The Duggars and Their World: Fashion, Food, Finance, Schoolin’ and Child Rearin'

[Salacious Kitty]

And note how the cars are all parked in front of Anna's bunker. 

What a dump.

Edited December 16, 2022 by Salacious Kitty

[GeeGolly]

Jana and some brothers just did a weekend RV trip. JB, M and the youngest of the Duggars went too, but I'm not sure if they drove or flew. A while back JB took his family on a no-one-is-going-to-subpoena-me trip, some time ago a few older sisters with Ben and Austin flew to see Jinger and a month or two ago Joy and Austin flew to Alaska.

It seems to me, the Duggars have slowed down on their jet setting ways since the implosion of their show. I wonder how many of them are actually having to watch their spending now.

[sagittarius sue]

1 hour ago, GeeGolly said:

Jana and some brothers just did a weekend RV trip. JB, M and the youngest of the Duggars went too, but I'm not sure if they drove or flew. A while back JB took his family on a no-one-is-going-to-subpoena-me trip, some time ago a few older sisters with Ben and Austin flew to see Jinger and a month or two ago Joy and Austin flew to Alaska.

It seems to me, the Duggars have slowed down on their jet setting ways since the implosion of their show. I wonder how many of them are actually having to watch their spending now.

I bet Joy and Austin are after their foolish purchase of a flood zone and end of their RV park dream.

[SMama]

2 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Jana and some brothers just did a weekend RV trip. JB, M and the youngest of the Duggars went too, but I'm not sure if they drove or flew. A while back JB took his family on a no-one-is-going-to-subpoena-me trip, some time ago a few older sisters with Ben and Austin flew to see Jinger and a month or two ago Joy and Austin flew to Alaska.

It seems to me, the Duggars have slowed down on their jet setting ways since the implosion of their show. I wonder how many of them are actually having to watch their spending now.

Are you referring to the road trip for two weddings in Jed’s and Katie’s RV? I was amused because halfway through the video Jana seemed to appear out of nowhere. 

[MaryAnneSpier]

I was on Joy and Austin's page and saw a video about their oldest kid losing a tooth and it made me wonder: Do the Duggars allow Santa and the Tooth Fairy to be part of the kids' experience? The fundie-adjacents I know don't tell their kids about Santa and the Tooth Fairy, likely because if the kids believe in that and grow up to realize they aren't real, it will affect their belief in God's existence. 

[GeeGolly]

JB&M told their kids Santa wasn't real, didn't allow any TV or books depicting fairytales or fantasy, so I'm going to guess a big no on the tooth fairy. Derick has stated they don't do Santa and I believe Jessa mentioned it as well. Oh yea, and the FF stated they don't do Santa. I don't know about what the rest do.

[the-grey-lady]

2 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

JB&M told their kids Santa wasn't real, didn't allow any TV or books depicting fairytales or fantasy, so I'm going to guess a big no on the tooth fairy.

Imagine being so categorically opposed to anything fun.

[Salacious Kitty]

2 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

JB&M told their kids Santa wasn't real, didn't allow any TV or books depicting fairytales or fantasy, so I'm going to guess a big no on the tooth fairy. Derick has stated they don't do Santa and I believe Jessa mentioned it as well. Oh yea, and the FF stated they don't do Santa. I don't know about what the rest do.

Yet the bible is front and center. 

[graybrown bird]

Fundies distrust the human imagination and its capacity to invent and tell stories that help us understand the complexities of life.   

[Future Cat Lady]

2 minutes ago, graybrown bird said:

Fundies distrust the human imagination and its capacity to invent and tell stories that help us understand the complexities of life.   

That sounds an awful lot like religion.

To atheist me, I think that humans invented God to explain the unexplained.

I think that one of the reasons they don't want their kids to believe in Santa or the Tooth fairy is because the kids might question if God is real. Once they found out Santa is not real, they could question other beliefs. Anyway that's just my uneducated theory.

 

 

[GeeGolly]

I tapped on an article that sent me down a rabbit hole. The topic was least trusted professions. And guess what? The Duggars pretty much hit every one.

Included were:

• Car salesmen - Jed+
• Lawyers - Derick
• Clergy - Jeremy, Ben
• Builders - Jason, Austin+
• Real estate - Joe+
• Politicians - JB, Jed

Obviously there is the good, bad and ugly in every profession, but I thought it was interesting, and maybe telling, that all the Duggar and Duggar adjacent men are in jobs that seem to have more wiggle room to deceive others.

