It is rare for a reality television show to accurately capture the inner lives of an ultra-conservative American family and make it entertaining all at the same time. The wholesome and buttoned-up appeal of the Duggar family was more than enough to keep anyone glued to the show.
Their unscripted lives were made visible for everyone to see, and audiences across the country could not help but watch. Their large family lived conservative lives and practiced beliefs that affected their everyday life decisions. There may be more you don’t know about this unorthodox family.
Read on and find out more about the Duggers!
Young Couple
Life was a lot different back in the 1980s. It was a period of odd hairstyles and large cameras. Also, people married at a much younger age back then. No one really knows why people jumped into marriage so young, other than it being more financially viable back then.
But Jim Bob knew he had to marry Michelle. He was 19 and she was 17. Essentially, Michelle was a teen bride. Fortunately, Arkansas law allowed 17-year-olds to marry, with 17 being the legal age of consent. It was evidently a happy ever after for the Duggars.
Fascinating Television Family
Watching the Duggars might immediately conjure up words that describe the family as “modest” and “conservative”. However, given the characteristics of the family as a whole and each member—this description seems like an understatement.
However, it is this same level of strictness that made the family fascinating to watch. Their distinct appeal brought in tons of viewers to tune in for each episode. Clearly, most of America had never seen anything like the Duggars.
Over A Dozen Times Pregnant
The Duggar family is against any kind of contraceptive measures. It is no wonder their show is aptly titled "19 Kids and Counting". The matriarch and patriarch of the family are staunchly against any and all forms of contraception.
It is therefore logical for Michelle to have spent 12 years of her life as a pregnant woman. Technically, she has spent 144 months pregnant in total. Can you imagine spending so much time bearing children?
First Date With The Folks
First dates are awkward situations. It is also super-uncomfortable for observers too! The getting-to-know-each-other stage will always be filled with sweaty palms and some form of embarrassment that ranges from mild to maximum spice.
Add in the presence of the Duggar parents on their teen’s first date and you have a form of entertainment never before seen on television. According to the Duggar folks, their father’s presence ensures that no one gets a tad too handsy on dates.
Grocery Money
Anyone who follows the adventures of the Duggar family can’t help but wonder how they do their grocery shopping—and more importantly, with such a big family, how much do they spend on groceries? The number of people in their household is twenty at least.
A quick glimpse at their breakfast meals would be more than enough to make anyone curious. The Duggar family consumes approximately 15 boxes of breakfast cereals a day. They also drink 7 gallons of milk per week. Therefore, their grocery bill could cost at least $3,500 per month. That’s a ton of groceries and a whole stack of grocery money!
Strictly Baptists Only
Reality TV shows need a bit of drama. The Duggar family is no exception. It is what keeps audiences glued to their sets every time. Drama can come in different shapes and sizes. For this family, the story shown in most episodes focuses on their convictions and religious beliefs.
One of the main concerns of the Duggar parents is their kids’ would-be partners. They want to make sure that whoever their kids will marry must at least be devout Baptists. The Duggar family are Independent Baptists, a branch that holds extreme conservative beliefs. The group opted to exclude themselves from the major Baptist denomination.
The Discipline Blanket
Parents have many ways to keep their kids disciplined. For the Duggars, they chose the blanket method. No one is exempted from this rule. Though this may be a bit controversial, the Duggars have used this on all their children. Some have raised their eyebrows at this strange form of discipline, but the Duggars trust their way of doing things.
Essentially, Michelle lays a blanket on the floor and puts the kids on it. If any of the kids lay their finger on any part of the blanket’s borders, they are sure to receive a spanking. This is no joke as Michelle has smacked a few of her kids with a ruler. Is this a good form of discipline, or child abuse? You decide.
Strainer Relationships
The Duggar brood is strict when practicing their religious beliefs. At times, they prioritize their beliefs more than personal relationships. Usually, this has created tension between family members who chose to think for themselves and decided to do away with their family’s puritanical way of doing things.
As a result, their daughter Jill Duggar has a tense dynamic with her family. Her husband also posted a few unsavory tweets thereby forcing Jill and her husband to leave the reality show.
The Quiverfull Movement
Quiverfull is a theological Christian position that believes large families are God’s blessings and that procreation should be encouraged, while birth control must be discouraged. Quiverfull’s message is spread via homeschooling and is allegedly based on the teachings of the bible.
