What's the deal with Jana and John David?

[BrownieMomma]

I have posted my theory on JD before but he feels very familiar to me.

There are good ole boys who are quite happy with their work and their hobbies, close to Momma and Daddy, and in no rush whatsoever to move out. They live at home til 30's or even later, might marry in 30's or 40's or never marry. A lot of them serve as volunteer firefighters, county constable - not big city jobs but more like volunteer-like positions.

They tend to enjoy expensive hobbies, which ofc they can fund because they are not married and still live at home. They are pretty decent men, just comfortable with the progression of their life which is definitely not into marriage and family and also not ambitious at work.

Honestly Jana is a mystery to me. The best read I can get on her is that she truly feels responsible for the younger children and is reluctant to leave them in Michelle's care. After watching tonight's episode where Joyanna took over the jurisdictions, I am still wondering WTELF is Michelle's work around that house and why Michelle isn't organizing and directing the jurisdictions. But damn, she does yammer on about it, like trying to take all the credit to still look like homeschool super mom but dang, it sure does not look that way to me.

[Cleopatra7]

I have posted my theory on JD before but he feels very familiar to me.

There are good ole boys who are quite happy with their work and their hobbies, close to Momma and Daddy, and in no rush whatsoever to move out. They live at home til 30's or even later, might marry in 30's or 40's or never marry. A lot of them serve as volunteer firefighters, county constable - not big city jobs but more like volunteer-like positions.

They tend to enjoy expensive hobbies, which ofc they can fund because they are not married and still live at home. They are pretty decent men, just comfortable with the progression of their life which is definitely not into marriage and family and also not ambitious at work.

I think this is probably what is going on with JD and probably Joseph as well. He's fundamentally a "good son" who is content to do whatever his parents want him to do, which is why he isn't interested in moving away or expanding his intellectual horizons. While he has a decent work ethic, JD doesn't seem to aspire to any position higher to what his father has done. Now that he has a pilot's license and his own plane, JD may think that he's accomplished everything he needs out of life. I think he may be a brother-dad to his siblings (in one of the Little Rock episodes, Johannah and Jackson spoke of him like they would a father figure) and that may fill any desire he might have for children.

[jinseng]

What is with Josiah suddenly being allowed to have his own instagram account!? Yet somehow poor Jana, John David, Jinger, and Joseph are not awarded the same right as their teenage brother? Josiah has totally jumped the queue to adulthood and can now be trusted with social media? As one of the older kids, that would drive me completely nuts....

[Walking Cat Bed]

I think there are several factors in play.

Jana and JD likely dealt with the brunt of Michelle's early meltdowns (I don't believe there was only one over laundry) and figured out that getting shit done without being asked or recognized meant that Michelle wasn't as likely to melt down. Neither are the Golden Children (like Josh or Jill), but both are concerned with the well-being of younger siblings enough to make sure they're cared for.

Both also seem much more introverted and less interested in being followed around by cameras. They'll play the game when they have to, because it's easier to just smile and go along with it, and because they know that the TLC cameras are why they (and their younger siblings) have a spacious house to live in and have enough food, much less the "toys" (phones, etc). Neither of them are TV-personality people, but they know where they money comes from.

Neither of them (again, introversion) seem interested in being the focus of even a single wedding episode. I can't see a season of courtship and wedding prep for either of them. And, honestly, of all of the marriageable Duggar kidults, Jana and JD are the two I could see with very short "oh yeah, I'm courting" segments -- five minutes or so an episode -- and a montage of wedding photos before the newly married couple heads off for a quiet, private honeymoon. (Or eloping.)

[HarleyQuinn]

JD is kind of a douche, so it's easy to see why he's single to me.

Jana I feel like is doing it either on purpose, or JB is keeping all the "courtship requests" from her on purpose. One or the other.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

I wrote this elsewhere on FJ. I am beginning to think John David does have a long-range plan he is actually working on. Maybe he really does want to be a missionary pilot. Or maybe he is quietly building his own "empire" of rental houses etc to free himself from Daddy's wallet. Not sure. He seems like the kind of guy who really wants the "right" girl. There are a few scenes of him over the years [when they came back from the mission trip] where he is so gentle with a little kid that it makes me melt. I think he may actually be a romantic. That may also have caused him pain if he didn't get a girl he thought was "the one" earlier on--if a courtship was refused or turned down by the father before the girl was asked.

