - I just love children's art!

[Madtown]

Riveting. 🙄 

 

[YupItsMe]

Who cares?

[scriggle]

I refuse to give them clicks/views but please tell me he didn't leave mustache thing as shown on the title frame. It makes him look like an even bigger douche.

[emmawoodhouse]

Didn't they do this a couple of years ago? I remember Henry freaking out.

[riverblue22]

Yeah, they did it again for the girls.  After teasing the kids, he shaved off the rest of it.

Jessa's house was a mess.  Maybe it's okay she is a slob because it would be hard to keep a small house like that in order with four little kids.  On top of all the clutter in the house she now has multiple houseplants.  Strange!

[Madtown]

46 minutes ago, scriggle said:

I refuse to give them clicks/views but please tell me he didn't leave mustache thing as shown on the title frame. It makes him look like an even bigger douche.

He did. 
I admit, I rarely listen to any of her videos. 

[Dustbunny]

which house is this and do they have a TV now? 😲

[Tdoc72]

2 hours ago, Dustbunny said:

which house is this and do they have a TV now? 😲

Still in the mold house and yes, they have a tv. The kids were watching Clifford, the Big Red Dog. 

[GeeGolly]

2 hours ago, Dustbunny said:

which house is this and do they have a TV now? 😲

Mold House, and yes they seem to have a TV now.

[floridamom]

I highly doubt that they have tv programming. I bet this tv is just a CD monitor; this way they can still control what is watched. Videos only.

[Zahdii]

Regarding scaring kids by a sudden change in appearance, I inadvertently did it to one of my own kids.  I'd typically wear my pj's or sweats until after my morning shower, which I'd take during Baby's nap.  But, at the age of five or six months, the little darlings morning nap was getting later in the day, and one day I had an appointment.  So, I put Baby in her car seat and set in on the floor facing the TV while I took a rushed shower.  After my shower, wearing a towel on my head and wrapped in another one, I walked out of the bathroom to go change in my room.  The problem was, Baby could see me go into and leave the bathroom.  Any other time I'd gone in there, I always came back out again in just a couple of minutes, looking the same as always.

Imagine it from her perspective.  Mommy goes into a room and shuts the door.  She's gone a long time.  There are strange sounds (shower curtain being pulled shut, water running, shower spraying, splashes, then shower curtain being pulled open)  The door opens and a cloud of something (steam) pours out and then a stranger appears.  Baby screamed and started crying.  This wasn't her hungry cry or her angry cry.  This was her scared cry, which I would respond to by picking her up to comfort her.

I didn't understand at first.  I went to her and she seemed to get even more upset with each step I took.  As she screamed at me and looked behind me to the bathroom, I finally understood.  I said "Baby, it's OK.  It's me, Mommy"  She looked at me suspiciously.  "I'm Mommy."  More suspicion and some confusion.

So I had to stand back, talk to her while I took the towel off my head and tried to arrange my wet hair into something more familiar.  I had to go back to the bathroom and put on my foggy glasses.  When they cleared up, Baby was mollified and decided that I was, indeed, Mommy.  But she was grumpy until she finally fell asleep.

[SnapHappy]

6 hours ago, floridamom said:

I highly doubt that they have tv programming. I bet this tv is just a CD monitor; this way they can still control what is watched. Videos only.

I think they've all had multiple TV's and watch on-air programming, if not cable and streaming, for years. 

All of the pretense of "control" and "No TV's" crap was for the show and the leghumpers.  It illustrated their godliness and being above such terrible influences.  Carefully framed photos and videos can make any home look like a monastic, god-only temple to virtue and piety, so I think that's what they did to hide their REAL situations.  Idiots. 

Edited April 5, 2022 by SnapHappy

[xwordfanatik]

All I had to do was remove my glasses.  Daughter said in an upset voice, "put your glasses back on!  You don't look like mom!"

Yeah, I was pretty sure Ben had already done that gig.  Why it deserves a video, I can't imagine.

[Ohiopirate02]

1 minute ago, SnapHappy said:

I think they've all had multiple TV's and watch on-air programming, if not cable and streaming, for years. 

All of the pretense of "control" and "No TV's" crap was for the show and the leghumpers.  It illustrated their godliness and being above such terrible influences.  Carefully framed photos and videos can make any home look like a monastic, god-only temple to virtue and piety, so I think that's what they did to hide their REAL situation.  Idiots. 

Yeah, all of the Duggars keep abreast of current events and some pop culture.  If they really lived their lives the way they claimed to with no TV and censored internet access, then they would not know these things.  The TVs are turned on for more than just watching DVDs.  Ben and Jessa may not spring for the full cable package or subscribe to any streaming services, but they are watching some TV.  

[GeeGolly]

I don't think any Duggars with TVs have cable hook-up or streaming subscriptions - well maybe Josh back in DC - I think the ones with TVs use them as monitors for DVDs and connect them to their computers. There's plenty to watch without paid services and I doubt the even have antennas for local stations.

As far as current events - they all have had iPhones and laptops for years. I'm sure Google is their best friend and they also snoop snark sites. They all follow politics, sports, home reno, hair, fashion, etc. Maybe not so much when they were younger, but as they got older they've always been in Fundy version of the mainstream loop.

[Absolom]

I fully expect some of them have streaming services.  No one need ever know unless they let the kids know about it and probably now that they're off TV it no longer matters if the kids do know and discuss it.  

[emmawoodhouse]

Jessa told Ben that he looked like a biker. How would she know without some outside influence? I mean, that's a very specific reference.

