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Monday, February 3, 2014

Interview with the Duggars

While in Washington D.C. for the annual March for Life, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar sat down with Cortney O'Brien from Townhall.com to discuss large family logistics and relationships. The Duggars also shared a touching story about how their show saved a life. Here are the highlights of the interview:

Cortney: What are some of the benefits or most fun parts about having such a large family?

Jim Bob: "We’re always going places and doing things. And I think in one sense, we have one of the funnest families in the world because there’s so many of us that it’s just non-stop fun.”

Jim Bob: "Even when we go do a work project. We can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time."

Michelle: "I think Jill summed it up one time. She said, 'People just don’t understand how much fun it is to be from a large family. It’s just like, the love multiplies, it doesn’t divide.’ So that’s why we named our book A Love that Multiplies."

Cortney: What are some of your other favorite activities as a family?
Michelle: "As far as energy activities, we love to go on bike rides..."

Jim Bob: "We’re always playing basketball and volleyball, and then in the front yard, the boys a lot of times are playing football. And the other night we went to [an] Arkansas Razorback versus Kentucky game."

Michelle: "Oh that was amazing. The kids love to sing. They’ll just break out singing when we’re driving down the road."

Jim Bob: "And they all love playing instruments together."

Michelle: "And entertainment. Just the fun of doing and saying the cutest little things kids do." The mother of 19 keeps track of her children's most memorable words in her iPhone. 

Cortney: Say you hired a babysitter for a night. What instructions would you give them?

Michelle: "The babysitter or the children? I think I would instruct the children first." (laughing)

Jim Bob: "For years, my mom would watch our children when Michelle and I would go on a date each week. And of course, now a lot of our older daughters are - "

Michelle: "She still does sometimes. She’s still willing and available to do it."

Jim Bob: "Now, some of our older daughters are in their 20s, and so they watch the little ones...."

Jim Bob and Michele also discussed their relationship with their kids and with each other:
Jim bob: "I guess, the main thing we try to do as parents is keep up [with] the hearts of our children. Having heart-to-heart talks with children is very important, and for them to build, confess things, and make things right...."

Michelle: "And always purpose to treat each other with respect. No teasing, no calling names, no putting each other down, but truly showing respect..... You know, you’re gonna have those relationships for life, and you really want to cherish and nurture those even now...."

Jim Bob: "And I think really the foundation of a close-knit family first off is having a close relationship between husband and wife, and then the children’s relationship with the parents, and then the children’s relationship with each other. And there’s gonna be offences and things that happen, but making sure that each one of us humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness."

Michelle: "We’re really desiring to teach them to love, putting others before yourself. The acrostic we use is ‘JOY’ - Jesus first, others second, yourself last - and if you put it in that order, then it makes for a very peaceful, harmonious place to live. Even at Josie’s age, who is now four, our baby in our family, just encouraging her to realize, you know what you can serve your big brother, you can go and get him his cup and bring it to the table and help serve your brothers and sisters, even though you’re the youngest...."

Cortney: I read another interview you both did and I think, Jim Bob, it was you that said a writer emailed you and said that your show prevented them from having an abortion. I was wondering if that is something that encourages you both to continue doing the show?
Jim Bob: "Over the past ten years we’ve received several emails and letters from women who have said that after watching our show, they’ve decided to keep their baby. They’ve changed their perspective on the child - instead of seeing the child as a burden, they see the child as a blessing. But one mom in particular, back a couple years ago, she sent us a letter that said, ‘I was watching your show, 17 Kids and Counting.... I’d already gone in for my first initial appointment to have an abortion, and I was going to have an abortion the next day.... I flipped through the channels and saw your show.' And she said, 'Ya know, if that lady can do it with 17 kids, I can do it with one.' And she kept her baby."

Michelle: "And she sent a picture!"

Jim Bob: "And so that makes it all worth it. Our whole family really believes that the TV show is really not about us - it’s really about a ministry to share with the world that children are a blessing and a gift from God."

Read the full interview on Townhall.com

46 comments:

  1. Wonderful interview

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  2. Great interview! It's amazing that the duggars and their show saved lives! How touching to see God work in that way.

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  3. What a great interview. I loved the story about the abortion. Good for you!!!!!

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  4. It is time to start talking about the elephant in the room....adult children who are treated like dependents and used as babysitters?! Let's have a few comments on that situation and try to justify it by comparisons to what other young adults do when they reach adult hood. Yes one son did the normal things and did well and one girl is in training and one girl is courting...but still, parenting is not all about the younger children.

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    1. they are able to be an example of what comes of that :)

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    2. Keep in mind, the older children are constantly involved with the younger ones. That being said, I can not recall a single time they have not wanted to. They call it a blessing to be with the younger ones, and keeping a close family is hard to do, so am encouraged myself by what they do for each other...

