The Duggar Family

[Debb70]

Broadcasting a smiling family on tv does necessarily mean you have a happy family. I know this first hand. Super religious people often put on a facade what they want the world to see, but it's not reailty. For all the fakeness, it's obvious IMO that things are not as they appear most of the time with this family. It's not that I think they are bad people, just misguided with lots of issues. Michelle can be quite charming, but if you really look at her situation, it's as if she is not dealing with reality.

What girl from 12-24 want to follow her parents around with baby strollers, diaper bags on trips so she can care for the little ones, while their parents do fun activities? They are not paid employees. Jim Bob brags about how many cents he gives them, if any. Helping to care for younger siblings is fine in moderation, but their approach is much more than that.

Michelle is happy to jump on the water skis and show off her moves, while her kids look on. Thanks to Michelle and Jim Bob, their children never got do participate in all the activities she did, like skiing, cheerleading, sports, etc. I don't think that the girls running and operating Michelle's home is a fun thing for them. They appear to be robots, with no self expression. They mimick their parents on most every subject. I find that odd.

When I did watch the show every week, I caught plenty of looks from the girls that were less than enthusiastic about their plight. Many kids love parents who do not put their children's needs first. Michelle and Jim Bob are prime examples. Their obvious quest to win the numbers game with babies and insatiable hunger for attention has blinded them to what might be in the best welfare of the their existing kids, IMO.

If there is anything Michelle can bring attention to herself she will. That's one feature about her that I don't find appealing. I think she may be quite a troubled lady and the longer she goes without being able to get pregnant, the worse it will get. I do hope she gets help for it.

[captain]

I was talking to a friend who lives in Kansas, in that state they have no rules or regulations on home schooling. I hope it's. to that way in Arkansas

I found this hard to believe, since I live in Kansas, so I searched and found many sites regarding the laws of home schooling in Kansas. It is true Kansas is very lenient regarding home schooling.
Kansas Homeschooling Laws | eHow.com
Kansas Homeschool Law – KS Homeschooling Laws – Homeschoolers Legal Information

[MsDiva2007]

According to my friend you don't have to report any grades or progress. There is no one to get even a grade report from to say the student is even passing. Smh

[maude~flanders]

I homeschool my kids in Texas and we have no regulations on us either. I don't have to report to anyone or have my children take standardized tests. I have had them tested just to know where they are, and what we needed to work on, but I didn't have to do that. But, considering my 15 yr old passed the college entrance exam and is taking dual-credit courses at college this year, I guess we are doing fine.
It's hard work, though, and to be frank, I don't see Michelle putting enough work in to it. She passes a lot of the schooling responsibility on to the older girls. Maybe there is a lot more going on off camera, but I don't see the kids displaying the grammar skills that they should have by now. Also, I am familiar with the curriculum they are using, and it is not very strong. It is more bible, and very weak in science and literature. I think that reading good literature strengthened my kids' vocabulary more than anything else.

[Maybaybie]

I watched last night because I was sucked in by my DVR description that "Michelle has a surprise for the family". I should have known better- it was a new hairstyle (whoopee!). I thought the birthday surprises and clues they made and sent Michelle on were very sweet, but I have to wonder who paid for all of that? JimBob? I guess if you can afford a trip to Japan and China for the entire family than a makeover, hotel room, and coffee aren't all that expensive. I was also surpirsed that the little blurb at the bottom of the screen said Michelle and JimBob "only get 5 nights away from the children each year". Really? You have 19 kids and you still manage 5 nights away? My children are 9 and 14 and I think I have spent a TOTAL of 5 nights away from them their entire lives...and 2 of those nights were at an out of town funeral for a family member. I guess my husband and I don't get out much! After the look on JimBob's face (cue the 'bow-chicka-bow-bow' music) when he closed the hotel door on the camera crew, I wouldn't be surprised if #20 was on the way pretty soon...

[PIMguy]

Also, I am familiar with the curriculum they are using, and it is not very strong. It is more bible, and very weak in science and literature.

This is a very interesting point. I know that many of the Duggars' beliefs don't align with widely accepted scientific facts (see the Creation Museum visit episode for example). Seems like it would be difficult for the Duggar kids to move on to main stream college (not bible college or religious studies) and succeed. I guess as parents we all have the right to make our kids as ignorant as we see fit.

[libgirl2]

I did notice what a beautiful woman Michelle is though.

[Poppy Fields]

I home schooled my youngest for 4 years because my husband and I contested our school district's IQ testing (in kindergarten) which would have placed our son in an "educably mentally retarded" special ed placement. Thank the Lord most states don't use that label anymore.

We hired 2 teachers for his home school curriculum and they both agreed that language, through reading, was the best avenue to boost his language skills. They started with Old English Arthurian legends and proceeded to Shakespeare. He wound up with a 12th grade language assessment in 4th grade. There is nothing, more important than the study of literature for language. It builds reading, writing, and spoken English skills like nothing else! He entered 5th grade public school in learning support with an accomodation as a gifted student in English. He exhausted his high school's English curriculum in 10th grade and enrolled in college English classes at that point. He graduated HS with his college English credits satisfied.

[maude~flanders]

Excellent job, Poppy!! I whole-heartedly agree! We studied Latin starting in grade school, and read amazing classic literature, and my kids' language skills are amazing.

The school of thought that the Duggar's curriculum uses is that you should never read anything that is not Christian, nor learn other ideas in science that is not the creationist point of view, nor listen to any music other than hymns.

I think it would be a crime to keep our children from reading amazing works by Poe, Hawthorne, and Fitzgerald (to name a few). Also, they should learn all about science. You don't have to be afraid of science if you are a Christian! It's actually stunning to see the intricacy of creation! You also need to learn about opposing views in order to really believe in your own views. You haven't fully developed your own paradigm until you have explored many.

But, it could be worse. They are in a loving family with parents who are trying their best to give them a good life. I honestly think that Michelle and Jim Bob have the best intentions for their children and are trying to do the right thing. They are making mistakes, just as we all are. It's impossible to raise children perfectly. You do your best and hope for the rest.

[Poppy Fields]

You don't have to be afraid of science if you are a Christian! It's actually stunning to see the intricacy of creation! You also need to learn about opposing views in order to really believe in your own views. You haven't fully developed your own paradigm until you have explored many.

I had a life sciences professor in college, a biochemical engineer, who became my mentor and friend, now of 40 years. A deeply Christian (and completely non-judgmental) man, he has been in a love affair with Creation since he was about 5 years old. He has an all cosuming curiosity about everyhing in creation - astronomy, geology, evolution and biology, medicine, physics and mechanics... I could go on and on about him. He's avid bird watcher with a 2000 pp life journal of birding. He is, at once, the most accomplished self-directed learner I've ever known, and the humblest.

You cannot give your kids a greater gift than the love and wonder of creation! Nor the knowledge that a whole lifeetime is not nearly enough to explore it all. It's a given that you must listen to all opinions and explore them - particularly the ones that are in opposition to yours. Your understanding is simply incomplete without them.