Duggars by the Dozen 47

[Four is Enough]

Hmmm. pottery and welding courses. Perhaps Jana is actually learning how to do art? It might not be a "career" course for  many, but perhaps it suits her?

[indianabones]

2 hours ago, Four is Enough said:

Hmmm. pottery and welding courses. Perhaps Jana is actually learning how to do art? It might not be a "career" course for  many, but perhaps it suits her?

I believe that @MariaariaM meant she hopes Jana is taking courses like that (if she wants to). We don't have any evidence that she is.

Edited March 23 by indianabones

[CultureVulture]

You don't just casually learn welding, it's a professional career-path skill that's learned in real classrooms with lengthy programs. 

Pottery however, is a soft skill Jana could do.  Though she might be uncomfortable spreading her legs wide enough to scootch close enough to the pottery wheel to have maximum control.  

I think Jill would have had at least 5 kids by now if she didn't have significant medical issues with each of her current 3.  An actual career or continuing education is likely the last thing on her mind.  

Edited March 23 by CultureVulture

[Four is Enough]

20 hours ago, CultureVulture said:

You don't just casually learn welding, it's a professional career-path skill that's learned in real classrooms with lengthy programs. 

Perhaps that's what Jana is doing. we really have no way of knowing.

 

[CultureVulture]

8 hours ago, Four is Enough said:

Perhaps that's what Jana is doing. we really have no way of knowing.

 

$15,000 to $20,000 for an 18 month to 2 year program.  I highly doubt Jana is going to invest that much time & money at her age.  

But sure, let's go with possible.  🤣

[Cam]

12 hours ago, CultureVulture said:

$15,000 to $20,000 for an 18 month to 2 year program.  I highly doubt Jana is going to invest that much time & money at her age.  

But sure, let's go with possible.  🤣

I don’t see it, either. The Duggars are not that motivated. They do not like to adhere to anyone else’s schedule other than their own. They never had to. They grew up on Duggar time. Also, welding is not an acceptable female occupation in fundieland. 

[SassyPants]

For some reason, I think I remember Jana knowing how to weld. Actually, I think Jana has more skills than your average Duggar. Gardening, home repairs and remodeling, bus driving, childcare including managing a medically complex child, cooking etc… she can even operate a bobcat/backhoe. I am sure none of her skills/ knowledge were obtained via formal education. SHe learned at the TTH school of learning. 

6 hours ago, Cam said:

I don’t see it, either. The Duggars are not that motivated. They do not like to adhere to anyone else’s schedule other than their own. They never had to. They grew up on Duggar time. Also, welding is not an acceptable female occupation in fundieland. 

JB is not above girls performing any job as long as he benefits. If JB had needed free construction labor, all his girls would have been swinging hammers-

[Cam]

44 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

For some reason, I think I remember Jana knowing how to weld. Actually, I think Jana has more skills than your average Duggar. Gardening, home repairs and remodeling, bus driving, childcare including managing a medically complex child, cooking etc… she can even operate a bobcat/backhoe. I am sure none of her skills/ knowledge were obtained via formal education. SHe learned at the TTH school of learning. 

JB is not above girls performing any job as long as he benefits. If JB had needed free construction labor, all his girls would have been swinging hammers-

I think Jana could do one remodeling job, but not turn around and do another, then another, ect. She could do one simple type welding but not go from job to job to job doing it. Same with the bobcat and bus driving. It all looks cute on a tv show, but the actual nuts and bolts grind of it and doing it to someone else’s (besides a family member)) specifications is a whole different ball game. Sure, you film for a tv show and mess up, well, just make it part of the show, nyuk! nyuk! But when it’s costing someone else time and money, I don’t think Jana could handle it. She dabbles. Many of us do. But a career? She’s content to be JB’s Girl Friday. Lots of perks. Runs on Duggar time. 

[SassyPants]

2 hours ago, Cam said:

I think Jana could do one remodeling job, but not turn around and do another, then another, ect. She could do one simple type welding but not go from job to job to job doing it. Same with the bobcat and bus driving. It all looks cute on a tv show, but the actual nuts and bolts grind of it and doing it to someone else’s (besides a family member)) specifications is a whole different ball game. Sure, you film for a tv show and mess up, well, just make it part of the show, nyuk! nyuk! But when it’s costing someone else time and money, I don’t think Jana could handle it. She dabbles. Many of us do. But a career? She’s content to be JB’s Girl Friday. Lots of perks. Runs on Duggar time. 

