Question of Fundie girls and futures...

[tabitha2]

We know the majority of VF/ATI/unaffiliated daughters won't have higher education unless they do college plus or study online.They may get get hands on training in certain field like Jill Duggar or work at fathers employer like the Coghlans;But most will be SAHM with a largish family if they marry.But...Erin Bates can't cook,Jinger Duggar seems to have all the domestic skills of a leaf blower and less maternal side, Jessa not much more and probably many other girls are not being educated for either a working life OR a domestic one. Explain this one please? they are being set up to struggle either way!

[charizbarb]

I think most fundie girls are educated for a domestic life - the Duggars seem unusually wasteful and un-domestic for a fundie family.

[crassy]

We know the majority of VF/ATI/unaffiliated daughters won't have higher education unless they do college plus or study online.They may get get hands on training in certain field like Jill Duggar or work at fathers employer like the Coghlans;But most will be SAHM with a largish family if they marry.But...Erin Bates can't cook,Jinger Duggar seems to have all the domestic skills of a leaf blower and less maternal side, Jessa not much more and probably many other girls are not being educated for either a working life OR a domestic one. Explain this one please? they are being set up to struggle either way!

I think, yeah, they are pretty much fucked. It's ok though! They just have to put their faith in god and all will be well!

[AnnieC 305]

As near as I can tell most of the SAHD have little more than 8th grade educations. They spend most of their "high school" years raising their brothers and sisters for one, and it's slowly coming out that most of these families save money by buying as little curriculum as possible and then stretching that over a few years.

Take one of the Seven sisters recently, she was utterly stunned by a textbook she was reading, how it showed such glory to the Lord. Near as I could tell the textbook was covering 5th grade anatomy, and she's probably 18-19. Yet she and her sisters seem quite bright to me, but very sheltered so it has to be that their parents just aren't letting the work in the house. I can't imagine they would deliberately want to keep their daughters ignorant, in the evil hand-rubbing-and-cackling sort of way so either Fundie curriculum is just *that* bad or else they're trying to maintain a budget and buy fewer books. It's just sad all around, they're the ones being hurt.

I make exception for the Botkinettes and the ones from Ah the Life. Given that they're less sheltered, more like participating in their own sheltering, and have few to no little brothers and sisters to raise, I'd be willing to bet that they're at least well read enough to be considered educated. Granted it's all in topics from la-la land, but I'd bet they could at least keep up with a university syllabus.

Most of the rest, thought, would have to start with high school and work up. Of course if all you're going to be is a mommy you don't need more. Basic household math (budget, balance a checkbook) 5th-8th grade reading and writing skills (Most blogs, most cookbooks, Husband/pastor will read and explain the relevant parts of the bible to you) and a thorough grounding in Managers of their Homes and To Train Up a Child. Really, what more do you need?

[tabitha2]

Again, after watching the Bates episode about cooking and the girls being apathetic at best, with education neither domestic or career oriented they are neither use nor ornament.That is worrying.

[luckystone]

I think the Duggars will be okay because they will continue the fame thing forever, even once they are grown up they will figure out a gimmick. Of course, parental inheritance doesn't go very far when you have a billion siblings.

I have wondered the same things though, a lot of these so-called domestic bliss girls have far fewer cooking and other domestic skills than my educated heathen self, it's bizarre.

[Gil]

I think the Duggars will be okay because they will continue the fame thing forever, even once they are grown up they will figure out a gimmick. Of course, parental inheritance doesn't go very far when you have a billion siblings.

I have wondered the same things though, a lot of these so-called domestic bliss girls have far fewer cooking and other domestic skills than my educated heathen self, it's bizarre.

No way they'll continue the fame thing forever. People are barely watching now and people can't tell them apart -- you think anyone will give a crap what Jason Duggar's doing in fifteen years?

[lilith]

They don't need to do homemaking well, just adequately.

They can all throw cream of something soup, rice, and frozen veggies into the oven and call it a casserole.

They can clean.

They know how to order their homeschool stuff from ATI or VF and read well enough to read it to their blessings.

They can change nappies and know how to put a baby to sleep, when to give it solids and how to toilet train.

They can sort laundry and throw it in washers and driers.

Frumpers are very easy to sew.

Unless their headship decides to homestead or do missionary work in a third world country they will be fine.

But they wont enjoy homemaking, they won't get the satisfaction of understanding cooking and nutrition enough to I'm or improvise recipes and feed their families well.

They won't engage with homeschooling and learn with their children.

They won't understand the development of their children, physically or emotionally.

They won't craft beautiful things with their hands that give them personal satisfaction and a sense of achievement.

So they will get by, but homemaking won't be fulfilling for them. And it can be and should be fulfilling. Mi have loved my time as a SAHM and will miss being able to do the things I do for my family when I return to work.