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  5. Thank you so much for sharing this blog with us! It is such a blessing!!!!
    And in response to the anonymous post....I am 13 and 15 years older than my sisters and loved being able to help care for them. Please don't judge if you haven't walked in those shoes. I am a much better mother because I had those experiences taking care of my sisters. They are now adults and I have wonderful relationships with them and they are great aunties to my kids and help me out a ton. Family helps each other. That's what loving is all about.

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  6. Do you ever wonder why the negative people are doing on this site?I mean what do they get out of it really?Some thrill maybe, or they really LOVE this sweet family and just are incapable of writing something nice because its so much easier being mean.You know they are other sites to fulfill ones negative sisterhood or brotherhood to get your jollies. You see the MAJORITY of the folks on this site are united Duggar supporters who are happy in life and actually don't judge others and wish nothing but love twords these super fine folks.Boy, to have a mom and dad that are so inexplicably nice, how horrible that would b.I'm sure there are millions of neglected,abused, and starving kids who would give ANYTHING to have sweet loving parents like JimBob and Michelle.Remember,"He who is without sin, can cast the first stone".How do you think the public would judge you on your beliefs and parenting skills and then blog about it, as if there own life is sooo perfect.Isn't our differences what makes us unique?That's why America is so wonderful, we all have the right to believe how we want, So let's all play nice and not b so quick to judge.Godspeed!

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    1. I think one of the major problems is that people feel the need to justify themselves by tearing down others. I became a Christian at 23 almost 3 years ago. I come from a completely secular family who are confused and sometimes openly hostile to my faith. I've learned over the past few years that this is how human nature unchecked by the Holy Spirit works. I get it all the time from family and friends. Live and let live is not in our human sinful nature. When someone lives differently than us or thinks and behaves differently than we do, we get confused and defensive by nature. When someone says I chose to live my life this way (different than yours) because of these reasons, the natural tendency is to get defensive and critical. People often feel that when you chose to make different choices that you are automatically judging then for not making the same choices. The typical reaction to that is either to get overly defensive of their own actions or to get you before you get them so to speak. And so they start picking apart every detail of someone else's life and pointing out everything they don't understand or the things that wouldn't work for them and they criticize. It's a means of justifying themselves. I have been guilty of it myself. I agree that people need to step in when there is abuse or neglect going on and at that point we should reach out in love. That is not the case here. I think many of the people who search out this website to make negative comments do so to justify their own way of living because they do not understand the duggars. What they don't realize is that the duggars like myself and most Christians I know believe that they are making personal decisions that work for them and are trying to encourage others with their experience. Just because they have certain values does not mean that they are judging everyone else or that they expect everyone to live just like them. That's the difference between living in the flesh and following your human nature and living in the spirit.

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  7. @Anonymous
    I agree with you. In some cases (and the interview touched the subject) Michelle has so many kids because she wants a baby/toddler in the house at all times. But now that she has Josh and Anna having kids and one daughter courting she is starting to have her kids have kids for her so that she can always have a baby/toddler around her or close. Even though Anna and Josh now live in Washington DC.

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  8. The Duggars are such a shinning light in the world of darkness!

    ~Sadie

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  9. I the past children lived with their parents until they go married. It would be nice for the Duggars to address adult children living at home because so many people want to know. It is normal for kids to get out of the home a soon as possible.

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    1. nowadays parents selfishly want their kids out, I guess because the kids nowadays are lazy, selfish and immature :( most kids wish to leave to live how they couldn't at home with drugs and sex

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  10. The interviewer approached the topic about the babysitters in such a way as to get the parents to reveal who the babysitters are. I think those babysitters get used quite a bit too.
    Some of the older girls seem to be a convenient necessity.

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  11. http://www.recoveringgrace.org/2014/02/the-gothard-files-a-case-for-disqualification/

    Any feedback from the Duggars, Bates, or other ATI followers on these very serious allegations about Bill Gothard?

