The kids still at home

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

I'm going to throw this out there, knowing full well I'll be shouted down.

** braces self against wall **

Isn't there a small chance (even if it's only .01%) that this will genuinely cause Jimbob and Michelle to rethink their beliefs, and that it'll ultimately have a positive effect on the kids left at home?

I know, I know, it's Jimbob and Michelle and they're so self righteous that they'll never do a U-turn. I just can't help thinking, as a parent who's child has gone SO far off the path you wished for them, wouldn't you start to question the path, and whether it's right for everyone? I know I would....

Ok, I've put my pads on. You can start throwing rocks now. :?

Yes, there is a chance. But, the fact that they saw the molestation of their 4 daughters (including a 5 year old under the clothes) as a need to be MORE modest, blame the victims, force the victims to forgive their abuser, hold strict to ATI teachings on sexuality, etc, I REALLY doubt that they will look at this situation and say "we done fucked up."

[nastyhobbitses]

Yes, there is a chance. But, the fact that they saw the molestation of their 4 daughters (including a 5 year old under the clothes) as a need to be MORE modest, blame the victims, force the victims to forgive their abuser, hold strict to ATI teachings on sexuality, etc, I REALLY doubt that they will look at this situation and say "we done fucked up."

They'll blame everything but themselves. Obviously it was the Liberal Media and too much exposure to The World that made Josh do what he did. It was Satan's influence. It couldn't possibly be the fact that we were neglectful, emotionally unavailable, hypocritical, hyper-sexual parents who constantly reinforced the idea that you can get away with anything as long as you're tight with Jesus, that your own sisters are to blame for you molesting them because they dressed immodestly and tempted you, that as the oldest son you are entitled to anything and to really drive that point home, we'll treat your wedding like a real estate transaction rather where your wife becomes your property. It couldn't possibly be that we gave you no privacy, independence, or opportunity to form your own ideas and boundaries when you were growing up, and then turned you out into a major US city and told you to go be a responsible adult, because getting married magically makes you an adult even if we treated you like a 12-year-old until you were 20. It can't POSSIBLY be that.

Michelle and Jim Bob will just clamp down tighter, will deny that they did anything wrong, will tell themselves that it's all A-OK because they're tight with Jesus. They'll never admit that they were wrong.

[grandmadugger]

I'm going to throw this out there, knowing full well I'll be shouted down.

** braces self against wall **

Isn't there a small chance (even if it's only .01%) that this will genuinely cause Jimbob and Michelle to rethink their beliefs, and that it'll ultimately have a positive effect on the kids left at home?

I know, I know, it's Jimbob and Michelle and they're so self righteous that they'll never do a U-turn. I just can't help thinking, as a parent who's child has gone SO far off the path you wished for them, wouldn't you start to question the path, and whether it's right for everyone? I know I would....

Ok, I've put my pads on. You can start throwing rocks now. :?

That would require critical thinking skills.

[calimojo]

I'm going to throw this out there, knowing full well I'll be shouted down.

** braces self against wall **

Isn't there a small chance (even if it's only .01%) that this will genuinely cause Jimbob and Michelle to rethink their beliefs, and that it'll ultimately have a positive effect on the kids left at home?

I know, I know, it's Jimbob and Michelle and they're so self righteous that they'll never do a U-turn. I just can't help thinking, as a parent who's child has gone SO far off the path you wished for them, wouldn't you start to question the path, and whether it's right for everyone? I know I would....

Ok, I've put my pads on. You can start throwing rocks now. :?

I certainly hope so, but I think the first reaction is one of defensiveness and circling of the wagons. Honestly, I think a lot of people have that as a first reaction.

If some of their closest friends gain some insight from this, and gently discuss with them, or just start to change, and Duggars witness this, perhaps that will instigate something in them.

The Duggars go to strategy for most things in their life for the past 25 years, has been to circle the wagons, avoid critical thinking, implement rigid controls and bury themselves in prayer. I think some of those things have loosened up as a side effect of their public life, so I think, in the advent of such extreme stress and sin from worldly temptation, they are going to initially tighten up on the things they viewed as their foundational beliefs and behaviours.

