Bates Family Part 5

[19 cats and counting]

Wasn't Alyssa in some sort of pre-courting/getting to know you stage with John before she was 18?

[Charliemae]

I am sure that a 17 year old in this culture can court.  I'm not sure how these individual families would/will handle it.Carlin will be 18 in April, that's about 4 months away.  It gives them time to get engaged and married while she is still18.  Which is scary, yes, but not at all unheard of.  

Carlin in particular seems like she would be very hard to persuade to wait if she had her eye on someone.

[Georgiana]

Young marriages (aka engaged/married right at 18) are not uncommon in this culture, so many 17 year olds court.  Usually, it is the women who tend to be younger beginning courtship since the men need to be suitable "providers" before they are considered ready for courtship.  

I think the officiant at Alyssa's wedding even praised her young age because of the ability to start a family for Jesus sooner.

[nastyhobbitses]

34 minutes ago, Georgiana said:

Young marriages (aka engaged/married right at 18) are not uncommon in this culture, so many 17 year olds court.  Usually, it is the women who tend to be younger beginning courtship since the men need to be suitable "providers" before they are considered ready for courtship.  

I think the officiant at Alyssa's wedding even praised her young age because of the ability to start a family for Jesus sooner.

Ew.

[habert]

Not to be contrarian, but I think it's possible Carlin is sitting in front of Joe, as in on something in front of the couch. It's only that the couch looks like end so close to her body.

Not that I think it can't mean Joe and Carlin are courting, but if family members lurk here, just seeing speculation about Carlin/Joe could be enough to delete the video if Carlin/Joe or Tori/Joe were courting.

Or no one could be courting. Also, this is officially my first post. I've been a lurker

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

Ok so I'm looking back at Alyssa's Instagram and I'm going with 12-15 weeks pregnant. 

Edited to add maybe Closer to 15-20 as just saw the latest photo with the bump! 

[Melissa1977]

Wasn't Alyssa  17 when she started her special friendship with John?

[hollywood]

Every single photo she is shielding herself with AJ, hmm. I would have to go with pregnant. Maybe she will be one of those who pops them out really quick then stops?

[19 cats and counting]

10 hours ago, Georgiana said:

Young marriages (aka engaged/married right at 18) are not uncommon in this culture, so many 17 year olds court.  Usually, it is the women who tend to be younger beginning courtship since the men need to be suitable "providers" before they are considered ready for courtship.  

I think the officiant at Alyssa's wedding even praised her young age because of the ability to start a family for Jesus sooner.

Isn't Gil the officiant at the Bates weddings?  If that's the case it's even creepier.

[mango_fandango]

Fair enough with the age thing. I agree that the official courting age (as in publicly announced) is likely 18 whereas the 'getting to know you' bit is younger. That screenshot definitely looked more like Carlin to me. 

[nausicaa]

20 hours ago, 16strong said:

Has Alyssa worn a repeat outfit since she's been married? Has Allie Jane? I think she's gone a little credit card happy since leaving the Bates abode.

I've been wondering this as well. I definitely get the vibe that Alyssa really likes to shop. HVAC business is one of those crap shoot jobs where John could make $40k or 200k; it's hard to guess. 

[Tim-Tom Biblethumper]

2 minutes ago, nausicaa25 said:

I've been wondering this as well. I definitely get the vibe that Alyssa really likes to shop. HVAC business is one of those crap shoot jobs where John could make $40k or 200k; it's hard to guess. 

They are in FL.  And the temp in my neck of the woods is 87 today.  

[Georgiana]

1 minute ago, nausicaa25 said:

I've been wondering this as well. I definitely get the vibe that Alyssa really likes to shop. HVAC business is one of those crap shoot jobs where John could make $40k or 200k; it's hard to guess. 

Plus, she gets money herself from People Mag spreads and appearances on BuB.  

I think a major difference is that unlike her brother and Bates-side BILs, her husband spent a lot more time working at at what was at least a decent job before they married.  They married when he was what, 25/26?  If he worked as soon as he turned 18 and still lived at home, that's 7 years of good income on drastically reduced expenses.  John probably had a pretty good nest egg saved up before he married, which is not something any of the others can say.  John probably had the money for furnishing the house saved up, for example, whereas Michael/Brandon are likely furnishing out of their current paycheck.

Things like that really make a huge difference in how much "extra" money you have every paycheck.

[halcionne]

12 hours ago, habert said:

Not to be contrarian, but I think it's possible Carlin is sitting in front of Joe, as in on something in front of the couch. It's only that the couch looks like end so close to her body.

Not that I think it can't mean Joe and Carlin are courting, but if family members lurk here, just seeing speculation about Carlin/Joe could be enough to delete the video if Carlin/Joe or Tori/Joe were courting.

Or no one could be courting. Also, this is officially my first post. I've been a lurker

To me it looks like she joined Joe on the corner/edge of the sofa after he had been there a while. So either she specifically wanted to squeeze in next to him, or that was the only spot available at the moment. But we can see miles of sofa on Joe's left. idk idk. 

Welcome to Free Jinger!

[sunshine]

I don't put much stock in a Duggar or Bates sitting close to one another. There is an article of Joy and Lawson now. I am like Joy is still a baby and her singing with Lawson and her brother is just singing. I guess I can understand the frenzy (1) we have been indoctrinated in this cult following of who will be the next to marry (2) people love courtships from the fundie world *sigh* (3) see them prepare for a  wedding in order to snark and (4) see how they decorate their house later on. I would be the last person to cheer for a Duggar/Bates courtship because I have not seen JB idea on marriage for his children come to fruition. Namely, being able to cleave and leave; whereas the Bates have shown some aspect of it (I'm unsure how reality show pay these days and who get paid). 

[SassyPants]

Best comment about the difference between the 2 families:

The Bateses pray at the altar of Gothard.

The Duggars pray at the altar of JB.

So what makes the Bateses a tad more functional is that their kids seemingly are able to leave and cleave; live lives (AKA support themselves and make their own decisions) independent of Gil and KJ, whereas the adult Duggars have failed at that developmental step.

[picklepizzas]

1 hour ago, Georgiana said:

Plus, she gets money herself from People Mag spreads and appearances on BuB.  

I think a major difference is that unlike her brother and Bates-side BILs, her husband spent a lot more time working at at what was at least a decent job before they married.  They married when he was what, 25/26?  If he worked as soon as he turned 18 and still lived at home, that's 7 years of good income on drastically reduced expenses.  John probably had a pretty good nest egg saved up before he married, which is not something any of the others can say.  John probably had the money for furnishing the house saved up, for example, whereas Michael/Brandon are likely furnishing out of their current paycheck.

Things like that really make a huge difference in how much "extra" money you have every paycheck.

Wasn't Chad like 27 when he and Erin married, though? And he has a real job, right? 

[Coconut Flan]

Continued in Part 6: http://www.freejinger.org/topic/25167-bates-family-part-6/