Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Quality Time with Mom and Grandpa

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are only in their early 50s (Jim Bob turned 51 in July, and Michelle turned 50 in September), but they have 19 children and six (soon to be seven) grandchildren.

Their lives are busy. The couple has said that they get less sleep now than they did when they had a bunch of little ones because they often stay up into the wee hours of the morning having deep conversations with their older kiddos. But no matter how sleep deprived they are, Jim Bob and Michelle are always up for spending quality time with their kids and grandkids. Here are a few new snapshots:

 Michelle Duggar and Joy-Anna Duggar do some Black Friday weekend shopping

 Jim Bob Duggar (aka Grandpa Duggar) spends quality time with grandson Spurgeon Seewald

Michelle Duggar and Josie Duggar throw a mother-daughter tea party

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com

69 comments:

  1. What is it with the canned French-style green beans? First we saw Jill chowing down on a big bowl of them and now they're the tea party fare, too? Along with Hershey's Kisses? This family eats some straaaaange stuff!

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    1. Why not just eat fresh green beans? Super easy to cook, Taste way better, and less sodium

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    2. I only have two kids and I serve them green beans from a can. Please stop picking on everything that the do!

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    3. It looks as though this family eats a lots of canned and long storage foods but not enough fresh ingredients. The size of their family is no excuse, because they certainly have made re than enough money for healthier eating...

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    4. I don't buy canned green beans, but they must not be that strange, because every market stocks them. Kids wrangle up whatever they like for tea parties.

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    5. That's probably why they think they're so tasty - all that sodium.

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    6. They don't look limp enough to be canned beans.

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    7. Watching the food they eat, it is clear they don't cook so much fresh food and yet they have enough money to make sure the family eat a lot of healthy meals.

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    8. Those are definitely canned beans. The color is the giveaway. Fresh beans are much greener. I just made French-style fresh beans for Thanksgiving, and they looked nothing like that.

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    9. They could be either---judging from the picture. Its not that clear. they could be regular canned beans or cooked green snap peas.

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    10. The canned beans I've seen before are either the long, stringy French-style, or the cut green beans. I've never seen whole, "lumpy" canned green beans. And on another note, what does this say about us, that we're sitting here discussing green beans? :)

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  2. Are these conversations about the Bible or personal issues as related to their adult children still having to live at home?

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    1. Wouldn't it be both? Intertwined conversations

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  3. Seems Jessa and Spurgeon are always at the main house, never their own.

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    1. My mum says that about my husband and I with our three soon to be four children. It is the comfort and the warmth of family that takes us there. They are not that far from like 5 mins down the road

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    2. I think that's nice! It shows they really love being with their family even when they are old enough to do whatever they want to do with their time. And as a mom of little ones it's nice to be able to let your kids play with other little ones especially since he doesn't have a sibling to play with yet at home!

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    3. Just because we see pictures of Jessa at her parents house doesn't mean that she is there all the time and never at her own house.

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    4. I would totally love it if we were that close to family!

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  4. Looks like the girls grew up and insisted on mall shopping, not just thrift shopping.

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    1. And now they have the money to buy new!

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    2. Who says thrift stores don't have sales on Black Friday?

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    3. That photo doesn't look like a thrift shop; it looks like a department store.

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  5. Wow. I'm quite envious/jealous of how JB&M spend time with their family. I wish I had some of that paternal love. #LoveTheDuggars #StillLoveJAD

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    1. Yeah I know exactly what you mean...

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    2. I just didn't have that growing up and to some extent the lack of communication and affection contributed to me making bad choices for my life.

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  6. Sweet!
    If they think they lose sleep now they have more tea bags under eyes to look forward too. The commitment grows as your children do.
    Wishing them the best.

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  7. Spending time with your kids does not win you the "Mother of the year" award. It's called being a parent.

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    1. Agreed, Heidi. And talking to them late at night does not make up for the time you didn't parent during the day.

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    2. Nobody said about giving her an award... sheesh...

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    3. Well many people are failing at parenting!

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    4. If you have ever been the parent of a teen, then you know that the best time to talk with them is at night. That's when they are the most awake and wanting to talk to you. That doesn't mean that you have not parented them during the day. Plus, the Duggars still have several younger kids to invest in during the daytime hours. Why must people pick apart everything that they do and everything that is said about them. Why come to a blog where people like the Duggars and want to read interesting things about them, if you don't like them and want to pick on them?