[Zella]

13 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I tapped on an article that sent me down a rabbit hole. The topic was least trusted professions. And guess what? The Duggars pretty much hit every one.

Included were:

• Car salesmen - Jed+
• Lawyers - Derick
• Clergy - Jeremy, Ben
• Builders - Jason, Austin+
• Real estate - Joe+
• Politicians - JB, Jed

Obviously there is the good, bad and ugly in every profession, but I thought it was interesting, and maybe telling, that all the Duggar and Duggar adjacent men are in jobs that seem to have more wiggle room to deceive others.

[LilJen]

On 8/14/2023 at 6:28 AM, GeeGolly said:

I tapped on an article that sent me down a rabbit hole. The topic was least trusted professions. And guess what? The Duggars pretty much hit every one.

Included were:

• Car salesmen - Jed+
• Lawyers - Derick
• Clergy - Jeremy, Ben
• Builders - Jason, Austin+
• Real estate - Joe+
• Politicians - JB, Jed

Obviously there is the good, bad and ugly in every profession, but I thought it was interesting, and maybe telling, that all the Duggar and Duggar adjacent men are in jobs that seem to have more wiggle room to deceive others.

Don’t forget our favorite felon. Cars, wanted to be a lawyer, and now Anna believes he’s a de facto clergyman saving souls in prison!

[AstridM]

10 hours ago, LilJen said:

Don’t forget our favorite felon. Cars, wanted to be a lawyer, and now Anna believes he’s a de facto clergyman saving souls in prison!

He hit the fundie triumvirate!

[GeeGolly]

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. 😁

[sagittarius sue]

Tonight's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" goes after homeschooling and the HSLDA.  If you don't have HBO the video will probably be on the show's Youtube channel tomorrow.

[TrixieTrue]

On 8/28/2022 at 8:36 PM, crazy8s said:

15 kids and counting - Jackson is the youngest child.

Duggars prepare for christmas.  correction on what I said in the previous post.  Jana shows her secret sewing. Outfits for her sister. Not bloomers though. Prairie dress, apron, petticoat and prairie bonnet. about the 2 min mark is Jana.

I was catching up on this thread and just watched this. Interesting to see, now that we know the food shopping trips were likely paid by the show and not JB & M.

I'm assuming the bikes were also paid for by the show. Maybe the Walmart trip, too?

Did they say at some point, after they built the TTH that they didn't have a Christmas tree with of Jesus? This shows clearly that they did that tradition when the kids were young.  

[Salacious Kitty]

They didn't have a tree for several years, but went back to having one maybe 7-10 years ago.

[GeeGolly]

I don't think the Duggars were ever anti-tree. They are anti Santa. So much so Josh wore a sweater saying CHRISTmas and Derick tweeted to the world that Santa isn't real.

[Salacious Kitty]

1 minute ago, GeeGolly said:

I don't think the Duggars were ever anti-tree. They are anti Santa. So much so Josh wore a sweater saying CHRISTmas and Derick tweeted to the world that Santa isn't real.

They definitely didn't have a tree for many years though. I think that's when they were deepest into the Gothardism. They used to just hang a Happy Birthday Jesus sign on the top of the stairs.

[DXD526]

Quote

Derick tweeted to the world that Santa isn't real.

What a dick. He can teach his own kids whatever he wants, but how does it hurt him if kids he doesn't even know believe in Santa? 

[Guest]

On 10/9/2023 at 2:47 PM, GeeGolly said:

I don't think the Duggars were ever anti-tree. They are anti Santa. So much so Josh wore a sweater saying CHRISTmas and Derick tweeted to the world that Santa isn't real.

I would hope anyone old enough to be on twitter knew that without your help, Derick!

[GeeGolly]

This article is pretty good, with a few surprises but mostly nonsurprises. The program this woman created with her business partner is great. The article is about how a girl empowerment business had to pivot during the pandemic and spent a couple years setting up booths at homeschool conventions.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/homeschool-conference-curriculum-girl-empowerment_n_652445c9e4b0102e6962fd39

[farmgal4]

On 10/8/2023 at 10:35 PM, sagittarius sue said:

Tonight's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" goes after homeschooling and the HSLDA.  If you don't have HBO the video will probably be on the show's Youtube channel tomorrow.

Thank you!  It’s great!

