Baby Number Seventeen!

18? Really?

I don't know... by 16 I would've probably started wondering if I was raising too many. But as long as they can handle it and they're good parents, sounds cool with me.

That's alot of kids! But, do you know how much fun it is to be in a big family? I do! Sure, alot of hard work comes with it, (and my family doesn't have anywhere near 18!! lol)! But, hey, never a dull moment!!
When someone complains to my mama about how many kids she has, she wants to say "so, when was the last time I asked you to watch them?" No babysitter, no help from the goverment, just her and my dad, and alot of love!
I do like that house!! That slide would sure be alot of fun!

How many Siblings do you have Farmer Girl?

I don't really have anything against big families... my grandma had 9 kids, but her 9 kids had lives lol

These Duggar girls sow pants for their brothers, they cook for the family, they wash for the family, they have an assigned sibling they have to look out for and are responsible for...... and when asked what they want to be when they grow up, they answer by saying they want to be like their mom :faint2:

Your childhood is so special and it goes by sooo fast and there are so many things you can experience but I don't see the Duggar girls doing that...

If you've watched the movie "Love Comes Softly", you see how her dad doesn't like his daughter Missie doing too much work because she was missing on her childhood and was glad when she found someone that cold help her daughter.

Edited to add: Like I said, I don't have anything against big families... but out of consideration, there should be limits to everything. Abortion and having huge families like the Duggars are going to the extremes to me.....

Carol wrote:

Well, I read more on the Duggar family as I didn't know too much about them...
Here are some of the concerns I have.

For example, they have this land (7,000 sq feet) and a huge house but only TWO rooms for all the kids... all the boys in one and all the girls in another one. With a house that size... I think the kids could be divided a little more.... :shifty:

Also, it seems like the girls are doing a lot of chores all the time, they are expected to wake, dress, bathe, teach their younger siblings. They wash and cook everyday. Some of the girls have said that they would like to be stay-at-home moms when they get bigger and have lots of kids .....
One of them said that she is most looking forward to is a larger laundry room so she can get the laundry done faster... okay, and this is a girl in her preteen years... and another girl said she was in charge of cleaning her parents' bedroom...
It seems like this girls and boys are not having a carefree childhood... they have too much responsibilities at an early age. The mother was a cheerleader when she was young... it's too bad her own daughters can't have the same childhood life.

They use this technique called 'Blanket training' where basically you sit the baby on a blanket. If he/she tries to wander off the blanket, the parent hits the blanket with a stick, wooden spoon, or he gets slapped etc., in order to startle the kid and teach him/her to stay in place. Poor baby...

The kids are being completely isolated from the rest of the world, they only know what their parents have taught or told them. As much as I love my family.... I need my space... I need my chance to grow on my own, form my own individual personality as I experience and socialize.


I don't think it's good to be so isolated from the world. Yeah they read the bible but do they forget that in the bible Jesus gave a lot of advice and warning of how his followers should act in bad situations. Why? Because we live in a world where not all things are rosy... we are surrounded by negative things and when we face trouble and choose the right path, it's a way for us to become stronger in the faith. How are these kids going to have a chance to demonstrate how strong in their faith they are? :think:

Anyway, that's all I'll say for now, as I'm at work, but getting ready to go home. :sillySmiley:

Well said girl!.....I have to agree with you!

I don't think i would want that many kids!.......I think i only would want to or 3 kids...... i think id go crazy if that was me living in that house! i would of loved to have like mybe 1 or 2 sisters or brothers but not 17.....


but hey it's there life and if they and the kids are happy and healthy then thats all that matters!

wounder if they will have anymore.

yeah thats very true..... kids should have fun playing..

Hello everyone! :skiss:

I have a really good imagination...
I can just imagine what it would be like to have MY family on TV
and then having people examine and discuss it on discussion boards! Whoa! Help!

:Hahaha: :lol!:

(Sure did miss the great smiley guys you have here!)

Okay, back on topic!

