Jessa Duggar's "Parenting" Skills

[Buzzard]

Is anyone else disturbed that the younger kids have to say "yes maam" to their older siblings? Thats just really squicking me out. I understand a big sister telling a child to take a nap, but a response like that just seems inappropriate given the sibling relationship.

[tabitha2]

You know the relationship that Johanna would have with Jessa is much more parental than sibling like.She is acting mother to those children she should be treated with the respect due one right?

[Buzzard]

All the more reason that that whole family relationship is seriously fucked up!

Edited to add I hit 1000 posts!!!!

:dance: :dance: :dance:

[xDreamerx]

I'm 12 years older than my little brother and I would never want or expect him to answer me that way. It's just weird. I do have to discpline him and tell him no sometimes like a parent would, like when he wanted to go swimming in the river, or use a circular saw, but I still consider him my sibling. It's not my job to parent him. It just shows to me that these girls are expected to be parents.

What distubed me is that Johanna and Jordyn were sleeping on the floor. Jordyn was up against a pillar. They got to read a story in the beds, why not just let them nap there? And, is it me or is 5 a bit old for napping? If my kid was 5 and didn't want to nap, I wouldn't make her. I don't have any, but by 5 a kid is often in Kidergarten, full day Kidergaten in some areas. I'm not sure if they still do naps but it seems a bit too old.

[luckylibrarian]

Is anyone else disturbed that the younger kids have to say "yes maam" to their older siblings? Thats just really squicking me out. I understand a big sister telling a child to take a nap, but a response like that just seems inappropriate given the sibling relationship.

Totally. That is totally inappropriate, and it could be damaging to the sibling relationship in the long run. They are siblings first. Even though Jessa has the responsibilities of the parent, she is not the parent. There are other ways to show respect.

I give Jessa a pass on it, though. She's only a teenager, and she has more responsibilities than someone of her age should. Having authority over anyone is probably a really strange feeling, and she may not be sure of the best way to exercise that authority and get respect.

[lexiloumarie]

It's not too strange to me but I was always taught that anyone "in charge" of me got that kind of respect. Sitters, cousins, aunts, etc. Then again anyone who asked us to call them by their first name was "Miss So-So" or "Mr. So-So", even if we knew them for years and years.

[Buzzard]

You should refer to your siblings as siblings - by their NAMES. You use "Yes Maam" to an elder outside of the family or a parent/grandparent etc. A healthy sibling relationship is one that lasts a lifetime. When Johanna has a brood of her own will she still say "Yes maam" to Jessa? I think not.

[brashchick]

I think it is a bit of a southern thing, so in that context it might be ok. I have heard mothers calling children "ma'am" as in "No, Ma'am, we don't do that". It sounds weird to non-southerners but after 14 years in the south I am used to it.

[daharyn]

It's TOTALLY squicky. I know some people from big families, and the older kids always report that they try to NOT be parental with the little kids, because they're... well, not the parents.

But this whole episode was sort of weird, like how they'll show Josie practically completely nekkid, despite, ya know, "modesty."

[ladypuglover]

I agree on Johannah not needing a nap... but maybe she does need one. I don't know. I do know that my 5 sons had outgrown a need of a nap everyday by age 5 but there were some days that they need a quick shut eye just to keep them fresh. Everyday is over kill at that age for most children. I think it should be handle case by case.

[Koala]

I'm as southern as they come and it's squicky as hell to me.

[Boogalou]

Did you hear Michelle say that Jessa will run a tighter ship than Michelle ever DID???? Umm, no Michelle, you are still running a ship and you are not done raising your children, so please do not talk about it like it's in the past. That is my advice to Michelle and now to DimBulb. If your child is crying PICK HER UP!!! I wanted to reach through the TV and pick her up for them. Free Jennifer! ETA: Free Jordyn too since she was actually the one crying. Oops, thanks marmalade.

[marmalade]

Did you hear Michelle say that Jessa will run a tighter ship than Michelle ever DID???? Umm, no Michelle, you are still running a ship and you are not done raising your children, so please do not talk about it like it's in the past. That is my advice to Michelle and now to DimBulb. If your child is crying PICK HER UP!!! I wanted to reach through the TV and pick her up for them. Free Jennifer!

Jordyn was the one crying (the new "forgotten Duggar," although Jason still flies waaaay under the radar). At any rate, given what we've seen between Jordyn and DimBulb (yay me! that was mine), she might have hauled off and slapped him if he touched her. And to be honest, who could blame her? Where were the sister-moms? I guess one was making lunch (where was Jill AT ALL? Never heard of her going to any Gothard stuff this spring), but there were at least two sister-moms with Boob. How did that kid come in all filthy, and ALONE, not even her brother buddy (Justin?).

[JenniferJuniper]

But this whole episode was sort of weird, like how they'll show Josie practically completely nekkid, despite, ya know, "modesty."

They were clearly trying to show off her baby fat rolls, but we've never seen so much Duggar skin before, small person or otherwise, so it did seem odd. Of course, the women give birth on camera, so I'll never figure them out.