[GeeGolly]

I've had the TV on most of the weekend listening/watching a Waltons marathon, while doing some much needed 'spring' cleaning. Its striking how truly different this family was to all the IFBers who claim to live like them.

Like the Duggars they had girls/boys dorms, a prodigal son, no TV, could quote the Bible off the cuff, wore modest dress, tried to live debt free, etc. They even had a few temporary preaching mechanics.

Unlike the Duggars this poor Baptist family living on a remote mountain managed to raise three daughters who can cook, sew and clean house and have big dreams of the future and four sons of which only one remained in the family business.

Very much unlike the Duggars they lived with religion, not for it, they wanted better for their children and they treated them like individuals.

Even though the daughters gave away pieces of their heart like candy on Halloween through crushes and kisses, grandpa and daddy occasionally indulged in moonshine and one of the sons worked in/owned a bar, they all managed to grow up with a sound religious faith and become individual responsible adults.

Someone needs to send all the Duggars (a very big) boxed set of The Waltons DVDs so maybe, just maybe they can see the difference between a cult and faith.

 

 

 

 

[GeeGolly]

Oh and I forgot, the oldest son 'wrote a tell-all'. 😁

Edited November 20, 2023 by GeeGolly

[GeeGolly]

And one more thing - Olivia's eyebrows - they are what I consider timeless and perfect. I wish I had them.

[TrixieTrue]

3 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I've had the TV on most of the weekend listening/watching a Waltons marathon, while doing some much needed 'spring' cleaning. Its striking how truly different this family was to all the IFBers who claim to live like them.

Like the Duggars they had girls/boys dorms, a prodigal son, no TV, could quote the Bible off the cuff, wore modest dress, tried to live debt free, etc. They even had a few temporary preaching mechanics.

Unlike the Duggars this poor Baptist family living on a remote mountain managed to raise three daughters who can cook, sew and clean house and have big dreams of the future and four sons of which only one remained in the family business.

Very much unlike the Duggars they lived with religion, not for it, they wanted better for their children and they treated them like individuals.

Even though the daughters gave away pieces of their heart like candy on Halloween through crushes and kisses, grandpa and daddy occasionally indulged in moonshine and one of the sons worked in/owned a bar, they all managed to grow up with a sound religious faith and become individual responsible adults.

Someone needs to send all the Duggars (a very big) boxed set of The Waltons DVDs so maybe, just maybe they can see the difference between a cult and faith.

 

 

 

 

For some reason, I feel like the Waltons was a TV show they were allowed to watch. Maybe that along with Andy Griffith? (Griffiths?) I don't know why, but I feel like they had tapes or something and I vaguely remember them talking about the Waltons.  

[crazy8s]

3 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Oh and I forgot, the oldest son 'wrote a tell-all'. 😁

and in the end it is the parents that move out and all the "children" are left in the family home!  (in the series)

I watched the Waltons - Best Christmas Ever ep the other day and thought "I hope Jill Rod watches this one". Mama wants one last christmas with the entire family because she realizes the children have grown up and will start moving on with their own lives and families. She is sad, but accepts that as how things go.

 

[GeeGolly]

Duggars and Bates, and then the Rods. Next generation Duggars, Bates and Rods. Hilaria Baldwin, and now Paris Hilton, never mind the Kardashians.

Religion, neglect, abuse, accessories, fame, privilege and nannies. Paris Hilton changed her first diaper when her son was a month old. Newborns need multiple diaper changes a day. Does Paris just visit the kid or ring a bell for the nanny? Like how does one avoid changing their kid's diaper??

I'm all about non-traditional families, but veering too far off the path makes for some dysfunctional families and messed up kids.

[Scarlett45]

On 12/12/2023 at 2:54 PM, GeeGolly said:

Duggars and Bates, and then the Rods. Next generation Duggars, Bates and Rods. Hilaria Baldwin, and now Paris Hilton, never mind the Kardashians.

Religion, neglect, abuse, accessories, fame, privilege and nannies. Paris Hilton changed her first diaper when her son was a month old. Newborns need multiple diaper changes a day. Does Paris just visit the kid or ring a bell for the nanny? Like how does one avoid changing their kid's diaper??

I'm all about non-traditional families, but veering too far off the path makes for some dysfunctional families and messed up kids.

I highly doubt Paris Hilton’s child was neglected. It was the responsibly of their primary caregiver (the nanny and night nurse) to attend to the physical needs of infant. 
 