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  12. what other young adult do is party, act like they are 17 until into their 30s, sleep around and drink or take drugs... I think being in your 20s and still home because you are unmarried isn't a bad thing. I wasn't married until I was 24 and still lived at home but I babysat, cleaned cooked meals and earned my keep... and guess what I was more prepared to care for my husband and son then others my age who act much younger than myself... as far as I have seen on the show the older Duggars have jobs, go to school (not to party mind you but to actually get an education... 'magin that!!) own their own business, are respectful and act well above their ages... more parents should take note, then maybe they won't wonder "what happened to my child?!" when they make a mess of their lives... it's not that the Duggars know all and are pfect but through following Gods word and

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  13. Michelle is turning gray......showing her age

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  14. I would love to see grand ole duggar episode were Jana and girls speak .. Jana shares story about Jill when she was little

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  15. There are so many holes in the Duggar's beliefs. So many holes. Birth control causes miscarriages, they teach, yet the Bates, Anna, etc. have had miscarriages when not taking birth control. Where is God in those miscarriages? It is okay to paint your toes and your face and to put your hair up, but women cannot cut their hair. Josh can wear shorts, but Duggar women cannot. They honor the military, yet not one has served there either non-combat or in combat. Women are not supposed to work outside the home, but if you logged how many hours Michelle works "voluntarily" while offloading care of her "younger ones" to her "older ones," it would rival most day care hours of most American mothers that work outside the home (turning over her care-giving responsibilities to "older ones"), and then some. How many American children live out of a bus? The "younger ones" (Duggars) can relate to living out of a bus. If you want to hear more holes, I can send you more!

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    1. none of what you say have facts and if you have seen the show you would know the answers :) I don't understand the need for commenting if you clearly don't like them? wouldn't your time be better used towards something you do like?

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  16. They don't want insurance to pay for birth control or abortion, but they do want insurance to pay for fertility drugs and the drugs used to keep a pregnancy in distress of miscarriage? Where is God in that? God says you cannot abort, but you can use artificial means to carry offspring and to make offspring? I thought they teach all children are blessings from God without artificial anything, not medicine? Confused am I?

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  17. Is Michelle still classified as a "stay at home mom?"

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  18. These blessings are great when you have real estate income and a TV show, but I thank God for family planning so I can support my two children on a 45K/year salary and $900/month in day care costs. It is great for them, but I would be homeless if simply let God give me 19 blessings. You know?

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  19. Amazing show I enjoy watching them. The are a solid family who truly love the Lord. May God continue to bless their family. They are and carry themselves in a Christ like manner.

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  20. They are such a wonderful family that just love the Lord. They have raised there children the old fashion way. I truly watching there show it is a fresh of breath air.

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  21. Amazing show I enjoy watching them. The are a solid family who truly love the Lord. May God continue to bless their family. They are and carry themselves in a Christ like manner.

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  22. I'd love to read or hear an interviewer as the tough questions that the Duggars seem to dance around and not answer directly. We've heard all these types of interviews over and over. Same questions/same answers.

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  23. I support the Duggars abortion beliefs; but how about respecting other life: i.e. those on life support, death penalty. Why is it always about abortion with them and other conservative Christians? I feel they are ignoring the whole picture!

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  24. Michelle is so lovely. This interview is heartwarming.

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  25. I just finished watching a re run of the Duggars in Ireland, and you can tell by the look in every one of their eyes how truly happy that family is. Those kids love and respect their siblings,you can't fake that.Gosh,I feel good after watching that show! God bless that family! Sincerely,Natalie from Nebraska

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  26. Lily and Ellie,
    Check on the Bates family blog for pictures of some of the Duggars at the Right to Life March in Washington D.C.! Jim Bob, Jana, Jinger, Joy, Jedidiah, Jason, James, and Justin, are pictured. Kelly Bates said that everyone of the Duggars attended except John, Jill, and Josiah. Jessa stayed with the little Duggars in the bus due to the 6 in. of snow!

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  27. Great interview! It gave me goose-bumps! The Duggars are an incredible family and I support them 100%!! God is truly using them for His glory!!

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  28. I love the Duggars, they are such an inspiration to this mom of 5. I'm so looking forward to the new season! :)

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  29. Thanks for sharing the interview. I really enjoyed it. I love the Duggars. Michelle is only a month older than me. For all the ones slamming the Duggars for having older children at home, I was 22 when I moved away( clear across the country) to go to school (which I never finished because I became a mom and that was more important to me). I met my husband 2 weeks after I arrived here and 2 weeks after that he asked me to marry him. We got married 5 months later and we just celebrated our 24th anniversary in November. We had our first child a month before a 2nd anniversary. I am so glad my parents didn't kick me out of the house just because I was too old to live at home anymore. I have 6 children with my oldest just moving out this last year and he is 22. My oldest one living at home is 20 and we have told our children over and over that as long as they are working and going to school, they are more than welcome to live at home. They would all like to save up enough money to buy a home debt free. I see nothing wrong with children living at home as long as you are not enabling them (i.e. sitting around playing game systems/watching tv, not working or going to school). Btw, it's our sons choice to live at home. All of my children can do laundry, cook, mow, work on cars, etc. Home should be a training ground. Having 5 sons, I want them to be a blessing to their future wives. Oh, and there are moms who are continually trying to hook my son up with their daughters. Fortunately, he knows what he is looking for in a wife.

