Michelle Duggar Pregnant with 18th Child

[DeadPoolX 9]

When asked the classic question "what do you want to be when you grow up?", the children all had very different answers. The oldest son is into film and video production, etc. Others were into teaching, being a midwife, etc. From what I have observed, they are allowed to pursue different topics of interest and dreams.

Would I have a big family like them? Nope with a capital N. But they are doing better with their kids than some one or two children families I have come across in my lifetime.

That still doesn't address that sometimes kids really just need parents, not siblings to help them. It's not possible for the parents to devote much attention to individual needs. They gotta hope that all the kids don't have a problem at the same time. Heaven forbid they had a child with autism or aspergers or a serious medical condition. How would they cope with that?

I'm sure they are polite, well-mannered, well-adjusted looking etc for the camera, but there is still a part of me that is cynical about the "show" of it all. Of course if they are showing what a wonderful family they are, we aren't going to see the negatives.

I fail to see how the Duggar family dynamic is any worse than many single parent households where the mother or father sit their child or children down in front of the television or computer as a "babysitter" or pass the kids off on a sibling, relative or daycare. In any of those situations, the parents are missing.

Is it somehow more "noble" to be a single parent without the time to devote to your child than a two parents who merely wish to have a large household and may therefore have less individual time with each kid?

[Ban Hammer 12,940]

Maybe like throwing a sasuage down a hallway lucky.

or tossing a telephone pole into the grand canyon

[*julez* 124]

I went to school with a family of ten children. The father was an attorney, a great guy who was well respected and liked; the mother stayed at home to raise the kids. They were Catholic and I mention that not to stereotype or judge, but only to explain that their catholocism was the 'reason' for the family size - ie the mandate of the church to not use birth control. I also add the mother miscarried two or three times or the family would have been larger.

At any rate, I don't know the particulars of their daily family life while the kids were all at home. But I do know that after the last child was born with Downs, after that somehow they managed to avoid having any more children.

The parents are both gone now. The disabled daughter had lived with the mother till her death but now lives with one of the daughters. The other children take turns having the youngest live with them, as the girl is somewhat difficult and not easy to manage.

My dad was one of 16 children. The family is Catholic. The 13th child was born with Downs. My grandmother kept going. After my grandparents were both gone, the family took turns having Uncle Joe live with them, a few months herwe and a few months there. No one felt burdened by his presence. I can only speak for my family, but I can assure you that our lives are much richer for having known him. Uncle Joe was a wonderful, hilarious and beloved member of our family. He died last year at age 60 and we all still feel the loss.

While I don't understand why anyone would want 18 children in this day, I can't knock them either. It's their life to lead as they see fit and it doesn't appear that they are actually harming anyone by having a huge family.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Their life, their money, their bodes, their children.

Nowhere I see "my business" written on the topic. My .02

[payxibka 10,044]

They must be well off because I could not imagine health insurance/care for 17 kids....must be costing them a fortune.

From a premium perspective, typically a family policy is just that, a family policy, and the premium is the same whether 3 kids or 17.....

[Sister Fracas 5]

When asked the classic question "what do you want to be when you grow up?", the children all had very different answers. The oldest son is into film and video production, etc. Others were into teaching, being a midwife, etc. From what I have observed, they are allowed to pursue different topics of interest and dreams.

Would I have a big family like them? Nope with a capital N. But they are doing better with their kids than some one or two children families I have come across in my lifetime.

That still doesn't address that sometimes kids really just need parents, not siblings to help them. It's not possible for the parents to devote much attention to individual needs. They gotta hope that all the kids don't have a problem at the same time. Heaven forbid they had a child with autism or aspergers or a serious medical condition. How would they cope with that?

I'm sure they are polite, well-mannered, well-adjusted looking etc for the camera, but there is still a part of me that is cynical about the "show" of it all. Of course if they are showing what a wonderful family they are, we aren't going to see the negatives.

