Monday, May 16, 2016

Seewald Tutorial: Couscous Salad

During the first season of TLC's Jill & Jessa: Counting On, Jessa and Ben Seewald told viewers how much they enjoy making simple and healthy meals, and they mentioned that couscous is one of their favorites.

The sweet couple, along with baby Spurgeon Seewald, filmed a tutorial to show fans how they make couscous salad. Check out out below, and be sure to visit their website at theseewaldfamily.com.

101 comments:

  1. That looks really good. I can't wait to try the recipe. Spurgeon is getting so big and looks like mama.

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  2. Spurgeon is Adorable!!!!!!

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  3. Oh for goodness sake, who wears a baby around a SHARP knife, a HOT pan of sizzling chicken, and a STEAMING pot of couscous!?!?! And it's even frozen chicken, which will release water and spit!

    Fans continue to protest that the Duggars know how to raise children safely, but I submit this video to the court as proof otherwise. You cannot argue that this is safe!!!

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    1. Actually it looked like Ben was doing most of the cooking...Jessa was standing next to the stove at one point but was turned to the side so Spurgeon was not right next to it. She was chopping the vegetables but unless Spurgeon is a contortionist he is not going to be able to reach the knife.

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    2. 3:08, haven't you ever seen a baby that age wiggle and pitch themselves around and flail arms & legs? Jessa took that steaming hot lid off the pot and there were the baby's arms and legs...

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    3. I, too, have had it with the pictures and videos showing the children in danger. When one of them ends up in bandages or a cast, there will be nothing left to debate. It's only a matter of time til that happens. Either nobody is watching the little ones and they are left to run wild, or the parents are putting the babies in danger. We've seen it too many times now for anyone to dismiss it. Cannot understand why the Duggars don't get it. Safety first!

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    4. Lol, I know right? People must think he's a Houdini!

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    5. Kids NEED bandages and a cast. They're going to get hurt. IT'S WHAT KIDS DO. It doesn't mean there was neglect or bad judgment. ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. Gee, they happen to me on a regular basis and I'm 18!

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    6. There is a HUGE difference between a child getting hurt by something they did on their own and a child getting hurt by THE PARENTS putting them in a dangerous situation. At 18, you may not be able to see that difference, but the law sure does and so do doctors.

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    7. But yet somehow kids from the 80's survived doing all the similar things!

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    8. Sheesh how judgmental and critical can you get?! For crying out load let them parent the way they think is safe!

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  4. Awwwww. That was too cute. Wish they had said exactly what couscous is.

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    1. Couscous is a type of pasta.

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    2. It's not a pasta. It's semolina.

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    3. Semolina is one of the types of wheat that is used to make pasta. Couscous IS pasta.

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    4. Apparently my comment was too snarky to post. Glad someone was able to clarify anyways.

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  5. Bizarre to be cooking around a hot stove and using knives with a baby strapped to your chest.

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    1. Not bizarre if you're a Duggar and child safety is the last thing on your mind. Unfortunately, they have left us little that's positive to say about that. Each time, you think this has got to be the last time they make a safety mistake. But then they release another picture or video proving you wrong. It's sad, and I feel sorry for the children at risk because they don't know better and can't take care of themselves.

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  6. Always cook chicken from a thawed state. The chicken will taste better and defrosted chicken will significantly lower the risk of getting food poisoning because chicken will be fully cooked.

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    1. Ben did say that they diced the chicken midway thru cooking to make sure it cooked thoroughly.He specified "cook until no longer pink"

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    2. It's not a question of colour, it's a question of temperature.

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  7. I will give it a try!

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  8. Will you please give recipe ingredients and how much of everything?? sounds really delish! I want to make it!!

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  9. Thank you for this. It's does look easy. I do wish they had the recipe written out too, because I won't be able to remember it.

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    1. You just toss cooked chicken on top of cooked couscous (directions and amounts on pkg.) and then throw chopped veggies on top, seasoning to taste. Not hard to remember. I'd cook them all separately, even the vegetables, and have them separate on the plate, each seasoned separately. And I'd use whole-wheat couscous, minus all that olive oil.