Now I didn't realize we were talking about holding a job unrelated to her family. I was talking about skills. She has the skills and knowledge to do lots of tasks, but the ability to secure and hold a job working for someone else? I’m not sure even JB could clear that hurdle. I have a 4 year degree in Science and worked in a related field for 35+ years, but I can’t weld, drive a motor home or operate a Bob Cat. And of course coming from the real world, I have all the skills to work with and for others, show up on time and do what I am supposed to do. The Duggars never developed those skills- all Jesus and diapers all the time, didn’t leave much room for anything else.

[MariaariaM]

I did indeed mean it as a hypothetical and around here basic welding courses exist much the same as basic pottery courses: you learn enough to have fun with the material but you're not going to make it a day job any time soon.

[FiveAcres]

34 minutes ago, MariaariaM said:

I did indeed mean it as a hypothetical and around here basic welding courses exist much the same as basic pottery courses: you learn enough to have fun with the material but you're not going to make it a day job any time soon.

There was a metal sculpture studio around here that several of my friend went to. They had a small yard of salvaged pieces, and guided their students in a workshop so that they could make funky yard art from the salvaged metal.

[patsymae]

I like to dabble and good for Jana if she likes to. But as others said, transferring that to a real world occupation--not gonna happen. Which she may not want to and that's fine. But she was also a "concert pianist." Josh was a "graphic designer." The whole lot of them were violinists. Ben and Jeremy are theologians. JD and Abby are "deployed" to disaster areas and war zones. And Josh was a lobbyist. 

[AussieKrissy]

19 hours ago, patsymae said:

I like to dabble and good for Jana if she likes to. But as others said, transferring that to a real world occupation--not gonna happen. Which she may not want to and that's fine. But she was also a "concert pianist." Josh was a "graphic designer." The whole lot of them were violinists. Ben and Jeremy are theologians. JD and Abby are "deployed" to disaster areas and war zones. And Josh was a lobbyist. 

I also heard JD might be a pilot, commercial, top gun, fighter? Anyone know? Anyone heard? 

Edited March 27 by AussieKrissy

[Smee]

She may not have any formal qualifications, but Jana has plenty of skills that could help her get a job if she wanted/needed to. I even think she could handle the repetitive nature of work - since she was a child she's been dealing with the boring ass daily grind of washing clothes and dishes and dirty faces day after day after day. What she lacks is ambition. There's a song we used to sing at my evangelical church, it starts with the line "there must be more than this" and goes on to be about wanting to be closer to God and have deeper passion for him etc. Any time Jana (or any Duggar) has had thoughts of more, of dissatisfaction with their life and desire to DO something less mundane, they've been taught to translate that into wanting more God.

I could, however, see Jill studying some day. Not now, but maybe in 5-10 years, when she's finished having children (I'm not sure Freddie is her last) and they're a bit older and more self-sufficient. I see so many mothers of school-aged kids and teens saying "am I too old to do this? I'll be 45 when I finish studying" and if they're financially secure often they do decide to pursue the thing they've long had an interest in.

[Cam]

11 hours ago, Smee said:

She may not have any formal qualifications, but Jana has plenty of skills that could help her get a job if she wanted/needed to. I even think she could handle the repetitive nature of work - since she was a child she's been dealing with the boring ass daily grind of washing clothes and dishes and dirty faces day after day after day. What she lacks is ambition. There's a song we used to sing at my evangelical church, it starts with the line "there must be more than this" and goes on to be about wanting to be closer to God and have deeper passion for him etc. Any time Jana (or any Duggar) has had thoughts of more, of dissatisfaction with their life and desire to DO something less mundane, they've been taught to translate that into wanting more God.

I agree for the most part. Duggars generally lack ambition. None want to wander too far from the fold, or source of income: JB. Sure Jana has skills, but she has so many perks doing what her parents want and need from her, perks that she wouldn’t get elsewhere. She’s not gonna go from top dog to low man on the totem pole working for someone else.

And definitely Duggars are taught if they want more, it must be “more God”. Ugh. The clipping of the wings. When ex-fundie Brooke Arnold did an ask-me-anything on Reddit, she was asked what the hardest thing about deconstructing was for women. Her answer spoke to me so deeply that I took a screen shot of it. She said for her it was “psychological blanket training.” She said it was hard to reach out for things she wanted in life. Tho I wasn’t raised fundie, this struck a chord with me because I grew up surrounded by those who embraced the patriarchy, and I absorbed the message that going after what I wanted was selfish, greedy, unfeminine, “who did I think I was, did I think I was better than everybody?” I was shamed, guilted, ridiculed and criticized for my ambitions. However, it wasn’t until reading Brooke’s words that I had the realization that this is what happened to me.