I fail to see how the Duggar family dynamic is any worse than many single parent households where the mother or father sit their child or children down in front of the television or computer as a "babysitter" or pass the kids off on a sibling, relative or daycare. In any of those situations, the parents are missing.

Is it somehow more "noble" to be a single parent without the time to devote to your child than a two parents who merely wish to have a large household and may therefore have less individual time with each kid?

I don't remember saying it was...

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

When asked the classic question "what do you want to be when you grow up?", the children all had very different answers. The oldest son is into film and video production, etc. Others were into teaching, being a midwife, etc. From what I have observed, they are allowed to pursue different topics of interest and dreams.

Would I have a big family like them? Nope with a capital N. But they are doing better with their kids than some one or two children families I have come across in my lifetime.

That still doesn't address that sometimes kids really just need parents, not siblings to help them. It's not possible for the parents to devote much attention to individual needs. They gotta hope that all the kids don't have a problem at the same time. Heaven forbid they had a child with autism or aspergers or a serious medical condition. How would they cope with that?

I'm sure they are polite, well-mannered, well-adjusted looking etc for the camera, but there is still a part of me that is cynical about the "show" of it all. Of course if they are showing what a wonderful family they are, we aren't going to see the negatives.

I don't think that people should judge them. You don't know what amount of time they spend with their children. And I really don't see what they are doing as much different than what I do with my daughter. She goes to piano lessons and I make her practice. As a child, she would rather not do anything but running screaming through the park and hang upside down on the monkey bars until she passes out because all the blood is in her head. So, she plays and does kid stuff and I make her do chores, make sure she does homework, eats properly, dresses appropriately, etc. etc. That's what being a parent is. From what I've read and seen of this family they children have differing interests and feel comfortable and free to ask to experience different things. One one of the shows, one of the little boys was saying that he love sewing, so since he loved a jurisdiction that was usually the girls, he got moved to work there. I think that many families are so busy doing their thing, that they can't imagine focusing on being a "parent" as your primary life goal. I find it interesting about how the woman lives her life. She helps her husband with their businesses on occassion, but she sees her primary life focus as being a mommy and raising her children.

[Sister Fracas 5]

And these programs that you all are watching, all about their lives....hmmm...who benefits from that?

To say they are debt free is a little misleading in that if they didn't have a boatload of kids, they wouldn't be on TV making money off of their "fame"

Edited May 12, 2008 by Sister Fracas

[chri'stina 190]

And these programs that you all are watching, all about their lives....hmmm...who benefits from that?

To say they are debt free is a little misleading in that if they didn't have a boatload of kids, they wouldn't be on TV making money off of their "fame"

I always wonder how much the families make who are on TV...like John and Kate plus 8, Little People Big World, etc.

And there are a million more reality shows that just follow around families or single people. And we all(I mean the general public) watch them.

I joke sometimes that we should get our own reality show. With editing, everyone's lives look so interesting or action packed. I bet mostly it's boring but edited to look different. I can do that! Follow me around as a bug makes me scream, the diaper is very poopy and smelly, Kavi spits up on my new Prada bag(hah no I don't own anything expensive like that, but the show will buy it for me to look cool), and our sinkhole opens and swallows our porch! I could make big bucks.

Please excuse me today, I seem to be in a weird/dorky mood. (= another episode!!! YES!)

Oh yeah I forgot there has to be a reason they want to video your life...so we can tell them how we are a mixed couple and that our East meets West life is just so crazy it's needs to be on TV.

Edited May 12, 2008 by stina&suj

[Sister Fracas 5]

Oh yeah I forgot there has to be a reason they want to video your life...so we can tell them how we are a mixed couple and that our East meets West life is just so crazy it's needs to be on TV.

There you go...sounds like a hit to me... you'll get a spot on Lifetime

[chri'stina 190]

Oh yeah I forgot there has to be a reason they want to video your life...so we can tell them how we are a mixed couple and that our East meets West life is just so crazy it's needs to be on TV.