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  10. They should try to cook couscous in chicken broth instead of water, it's very tasty!

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  11. Maybe they can start a cooking show! A whole new "family business!"

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    1. Seriously? The food didn't look that great.

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    2. I believe Jessa mentioned this as the only thing she cooks, so that would be a very repetitive show every week.

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  12. So dangerous to have a baby that close to a stove, esp. gas. The butter could have popped on him or popped onto the flame, and there could have been a flare up. Not good to have a baby so close while using a knife.

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    1. Spurgeon is big enough, and anyone with a baby knows how fast they can be, to have grabbed that knife or hot pan. So incredibly unsafe. Please, please Seewalds you clearly need parenting help. You post videos of Spurgeon left on beds and couches and now this. You need to think of his safety before something really sad happens.

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  13. I always think the Seewalds are very even keeled. I wish I could be more like that!

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  14. I cannot understand what was so dangerous about this video. Ben (not Jessa) was cooking over the stove. Spurgeon was never near a sizzling pan. Jessa chopped the vegetables, but she did so carefully. Spurgeon's arms and legs were far away from the knife. Sometimes, a parent has to wear his/her baby to prepare dinner. I will admit that some of Spurgeon's napping locations make me nervous. I am a firm believer that the safest place for a baby to sleep is on his/her back in a crib with no bumper. However, I am a bit of a worrier when it comes to SIDs. For all three of my kids, I kept a monitor in their room that sounded an alarm if they stopped breathing. As a side note, do you know what type of baby carrier Jessa is using? It looks really comfortable. I thought I saw her using a K'tan once. But, this one looks different. I would love a blog post on Jessa's favorite baby carriers and slings. I know she is big into babywearing.

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  15. What is couscous? And spurgeon is adorable☺

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  16. Chicken breasts cook more thoroughly and are more juicy/tender/tasty if you first slice them in half horizontally while still partially frozen, then let them thaw completely before cooking.

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  17. I agree with everyone who commented about Jessa having her son strapped to her while she was cutting vegetables & close to a stove. That just seems like a very bad idea. A safer place for him while this was going on would be a bouncy seat or a play pen. Plenty of time for mom/son bonding when she doesn't have a knife in her hand! Use some common sense.

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  18. ok why have a child in a carrier when cooking? that kid could grad that knife? or get burned by stove? Jesse and ben you need to start thinking. put that kid in a high chair. and holding that kid in a carrier is very bad for your back.

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  19. just watched the episode that jessa went for coffee and left the baby with her husband i know she is breast feeding but she didnt even express milk and put it in a bottle for the baby what if he was hungry its all very well saying im not far away i can come back every mother knows it only takes a few minutes for babies to scream the place down if they are hungry and why does anna take only the baby everywhere with her obviously her other 3 children are at home with the rest of the family so why not leave the baby feel sorry for her other 3 children they seem to be forgotten

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  20. why on earth has she got the baby strapped to her while cooking and using sharp knives thats so dangerous u would think she would know better with all those babies in the family

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  21. It looks delicious!!! What exactly is couscous?

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  22. Ben did most of the cooking that was directly in front of the stove, not Jessa and the baby.

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    1. True… Jessa and the baby were busy chopping with a sharp knife.

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  23. Ben and Jessa, you may want to do a bit more research before you consider a recipe to be healthy. There is almost no nutritional value in white couscous. It is nothing more than little bits of white flour. (pasta) Making it with whole wheat couscous or better yet, with quinoa, would add a substantial amount of nutrition. (quinoa only takes 7 minutes to prepare) Also, if you are serious about health, you may want to consider certified organic food, which would protect you from the harsh chemicals used in the growing of food. Both plants and animals.

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    1. Except there's zero evidence of organic being any better for you.
      Don't buy organic. It's an amoral industry that uses fear mongering to get more money out of you.