After a devastating mid-life development, I started seeking more out of life. Thru this process, I realized God was NOT the answer. At the same time, I had an epiphany and suddenly saw the patriarchy in full focus. The confluence of these two things set me on a path of walking away from Christianity and becoming agnostic. 
 

 

[SassyPants]

I am not anti God, religion or a higher power. I think faith is a wonderful addition to one’s toolbox. I Have relied on faith and prayer during harder parts of my life. It’s a worthwhile addition, just not the ONLY answer, IMO. 

[Cam]

26 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

I am not anti God, religion or a higher power. I think faith is a wonderful addition to one’s toolbox. I Have relied on faith and prayer during harder parts of my life. It’s a worthwhile addition, just not the ONLY answer, IMO. 

Yes, exactly. I was raised Catholic. In my 20s, I became a Pentecostal born again Christian, and the stability and direction this provided was literally a lifeline for me. Still, I remember searching for answers about many different life situations and came to realize some of the solutions were not found in the Bible or within the church congregation. As you say, tho, faith is great to have in one’s toolbox. 

I’ve also had several unexplainable incidents happen to me in my life that worked for my good. I’m not sure I attributed this to God or fate; I think it was more of an amazement that unseen forces for some reason were on my side looking out for me. 

So I respect others’ faith in God. I just get sick of those trying to shove it down my throat—I don’t go around trying to get others not to believe in God. Plus many now practice a type of religion that was never, ever the kind that my mother taught me. Ever. 

Edited March 30 by Cam

[TacoBellKimmy]

On 3/26/2024 at 1:07 PM, FiveAcres said:

There was a metal sculpture studio around here that several of my friend went to. They had a small yard of salvaged pieces, and guided their students in a workshop so that they could make funky yard art from the salvaged metal.

Oooh, I'd be the first in line for that! For what it's worth, I learned to weld  from my farmer father and one semester of Ag class (not professional at all, but I enjoyed it). Turns out I spent 10 years as a welder in a factory and I'm sure they never asked me if I could, it's just the department I ended up in. And yes, they trained us. 

[HereticHick]

This is Liz Bontrager with 2 of the Duggar maidens, right? [I can't keep them straight] I don't quite know why she is visiting them (or vice versa)--the Bontragers recently returned from their winter tour and Liz even more recently went on a Young Living trip to the Dominican Republic.  

[Kiki03910]

I just did the math and realized that I have rescued 19 cats and counting. Since menopause won't stop me, that number will only increase. Take that, Michelle and Kelly Jo!

[HereticHick]

17 minutes ago, Kiki03910 said:

I just did the math and realized that I have rescued 19 cats and counting. Since menopause won't stop me, that number will only increase. Take that, Michelle and Kelly Jo!

Do you use the buddy system with the cats? Are they blanket trained? So many questions!! 😃

[Kiki03910]

7 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

Do you use the buddy system with the cats? Are they blanket trained? So many questions!! 😃

To be honest, I've only kept 6 of them over the years. The rest were adopted out or went to my local no-kill shelter. There is a buddy system if by "buddy" you mean "I am the buddy who caters to their every whim". And there is blanket training in the sense that I am trained to provide cozy blankets, pillows, couches, and chairs where they rest between bouts of demanding my obeisance. I'm also pretty sure I give them much higher quality food than the Duggar, Bates, and Rodrigues parents.

[Cam]

1 hour ago, HereticHick said:

This is Liz Bontrager with 2 of the Duggar maidens, right? [I can't keep them straight] I don't quite know why she is visiting them (or vice versa)--the Bontragers recently returned from their winter tour and Liz even more recently went on a Young Living trip to the Dominican Republic.  

I think the only one of these young women who is a Duggar is the one in the middle (Jordyn? Jenny?).  It was probably some religious get together for Easter.

Edited April 1 by Cam

[Kiki03910]

34 minutes ago, Cam said:

I think the only one of these young women who is a Duggar is the one in the middle (Jordyn? Jenny?).  It was probably some religious get together for Easter.

The girl on the right looks Batesesesesy eyebrow-wise. I say this as someone who looked like Bert of Bert and Ernie before I discovered tweezers.

[CarrotCake]

I think it’s Johanna Duggar and Addalee Bates