Jana I think did something wrong. Went after an unsuitable guy or something like that. She just seems miserable in so many shots over the last few years. Perhaps a decent guy didn't pass Jim Bob's test? Or, maybe she has just "had it" with raising kids and this is the only acceptable way in her world to not have more?

I really hope both are single by choice and that it's not some stupid future tv plan to have a double wedding or have them marry twins or something stupid like that.

[FundieFarmer]

I think a couple things could be happening with Jana. Even within Fundiedom, there's a philosophy that some people have the "gift of singleness". I know a woman who has embraced that and it's part of her Christian identity. Maybe Jana just thinks she has that.

Or maybe she's not ready to move out and be alone with somebody.

Or maybe she's at a place where she's working through how she feels about her family and her life up until this point that she's dealing with a lot of anger and doesn't want to bring someone into it.

Or maybe she's been told she will not make a good wife because of some ridiculous perceived "flaw" her parents have pointed out. It wouldn't surprise me if she had been told that her (totally justifiable) cranky countenance would not attract a husband.

[SamE]

Years ago I went to a meet and greet with the Duggars. All of the Duggars were there except Jana. She stayed in the area where the kids were - away from the public.

I always thought she didn't care for the limelight. Maybe she likes her privacy.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

What is with Josiah suddenly being allowed to have his own instagram account!? Yet somehow poor Jana, John David, Jinger, and Joseph are not awarded the same right as their teenage brother? Josiah has totally jumped the queue to adulthood and can now be trusted with social media? As one of the older kids, that would drive me completely nuts....

Because until you are married you are NOT an adult. Only adults who are about to be able to breed get to be on social media.

[antwan]

I don't think it's because....

-early "poverty" (they were far less impoverished than many)

-Jana and JD want to be around to ensure their siblings are okay

-Jana is picky

-they're too shy and/or too reserved.

I do think it's possibly because...

-they fell on the heavy end of JB's control. I think JB didn't want his children to leave because he and Michelle literally needed them, especially Jana, to help with the daily routines of such a large family. I seriously think JB only began to loosen the reins by feeling the need to follow Gil Bates' lead. I don't think JB looks up to Gil as a beacon so much as I think JB felt like Gil ripped open his (JB's) subdued self-squirming, -the deep down knowing that keeping his adult children on such a confined, short leash for purely selfish reasons was just plain wrong. Once JB faced the fact that Gil was the better dad, allowing his adult children to actually consider lives of their own, JB was forced to face the reality of allowing his grown kids to do the same. The problem? JD and Jana, who are naturally reserved, were the most effected by their Gothard indoctrination and their delayed opportunity for truly seeking their own lives. The result is obvious.

As for Jana being picky, good for her. Who the heck wants to marry just any old fundie patriarch greenhorn, just so you can face having babies and, "rinse, repeat", reliving your sister-mom childhood? I think poor Jana is just plain lost in the aftermath. JD, sadly (IMO), is just kind of simple and ackward (and immature). His best angle is, "I'm a Duggar, I've got a trust fund and our family owns collective properties and such. Marry me for my nest egg." He might want to start working that angle while he still can, because when the TLC money train stops, the cash flow isn't going to extend all that far and long, -certainly not "19 x the number of future grandchildren to be caught = big bucks." Time's a wasting for both JD and Jana. :(

[Cleopatra7]

Given that all of the Duggar spouses thus far have been leghumpers who literally got lucky, I don't think it would be too difficult for JD to find a woman interested in being the next Mrs. J. Duggar if he really wanted to, so he could be biding his time. However, when the show eventually goes away, the leghumpers will move on to the next big thing in conservative Christianity, so it may be more difficult if he waits too long.

[clueliss]

I think they both quickly became experts on keeping away from the cameras when they don't want the attention, letting the louder, attention hogs in the family have at it. There is an advantage to having that many kids in the family.

And I've noticed that Jana is doing more talking in the TH's these days. Either alone, paired with Jinger or paired with Joy.

And I believe that JD has been JB's workhorse for years. And that he enjoys it because hey - when you are off doing business/work for dad you can get away from the screaming howlers and have some peace and quiet. And the cameras don't follow.