What is different now, is that once you have let the cat out of the bag, it is much harder to convince said cat to get back into the bag. So the older kids who remember the stricter times, may initially fall in again, but at some point, something is going to be rubbing on their consciousness as being incongruent. As for the younger kids, it feels to me as if some of the extreme strictness was not used as consistently with them. They have never exhibited that passive 'sweetness' that the older set has. So I think trying to impose that now is going to be tough.

I am hopeful that Jana and Jinger can be a buffer for the littles and that JB and M are just to tired and stressed to be breaking out the plumbing line and other tools they used for corporal punishments. And yes, I realize it is unfair to expect jana and jinger to act in that role, since they have more than done their time with this family, but if they are stuck there anyway, then I at least hope that their compassion and love will ignite some normal maternal/sisterly instincts of protectiveness, acceptance and love.

I kind of would not be surprised at all if JB and M, just really don't see their role as being hands on with the younger kids at all. I think they see themselves as the CEOs of Duggar inc, and everyone else is an employee and they have delegated away all of their parental duties, except perhaps for the bible thumping and financial enslavement.

[MoonFace]

I agree that M and JB will see that they have failed to follow God's will and this is the punishment - so they will see the need to return to the older, more strict ways with more prayers and Bible study, less world.

The middle kids will have the hardest time with this because they don't remember their early days with all the strict rules but will remember the travel, fame and attention.

The youngest ones will the most confused. They probably got away with a lot of things the older ones would never have been allowed to do. And now they have to learn to keep sweet.

There will be more prayer and Bible time and less play time.

Force that koolaid down their throats.

[grandmadugger]

I'd like to think JB and Michelle would listen to friends but I doubt it. The Bates adapted their courtship rules when Zach's first courtship went bust. The Duggars didn't look to them for courtship ideas but kept the girls right in the standard. I've always wondered if, until Joshiah, that JB & Michelle thought they were better because they didn't have a failed courtship. That they were doing things right and that's why they had this "perfect" little family.

In case a Duggar spy is reading let me put into terms the duggars can understand, notice a similarity Duggars?

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

2 The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. 3 So obey everything they teach you, but don’t do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else.

4 They pile heavy burdens on people’s shoulders and won’t lift a finger to help. 5 Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels[a] for everyone to see. 6 They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the meeting places. 7 And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers.

[Sunshine1491]

I wonder if some of the younger kids will band together against the strict rules and become buddies who look the other way and don't tattle on each other? There probably is Game of Thrones level alliances and intrigue going on. What can they really do though? Close their eyes, bow their heads, and *not* pray? I'm betting none of them have contraband phones with web browsers. There's probably not a secret stash of hidden books. I don't see any of them with Hunger Games stashed under their mattress.

[SisterMaryClarence]

Well, you have to admit, Josh Duggar certainly stands out in the crowd now! :cracking-up:

Maybe they could change it to read "..37 outstanding sons and daughters and He Who Shall Not Be Named"

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

I'd like to think JB and Michelle would listen to friends but I doubt it. The Bates adapted their courtship rules when Zach's first courtship went bust. The Duggars didn't look to them for courtship ideas but kept the girls right in the standard. I've always wondered if, until Joshiah, that JB & Michelle thought they were better because they didn't have a failed courtship. That they were doing things right and that's why they had this "perfect" little family.

In case a Duggar spy is reading let me put into terms the duggars can understand, notice a similarity Duggars?

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

2 The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. 3 So obey everything they teach you, but don’t do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else.

4 They pile heavy burdens on people’s shoulders and won’t lift a finger to help. 5 Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels[a] for everyone to see. 6 They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the meeting places. 7 And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers.

They did have a failed courtship. Josh was betrothed when the whole molestation thing happened. Amy confirmed it.

[Meg0]

. Sorry unintentional post

[grandmadugger]

They did have a failed courtship. Josh was betrothed when the whole molestation thing happened. Amy confirmed it.

Well then where in sam hell did their smugness come from?

[Cleopatra7]

Well then where in sam hell did their smugness come from?

People like Mike Huckabee and the TLC leghumpers telling them how great they are.

[calimojo]

They did have a failed courtship. Josh was betrothed when the whole molestation thing happened. Amy confirmed it.

Also, Josiah's courtship "failed" as well.

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

[Exposedknees]

Well then where in sam hell did their smugness come from?