Hannie and Jackson remain the primary reason for watching the show. Adorable. It's sad to think about what awaits them, especially Hannie.

[Smooth Beans]

Maybe Hannie and Jackson can make a run for it together!

[Markie]

I noticed that Jill's bed has moved to the wall where Joy's single was originally - where Jessa was reading to the girls. I bet Jenny sleep with Jill at night and Johannah sleeps with Jana in the other double. Poor ol' forgotten Jordyn gets the floor (or playpen?). Not sure why the poor little one was put down for a nap on the floor, but she seems used to sleeping in strange places. I imagine Johannah was put down for a nap in the instrument alcove? since she might wake the others who were sleeping.

They always stick those stupid fake pony tales on when filming. Josie was not wearing them in Michelle's clip of her trying to eat a cookie.

Jackson seemed surprised that Hannnie would get out of naps by 6. Guess he didn't! Since Hannie nad he are so close in age it's no wonder she is trying to negotiate for an early release.

[ladypuglover]

Little kids will just fall asleep where they are for the most part but it looks like she was set up to nap there. Why couldn't they lay all the little girls in seperate beds and off the floor for the nap. Its one thing for a toddler to fall asleep on his toy box or high chair but I never started their nap out on the floor on purpose. Wait, take thaqt back, they would fall asleep sometimes watching movies while laying on the floor with pillows and blankets.

[masagoroll]

Some 5-year-olds seem to like/need a nap, and some don't.

I do think saying "Yes ma'am" to a big sibling is kind of weird. I'm Southern, and I do say "No, ma'am, we don't do that!" to little kids sometimes, but saying "Yes ma'am" "No ma'am" officially like that seems like something for either parents (if you're strict) or older people you don't know well. It seems weird for a sibling.

[JenniferJuniper]

My mother had a strict no-naps after age 2 1/2 with all of her kids. She wanted them dead tired and asleep by 7.

Of course, Jessa had her College Plus work to attend to (note the advert on her t-shirt) and wanted the little brats out of her hair for awhile. Can't blame her, really.

I was an oldest child who often had to tend to kids up to 13 years younger than myself, and while Jessa may be "more organized" as a mother than Michelle, I'm not so sure she'll be as eagar as Michelle to have kids of her own so early and often.

[TheJewAmongUs]

You can't expect these kids to remember all the older girls' names though. I mean, it's a little unfair to be born 17th and to have to learn 16 sibling names. Baby number 5 got to learn them ever year and a half as the showed up. It's much easier that way.

[debrand]

My mother had a strict no-naps after age 2 1/2 with all of her kids. She wanted them dead tired and asleep by 7.

Of course, Jessa had her College Plus work to attend to (note the advert on her t-shirt) and wanted the little brats out of her hair for awhile. Can't blame her, really.

I was an oldest child who often had to tend to kids up to 13 years younger than myself, and while Jessa may be "more organized" as a mother than Michelle, I'm not so sure she'll be as eagar as Michelle to have kids of her own so early and often.

This is an area that really shows how different my family is from the Duggars. If my son was studying, he wouldn't have to watch his sisters. School work and education are very important

edited because I used the wrong form of the verb to be. That was funny considering that I was writing about the importance of education. :oops: :lol:

[JenniferJuniper]

You can't expect these kids to remember all the older girls' names though. I mean, it's a little unfair to be born 17th and to have to learn 16 sibling names. Baby number 5 got to learn them ever year and a half as the showed up. It's much easier that way.

Good point. "Ma'am" sounds better than "Hey you with the crunchy hair and the exasperated attitude!"

[3 is enough]

When is that cheap fucking bastard of a father going to provide his youngest daughters with proper beds? :evil:

Seriously, he buys fancy buses, ATVs and golf carts. He pays for mission trips. He gives God knows how much money to his false prophet every year, and yet his daughters sleep on the floor!

[TheSassyOne]

Add me to the line of southerners who find calling an elder sibling "maam" icky! My brothers and I are ten plus years older than our younger siblings so in many ways helped our parents in raising them. Never ever were we addressed as Yes Maam or Yes Sir. Now maybe when we were feeling full of ourselves we might have tried to push that on our unsuspecting sisters (the little brats) :D but trust me, it lasted no longer than a second!

I don't know, there's just a strange vibe I get from Jessa and Jinger. They are definitely cut from the same cloth as their Mom and as was shown in tonight's episode, Michelle always gets what Michelle wants! Of those two, I'd have to really give Jim Bob the kudos for being the better parent. He at least seems to engage with the kids. Michelle just seems to interact after she gets the script from TLC on which kid to do a scene with in this week's episode. I know that's harsh, but that's just how she come across to me, so I'm always amazed when she wins all these Mom of the Year awards. Someone should tell her that just because she gave birth to nineteen children doesn't make her a good mother. :o

[xDreamerx]

You can't expect these kids to remember all the older girls' names though. I mean, it's a little unfair to be born 17th and to have to learn 16 sibling names. Baby number 5 got to learn them ever year and a half as the showed up. It's much easier that way.

Funny because it's true.