It also espouses patriarchal attitudes towards women wherein females are expected to obey men. Though Quiverfull's beliefs align with that of the Duggars—their stance on contraception and having large families—the family does not identify with the group.
Can They Afford A Big Family?
A lot of families who watch the Duggars believe that the family patriarch must be the sole provider and the mother should care for the home and the kids. Still, many are puzzled about how they can afford to feed a large family. Surely, raising a large family is not cheap.
The Duggars’ firm conviction that birth control is sinful is the core reason why they have a big family. Fortunately, having a television show affords them to feed all their kids—in stark contrast to most families who have lots of kids and live in poverty as a result.
Everyone Has To Help
Having 19 kids must be a household nightmare. The task of delegating “who will clean what” and the act of constantly tidying up toys can be a burden to any housekeeper they hire. Fortunately, the Duggars do not consider housekeeping a problem.
The kids have specific chores they’re responsible for. Each chore completed entitles them to an allowance. Specifically, they receive three cents for each job. Therefore, if they repeatedly complete their chores, they could earn a dollar each month.
Duggar-Style Parenting
Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle have been described as helicopter parents. Many have called them out because of their disturbing style of parenting. For the Duggar kids, privacy is a word that is not supposed to exist in their vocabulary.
And that isn’t just because their lives are put on TV for millions of people to see. The parents become more controlling when it comes to their kids’ romantic lives. Jim Bob acts as a gatekeeper by approving or disapproving of anyone that asks out any of his daughters.
Hot Water Battle
Having 19 kids and counting can be difficult in terms of bathroom use. Having to share bathrooms with other siblings is difficult enough—imagine having to share it with 19! If you were late in line for the bathroom, the hot water would have probably run out.
You’re left with either having to reek for the rest of the day or shower in ice-cold water. To solve this problem, the Duggars have nine bathrooms in the house. The bathrooms have seven showers. Setting up their bathrooms this way allows resources to be properly distributed among everyone.
Social Media Is A No-No
Most kids are on social media nowadays. Even those as young as six have a social media presence. However, the Duggars are firm believers that social media is not a necessity and has therefore been banned in their household—in any form.
Regardless of age, social media is disallowed. However, they do allow any of their married kids to use it. But if your relationship status is “single”—even if you’re in your 30s—you still have to abide by this ridiculous rule, for example, the way their daughter Jana did.
Monitoring Private Messages
It’s not enough that the Duggar parents need to first approve their kids’ dates. They apparently also have to check the private messages and texts of their daughters. We swear if Jim Bob led a country instead of a household, he would have implemented a social credit system by now, as China does.
Before Jessa engaged with her fiancé, Ben Seewald, the two agreed to text each other as Seewald would be far away and he wanted to keep in touch. Though the Duggar parents agreed, they demanded that they be included in the text exchange.
The Code Word
All parents know that it is impossible to shield kids from the outside world 24/7. But the Duggar family won’t take no for an answer. They have structured their lives around shielding their kids from the “temptations” of the world—and the kids’ siblings have been conditioned to help.
Whenever the family is out and about, they have a safe word they use whenever they see situations they find sinful. If a scantily clad female is present, the first boy who will see such a sight is supposed to say “Nike!”. This serves as a warning for the other male kids to avert their gaze from the modern world’s “evils”.
Modesty Cop
The Duggar household values modesty. The women and girls in the family are required to be modest more so than the males. Therefore, girls are not allowed to wear pants. This type of clothing is seen as offensive to their religious sensibility, for some reason.
However, when the girls do grow up, only then can they wear pants. Still, modesty is a must. When some of the daughters tried to find out what they could get away with, they received a lecture from their parents—including any attempt to wear pants. Oh, the scandal!
Side Hugs Only
The Duggars’ modesty extends to their home and the very human act of physical contact. Besides policing their kids’ dates and private messages, they also make sure everyone hugs everyone the “Duggar” way.
Side hugs are the only hugs allowed in the house. However, once they grow up, only then can they hug in any way they please. What kind of psychological effects will this have on the children as they grow up and realize the rest of the world is not as repressed?
Father The Matchmaker
The Duggars are very protective of their children. However, the Duggars don’t just limit this to protecting them from harm—they also protect them from having their autonomy and experiences. Their parenting style has been described as somewhat problematic—if not disturbing.