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  24. Jessa said she only cooks this about once a month. What do they do for meals the rest of the time?

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    1. Yogurt & eating out were the only things mentioned. That's not going to work forever, I hate to break it to them.

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    2. They take a lot of pictures at fast food restaurants.

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  25. Well now the nitpickers are keeping to true form ... always something...we can count on you for that...thanks for visiting this fan blog and caring so much for the fam...lol😉

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    1. Right! Getting tired of it. I am so glad lots of "fans" are perfect enough to point out every wrongdoing. I'm too worried about my own walk with God to point fingers at others. I'm a wreck compared to them.

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    2. I guarantee you that I never EVER "wore" a baby near a stove or a knife or a hot pot. So in that sense yes, I have a perfect record to be proud of. Thanks for reminding me.

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  26. WHY DOES EVERYONE FEEL THE NEED TO TALK BADLY ABOUT THIS FAMILY AND THE WAY THEY ARE LIVING THEIR LIVES. I agree with things they may not be doing safely, BUT come on....enough is enough. Stop criticizing everything they do. If the media never exposed things about Josh and the family.....NO ONE WOULD WOULD BE CRITICIZING THEM AT ALL

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    1. You expect people to see danger in the world but sit back and say nothing? How do things ever improve if everyone does that?

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    2. The Duggars put themselves out there and have a public opinion about everything so others may have a different opinion they want to share also. Thats not being hateful its just having a discussion.

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  27. I wonder if they are going to start up a YouTube channel and post lots of videos? It would be interesting to see them Vlog (video blog) about the Big Sandy ATI Conference.

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  28. Doesn't the butter smoke and burn, especially if you start with frozen chicken? Butter has a rather low smoking point. It might be better to thaw the chicken, saute in oil and then add some butter to the couscous for taste.

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    1. Looks like they cleaned the pan at one point and added new butter.

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  29. i usually make couscous with a dish/topping that comes with a sauce rich in flavour, otherwise the meal can feel a bit dry and blend. That sure looks easy and healthy, I hope the seewalds get to indulge themselves every once in a while too.

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  30. Great recipe! Thanks for sharing😊

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  31. I have always defended the Duggars, when it comes to raising children. But this video is disturbing for its lack of safety concerns for the baby. Why did they feel compelled to have Spurgeon be part of the cooking, way too closely for comfort. If they want him to be part of the video, put him out of harm's way and let us see him as you check on him. If he was fussy and didn't want to be put down, then do the video when it is a better time for him to be put down. Common sense just isn't their forte, is it?

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  32. Okay, I have determined that people just LOVE to criticize. As far as this video goes and having the baby to close to knives, hot butter, boiling water, etc., it's just ridiculous! Spurgeon could not posssibly grab the knife out of Jessa's hand...he couldn't reach from the position he was in and his arms are too short. Also, Jessa was not the one boiling watwr and melting butter...Ben was, and he was not the one that Spurgeon was strapped to. Chill out, people! Everyone always think they know everything about everything.

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    1. You took the words right out of my mouth! People need to layoff them already. Their kids are safe, happy and healthy. If you don't like the way they do things, quit looking them up on the internet!

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    2. I had chicken pop hot oil at me last night & I was 3 feet away from the stove!

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    3. Agree 100%. Everybody just chill.

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    4. Fans just trying to knock common sense into these two regarding keeping their baby safe.

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  33. Couscous isn't very nutritious...it's very similar to pasta. They would be better off using quinoa or bulgar. There are more nutrients in them and similar texture to couscous.

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  34. Who cooks with a baby strapped to themselves?

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  35. Not hating..but am I the only person worried about the baby so close to the stove and knives etc. So dangerous!

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  36. I know they are super young, but cooking with butter is really unhealthy. They should leave the chicken they are going to use the day before in the fridge( so it's not frozen anymore) and grill it with olive oil. That would be way healthier and tastier!

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    1. Butter is not bad for you as long as you use good judgment and don't eat a ton of it! Seriously, this is a myth.