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  30. Answering the questions asked by Anonymous 15:

    1. Birth control causes miscarriage: Actually, what they said was that *if* the pill fails, and a woman conceives, the pill can make a woman miscarry instead of implant that baby. They have *never stated* that all miscarriages are caused by taking/using birth control. They acknowledge that sometimes (as in Anna Duggar and Kelly Bates case) miscarriages just happen, and only God knows why. He is the author and creator of life, and He alone has the right to decide when that life should end and go to heaven with Him.

    2. Cutting hair: It is very obvious that they cut their hair. Yes they grow it long, but they do *not* believe (as some Pentecostal ladies believe) that you can't cut/trim your hair at all. Michelle had her hair cut on the show. Anna took Mackynzie to have her hair cut on the show. The little girls have bangs and short 'bobs' as toddlers. Joy-Anna just had her hair cut from waist length to mid back. So that's just completely untrue.

    3. Shorts: I believe that they have stated they prefer that *everyone* wear knee length apparel. Girls wear knee length skirts, and the boys have worn shorts to run in, to swim in, and to work out in, to their knees. I am not seeing any 'double standard'. Josh is grown and married, if he makes a decision that is different than his parents, that is ok, and they respect that. Jim Bob obviously chooses not to wear shorts at all. Josh has chosen differently. It seems it's simply a preference to them. Many Southern men Jim Bob's age and older choose not to wear shorts. They just don't like them unless they are swimming.

    4. Military: Many many families honor the military but do not have children that serve in the military. My grandparents, for example raised 7 children from the 40s to the 80s and had great respect for the military, but none of their children or grandchildren chose to join up. That didn't lessen their respect for the military or the protection they provide us as citizens of this country.

    5. Michelle does speaking engagements here and there. She does not leave her children daily for hours in the care of others while she goes to work. Yes, the older girls and Grandma *help* with the children. There is not one thing wrong with that. In the not so distant past, everyone in the house worked as a team, helped out where needed, and didn't expect mom and dad to do it all. I'm always surprised by this one. I expect my children to pitch in and help out around the house. That includes any and all chores that need doing. Does that mean I do nothing? NO. But on any given day, you might find them working while I'm resting. And vice versa: I might be working while they are playing/doing other things.

    I find it highly amusing that people think they know all about the Duggar b/c they have seen the show. It's a SNIPPET of their lives! LOL So you watch the show and it shows the girls doing the work while Michelle goes to a speaking engagement and that must be how it is all 7 days of the week? How silly! It didn't show that she spent 6 days with the kids and took 4 hours away to speak to others and follow Titus 2 by mentoring younger moms.

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    1. Yeah!You go girl!You said it all and much more.Take that you negative nellies. I couldnt have said it better myself.GODSPEED! Sincerely, Natalie from Nebraska ;)

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  31. @Anonymous

    Maybe your sons should email Jim Bob about courting.

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  32. You really cannot compare the death penalty to abortion. In abortion the person dying has no choice. The person in jail waiting to die had a choice and chose to commit a crime. They are getting punished for choosing to do wrong. A baby is punished for nothing.

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  33. I find it cute and funny jim bob is having trouble calling his girls adults. It is pretty common in caring dads. Though still makes me chuckle.

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  34. LOL!
    In our family, my siblings are 25, 29, 30, and I am 35. Between us, we have 10 children. Our parents still refer to us as 'the kids'. :)

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  35. Hello to all the Duggars from Australia! You are all amazing, a wonderful connected Christian family and we love watching the Duggars! We have learnt so much about faith, love, respect and commitment! Thank you and God Bless you all xxoo

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  36. Hey Anonymous 6,33,34,35,Sara and Natalie, Rock on! Loved it! Way to go! :) :) :)

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  37. @AnonymousThank you anonymous 16 you saved me from all the questions I had to ME DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY for this day/age never hear the word FRIENDS/OUT WITH FRIENDS just curious

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  38. Praise and compliments of the Duggar family are good and very well deserved; but also the Duggar family is not above serious questions and some criticisms. I don't think they would say heaven forbid that anyone should question us. It seems some of these comment postings are really offended by the more serious posts and questions. I think the Duggar family stands up well to serious questioning and if people are interested in taking the time to study the family they should be encouraged, not discouraged, from questioning their lifestyle. Taking the time to seek will lead to people into an appreciation of the wonderful way this household developed into the dynamic, involved, public minded Christian family they are today. I am sure the older Duggar children understand their personal freedoms and if they did not want to be involved in the family ventures they would do what ever else they chose. It is more likely that outsiders want to also get into the Duggar family circle and partake of all the goodness, opportunity and love.

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