Counting On Season 8/9/10 2: How low will they go? (CW: Miscarriage)

[just_ordinary]

5 hours ago, SassyPants said:

I will admit that I thought Ben and Jessa were easily and quickly doomed  d/t their ages, lack of education/experiences and personalities. As a couple and family, they have been a very nice surprise. Ben seems to have matured greatly in the past few years. I hope he can get an additional, useful and marketable level of education.

I am not sure though if the impression that Ben has matured a lot (and I feel like this too) doesn’t stem from the fact that we actually don’t really know what he does. His education sticks out compared to the Duggars but placed among normal people he might still show himself as someone with a narrow horizon. His post about voting was great though and gives me a lot of hope for his kids. But my point stands that if we would see more of him we would still be pretty disappointed. 

I will agree that Ben and Jessa have been quite the surprise.

[kiwi]

Agreed, I ditched the breastfeeding covers so quickly because it felt like I was suffocating the baby in there. If you don't care or can get over the modesty, it's SO much easier just doing it without a cover! Also I like to see the baby while I'm nursing, make sure he's latched, see my boob to adjust it, etc.

You’d think with the amount of potential grandkids and breastfeeding visitors- they should have built a custom breastfeeding room... [emoji12]

[Bobology]

11 hours ago, bethover89 said:

2) Who picks Spelling as a favorite subject? That indicates to me how basic their education is

 

Kids for whom spelling is their easiest/best subject in school will pick it. Particularly if your classmates in general have trouble with spelling and you don't, you get a chance to shine... in something. Spelling can be difficult/tricky for some intelligent people and I've seen some students who were, overall, behind* in everything else but up to snuff in spelling.

*'Behind' is such a relative and unkind term. I believe everyone learns at an individual pace and some definitely learn better from alternative teaching styles. A home school parent, above all other options, should cater to that, but sadly most can do no more than follow sequential lessons provided in a sequential packet that was developed for use by people who have no background in teaching.

[BeccaGrim]

I kept trying to figure out who one of the girls was on last night being taught by Ben.  I didn't recognize her.  Anyone know who I'm talking about? 

[Snarkasarus Rex]

The non-Duggar girl is Emily, a cousin on Michelle’s side. 

[tabitha2]

Looks like the Duggar house is the place to go for sundry Ruark kids.

[Meggo]

On ‎2‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 2:40 PM, RosyDaisy said:

Ben would make a slightly, just slightly better teacher than anyone else in that family. But that's not saying a a whole lot. All of them are woefully ignorant.

But I did NOT understand - at all - in that episode. Why Michelle was sitting there the entire time. Is Ben not to be trusted with that assortment of children? Did she need a refresher on fractions? Was she desperate to go to the grocery store? 

Also - as my son was recently diagnosed with adhd (maybe - long story) - how the HELL does that woman cope with that??

[Buzzard]

45 minutes ago, Meggo said:

But I did NOT understand - at all - in that episode. Why Michelle was sitting there the entire time. Is Ben not to be trusted with that assortment of children? Did she need a refresher on fractions? Was she desperate to go to the grocery store? 

Also - as my son was recently diagnosed with adhd (maybe - long story) - how the HELL does that woman cope with that??

Michelle was there to be on camera, no doubt.  As for coping with ADHD, she doesnt, parenting her children is left to others.  She just births them!

[Carm_88]

7 minutes ago, Buzzard said:

Michelle was there to be on camera, no doubt.  As for coping with ADHD, she doesnt, parenting her children is left to others.  She just births them!

Exactly! Michelle likely hasn't taught the kids since Jana, Jill, Jessa, and Jinger were old enough to do it. So there is no reason for her to be there, other than to be on camera. 

Ben seemed to be ok at the whole teaching thing. I think he is pretty good with kids, might be coming from his place as the oldest in his family. 

Imagine Derick teaching all the J-kids, I think that would be a nit picky disaster. 

[Mama Mia]

On 2/26/2019 at 11:59 AM, twoandthrough said:

Ehh, there's nothing modest about me breastfeeding without a cover just like that. My breasts are so big that my 15 month old's head still doesn't cover one, so even with the two shirt method, it just doesn't work out for me. I used a cover extremely similar to that (but floral) for the first year nursing her. She now refuses it, so I make sure to feed her before we leave home and pack snacks for her. She didn't mind it for 12 whole months. It's not suffocating the baby by any means. I don't think anyone SHOULD cover like that if they don't want to, whether they're modest about it or not - breastfeeding is natural, and it's great, and blah blah blah, but some of us just aren't comfortable with that. I'm so thankful these covers exist because I wouldn't have left my house for a year otherwise, and I'm a very social person.

The covers weren’t a thing when I had my kids, but I’d use a blanket. A couple of them would just get too distracted out in public to eat otherwise, plus they would be much more likely to fall asleep if it was darker / more quiet.  Always a plus if I was trying to visit with people. 

[freethemall]

Are we talking about the announcement that Jabbie went to Finland for their "honeymoon" (i.e TLC sponsored vacation post their actual honeymoon) here or in the Jabbie thread? Or do we discuss it here when it actually airs on TLC in like 11 months when Abbie is halfway through her first pregnancy?

Either way, I'm surprised by the choice and I wish they'd stop with the formulaic TLC-picked honeymoons in Europe, either show us the real thing or don't bother, and please expand beyond European countries. Maybe something domestic?