It may be that he watched what JD did to Josh with getting him set up with a car lot, married off young with kids following quickly after and has decided to slow the pace by doing his own thing. So that when he does find the right girl, he can be semi-free of JB's empire financially. (bottom line, he's crazy like a fox).

Jana is more fundy that we sometimes give her credit for or she would not have been the first one trusted with the password to the internet etc. She's left in charge for a reason. And I recall the episode where they did Anna's shower for Mac and were decorating the house. Jana came in, found Hannie sitting on the table eating candy. Jana used the soft voice. Used the name Johannah Faith. I think deep down she is a force to be recokoned with.

[gustava]

JD is kind of a douche, so it's easy to see why he's single to me.

Jana I feel like is doing it either on purpose, or JB is keeping all the "courtship requests" from her on purpose. One or the other.

Define douche.

[19 cats and counting]

They're both introverts. YOu can clearly see that from the earliest specials (14 kids) where they only have 1-2 lines yet Josh and Jill are talking up a storm.

When/if they get married, I do think that both of them do not want the dog and pony show that was Jill and Jessa's courtships (and to a lesser extent Josh). That could be a factor holding both of them back.

JD-- He's (or Josiah) has been flying to OK quite often. Perhaps there's a girl there that he's after (isn't the Paine family from that neck of the woods) or perhaps he's heartbroken over a failed courtship.

Jana--- I honestly have no idea.

[anjulibai]

I think Jana is needed at home. They have admitted she pretty much runs the house.

JD just isn't interested in marriage just yet. He socializes without sibling chaperones, he gets to pursue his interest in flying, he has no one he's responsible for supporting, his needs are well taken care of. He has no reason to leave.

[Cheetah]

You know, 18-20 months ago we were all chatting about how Josh was the only one married and JB had all of those grown kids stunted and under his thumb and we had all sorts of theories about it. Now 2 more are married, one of those has already had her first baby, and another kid is courting. It may feel like 'poor Jana' and JD are far behind the others but things move fast in their world from courtship to babies and it wouldn't surprise me to see both of them as parents in 2-3 years (or even less).

[Feberin]

I've never understood why some people think that JD is leading this independent bachelor life. JD has never shown any indication (at least not onscreen) that he questions how he's been raised. JB and Michelle may have checked out, but they're still quite legalistic, which means no son leaves JB's "umbrella of protection" no matter how old he is until he gets married. If JD can't even have his own social media account, why would he be trusted to live alone without any "accountability partners'?

I don't think JD is able to go off on his own and have a beer with some friends then head to his own house to watch porn. But I do think he has a lot more freedom then his sisters. He clearly flies on his own regularly and does his constable stuff on his own. We know he's been a volunteer firefighter and while Jana and Jill had to do it together he seemed to do it independently. I also wouldn't be surprised if some restrictions like not being able to have a social media account aren't that big of a deal to JD.

[antwan]

I think Jana is needed at home. They have admitted she pretty much runs the house.

JD just isn't interested in marriage just yet. He socializes without sibling chaperones, he gets to pursue his interest in flying, he has no one he's responsible for supporting, his needs are well taken care of. He has no reason to leave.

He already HAS left, if you ask me. The property to the west of the mansion is in his name, and it has a house on it (along with some mini storage type buildings). I think he's just simple, awkard, and immature (a la "I like putting sardines in wedding cars"), and has no game where the ladies are concerned. The only game he NEEDS is his trust fund, for sure, but I'm thinking he just doesn't have clue 1 about connecting with women. He doesn't even connect with his own sisters well.

[sableduck]

I have posted my theory on JD before but he feels very familiar to me.

There are good ole boys who are quite happy with their work and their hobbies, close to Momma and Daddy, and in no rush whatsoever to move out. They live at home til 30's or even later, might marry in 30's or 40's or never marry. A lot of them serve as volunteer firefighters, county constable - not big city jobs but more like volunteer-like positions.

They tend to enjoy expensive hobbies, which ofc they can fund because they are not married and still live at home. They are pretty decent men, just comfortable with the progression of their life which is definitely not into marriage and family and also not ambitious at work.

Honestly Jana is a mystery to me. The best read I can get on her is that she truly feels responsible for the younger children and is reluctant to leave them in Michelle's care. After watching tonight's episode where Joyanna took over the jurisdictions, I am still wondering WTELF is Michelle's work around that house and why Michelle isn't organizing and directing the jurisdictions. But damn, she does yammer on about it, like trying to take all the credit to still look like homeschool super mom but dang, it sure does not look that way to me.