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  37. I really hope that Ben & Jessa weren't stirring the raw chicken with the same wooden spoon he used on the couscous! He was holding that spoon when he talked about stirring the chicken and it had something already on it (you can see it on the back of the spoon) when he reaches in to stir the couscous. The couscous would not be a hot enough temperature nor for long enough to kill any salmonella bacteria he introduced from the raw chicken. The cooking videos are a nice idea, but please learn some food safety first! I thought the Duggar girls were well-versed in cooking basics per 19 Kids and Counting episodes. Very worried here what they're teaching fans.

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    1. Cross-contamination is only one thing that could go wrong in this video. They are not chefs, they are not food safety experts, they are not baby raising experts, they are not videographers. They should have just made supper, eaten it, and let it be private.

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  38. Jessa, it's really unsafe to wear your large baby in the kitchen while cooking at the stove and using a sharp knife. Why don't you put him in the pack n play during meal prep?

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  39. PLEASE... PLEASE! Consider how others may view your parenting style and be careful with the baby spurgeon! It was a shocker when I saw that the baby was left unattended on a couch while Jessa was filming something prior. Babies can move and wiggle even before crawling or rolling over! Now, it's ok to have this little baby in front of a hot stove! It sends mixed messages to your baby to allow this even now! For instance when spurgeon is 2 years old he may think it is ok to touch the stove like children will try, yet now he's allowed to be so close to popping water or grease from the chicken and/or knife? Maybe you folks mean well but for your fan base it comes across as child neglect. Being in front of the camera is not worth the potential risk to a child/baby who may be hospitalized with serious cuts or burns. I am not trying to be rude or harsh just sincerely concerned for the welfare of your baby.

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    1. Consider how other feel about your parenting? Funniest thing I've read all day. How about keep your baby safe and not care about what everyone else feels about your parenting.

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    2. How about everyone else finding parenting examples other than the Duggars. Some of you have them up on such a high pedestal that it's a wonder you can see them at all.

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  40. I think it is nice that they did this together as a family. It is kind of legalistic to panic over every little chance to criticize. Is that not what the scribes and Pharisees did to Jesus when he came to earth to do the work of saving humanity from eternal damnation. He had a great purpose and was fulfilling it and the scribes and Pharisees were always coming along and trying to shut Him down with their legalistic criticism that totally missed the point of what he was there to do for people. Jesus also was constantly producing fruits when his time for his ministry came, he went about healing people etc., he intended to do that. Then the scribes and Pharisees would come along and try to shut him down for one reason or another.

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  41. It's so great to know there are so many perfect parents out there. Also nutritional specialists. If any of us were filmed I doubt every single thing done would be acceptable by all. They aren't hogging down mcdonalds. They are normal people in a real family situation. I'd like to know how many haters out there allow their kids to sit in front of tv? Eat junk? Be cared for by unqualified people? Wake up.

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    1. Um... none of these so-called reality shows are based on "real" family situations. The name of TLC's game is "staging". The big problem with this is they aren't very good at it and neither are the Duggars.

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    2. Love this! :-)

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    3. Many parents are much more "perfect" than the Duggars. Thank goodness. More power to those parents.

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    4. Hello -- Watching TV is a lot different than being strapped to someone's chest with your arms and legs flailing around while the person uses a long, sharp knife.

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  42. Is it my imagination or were some comments on this cooking post mysteriously deleted after being allowed to post? This is confusing. If something is put up, unless it's really mean or nasty, why take it down?

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  43. Nope..mine have mysteriously disappeared. There one minute--gone the next.

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  44. So about 95% percent of commenters on here get an A+ in criticism! Congratulations at winning at the wrong end of the points spectrum...
    I wonder how many of you have actually had experience with babies!?

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    1. More experience than Ben & Jessa put together, that's for sure.