[Dustbunny]

I thought it was funny that Ben was acting like a hillbilly, talking stupid and saying his name was "Uncle Billy Bob" sort of like "Jim Bob"

I didn't really like how they were encouraging Ivy to let a stranger into the house and then to interact with him like he was a friend, handing baby Fern to the stranger bothered me.

[auntieminem]

Jessa's new IG post and stories has her kids dancing. Spurge is really into dancing. Ivy is the belle of the ball. Glad she is letting her kids enjoy dancing. They are eating out again. 

[emmawoodhouse]

They were at a Mediterranean place. I just can't picture Jessa eating hummus and lamb kabobs. 

[Cinnabon]

8 hours ago, Dustbunny said:

I thought it was funny that Ben was acting like a hillbilly, talking stupid and saying his name was "Uncle Billy Bob" sort of like "Jim Bob"

I didn't really like how they were encouraging Ivy to let a stranger into the house and then to interact with him like he was a friend, handing baby Fern to the stranger bothered me.

Ironic since Bin is part of a huge cult of ignorant hillbillies.

8 hours ago, Dustbunny said:

I thought it was funny that Ben was acting like a hillbilly, talking stupid and saying his name was "Uncle Billy Bob" sort of like "Jim Bob"

I didn't really like how they were encouraging Ivy to let a stranger into the house and then to interact with him like he was a friend, handing baby Fern to the stranger bothered me.

 Not surprising since these are parents who exploit their very young kids for money on YouTube, exposing them to millions of complete strangers, some of whom are probably pedophiles. Can be very dangerous. Maybe they should work to support them instead.

Edited April 6, 2022 by Cinnabon

[Churchhoney]

On 4/1/2022 at 1:11 AM, Cinnabon said:

I’m still not sure why anyone would want to watch Jessa play guitar when there are hundreds of truly talented musicians out there. 🤷‍♀️ She is still exploiting her kids by trying to get clicks /$$$. 

Absolutely.

But luckily, Jessa and Jer seem to be the only ones truly committed to building and sustaining their influence/fame/whatever. And they're really really bad at it....

So, now that no Duggs (or their adjacents, the Bateses) are likely to get a boost from some tv network that wants to promote their whitewashed selves as a "wholesome" and "cute" and "funny" and "moral" phenomenon, they'll never see their fame or influence grow again..... 

So at least she's unlikely to win any additional fans into emulating her and the rest of them. Maybe without the tv-induced perks, her kids will grow up skeptical of this kind of behavior and they'll be the generation in which it stops. I hope, anyway. 

 

 

[Cinnabon]

2 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

Absolutely.

But luckily, Jessa and Jer seem to be the only ones truly committed to building and sustaining their influence/fame/whatever. And they're really really bad at it....

So, now that no Duggs (or their adjacents, the Bateses) are likely to get a boost from some tv network that wants to promote their whitewashed selves as a "wholesome" and "cute" and "funny" and "moral" phenomenon, they'll never see their fame or influence grow again..... 

So at least she's unlikely to win any additional fans into emulating her and the rest of them. Maybe without the tv-induced perks, her kids will grow up skeptical of this kind of behavior and they'll be the generation in which it stops. I hope, anyway. 

 

 

Nice to see you back!

[Churchhoney]

Just now, Cinnabon said:

Nice to see you back!

Thanks....Nice to see all you guys and the conversation going on!

I had two gigantic projects to do at once, and I had zero time or energy for fun.....But I have to say that I discovered duing those months that I'm not highly motivated to read about the Duggars now since 2021 seemed to shoot their ability to win friends and influence people all to hell!

All I ever felt about them was outrage -- and now that they seem so weakened, my outrage doesn't have much of an object any more! 

[Churchhoney]

On 4/1/2022 at 9:18 PM, BitterApple said:

It does look babyish. Alyssa Bates' oldest daughter is the same age and writes in cursive. I think Spurgeon is a bright kid, but he isn't getting the attention he needs. It also doesn't help that he has toddlers crawling over his desk when he tries to do his work. 

 

This is how it is when you're "too cool for school." .... It totally enraged me when Jessa captioned that depressing picture of Spurgie sitting all alone in the living room strewn with toyw, wearing his head band, doing his workbook About the only thought I've given to teh Duggars recently has happened when suddenly that line and the fury I felt when I saw it popped into my head. I even dreamed about it once. That poor child. 

[Cinnabon]

15 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

Thanks....Nice to see all you guys and the conversation going on!

I had two gigantic projects to do at once, and I had zero time or energy for fun.....But I have to say that I discovered duing those months that I'm not highly motivated to read about the Duggars now since 2021 seemed to shoot their ability to win friends and influence people all to hell!

All I ever felt about them was outrage -- and now that they seem so weakened, my outrage doesn't have much of an object any more! 

I get it. I refused to watch the show after the 1st Josh scandal (and only watched a handful of episodes before that), so the conversation here hasn’t changed much for me. I look forward to FF’s sentencing!

10 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

This is how it is when you're "too cool for school." .... It totally enraged me when Jessa captioned that depressing picture of Spurgie sitting all alone in the living room strewn with toyw, wearing his head band, doing his workbook About the only thought I've given to teh Duggars recently has happened when suddenly that line and the fury I felt when I saw it popped into my head. I even dreamed about it once. That poor child. 

Most things Jessa posts infuriate me. And it’s frustrating to know that so many people continue to give her clicks on YouTube, furthering enabling her exploitation of the kids. 

[GeeGolly]