Deanna Duggar (Jordan?)

[nellautumngirl]

I was just wondering, what do we know about Deanna, Amy's mother? Amy is her only child and seems close to her cousins, and Jim Bob is her only brother, yet I don't think I've ever seen Deanna with one of the children. Do you think she's just camera-shy or does she keep a distance because she's freaked out by Jim Bob and his brood?

[NotALoserLikeYou]

She's been in pictures where she is actually participating in their book signings. She's been on the show but in the background. I don't know if she works or what. Amy seems to be close with her although I heard Amy had a hard childhood (don't know the details).

[ILoveJellybeans]

I imagine she is very very thankful that she only has one kid.

[Jana814]

I imagine she is very very thankful that she only has one kid.

Agree! Also I seem to remember her saying on an episode that she was a single mother for a long time.

[anjulibai]

I think she's married to Amy's father now, but wasn't when Amy was growing up. That seems to be partly why Amy sometimes uses Duggar as her last name (the other part to ride her uncle's family's coattails).

[nellautumngirl]

I imagine she is very very thankful that she only has one kid.

^^ I agree, but I wonder why we never see her with the children. After all, they are the only (19) nieces and nephews she's got.

[anjulibai]

I think we don't see her much because she probably isn't considered a good influence on the kids, both young and older.

I mean, she's an independent, working female, who probably chose to use contraception and seems quite happy and content with her life (from what we've seen, at least). That's not something Boob and J'chelle want their children to see.

I think that's why Amy isn't around as much, as well. She was probably tolerated when she was younger because they had hoped she could be brought into the fold, but now that she's obviously not going to come into line, she can't be around her cousins as much.

[ljohnson2006]

She had a child out of wedlock. I'm surprised Boob and Mullet don't shun her for that.

[nellautumngirl]

Now that I think about it, yeah, according to what they preach, they should totally shun her. Yet another example of their hypocrisy? Then again, maybe that's why their relationship seems a little strained (to me at least).

[Kira]

In one episode, Jim Bob said they watch new episodes "19 Kids and Counting" at Deanna's house, she has been on the show a few times and, as someone above pointed out, she was at the Duggar book signings.

I'm surprised that people think Jim Bob and Deanna's relationship is strained. There was a thread months ago about the opposite. Why would they shun Deanna? I think most fundies have close family members who don't share the same beliefs.

[lexiloumarie]

There used to be quite a few pictures of the Duggars hanging out at Deanna's house. I'd imagine if anything that most people avoid the day to day interruptions of reality....fame. She may just be a private person overall.

[Scribber]

Back in the early days, they used to say they watched the show at her house, didn't they?

[slp]

Michelle said in one of the books that they go to Deanna's house to watch their show whenever they watch it live. Deanna has gone on some of their trips with them, b/c there have been pictures of her online on their trips. I know she was at the Billy Graham thing they went to a few months ago, b/c there were pics of her there. She's at all the extended family functions. I don't their relationship seems strained at all.

[Trynn]

How can they watch their own show live?

[scc12]

Deanna spoke favorably of the whole family the 1st time she was on the show.I think she said they were very accepting of her family.

She seems to keep in the background for the most part,which I'm guessing may be of her own choosing.Being rather camera shy myself,I think I would feel that way as well.

[SRC]

How can they watch their own show live?

I think she meant when it airs originally as opposed to a rerun or watching it on Netflix.

[slp]

I think she meant when it airs originally as opposed to a rerun or watching it on Netflix.

:doh: :doh:

Yea, that is what I meant. Sorry. Late night posting while nursing a baby and half asleep.

[Mela99]

If Deanna has any reason for a strained relationship with Dim Bulb, I'd bet it would be over the way they exploited her dying father for television.

[lilwriter85]

How can they watch their own show live?

I remember in an interview from a few years back, Boob and Mullet said that TLC was providing them with DVDs of the show. Stuff like that is common in the TV business. Networks will provide DVD copies to cast members of shows if they request them and before DVD, VHS copies were also given on request.

[lilwriter85]

I think the Deanna/Boob relationship is probably ok. But they have probably had their issues. When Boob and Deanna were teens, Boob was sent to a private Christian high school and he became more religious through a youth group. Deanna didn't attend the Christian high school.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I wonder why one was sent to a private Christian school and one wasn't? Was is Jimbob's choice, but Deanna decided she didn't want to as she wasn't into it at all.

I wonder if Mary regrets letting him go.

I would if it was my grandchildren that were being sheltered and raised in such an oppressive religion, and my granddaughters who were being told that they were only good for popping out babies.

[FloraDoraDolly]

I wonder why one was sent to a private Christian school and one wasn't? Was is Jimbob's choice, but Deanna decided she didn't want to as she wasn't into it at all.

I wonder if Mary regrets letting him go.

I would if it was my grandchildren that were being sheltered and raised in such an oppressive religion, and my granddaughters who were being told that they were only good for popping out babies.

I doubt they were teaching Gothardism at Jim Bob's alma mater. It is a regular fundie lite Christian school, like thousands of others across the country. They'd put themselves out of business if they started pushing Gothard and the Quiverfull lifestyle on their students. Besides, it's been pretty well established that Jim Bob and Michelle started their married life as mainstream evangelical Christians-- they used birth control, Michelle wore pants. They didn't start getting weird until Michelle had a miscarriage after Josh was born and her doctor blamed it on the birth control pills. Around this same time, Jim Bob started going to financial freedom seminars which were affiliated Gothard's Institute of Basic Life Principles.

[lilwriter85]

I think she's married to Amy's father now, but wasn't when Amy was growing up. That seems to be partly why Amy sometimes uses Duggar as her last name (the other part to ride her uncle's family's coattails).

Yup, Deanna is married to Amy's father. I believe they married a few years back. I think it was last year when Amy posted on twitter that her last name is Duggar and that it wasn't for pubilicity. Years ago, Amy used to market herself in the music business as Amy Jordyn. There was a theory on twop that she used Jordyn because Duggar isn't an attractive last name.

[Dandruff]

I wonder why one was sent to a private Christian school and one wasn't? Was is Jimbob's choice, but Deanna decided she didn't want to as she wasn't into it at all.

I wonder if Mary regrets letting him go.

I would if it was my grandchildren that were being sheltered and raised in such an oppressive religion, and my granddaughters who were being told that they were only good for popping out babies.

It's an especially interesting question since I don't think they had money to spare and private schools cost money. Also, it didn't sound like his parents were particularly religious - just the two children and a mom who managed a shop outside the home. Could it be that Jim Bob wasn't, for whatever reason(s), thriving in public school? Maybe he needed smaller classes, more individual attention, or a more disciplined approach, and they needed to pull together the money to get it for him (but not Deanna).

[FloraDoraDolly]

It's an especially interesting question since I don't think they had money to spare and private schools cost money. Also, it didn't sound like his parents were particularly religious - just the two children and a mom who managed a shop outside the home. Could it be that Jim Bob wasn't, for whatever reason(s), thriving in public school? Maybe he needed smaller classes, more individual attention, or a more disciplined approach, and they needed to pull together the money to get it for him (but not Deanna).

Or maybe Jim Bob was getting picked on in public school? He was small, his family was poor, and it's obvious to this day that he can't believe he married a cheerleader. It wouldn't surprise me if he was bullied.