[luckystone]

No way they'll continue the fame thing forever. People are barely watching now and people can't tell them apart -- you think anyone will give a crap what Jason Duggar's doing in fifteen years?

I think if they band together they will. The one/s who leave will manage to get some book deals or television deals. If some of them live together in a house they might, or have giant families of their own and get their own spin-off show...I dunno, I can just see it extending. There seem to be all sorts of non-entities in the news constantly for having been famous ages ago and done one more boring thing. I guess these guys aren't too famous to start with, but they've had so many seasons, I think for a lot of the younger kids it's what they're used to and they will do what it takes to have a camera there, especially if they have no other income.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Yeah, I dont think they have the skills to do anything by themselves, not even with a husband as some dont know a lot of the things a wife is supposed to do in fundieland.

I think the best chance they have of getting anywhere in life is to have a group of them together. It would also be better for rebellion as well, I wonder what would happen in a family with loads of kids (especially like the Duggars where the girls are either teenagers or very young) where the SAHD's decided to all go on strike for better living conditions. I imagine they would hold a lot of power as they are keeping the families going, which is why the men seem to marry earlier, cause the girls are too useful at home.

[Peas n carrots]

With the way education is in the fundie circles, they might just peter out due to sheer stupidity. I can't imagine the second generation fundies being able to educate the third generation any better. And when the 2G's have large quivers of their own, the 3G is going to be neglected and what little education they will have is from people who are barely educated. How can this lifestyle be sustainable beyond a few generations?

[shesinsane]

With the way education is in the fundie circles, they might just peter out due to sheer stupidity. I can't imagine the second generation fundies being able to educate the third generation any better. And when the 2G's have large quivers of their own, the 3G is going to be neglected and what little education they will have is from people who are barely educated. How can this lifestyle be sustainable beyond a few generations?

New blood. I think one of the reasons they proselytise so much is to get new people (with money and secular educations) into the group to cover up the deficiencies of SOTDRT.

[Independent Thinker]

As near as I can tell most of the SAHD have little more than 8th grade educations. They spend most of their "high school" years raising their brothers and sisters for one, and it's slowly coming out that most of these families save money by buying as little curriculum as possible and then stretching that over a few years.

Take one of the Seven sisters recently, she was utterly stunned by a textbook she was reading, how it showed such glory to the Lord. Near as I could tell the textbook was covering 5th grade anatomy, and she's probably 18-19. Yet she and her sisters seem quite bright to me, but very sheltered so it has to be that their parents just aren't letting the work in the house. I can't imagine they would deliberately want to keep their daughters ignorant, in the evil hand-rubbing-and-cackling sort of way so either Fundie curriculum is just *that* bad or else they're trying to maintain a budget and buy fewer books. It's just sad all around, they're the ones being hurt.

I make exception for the Botkinettes and the ones from Ah the Life. Given that they're less sheltered, more like participating in their own sheltering, and have few to no little brothers and sisters to raise, I'd be willing to bet that they're at least well read enough to be considered educated. Granted it's all in topics from la-la land, but I'd bet they could at least keep up with a university syllabus.

Most of the rest, thought, would have to start with high school and work up. Of course if all you're going to be is a mommy you don't need more. Basic household math (budget, balance a checkbook) 5th-8th grade reading and writing skills (Most blogs, most cookbooks, Husband/pastor will read and explain the relevant parts of the bible to you) and a thorough grounding in Managers of their Homes and To Train Up a Child. Really, what more do you need?

I have been to several homeschooling conventions and flipped through fundie curriculum on more than one occassion. In the state where I was raised I actually meet the requirements to work as a teacher in the public school system. I can tell you how many times I have heard a fundie say "We are working on life skills" or "the children read books all the time" or "I don't want my kids to grow up too fast" Here's the worst one of all I actually heard this one said by a speaker at a homeschooling convention. "I knew she (referring to her daughter) wasn't ready to take the SAT that I had fallen short in her education but we prayed about it she took the test and got a good score." They never actually said what her score was. People actually clapped when she said this. I practically passed out in my seat. So she rambles on another twenty minutes and the daughter gets up to talk. She talks about what a great mom she has and her relationship with god. Then she proclaims that she tried college (for less than a year) but it wasn't god's path for her. So now she is sitting at home doing god's work and waiting for Mr. Right. I decided to translate that in my head that she could survive in college and put two and two together that part of the reason why is she wasn't prepared. We use Iowa State Standards and throw in some fun stuff that we just think in general is a good learning experience. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt what my third grade knows is what they are teaching an eight grader. I have a double edged sword. I have a gifted child with a high IQ that has a learning disability. That is why he is not in the public school. The school truly can not accomodate him. We tried two public schools one was even a magnet school with no success. We considered private school and were very up front about his challenges. The schools we talked to seemed to be lukewarm about taking on a student in his situation. You are correct about the eight grade statement. I worry some may even fall below that level to a fifth grade education.