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    5. Our daughters range in age from 16-22 and our deep talks would always be late at night because that's when they wanted to talk. I totally understand the Duggars doing that with their older kids. Plus it's easier to have deep conversations after the younger ones have gone to bed. That doesn't mean they don't parent during the day. Our girls still like having conversations late at night. No we don't get as much sleep as we would like, but the time spent with our young ladies is worth it.

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    6. totally true
      also, Josie is adorable. hard to believe she is the youngest!

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    7. Honestly, in our home, we've made bedtime a time to mentally review the day and see how we've conducted ourselves. Do we have any "unfinished business" with God? Anyone else? When the busyness of the day is over and we've quieted ourselves, often our children bring up something they've been churning over and want to discuss. I read years ago, to take those moments (even if it means less sleep for me). They often only come once. Your child is reaching out to you, entrusting you with their heart...be there as much as you can. If you can't at that moment, make a point to write down what they want to discuss and make it a priority in the morning privately before breakfast/at breakfast (if it's just the two of you), in the car coming or going (if it's just the two of you), privately after school, or when you get home from work. Follow through- it says you care about them and respect them/their feelings and opinions. They only pass this way once and it goes by so quickly. If they're willing to talk to you, consider it an honor and treat it like one. :)

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  8. Cute pix. I wish we could see more pix of Michelle with some of the other little kids. Josie seems to get the most coverage.

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    1. because she is still only 6 (well almost 7) and she is adorable and the youngest duggar born to Michelle. thats a special place! (:

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    2. Yes, but I'd like to see more of Jordyn and Jennifer, too.

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  9. Are there any other Duggar fans out there that read these things and feel terrible about yourself afterward? Michelle is my hero and I know I shouldn't compare myself, but gee golly.... I am a miserable mother and wife when I'm sleep deprived! I just don't understand how they can maintain that level of sacrifice and still somehow be patient and kind. Maybe there is a different level of grace for the season they're in. I just find sometimes it's hard to not compare and feel bad about myself.

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    1. Anyone can post glowing photographs of themselves with their happy children and lead others to believe they are living lives untouched by frustration, anger, or unhappiness. The Duggars are human beings, just like you, with all the complexities common to all of us. Placing others up on a pedestal is not fair to them, nor to yourself.

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    2. You're not the only one.

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    3. You shouldn't idolize the Duggars. I used to really like them, have all their books, but after Joshs' scandals, not so much. NO parent(s) are like them 24/7 and what goes on behind closed doors.
      Give yourself a break, love yourself and do your best as a mom! I raised four kids and yes, I wasn't a perfect mom, but I know my husband, kids, and grandkids love me. God Bless.


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    4. You should not compare yourself with anyone most especially with someone from television! You really don't know the Duggers. Neither do I but what I'm trying to say to you is we really don't know what goes on in these peoples lives. We only know what we see on TV.

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    5. It is really hard for me as well! I don't do well without sleep and I have some health issues that I think make me even more tired. What has helped me is to keep my eyes focused on the person I want to be and on the promises that God provides. He gives us the strength, wisdom and power to possess the fruits of the spirit and as I focus on improving daily I can see how He is helping me to overcome my weaknesses. I like to keep Christian music playing in the house while I'm taking care of my kids to keep my spirit uplifted and it promotes positivity.

      And don't compare yourself! You are doing a great job! Have you read Michelle's first book? She shares about struggling in the beginning to keep up with everything! You really do learn as you go and as you have the opportunity to practice your patience among other things. I always thought I was patient, but I realized my patience was just never tried when I didn't have kids! Now I really have to work on it, but it DOES get easier!

      Prayers going out to you from one tired mom to another :) we got this!

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    6. Pleases don't compare yourself to Michelle. She would be the first to tell you that. She has had difficult challenges as a mom that I am sure she has second guessed herself on. You would not want the family issues she has had to deal with. Just do ghd best you can and leave the rest in the hands of God. He will see you through.

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    7. All the above comments have good advice. Add the Duggar parents may stay up late talking to the older kids; but they could have the luxury of sleeping later than most parents-JimBob and Michelle do not:
      -hold traditional jobs requiring them to show up at 8 and work till 5
      -need to get their kids ready to get to school
      -solely teach their homeschooled children
      Therefore, due to having flexible schedules, they can sleep in after these late nights and awake very rested!!!