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  45. Sometimes even if the comments are friendly and of a concerning nature, they do disappear! I requested that the family please reconsider their frequent trips to central America with small babies or children. The zika virus is very concerning and the CDC (centers for disease control), is learning more and more all the time about the virus. It can be transmitted even if two people are married and making babies. So don't be surprised! I was a fan of this family until this last straw (frying and boiling + a knife while holding a baby)!, because I am not seeing how they protect their small children or babies. They have lost my daughter's respect and mine. She's only 11. So basically this family just seems lost in fame. So sad! But fame and money changes people and not always for the better!

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    1. I agree with you. This was the final straw for me too. They are irresponsible with Spurgeon, and yet they are are already talking adding more children. It's clear this family--and I mean all of them--are only interested in money and fame. I hope CPS is at least aware of these videos. They could clearly use some advice.

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    2. Your comment about CPS is completely uncalled for and ridiculous. The Duggars, Dillards, and Seewalds are wonderful parents and are better at parenting than 99.99% of the population. You seriously think that having kids taken away and put into foster care or children's homes is a good thing? That is completely ridiculous. Obviously there are situations where CPS needs to be notified, but this is NOT one of them. There are parents out there who beat their kids and sexually abuse them and are still somehow allowed to raise them, and you're telling me that CPS should be notified about Jessa and Ben, who are obviously loving and devoted parents?

      All that aside, Jessa is a stay-at-home mom who has given up her career to raise her kids, which is something that most women wouldn't even consider doing, regardless of finances. (I know plenty of women who are financially able to be stay-at-home moms but either say they enjoy working too much to give up their careers or that they couldn't handle raising kids all day.) The best place for kids to be is with their parents, and unless there is legitimate abuse going on, CPS has no authority to intervene. You really need to do some thinking/research before you submit comments like that one.

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    3. I would read the posts and who posts them before judging or giving advice. If you want to talk to the person who said that about cps, reply to them. I am not the person who said anything about cps. It is not a good idea to have a baby near grease or a knife. Are you blinded by fame that you cannot see that it was not a good parenting decision? Reply to the another anonymous who wrote that.

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    4. Well now since I didn't actually have any authority to post it I guess I'm not the one to be chastised. Not to mention I never--ever--once said they should have a child removed from the home. I said they need guidance regarding safety, which I throughly stand by. CPS should have been brought into certain situations years ago. As for Jessa giving up her career? Now that's just a flat out lie as she never had a career or had ambitions or educational skills for a career. I, however, do have a degree and worked for years on my own in a large city. I did give up several years of my career to raise my children before going back. By the way it's quite arrogant to judge mothers who choose to work outside the home even if they don't need the finances. That's their choice and it doesn't make them bad mothers. I know plenty of stay at home Mom's who are less engaged with their children than working mothers. You might want to take that judgemental, prideful chip off your shoulder--something you could think about/research before you submit so much "correction".

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    5. Grace, your 99.99% parenting statistic needs facts to back it up or else it's just another opinion.

      Having had experience with schools, teachers, and counselors, I know that CPS can be called for the smallest of things that someone sees and gets concerned about. This could be anything from a pattern of not providing food or providing proper clothing, or seeing bruises, or something the child mentions in passing that's troubling. It's not always about taking children away and putting them in foster homes. It's about checking something that seems suspicious and stopping it before it comes to the point of having to remove the children for their own safety. CPS's main goal is not to break up families. It's to make sure children are being cared for properly.

      So yes, CPS has authority to intervene even on minor items, before they become what you called "legitimate abuse."

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  46. Thanks for making couscous look not so scary to make. I'm going to try it!

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    1. Ohhhh there's scariness there alright...

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  47. What really concerns me about this video and the whole Duggar family is all of the critical comments. Wow! Unbelievable that so many people watch a video like this and nitpick and infer that this is abusive treatment! Seriously disturbs me.

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    1. You said it Sally! If you don't like the Duggars, stay off their blog!!!

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  48. This salad was delicious!! We loved it, plus now we can make your chimichurri steak recipe with the leftovers :)

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