Surprise! Duggar Family Expecting Their 19th Child

ABC News ^ | 9/01/09 | AMELIA McDONELL-PARRY

[blueminnesota]

You guessed it -- Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were just thrilled to announce that they're expecting their 19th child. As usual, Viera just oohed and ahhed over the fantastic news, which comes only a few months after the eldest Duggar kid, Josh, announced that his new wife Anna is expecting their first child.

[Arizona Carolyn]

They are debt free and have their own income.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I normally agree with you, but on this I don’t; we used to work with a black man who had 12 kids and used the same methods as this family, each and every one of his kids went on to college and got advanced degrees and last I heard all are a joy to their family, the LA Times even did a story on them one time because they were an oddity for a black family living in Compton (tough, tough neighborhood)...same as Duggar’s the older kids were responsible for the younger and everyone had chores.... personally I think a great deal of what is wrong in this country is kids are being coddled and not required to do chores and have responsibilities; chores are as important (IMHO) as being good students... and in many ways seem to go hand-in-hand.

[Arizona Carolyn]

You think this is funny?????

[Arizona Carolyn]

No, I can say as long as they can afford them and love and care for them it’s their business.

[Arizona Carolyn]

No, they don’t. My grandmother ran her dairy farm well into her 70’s, milking the cows and bottling the milk twice a day... she had very little outside help and sublet the fields to other ranchers to grow wheat and corn, they paid her rent for the use.... I think she was probably the single biggest person I looked up to and it was because of her work ethic.

[chris_bdba]

Yep I feel the same way. They are a self supporting conservative family and are entitled to how ever many kids they want to produce. Maybe they will be multiples they are more common in your 40’s!

[Theophilus]

If my husband and I got hit by a (tiny little) meteor while standing at the end of the driveway...

God forbid :-)

You have a beautiful family. Congratulations on your daughters graduation. Semper Paratus!

[chris_bdba]

I am the oldest of 4 and we were spaced with about 4 years between each except fr the last one where there is only 3 years difference. I always did laundry and watched the younger kids. Granted there were only 3 to watch but I was alone and didn’t have 3 others helping out.

[kcvl]

those girls (in particular) lead a pretty hard life (sooo very much of household chores are the RESPONSIBILITY of the kids...not a chore...their ‘job.’)

And they do it with JOY. I don't consider a household 'job' to be a 'hard life'.

You make it sound as if the parents are slave owners and they aren't anything like that. The Duggars love their children, respect their children and homeschool their children. It doesn't take ALL DAY to homeschool (like it does with public school). Everything they do, they do as a FAMILY.

Every child plays a musical instrument. They own several businesses. Mr. Duggar was once a state congressman.

No, the children aren't MADE to do anything. They are more than happy to take part in their FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES. I have never seen any of them without a smile on their faces. I would think if they had a 'pretty hard life' it would show at some point.

Yes, they really look unhappy with a 'hard life'. /s

They all look so unhappy. That 'hard life' must be taking it's toll. /s

[aruanan]

Well, it’s takes a village and it’s best when the village is your own family.

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

I read somewhere that their monthly grocery budget is $2500.

[Awestruck]

lucky you! My mother had 7 brothers and sisters, my mother in law, 12, and I am an only child...sigh.. I would have loved having so many brothers and sisters!
One of my favorite authors, Theresa Bloomingdale, wrote books about her 10 children, and she said families with 10 or more were quite common in her church... I wanted 10 when I started out, but I’m grateful for the 2 I have here on earth and my two in heaven. We’ll all be one big family up there!

[Tax-chick]

Thanks! We naturally don’t expect a meteor ;-).

[Sibre Fan]

God bless them. Sure beats that Jon and 8 kids show

---

I concur! Jon & Kate+8 is like an MTV reality show - all drama. Of course, the Dugger’s “reality” TV is somewhat concocted too, but it’s just different. The tone of the show is different. They are sniping at each other all the time (or any of the time.) They built that house themselves, together. I don’t watch as much anymore, but I watched the season that they were building their new house and thought it was amazing.

[Sibre Fan]

Sorry...learning to be responsible and helping with assigned chores is different than having a younger sibling assigned to you; along with ten loads of laundry or cooking for 20 DAILY.

---

Somehow, they find time for school, for play, to play instruments, and sing. I dunno. I grew up in a family of only five kids, but my parents believed that idle hands were the devil’s workshop. So - we had a few hours of chores EVERY day. Weeding a two-acre garden, cleaning out the woods, laundry, dishes, etc. We certainly didn’t have as much as a 20-person family, but they made up for it by MAKING jobs. We had to clean “shut-ins” houses, and garden for some elderly folks around us. (At ages 8, 9, 10.) Somehow, it all turned out ok.

I think only time will tell. But I also think that a child who’s been given responsibility — even big responsiblity — along with joyful, family experiences, will do a lot better in life than a child who’s been given a remote and a playstation.

[100%FEDUP]

Yes I do, its called a play on words. The whole point of the article was for people to give suggestions for the kid’s name!

[sazerac]

Congratulations and Good Luck, Duggars!

How did I miss this good news for 2 so long? I thought they would stop with the last child but that’s not really what they said. May God help you get through this.