There are a number of people who’s primary caregivers aren’t their biological parents for whatever reason- but I agree that collecting kids like trophies leads to emotionally dysfunctional adults. (Jill Rod is a prime example of this)

 There are some fundy women that LOVE children/babies and caregiving. I wonder what it would be like to be a woman in this culture who only didn’t care for it, but absolutely HATED it, yet you were forced into the role. As someone who has pretty excellent caregiving skills due to life circumstances, but doesn’t find it emotionally fulfilling at all, I often think about what life would be like if this was ALL I was allowed to do to contribute to the family or find personal fulfillment. I’d be a pretty pissy person to live with, I could imagine how many of the older children of a family would feel if they had a parent like that. 
 

Im sure we have all seen instances where there are people who probably would’ve choosen not to be parents if they had been brought up in a different time/culture with accessible contraceptives, and although they did the best the could (meaning they didn’t abuse, neglect or be purposely hostile to their kids) you could tell they were just NOT suited to raising emotionally and physically dependent beings. It’s the innocent children who suffer in that instance. 

I have always thought of JB/Michelle lived in a different culture/situation they would’ve been a childfree couple OR had ONE child with a full time nanny/night nurse so they would have to do as little hands on caregiving as possible. 

[Salacious Kitty]

As soon as Jana and Jill were old enough, Meech handed over the babies at around 6 months old. And as we've seen, they didn't become relevant again until they were married. She was a horrible parent, and JB was only marginally better. 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Salacious Kitty

[Scarlett45]

15 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

As soon as Jana and Jill were old enough, Meech handed over the babies at around 6 months old. And as we've seen, they didn't become relevant again until they were married. She was a horrible parent, and JB was o my marginally better. 

Yup. Neither JB or Michelle had the inclination or the temperament to be anyone’s parent. They loved the attention and prestige it gave them, rather than for the kids themselves.
 

Now with that many kids they were going to mesh well personality wise with some more than others, but that wasn’t it. That’s why I said I could’ve seen them very happily as a childfree couple. 

[CalicoKitty]

I think they liked being parents to Josh, but I think  it was just 3 or 4 years after he was born that they entered the cult.  I think they would have (maybe) been ok parents to him and the second son (Caleb, I think), and I also think that they would have stopped at two kids.  Unfortunately, things did not work out that way.  JB and M joined a cult which really fed JB's ego and gave him a lot of power over his family, and the rest is history.

[andromeda331]

2 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

I think they liked being parents to Josh, but I think  it was just 3 or 4 years after he was born that they entered the cult.  I think they would have (maybe) been ok parents to him and the second son (Caleb, I think), and I also think that they would have stopped at two kids.  Unfortunately, things did not work out that way.  JB and M joined a cult which really fed JB's ego and gave him a lot of power over his family, and the rest is history.

It fed Michelle's too. She got fame, fortune, hundreds of people wanting to interview, daughters to do everything to cook, clean, raise and educate her kids and fans happy to do laundry for twelve years and do all the wedding work for her kids.

[CalicoKitty]

13 minutes ago, andromeda331 said:

It fed Michelle's too. She got fame, fortune, hundreds of people wanting to interview, daughters to do everything to cook, clean, raise and educate her kids and fans happy to do laundry for twelve years and do all the wedding work for her kids.

I have wondered if Michelle wanted the fame, and how much she really enjoyed it, and how much was forced upon her because she was a woman and the cult says you have to do what your husband demands.  And always keep sweet.  I know JB always said he let her decide if there was to be another baby, but I never really believed it.  If you watched SHP, some of the sermons (given by men, of course) were really enticing if you were a authority-driven husband.

Edited December 27, 2023 by CalicoKitty

[GeeGolly]

I still go with the theory that JB was, and still is, a bumbling fool and Michelle is the brains and boss. Not in a calculating way, but because JB couldn't even manage to be a headship without Michelle leading the way.

When I say Michelle was the brains, I mean it in the most basic way. Michelle ran the family according to Gothard's very easy to remember rules. The indoctrination was/is deep for her and I believe she found/finds comfort and pride following the rules.

JB loved it all because he was finally the cool kid, the husband with the pretty wife who allowed him to shine. And within the Gothard circles he was a man that mattered. But without Michelle he likely would have just been another average (asshole of a) man even within the cult.

With that said, I believe JB handled the finances with little to no input from Michelle. 