Since privacy is not practiced in the Duggar household, and the dad can join in on their kids’ dates, father Jim Bob also functions as a matchmaker. He has to approve who his kids can date as well as when. After all, he believes that men are ordained by God to control the household. And who could say no to God?
Gender Distancing
The Duggar household has also implemented a rule that all their children must follow. Essentially, their kids are not supposed to spend any time with their partner alone in a room—regardless of their age. Though this is fairly common in other conservative households, the Duggars applied the same rule to their own kids’ siblings.
None of their kids are supposed to be in the same room as their siblings who belong to the opposite sex. Gender separation is real in this home, which makes sense given the disturbing incidents that occurred between Josh Dugger and his sisters before the show’s filming.
No To The Beach
The Duggars’ dress code and modesty have made it impossible for them to go to the beach and enjoy some surf, sun, and sand. It would be a policing nightmare for Jim Bob to protect his family from the haven of all things evil.
Though this may be unfortunate, the Duggars have a way around their own rule. They try to have fun in their own unique way and make do with what they have, including a pool. It’s such a shame that hysterical fear can ruin a human being’s natural upbringing in such a way.
Homeschool Only
There are plenty of people in the world who prefer to homeschool their children. The Duggars believe that homeschooling is the only way to go. The parents believe their children must also choose to homeschool their kids rather than send them to regular school.
However, not all of their daughters agreed to this rule. Jill made a conscious decision to send her kid to a regular public school. She did so despite the disapproval she received from the rest of her family.
No Romance Novels
The ultra-conservative Duggar family extends their strict rules not just in their kids’ dating lives but also in the books they read. Romance novels are not allowed in the Duggar household. No matter their kids’ ages, this type of literature is not permitted.
Though the Duggar kids don’t seem to miss such books, it is difficult to miss anything you didn’t know existed in the first place. They live very sheltered lives and do not enjoy freedom or liberty very much.
Speak Softly
Speaking softly is required in the Duggar home. Also "soft words" are a must. Essentially, this means speaking in a gentle manner and not at all responding in anger, despite being placed in such a humiliating situation on a day-to-day basis, especially for the daughters.
Though this is pleasant to practice at home, and peaceful too, it is human to sometimes scream or shout your feelings out. Being real is more important than speaking softly because you were told to.
Sister Rivalry?
Sibling rivalry exists in all families. Surely, it also exists in the Duggar family. But with their sheer number of other kids running around, keeping tabs on who is annoyed at whom might be difficult—if not impossible.
Two Duggars seem to have a rivalry as they appear to be at odds with each other constantly. While Jana is the older one, Jessa seems more than ready to always challenge the authority of her big sister. Their rivalry even played out during Jessa’s wedding planning.
No Tattoos
The Duggars are a religious family, which means living a highly controlled life. As such, they have specific rules that all members should follow, including rules against tattoos. They are, if nothing else, consistent.
Due to the permanent nature of tattoos, the family does not permit anyone in the family to get one. They prioritize ancient Christian values over anything else—especially temporary whims such as body inks.
Names That Start With “J”
Fans of the reality show noticed that the names of the Duggar kids all begin with the letter “J”. The parents seemed to have made this a part of their tradition. Perhaps they were inspired by the most famous character in the bible with the letter J, Jesus.
Their eldest is a boy named Joshua. When the Duggar twins arrived, they were named John and Jana. The succeeding kids were similarly named using the letter J to continue what they started.
Beliefs First, Profession Second
The Duggards’ convictions are so rigid that their beliefs affect the decisions they make in their professional lives. This was evident when Jill was working as a midwife in training. She had to help someone who was pregnant but unmarried.
Due to her rigid beliefs, Jill was unable to help due to the patient’s marital status. This is in stark contrast to the usual dictates of professional ethics wherein anyone, despite their background, should be assisted. Wasn’t Jesus all about showing compassion to all, even to those who society cast as wicked?
Corporal Discipline
It is difficult to manage and discipline all 19 kids and counting. To make it easy for Jim Bob and Michelle to enforce their strict rules, they apply corporeal punishment within their brood. After all, Jim Bob believes that he is ordained by God to control his family.
It is not easy to police all 19 kids, which might make anyone wonder if Jim Bob really punished the correct guilty party every time. Perhaps with that many kids running around, he might be tempted to take out his frustration on those with which he has a divine mandate to command.
Jim Bob As House Representative
Being the father, Jim Bob is expected to be the provider of the family—and what better way to make the big bucks than through politics? Besides his real estate business, he also served as a representative in the Arkansas House of Representatives for two years.