I married one of these men. He was an assistant volunteer fire chief, worked construction, was in paramedic school, had his boat and his four wheeler and thoroughly enjoyed his life. We worked together on the volunteer ambulance, realized we had fallen for each other, and got married like two months later.

He's a good guy. Works hard, plays hard, loves me and the kids, still is a volunteer fire chief. Not so many toys these days, but that's because kids are freaking expensive. And I am convinced he would still be living with his parents if I hadn't showed up in his life.(he was, and is, completely clueless about women)

Actually JD reminds me a lot of him. My husband would appear just as awkward(and a tad annoyed) on television.

I think JD is really just a good ol boy who enjoys his life and is waiting for a woman to fall in his lap, and if she doesn't, he's not too worried.

[withaj]

I don't think I've seen this stated explicitly yet, but I think Jana's lack of a courtship storyline is, in part, because she does not want to be the center of attention. I agree with other posters saying that she's picky -- I don't know if she thinks of it in these terms, but if she's gonna leave one prison for another, it damn well better be one she wants!

[Full enough quiver]

I know what the issue is. Jana and JD can't court because they've already been defrauded. They saw each other naked for 9 months. Nike!

[gemma]

John David doesn't want to get married. He's straight up lax about it. His Dad bugs him, he apparently has a list of women who "applied" to meet him and pursue him. For whatever reason, he's not going to marry until he has to. This is puzzling to me, because he is about 26 and does not have a physical romantic partner. That would have proven impossible for me much sooner....definitely by age 18 or 19.

For Jana, I think she is content right now to wait until the one man presents himself that God has chosen for her. Whoever he is, he is going to have to be absolutely amazing to impress Jana.

[CaptainFunderpants]

John David doesn't want to get married. He's straight up lax about it. His Dad bugs him, he apparently has a list of women who "applied" to meet him and pursue him. For whatever reason, he's not going to marry until he has to. This is puzzling to me, because he is about 26 and does not have a physical romantic partner. That would have proven impossible for me much sooner....definitely by age 18 or 19.

For Jana, I think she is content right now to wait until the one man presents himself that God has chosen for her. Whoever he is, he is going to have to be absolutely amazing to impress Jana.

I posted this in another thread: if he's living on his own, I'm guessing he's fairly acquainted and content with his right hand; so much less responsibility. Yeah, in their beliefs it's a sin but so are a lot of things. Gluttony comes to mind.

As for Jana, I agree. I also think she has relatively much more freedom than she's had in the past, because it seems like Joy is starting to do a lot of what she used to. She's around to help out as needed, but she deals with the mail and the internet restrictions and things like -female equivalents to what JD deals with.

[scoutsadie]

I married one of these men. He was an assistant volunteer fire chief, worked construction, was in paramedic school, had his boat and his four wheeler and thoroughly enjoyed his life. We worked together on the volunteer ambulance, realized we had fallen for each other, and got married like two months later.

He's a good guy. Works hard, plays hard, loves me and the kids, still is a volunteer fire chief. Not so many toys these days, but that's because kids are freaking expensive. And I am convinced he would still be living with his parents if I hadn't showed up in his life.(he was, and is, completely clueless about women)

Actually JD reminds me a lot of him. My husband would appear just as awkward(and a tad annoyed) on television.

I think JD is really just a good ol boy who enjoys his life and is waiting for a woman to fall in his lap, and if she doesn't, he's not too worried.

IMO, of all the theories about JD, I think this is closest to the real story.

[And I'm glad it worked out for you, sableduck! :) ]

[HarleyQuinn]

John David doesn't want to get married. He's straight up lax about it. His Dad bugs him, he apparently has a list of women who "applied" to meet him and pursue him. For whatever reason, he's not going to marry until he has to. This is puzzling to me, because he is about 26 and does not have a physical romantic partner. That would have proven impossible for me much sooner....definitely by age 18 or 19.

For Jana, I think she is content right now to wait until the one man presents himself that God has chosen for her. Whoever he is, he is going to have to be absolutely amazing to impress Jana.

Somehow I do not believe that JD has a "list" of women that want to court him. JB was probably joking when he said that.