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    8. Don't forget that Michelle gets a lot of help around the house and with the younger kids, from the older kids. It will get easier for you when they grow up.

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    9. @ 5:36, Don't place these people on any sort of parenting pedestal and then compare yourself to them. Apples & oranges.

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    10. Some people handle lack of sleep better than others. Just like some folks can push through being sick better than some.Plenty of people have undiagnosed, unknown fatigue issues as well and don't realize that their tired isn't an average persons tired. None of us know what it's really like living in another person's body or life. We think sometimes we do but, how can we?
      Also it's very likely that the Duggars aren't as expressive about anything negative when they're going through various hard days or periods of time. They also have a lot of help. The average person does not.
      I promise you, every mom feels the way you do at times. You just don't hear about it.
      If your hearts in the right place and I can tell it is because you care then you're already doing a better job than you think.
      Everytime you feel down and upset like this I recommend you tell yourself what you'd tell your best friend if they said the same. You do deserve the same understanding that I'm sure you'd give her.

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    11. Adorable pictures, especially Spurgeon, he's a doll! As far as the Duggars being awake and talking to the kids.....When mine were younger or teens, there wasn't enough hours in the day. I wished I could've stayed up late like that, however, duty called and I had to get up to go to work. Now? Kids are grown and I'm a grandma now. My grand-daughter, who is 15, lives with me and grandpa and I don't need as much sleep...so I'm awake when she gets up for school, and I'm still up when she goes to bed. Lots of time for talking now!

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  10. I would love to see pictures of Jim Bob and Michelle with kids like Jennifer, Jordyn, Jedidah, and Jeremiah, the kids that don't get pictured as often.

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  11. I would love to see all the little girls at a tea party . Jedadiah and Jeremiah are not pictured too often as are Justin,James and Jason, too. It is nice to be able to spend quality time with each child individually.
    Joan.Marion and Marilyn

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  12. These are just photos.

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  13. We have NO kids! Are we bad people for that thing?Many people can`t have kids for many reasons!

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    1. If children are gifts from God, then I wonder how the Duggars would explain having no kids as "God's plan" for a couple? It would come across as pretty harsh to be told that God didn't want you to have children, when you might have desperately wanted them yourself.

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    2. That's one of the Bible's mysteries, isn't it? Why some people receive earthly blessings in such abundance, and others, despite their faithfulness, do not. I know several wonderful Christian women who have cried out to God for a just husband, much less kids, and never been blessed that way.

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    3. I've known people who desperately wanted their own children but were never able to have them. However, they had the time and attention to shower love on other kids in need. Maybe that was God's plan for them.

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  14. Remember,that JimBob and Michelle have sad dozens of times (even before the scandel) that they are not a perfect family, and have never claimed to be.Its others who put them there or presume that the family thinks they are, without knowing anything about them but heresay.We just all need to be kind to one another and respect eachother differences, and that goes for everyone...cant we just play nice, especially this time of year.Blessings😇🙏🕇

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  15. Michelle's and her daughters have always said they DO NOT shop at malls. Why now? What's changed? I'm curious. As I was curious why they said they DO NOT shop at malls.

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    1. All we see is part of a store. Doesn't really look like a mall to me.

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    2. Maybe they changed their minds?

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  16. Why would anyone stop in the middle of shopping to take a selfie??? That is not something that would ever occur to me.

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    1. You must not be a teen girl, then.

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    2. My daughters would😊. It's just something fun to do.

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  17. I have though wondered over the past 4 years,about Jordyn. She was so young when Josie was born with Michele and Jim of course spending g months,at the ICu with Josie and not at least that they showed on the show with Jordyn. Has to be incredibly hard to give quality time to this many children.

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  18. "Quality time?" Where I'm from that just falls under being a family.

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    1. True, but many families struggle with having or making time to really connect with their kids on a regular basis. The Duggars seem to do better at that than many people I know (myself included!), and it's not just because of this perception that all they do all day is hang around the house with each other. They put a high priority on their relationships with their kids, which is quite admirable.

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    2. "Quality time" really is a newfangled term, isn't it? Same as "making memories."

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