Smugness comes from being self-righteous about being "right" about staying sweet, pure, and godly. Jesus makes them better."Look at us with our devout tribe of children, we have family values!" " Look how awesome we are, we're on TV!" That's why they're smug.

In light of recent events, you'd think they might want to reevaluate the smuggary with some contrition.

[Handmaiden of Dog]

Their smugness comes from getting lauded and receiving awards for having lots of children.

I think there is a good chance that there will NOT be an increase in discipline. Michelle has done so little for so many years other than sleep with JB, give speeches, and walk on the treadmill, I really can't see her taking the reins back. She and JB might lose their tempers in a big way once in awhile and blame the kids for being noisy, mischievous, destructive. lazy, etc, but I can't see her following through with day to day strict parenting.

[Jenesis]

Their smugness comes from getting lauded and receiving awards for having lots of children.

I think there is a good chance that there will NOT be an increase in discipline. Michelle has done so little for so many years other than sleep with JB, give speeches, and walk on the treadmill, I really can't see her taking the reins back. She and JB might lose their tempers in a big way once in awhile and blame the kids for being noisy, mischievous, destructive. lazy, etc, but I can't see her following through with day to day strict parenting.

Are they still under investigation from CPS? That could also affect their parenting style.

[grandmadugger]

Their whole world has crumbled and they still come off as assholes. I stand by my Pharisees comparison. The fact that they knew they had a child molesting other children should have humbled them BUT NOOOOO.

*damn riffles

[SoybeanQueen]

"They are close friends with the Jim Bob Duggar family, and when they get together there are 38 outstanding sons and daughters among their two families!"

What if they just change it to 37? :whistle:

[Sundaymorning]

Their smugness comes from getting lauded and receiving awards for having lots of children.

I think there is a good chance that there will NOT be an increase in discipline. Michelle has done so little for so many years other than sleep with JB, give speeches, and walk on the treadmill, I really can't see her taking the reins back. She and JB might lose their tempers in a big way once in awhile and blame the kids for being noisy, mischievous, destructive. lazy, etc, but I can't see her following through with day to day strict parenting.

I agree. To brainwash and controll so many kids and teenagers, especially since many of them never even experienced the strict regime before the TLC fame, requires a huge amount of work and energy.

I could see them trying and then, after a while, just throwing in the towel completely exhausted.

[seasonsoflife]

I'm thinking that the tight hold on the kids still at the Duggar home are going to get much tighter. Hide and seek type games are taboo. No sitting on laps.

Good thing everyone is potty trained because MEchelle would probably be the only one allowed to change a diaper (we know that JB wouldn't do 'wimmins work') and with her busy busy schedule the kid would have a rash in two days.

Side hugs will probably be banned as well.

Do kids dress and undress in private and in the dark (so they don't see their own bodies)?

Only approved bible stories for books

What other rules can they impose to keep their kids 'pure'?

Hearing about all this rules was just so sad. I can't imagine having to live perceiving my own siblings as potentially dangerous and predatory.

[Monkeebrainz]

Chastity belts. Medieval religion calls for medieval measures.

[mango_fandango]

One positive: Jenni has her own guinea pig according to the Duggar's FB page. Her smile in the photo is completely genuine. On the family blog it says she wants to be a vet. It'll never happen, but having a pet of her own is probably the closest she'll get.

[Sundaymorning]

One positive: Jenni has her own guinea pig according to the Duggar's FB page. Her smile in the photo is completely genuine. On the family blog it says she wants to be a vet. It'll never happen, but having a pet of her own is probably the closest she'll get.

I agree that it's probably not very likely, but Jenni is only 8. A lot can happen in the next 10 years, especially with the latest downfall of the family brand. I think if anyone in the family has a chance to actually make some of their dreams come true, it's the younger children.

Of course, there would be many obstacles, like overcoming the SOTDRT education, but I still think the younger kids will have a better chance to break out of the cult than the older ones, they haven't been as brainwashed and J'Chelle and Boob aren't getting any younger, and other than trying to keep up appearances, I doubt they have much zeal left to actually train the younger kids the way they did the older ones.

[vienna]

I love that you quote this. I belive the Duggars are the perfect example of pharisees! I once posted such a quotation on the duggar fb. One of my very few comments bevor I got blocked....