[Carm_88]

@freethemall It's being discussed right now in the Jabbie thread. 

[Rowan]

17 hours ago, Cheetah said:

5th grade?  Mmm... maybe...?  I dunno... I guess I had g/t kids and did math enrichment for the g/t kids so I have a hard time picturing what an average or slightly below average 5th grader could do but multiplying by 10 seems pretty low to me. 

I learned last week that my 6 year old in first grade niece already knows the two times table (and uses it when she does homework writing examples of equations that equal 10 or 15 or whatever). She doesn't think it's multiplication and after I told her that her mommy and aunt didn't start doing that until THIRD grade that "Things change and people need to learn to be ok with that because things just change." Ha. But I'm certain she would have no issues with Ben's lesson so yeah, it was entirely not grade or age appropriate for those kids. 

[nst]

she is there because she is paid to be there....

too mean 

 

[Italiangirl]

Have Tlc address jessa's pregnancy in the show yet? Or it will maybe be in the next ep? I can't remember. The "surprise" could be that or one of the boy courting...what you think?

[JillyO]

2 hours ago, Italiangirl said:

Have Tlc address jessa's pregnancy in the show yet? Or it will maybe be in the next ep? I can't remember. The "surprise" could be that or one of the boy courting...what you think?

I can't remember the last time there were any ACTUAL surprises on the show. They tell us everything in advance - courtships, engagements, weddings, pregnancies, and now apparently miscarriages. I'm sure the "surprise" is Jessa's pregnancy anouncement (which has not been on the show yet) or else it'll be something completely mundane.

[TZmom]

On 2/26/2019 at 7:49 PM, bethover89 said:

2) Who picks Spelling as a favorite subject? That indicates to me how basic their education is

 

Um, me? I was super competitive in school and did well in most subjects,  but spelling was my favourite because I always found it really easy.  Even today I tell people that my only talent is being able to spell really well. 

This came off as pretty judgy IMO, although I'm not sure that was your intent. 

[Italiangirl]

Ugh the mundane option! I don't know why they do it...do they really think we are so stupid? It really irks me how tlc choose to manage their reality...

[Pete Pickles]

Anyone notice Jinger was wearing pants in this episode? Those of us who follow her online obviously found this to be no surprise but *-SHOCK AND AWE-* I’m sure some viewers must have been caught off guard. Even Whitney and Alyssa opt for skirts during filming. 

Sorry for the crappy photo with my blinds reflected. I don’t care THAT much but wanted a reference since I’m sure most of us overlooked it.

[BullyJBG]

Wow; I never noticed until you did.......I wonder if they're just waiting for everyone to start asking........this could get veeeeeerrrryyyyy interesting.......

[Sullie06]

On 2/26/2019 at 8:02 PM, metheglyn said:

 

Then again it seems like it used to be somewhat more common in the general population, given historical fertility and childbirth patterns. For example, my uncle's closest relative was his own youngest maternal uncle (the youngest of five), and they basically behaved like brothers growing up since they were less than a year apart, but they were also born in the '20s, and my uncle ended up the eldest of 7 himself. It's only since the advent of decent birth control that it's really become quite *so* odd seeming, rather than just uncommon. 

I agree. With more women using birth control and having children later it does seem weird in our society. My husband's grandmother was pregnant with her second child when her mother was pregnant with her last. His great grandmother had 3 girls (Grandma is the middle) with her first husband who passed when Grandma was 12. Great Grandma later remarried and had two boys with her second husband. Grandma was 21 when her youngest brother was born and already had a 2 year old

[mollysmom]

6 hours ago, Pete Pickles said:

Anyone notice Jinger was wearing pants in this episode? Those of us who follow her online obviously found this to be no surprise but *-SHOCK AND AWE-* I’m sure some viewers must have been caught off guard. Even Whitney and Alyssa opt for skirts during filming. 

Sorry for the crappy photo with my blinds reflected. I don’t care THAT much but wanted a reference since I’m sure most of us overlooked it.

I was surprised too, only because they all seem to wear them on the show (out of respect for their family I assume)

[justmy2cents]

Not too surprised about her wearing pants in her own home. Jinger was shown playing tennis in a very short skirt a few seasons back. There's also a recent pic of Jill in jeans with Michelle. 

[bethover89]

9 hours ago, TZmom said:

Um, me? I was super competitive in school and did well in most subjects,  but spelling was my favourite because I always found it really easy.  Even today I tell people that my only talent is being able to spell really well. 

This came off as pretty judgy IMO, although I'm not sure that was your intent. 

Sorry TZmom, being good at spelling is really cool, and I’ve loved watching spelling bees and stuff. (Also I suck at spelling, so maybe that’s me projecting my insecurities haha) I guess it just struck me as an odd pick for “subject” which I think of as bigger topics like “language arts” or something

[TZmom]

19 minutes ago, bethover89 said:

Sorry TZmom, being good at spelling is really cool, and I’ve loved watching spelling bees and stuff. (Also I suck at spelling, so maybe that’s me projecting my insecurities haha) I guess it just struck me as an odd pick for “subject” which I think of as bigger topics like “language arts” or something

It's not really cool. I know it's nerdy. But I appreciate the clarification