When his political stint was over, he proceeded to run as a senator but did not win. That’s right—Not only did he have supreme power over his household, but he also sought power over the state.
Married To, Or Trapped With?
The Duggars are devout Christians. Therefore, they believe in the sacredness of marriage. Divorce is another concept that doesn’t exist in their vocabulary. When Josh Duggar was embroiled in a scandal, his wife didn’t leave him. She also defended him.
Despite reports that, in addition to child molestation, he also engaged in extramarital behavior including affairs with women through the website Ashley Madison—his marriage was not at all affected. His marriage might be affected by his recent 20-year prison sentence, however.
Pieces Of Wedding Dress
The number of daughters the Duggar family has probably made it almost impossible for Michelle to hand down her wedding dress to all of them. Fortunately, the family managed to get around this predicament.
The family gave a part of the matriarch’s wedding dress to each girl. One daughter received the train, another got the veil, and so on. Doing so ensures that each has a portion of their mother’s dress while walking down the aisle.
First Kiss Ever
Girls who grow up in the Duggar family home are highly likely to have experienced their first kiss at the altar. This may be the reason why Jessa looked shy and tense on her wedding day. Her first kiss was right in front of their friends and family.
Her reaction is evidently normal, especially for someone who grew up in a conservative household. The first kiss in front of everyone is certainly nerve-racking. We just hope it didn’t put her off doing it in the future.
Family Laundry
The large membership of the Duggar household means that they have a ton of laundry. The family made sure they have more enough washing machines for everyone’s laundry needs. The house holds four washers and dryers. Their average laundry is 40 loads per week.
That number might be a little hard to believe since it is roughly 37 times more times of laundry compared to an average-sized family, but the fact that they have 19 kids, and counting, should explain the large load. It’s like washing for a whole neighborhood!
Strict Gender Roles
Once a female is born into the Duggar family, they are automatically under the control of the father or their would-be husband. Since they have strict gender rules and women are not allowed to work outside the home, Duggar girls are forced to continue living in the Duggar home, caring for the other kids if they do not get married themselves.
If you want to pursue a career or study in college, too bad—you would need to drop these plans. No one is exempt from the Duggar’s strict rules. In this household, women are seen as second-class citizens and are treated as such.
Free Babysitters
The benefit of having a lot of siblings is that one also has lots of babysitters. There is always a sister or brother available to look after the younger ones—and this is by design. But babysitting can’t be easy considering you need to care for not one, two, or three kids, but 19 and counting!
However, the Duggars seem used to the idea. They may even think that getting someone to care for a dozen kids for free is just a regular Monday evening.
Give A Gift To The Duggars
Gift registries are normally used by newlyweds. But it seems to hit different when the Duggars asked its viewers for wedding gifts for Jessa and Ben. After all, they did have their own reality show and they are clearly not hard up.
Maybe their fans wanted to take part in the Duggar wedding and gift-giving was one way for them to do it. On one hand, it’s smart to take every advantage you get considering your large number of children, but on the other, it seems quite entitled. What do you think?
Long Table
The Duggar family has lots of members and thus tons of mounts to feed. When everyone in the family needs to have dinner, their 18-foot-long table is ready to serve their needs without anyone having to sit uncomfortably on the corners or bump elbows with someone.
However, with everyone passing food and dishes around, the family member sitting at the end of the table might receive their food cold if not completely picked apart by the others. What a crazy household!
Bedrooms For Girls And Boys
Since privacy isn't something the Duggars practice, it is not a surprise to know that the family has special arrangements in their bedrooms. The entire family is expected to share bedrooms. However, girls sleep in one bedroom and the boys have their own room.
Once a Duggar leaves home, the remaining members will surely have more space for themselves. However, the daughters must marry a man who their father either chooses or approves of, so they won’t get that much chance to experience freedom in their lives.
A Big Guest List
When Jill Duggar got married, everyone was expecting a grand event. After all, she was one of the Duggars’ most popular kids. She was seemingly a happy lady when she said “yes” on June 21, 2014. However, no one expected the event to have more than 1,500 guests.
Though some people prefer to have a small wedding, Jill didn’t mind having a large one with tons of guests. She did not ask for wedding gifts from her fans. She was just happy to celebrate the event and have a lot of people share the moment. Jill has since been living with her husband, with whom she has three kids.