There you go...sounds like a hit to me... you'll get a spot on Lifetime

Hehe...

"Hunny, this curry sucks!!"

"Well why don't you just go back to India then?!!"

"We have to take a picture of you in the sarees my parents sent or else they will disown us!!"

"I don't feel like it, this is Am-reeka, remember??!"

Hehe, though we did have quite a time taking some saree pictures recently, in sarees they sent me. It's only fair to let them see my wearing them since I don't ever see them.

Wrapping a saree is not easy(for us), oh yeah that'd be a good episode. Especially when Sujeet is the one adjusting the folds and making it look pretty for pictures. My own clothing stylist.

I think I'm done now.

(eta: That's why I'm wearing a salwar in my profile pic now, it was pics for his family)

Edited May 12, 2008 by stina&suj

[Sister Fracas 5]

Hehe...

"Hunny, this curry sucks!!"

"Well why don't you just go back to India then?!!"

"We have to take a picture of you in the sarees my parents sent or else they will disown us!!"

"I don't feel like it, this is Am-reeka, remember??!"

Hehe, though we did have quite a time taking some saree pictures recently, in sarees they sent me. It's only fair to let them see my wearing them since I don't ever see them.

Wrapping a saree is not easy(for us), oh yeah that'd be a good episode. Especially when Sujeet is the one adjusting the folds and making it look pretty for pictures. My own clothing stylist.

I think I'm done now.

I use about 40 safety pins when I wear a saree... oop!

[chri'stina 190]

When do you wear one? That's cool. Yeah good idea with the 40 pins, we only used one since I wasn't keeping it on for a long amount of time. I haven't worn one out since a dress up party a couple years ago. I would need to get a really light weight one because it annoys me to have so much heavy fabric on.

Thread hijacked, I know....sorry!

[Sister Fracas 5]

When do you wear one? That's cool. Yeah good idea with the 40 pins, we only used one since I wasn't keeping it on for a long amount of time. I haven't worn one out since a dress up party a couple years ago. I would need to get a really light weight one because it annoys me to have so much heavy fabric on.

Thread hijacked, I know....sorry!

Well, the first time I wore one was in India, and I've worn them out to the Indian restaurants here in "Little India" and when we've had Indian "do's". But now I've just gotten a couple salwar kameez...they are a lot easier.

[DeadPoolX 9]

When asked the classic question "what do you want to be when you grow up?", the children all had very different answers. The oldest son is into film and video production, etc. Others were into teaching, being a midwife, etc. From what I have observed, they are allowed to pursue different topics of interest and dreams.

Would I have a big family like them? Nope with a capital N. But they are doing better with their kids than some one or two children families I have come across in my lifetime.

That still doesn't address that sometimes kids really just need parents, not siblings to help them. It's not possible for the parents to devote much attention to individual needs. They gotta hope that all the kids don't have a problem at the same time. Heaven forbid they had a child with autism or aspergers or a serious medical condition. How would they cope with that?

I'm sure they are polite, well-mannered, well-adjusted looking etc for the camera, but there is still a part of me that is cynical about the "show" of it all. Of course if they are showing what a wonderful family they are, we aren't going to see the negatives.

I fail to see how the Duggar family dynamic is any worse than many single parent households where the mother or father sit their child or children down in front of the television or computer as a "babysitter" or pass the kids off on a sibling, relative or daycare. In any of those situations, the parents are missing.

Is it somehow more "noble" to be a single parent without the time to devote to your child than a two parents who merely wish to have a large household and may therefore have less individual time with each kid?

I don't remember saying it was...

I know you didn't, but I rarely see very many people blasting parents (single or otherwise) with one-to-three children and have many more problems than this family. It seems like a lot of people just take issue with their numbers and their religion. What's ironic about that is most of the very same people who are having problems with them are individuals who like to tout how "progressive" they are and are usually on the side of promoting "acceptance."

Edited May 12, 2008 by DeadPoolX