[floridamom]

I think Jim Bob was full of it when he said that he left the number of children up to Michelle...if she had said 'no more', what would they have done? Birth control of any kind was not allowed, so the only other option was going to be for him to sleep in another room and we know that would have never happened. So, how would they have not had any more children? Just another misleading statement from him in my opinion.

[GeeGolly]

There is trying to become pregnant, leaving it up to chance and trying not to become pregnant. If Michelle didn't want a record setting number of children I believe they would have less children than they have now.

[Salacious Kitty]

She openly charted her cycles. I think we all know what camp she was in.

[Scarlett45]

4 hours ago, floridamom said:

I think Jim Bob was full of it when he said that he left the number of children up to Michelle...if she had said 'no more', what would they have done? Birth control of any kind was not allowed, so the only other option was going to be for him to sleep in another room and we know that would have never happened. So, how would they have not had any more children? Just another misleading statement from him in my opinion.

I always believed Michelle was the brains along with @GeeGolly’s line of thinking. 
 

She happened to have pretty easy pregnancies considering and they were very fertile as a couple. I do believe if Michelle had said “no more”, she would’ve gotten her tubes tied or JB a vasectomy, likely after her laundry room breakdown when Joseph was a baby. 
 

I believe JB does adore Michelle and would’ve “let her” have her way on this matter regardless of what the cult said. 

[crazy8s]

I believe both Jb and Michelle were equally invested in both the cult and having children for attention/status in the cult.

JB had Mary directing him in the real estate business until he was able to gain some ground. But still they were living in the rental with kids piled up, one bathroom and a stack of tinker toy house pieces until TLC came along.

Even with the TV show, it would have all fallen apart if Michelle wasn't all in on the blanket training, buddy system and the whisper voice/look at mama thing Michelle did as far back as the 15kids and counting christmas special where toddler Justin was upset and mama turned his head and made him look at her. He immediately stopped crying.

They were certainly in agreement on lack of education for their children. The children would probably have been even less educated if TLC never came along and gifted computers and whatever program the duggs claimed to use.

Both of them were willing to lie, or blur the lines of their beliefs for a TV show. Both were willing to sacrifice their children's privacy for a TV show. Both would still be good with selling out their grandchildren's privacy to this day. But Joshua's behavior ruined that with TLC.

Still JB invested and has all the boys set up in the duggar enterprise money making machine.

JB and Michelle are now down to having 3 children who are minors and are living pretty damn well in my opinion.

Edited December 27, 2023 by crazy8s

[Zella]

6 hours ago, crazy8s said:

living pretty damn well in my opinion.

Perhaps materially, but I suspect the general atmosphere in that house post-Josh's conviction is probably not a lot of fun. I remember being a kid and all the adults in the house being mad and stressed out. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. 

[Salacious Kitty]

Agreed. I've said before that JB must be hell to live with these days. It's no wonder that the single adult boys (Jackson's situation unknown) left the Big House. Yes, they're still on Duggar land, and they probably come in for some meals and laundry, but they're detached to a certain extent in a way their older brothers never were until they married.

Edited December 28, 2023 by Salacious Kitty

[Canadian Girl]

On 12/26/2023 at 9:31 PM, CalicoKitty said:

I think they liked being parents to Josh, but I think  it was just 3 or 4 years after he was born that they entered the cult.  I think they would have (maybe) been ok parents to him and the second son (Caleb, I think), and I also think that they would have stopped at two kids. 

Who is Caleb? 

[Salacious Kitty]

4 minutes ago, Canadian Girl said:

Who is Caleb? 

The miscarriage Meech had between FF and the twins. It's unclear when Caleb was named. 

[Stevie Nicks]

Also sometimes referred to as J'Caleb on the boards. 

[CalicoKitty]

58 minutes ago, Stevie Nicks said:

Also sometimes referred to as J'Caleb on the boards. 

It was this miscarriage that pushed JB and M into the cult.  The doctor they went to told them that their use of birth control was the cause of the miscarriage.  They never looked back.

[GeeGolly]

29 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

It was this miscarriage that pushed JB and M into the cult.  The doctor they went to told them that their use of birth control was the cause of the miscarriage.  They never looked back.

I was thinking about that. Words are powerful and we never really know how'll they will hit. Like, how many other couples heard the same shpiel and walked away and never went back to that quack? And how many went the Duggar route?

[CalicoKitty]

I think that advice was very intentional.  I think that doctor may have been a cult member.

Edited January 3 by CalicoKitty
wrong letter