I say we all have to live out our lives the best we can and do what works for us.
Also, no matter how perfect a family might seem, kids will often (if not always) have regrets.
That's one of the reasons why parenthood is so humbling!
Those who were allowed to play a lot, may wish their parents had instilled a stronger work ethic.
Those who worked a lot, may wish they could have played more- and on and on.
Even kids raised the same way in the same family come away with different impressions.
As a mother of three grown sons, I can attest to that!
Whew! What a job!

Prairie Wind wrote:

I say we all have to live out our lives the best we can and do what works for us.

But if you go back and read Red Rose's comments, you will see that this is actually a destructive way of living. In my humble opinion, it's a selfish way of living...everything we do affects those around us and the planet. My thing is, (and everyone is free to disagree with me here), these 18 children are not here by God's will, but by man's will---this is not 1863. I know people with 8 and 9 children...to me, that's a 'large family'...it's certainly 'pushing it' in today's society, but it's absolutely more acceptable than 18. And I agree with Savannah too...one mother can not be there for all those children. This is not what God had 'naturally' intended, IMHO...even if the love is in the heart and the intentions are good, there are simply not enough hours in the day, hence the girls being 'assigned' a child. As for talking about their family on a message board? I have to agree with Carol---they obviously enjoy the attention and are reaping the financial benefits that their 'brood' has alloted them. Do I think they're good human beings? Yes. Do I think they feel their heart is in the right place? Yes. But do I think they're living selfishly? Yes.

I don't want to be mean, either, but I think that since they've been in the spotlight, life has gotten a whole lot easier for them and they like the celebrity.

I'm puzzled to why they are filing for church exemption for their house?

I have nothing against Christian families, but my goodness; they basically have no outside relationships and the are being raised to follow in their parents' footsteps...marry and start the cycle over again.

If there was outside activities and goals and such, I wouldn't mind it but it seems they don't have much of a childhood.

I also think with that big of house, its ridiculous that all the boys and all the girls have to share two rooms.

I don't think this will be the last we hear from the family, or the kids born into it.

Well I know some peopel that have 14 Kids I was friends with coupel of there boys once but they move back to mexico again But i don't think they would have to live like they do like they have those soda machines two sets of Sinks there garage is like store its where they keep there food in there when my mom grew up i think her neighbors had 16 kids and they never went that crazy with there house and all i think there house could be half the size it is now

yah,. i think they have alot of kids. it would be fun and alot of work. i don't know if i would like to be a kid in that family though. i think that i would get tired of having to watch those kids all the time and making dinner and stuff for them. i want to have 8 kids. 4 girls and 4 boys. even that is alot, but i don't want to have a small family but i don't think i could handle a huge family like that!

emilyanneoftheprairie wrote:

i want to have 8 kids. 4 girls and 4 boys. even that is alot, but i don't want to have a small family but i don't think i could handle a huge family like that!

My dad is the youngest of 8 kids---4 boys, 4 girls! I'm the youngest of 48 grandchildren!

Cool Amy My Mom is the Youngest of 12 Children i think it were 8 Girls 4 Boys and my Dad was in the middel somewhere from 11 Children i don't know how many of each but i think there were more girls then boys too but my dads family is DIFFRENT then my moms lol and I'm the youngest of 7 Children and Amy I'm also the youngest Grandchild from my Mothers Side but i don't know how many there are i have never seen must of them yet so who knows lol i'll ask my mom yet

JW wrote:

and Amy I'm also the youngest Grandchild from my Mothers Side but i don't know how many there are i have never seen must of them yet so who knows lol i'll ask my mom yet

Oh, cool Jacob! Now we have two things in common---American Idol & this!! LOL! Oh, and of course, our love for Little House!

Yup Oh and i have been meaning to tell you. You Will be very proud of me i have a Jason Castro song on my MP3 Player the song he sang on Dolly Week Just Travlin through VERY GOOD i just LOVE IT

Jacob, NO WAY!! I AM proud of you!!! I can see why you like that song...I really loved that one too---Simon didn't like that one, but Randy and Paula did, as I recall. He did a good job on it!

New you would be shock lol i have the Studio Verison one See we have lots of things in common already i wonder who i will like next year on american idol and who you will like?

LOL Jacob! :haha: