Monday, July 15, 2019

Jason and James Graduate

 Jason Duggar and Michelle Duggar
Jason Duggar and Michelle Duggar

Another year, another Duggar graduation! Just yesterday, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar threw a graduation party for Jason and James at their home. A bunch of family and friends came together to celebrate these two guys and their completion of high school. Jason is the 12th Duggar child and turned 19 in April, while James is No. 13 and just had his 18th birthday this month.

Since starting this blog almost 10 years ago, we have written about a handful of Duggar graduations (Jessa, Jinger, Joseph, Josiah, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah, and Jeremiah).

James Duggar
James Duggar
 
Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com

240 comments:

  1. Graduated high school at 19?

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    1. Is that a judgment? Home schoolers don’t start at a specific age with birthdates needing to fall before a certain date....graduating seniors in public school can range in age from 17 to 19 with 18 being most common.

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    2. Why is that a big deal? It depends on where thier bdays fall in the year

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    3. The Duggar boys, are encouraged, to start working early. So my guess would be, that because Jason, was splitting his time, between working, and home school, it took him an extra year, to finish, the Duggar's home school program.

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    4. He Graduated last year. Michelle said instead of throwing a big party every year for each of the kids they do it every a couple of years. That is why Joy, Jed, and Jer had their party together.

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    5. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. At least he finished and graduated. I work at a public school and we have seniors that are 20 years old.

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    6. I know, I thought the same thing.

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    7. What's wrong with that? All of my children will graduate at 19 due to when their birthdays fall.

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    8. In the episode where Joe and Joy had their graduation party, Michelle said that they have the graduation party every two years due to the number of children.

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    9. Many kids start kindergarten at age six and graduate from high school at age nineteen.

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    10. No big deal. Give the criticism a rest.

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    11. I don't understand the question, many kids graduate shortly after turning 19, two of my own kids were 19 at graduation.

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    12. Yes it depends upon when one's birthday falls at the time they started kindergarten and this includes homeschool. I was actually 19 when I graduated because of laws when one can start kindergarten. There is no shame in graduating at 19.

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    13. Yes, there is nothing at all wrong with that.

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    14. Jason has been flipping homes. Apparently, he focused on that so his HS diploma got delayed. But he finished it and probably will end up starting off well in life with the experience as well as education. At least, if that is what he wants to do in life. We wish the best for him.

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    15. Jason looks a lot like his mother in the top picture.

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    16. It is quite common to graduate at 19. It doesn't matter what school you go to; there are many who graduate at that age. Not everyone learns at the same rate.

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    17. It happens. Some kids start homeschooling at age 6 or 7, therefore graduate later. Michelle has stated that some of the kids started as early as age 4, while others at age 7, and some in between . The important thing is she started them when they were individually ready.

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    18. What difference does that make?

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    19. Generally speaking 19 is a late age to be graduating high school. But better late than never right?

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    20. Anon, 4:37. Kids usually graduate at 17 and 18 depending on their birthday. 19 means they either started school late or got held back.

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    21. Where I am from you start kindergarten at 4 and graduate at either 17 or 18 depends on where your birthday falls so 19 would definitely be considered late.

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    22. Lol that is nothing! Refugees attending elementary schools are in their teens! They lie about their age to get in school

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  2. Congrats, guys! It must seem strange to their parents to have so few of their children be minors.

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  3. The Duggars should also announce what their future plans are. Usually high school graduation announcements include "... and he/she has been accepted at _____ College to start in September." It would be nice if they were going to Crown College of the Bible and living in residence.

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    1. Most likely they'll continue living at home and their "career" will be working for JB. That's what the rest of the young men have done.

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    2. “Should” announce their future plans. They do not need to do what you think they “should” do. It is well known that most of the Duggar siblings have not attended secondary school. It must be really annoying to have strangers constantly attempting to direct their lives.

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    3. Future plans? Go to work for JB like their brothers did.

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    4. The kids do say they take college online classes. But as usual no one is happy

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    5. College is not for everyone. I own my own business and I did not go to college.

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    6. Why do you care?

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    7. Crown college is not an accredited school

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    8. Duggar’s don’t do that so move on.

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    9. People ---- it is possible to have a life and be a productive member of society without a college education. Why can't we just celebrate this milestone without worrying about what's next. Many kids never even finish high school so this is a good thing and should not be brushed aside.

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    10. Some of us were at university at 16 🤓

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    11. @8:37 When have you ever seen a wealthy and (socially) successful family NOT want ANY of their (19) kids to get a college degree? It defies logic and odds. Yes, kids sometimes go into the family business right from high school, but most parents want their kids to experience college, get a degree ("something to fall back on"), and grow up a bit first. Duggars jump from the school table to the marriage altar to...??? The girls start having babies and the boys have to figure out how to support those babies. How many house flippers and used car salesmen and real estate brokers does NW Arkansas need? But give a kid an MBA, and he can run the whole shebang, for anyone, anywhere.

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    12. Crown College is an accredited school. They have some degrees that are in accredited programs, some are not.

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    13. Time 3:02AM Wed 7/17/19
      Some of these comments are so mean Benjamin Franklin did not finish school but he discovered electricity & opened up the first library in Philadelphia. I graduated at 21 when I attended a special Ed school. Not everybody goes to college. Ellie & Lily need to delete some of these mean comments.

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    14. @3:09 I got an offer from Florida Tech at 16 but declined to go that soon. I put it off for another year. I don't regret waiting. The last year of high school was a blast!

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    15. @3:23 Their online classes never amount to a degree. Josh said he was working on a Political Science degree. Jessa was supposedly working on a Business degree. Jill, who said she had to study first to even take CLEP exams (which high schoolers can pass in 12th grade), was going to get a Nursing degree. So was Jana. Jinger was going to get a BA in music. You see what happened. Any online classes seem to be merely time fillers until marriage opportunities come along.

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    16. You can't compare Benjamin Franklin's experience over 200 years ago with the current day college opportunities for graduates. For every famous person who didn't finish college, I can give you ten who did.

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    17. 5:47, I agree. No wonder NW Arkansas is a poor region. They have very few doctors, lawyers, scientists, businessman just a lot of car sellers and people who flip houses.

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    18. 5:47...I agree. I know a few friends who entered their family’s business straight out of high school. However, they did also complete simple business degrees. Even entrepreneurs sometimes need an education beyond HS. It helps with networking and making educated and savvy business decisions.

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    19. Anon 5:47. I agree. The smartest man I ever know had a 9th grade education. He was VERY successful financially because of his inventions. ALL of his five children had college degrees because he believed in the value of education. You CAN make it financially without the degree, but having an education that includes college will serve you a lifetime in more ways than just making a living.

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  4. As I know nothing about the American education system I need to ask what is maybe a silly question. Do these kids that are homeschooled need to pass the same exams as kids that attend school ? I know in the UK if you homeschool your child & they want to get a proper job or go to university, then they must sit GCSE exams & that means following the school curriculum & then attending a school or college to sit the exam, you cannot sit it at home as you need to be in a controlled environment. I’m curious about how this homeschooling in America works, please someone enlighten me if you don’t mind. It’s nice the family have a graduation celebration the same as kids that graduate actual school. Hope the guys had a lovely day, I look forward to hearing what they are going to do next.

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    1. Every state is a little different in it's requirements, but in my state you have to complete a certain number of credit hours. Once you complete that, you're good to go. Hope this helps!

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    2. Good question, and yes, you have to take either an SAT or an ACT test to send in to colleges, and you’re excepted based off of that and your high school grades.

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    3. High school diploma requirements vary a good deal from state to state here. In my state they have to successfully complete a certain curriculum and pass state proficiency exams to get a diploma. We also have an advanced diploma which has much more stringent requirements including taking 4 AP (college level) classes and passing the tests for them. I'm not sure how home schools are monitored to ensure the students have a comparable education.

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    4. No they dont have to. They can ipt to do.so but they dont have to. We have entrance exams into colleges. If they eant to go to ivy league or something then yes act sat all that is needed so they can see your scores but state or community colleges no.

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    5. Arkansas does not require testing of homeschool students, nor do they monitor or have requirements for what is taught. Parents have full control. Every state is different.

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    6. To get a high school diploma it would depend on what state they are in. Education requirements are decided on the state level.
      To go to college though they would have to pass the same entrance level test that is required of all applicants, usually the SAT or the ACT. They would also have to have a high school diploma or GED of course.
      Private colleges may have different entrance requirements.

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    7. My daughter is homeschooled. They follow a curriculum. She has to be taken to a designated location for state testing once per year and they also have extra tests throughout the year to make sure she is at grade level in all her classes. She also has to take a math and reading test before the year begins and if she is falling behind her grade level they have a fun online class for 45 min per week in one or both classes. It's a game that does an amazing job catching her up in no time. Once she is in high school she will get credits towards graduating just like if she was "in the building" after that she would have to do the same thing to get into college as any other kid would. Hope this helps😁 have a good day!

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    8. There are state requirements as well as school requirements. Also almost all schools require certain SATs/ACT scores, so yes there are requirements.

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    9. Homeschooling in the United States is determined by state law, not federal law. For example, in Illinois, the parents can register their children for homeschooling, but it is not required. Several states are similar to Illinois. Most states require registration and some sort of review, whatever it is a portfolio review or standardized tests. New York is the strictest with registration, your ENTIRE school plan for the YEAR, attendance records, tests.

      For college, they take the SAT or ACT just like any other student and there is a homeschooling code for the SAT and ACT registration forms, that is if they want to go to college.

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    10. The rules vary greatly by state and learning institution. Many states require an annual or every 3 year progress exam or a portfolio of work. Families can plan their own graduation but many have a group ceremony with a homeschool co-op or online group. Most colleges require a GED (general equivalency diploma) as well as that college's entrance exam some may also require additional tests such as the SAT. Many places in every state offer testing opportunities throughout the year.

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    11. Each state has different rules and regulations regarding homeschooling. Some schools require a set number of days per school year, others require exams be passed and curriculum meet certain standards. Much of it depends on the state, and much of it depends on what the student plans to do after graduation. If they plan to go on to college, they would need to take tests for entrance and to see what level they are at. If they plan to go into the military, they must obtain a GED (take a test showing that you have met certain educational requirements that meet General education Diploma requirements.)

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    12. Every state has their own regulations. Here in Michigan we have great freedom to homeschool without stringent rules. If one is going to college he has to pass the ACT or SAT with a certain score, depending on the college.

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    13. not silly at all fuzzyferet! it's actually a very good question because here in america, it all depends on where you live. some home schooled kids get a diploma and others a ged, depending on the school and how it's done (virtual/cd/etc). in order to move up a grade or graduate, you must pass the same standardized tests everyone else in the public school system would use. (i would take my kids every year at the end of the public school year for theirs) also, being home schooled is a good thing here and the kids are looked upon as having a better education than their peers. (ex: abeka curriculum is about 2 years past public. so 1st grade homeschool is on track with 3rd grade public in my area)
      'sitting' for college entrance exams varies by college. online college is extremely popular and encouraged here where i live. the student loans are considerably less, and you can do it on your own time around your work schedule for the most part.
      it'll be interesting to see how others answer for their areas

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    14. 9:08: The rules vary by state. In some states home schoolers have to take standardized tests, in other states not.

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    15. Home schooling is self paced & individualized "actual school"! Curriculums are found online. Happy hunting!

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    16. @4:56 pm, SAT & ACT scores are not required to graduate high school. Those are college admissions exams.

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    17. Wow can I just say a huge thank you to each & everyone of you for answering my question. It’s a lot clearer to me now & I see it clearly depends on what state you live in for how homeschool works. Some of you have taken such time to write out fully the requirement in your area & I'm very grateful for all your responses 💗 much love to the very nice people on this blog.

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    18. It's crazy that all states don't have stricter rules. What good is a system where parents can teach "whatever" and kids can absorb it or not...then get turned out into society to try to function with others? Without state or national standards, what's the point? I know that some homeschooled kids come out head and shoulders above the rest, which is wonderful, but now I understand what's going on in Arkansas...

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    19. The US has no national standard for a high school diploma. Any effort to create one has met with fierce resistance. Therefore a high school diploma doesn't really indicate the holder's level of academic achievement. The better colleges do require that students take national standardized tests 9ACT and/or SAT) so they can assess the student's achievement Education here is not what you're used to in the UK. The state of Arkansas where the Duggars live has rather lax standards so it's hard to say what these young men have achieved academically.

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    20. In Canada, some provinces have standardised tests for Grade 3 &/or 6 &/or 9 but there is no national or provincial exam for completing high school. When you apply to college or university, they go by individual applications. I know doctor, dentist, nurse, engineer, etc who were homeschooled. Also, in the UK, some areas must not require attending a school to write the GCSE because I follow a UK homeschool mom's blog and her three eldest have been entirely at home and written the GCSE exams at a proper location and two are in college.

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    21. @1:16. There is a catch-22 with that. The EQAO tests are NOT tests of the kids' abilities but tests to verify that the school is doing its job. They are ONLY English and Math in Grade 3 and 6 and Math is Grade 9. Second language/social sciences/sciences are NOT covered. If a particular school does poorly on the EQAO then extra help for that school kicks in. The student's EQAO results are NOT maintained in the student's file, although parents are sent the results. The teachers actually do not see individual student's test results.

      In Ontario, ONLY the province can issue high school diplomas. The curriculum/marking rubric/books used is standard across the province with individual boards setting board-wide final exams per subject. So, yes, there are exams across the province.

      Students, who are home schooled, can obtained the credits and, hence the diploma, if they are enrolled in a distant learning program offered by an accredited (by the province) high school. That is the only way they can earn an Ontario High School diploma. The very few home schooled students I know have gone that route.

      Because, quite honestly, without a high school diploma (with the marks that go with it), it is very difficult for a student to earn acceptance into one of our community colleges or universities. Acceptance is very competitive, based on first passed the gate (marks, marks and marks)

      Acceptance is, yes, by individual application but the universities set aside only a few places for "unusual students" and foreign students.

      We may know a doctor, nurse, engineer who were home schooled but I know many more successful doctors, dentists, nurses, engineers, scientists, economists... who are graduates of our public schools.

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    22. Homeschooling fascinated me. I know a few homeschool families. They homeschool due to personal preference, not necessarily religious beliefs. I am a teacher of deafness children. I guess my concern with some states’ homeschooling rules, is the lack of regulation. Where I live, teachers have masters degrees and are heavily evaluated each year. Why are the rules different for homeschool parents? Why isn’t someone regulating the capabilities of parents? Also, I am curious what happens if a child is special needs and there is no professional to catch it? One of the Bates daughters is hard of hearing. Does she receive special services? Speech therapy? Just curious.

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    23. Hi Fuzzy, I homeschool my son and we are in a community that follow the same curriculum. I have books I collected myself that help with state testing so I know I'm on par with what the tests require.

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  5. Dear Ellie and Lily,
    When will you update the main screen and put Ivy there no rush but just wandering.

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    1. I’m going to guess they’ll wait until the new babies are born in November since updating the children her isn’t as easy as it seems.

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    2. With all the other babies expected before the end of the year I think they would want to wait. It’s no easy job to make these changes, there is a limited amount of space for the header, the Duggar’s might be close to capacity.

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    3. You're asking what date this will be done? Do you want the time of day it will be done also?

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    4. I was wondering the same thing 9:32 is asking. They updated the Bates not the Duggars. She wasn't demanding a date.

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    5. if i were ellie, i'd wait until anna, kendra & lauren delivered cuz she's just going to have to change it again in a couple months!

      ellie, you should do another blog with your headers! that was cool to see them change over the years

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  6. Congratulations Jason and James!

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  7. I'm curious how the homeschooling work -- do they have each individual program? do they go by a grade? I noticed they all graduate at different ages, like Jason is 19, and Jessa, Josiah and Joseph were 17 when they graduated. Also Joy, Jed and Jer I think graduated at the time, but Joy is a year older than her brothers.

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    1. I'm not sure what they do. It appears that they have them grouped and that two or three of them are at the same grade level at the same time.

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    2. It's cheaper to host 1 party, so they might wait to celebrate when they have a couple kids completing school at once. Jason might have been 18 when he graduated but didn’t get a party until now.

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    3. I easily pulled up a homeschooling fact sheet from the Arkansas gov. website. The rules are very lax- testing is no longer required of homeschool students and the state cannot monitor the curriculum or student work or require record keeping. Parents can decide what content is taught. It also states that no diploma can be issued by the state or school districts for a homeschooled student. Sounds like they have to get a diploma through whatever curriculum provider is used. Parents can pretty much decide when their child has finished, at least in Arkansas. I know that in my state, the rules are more strict and students are required to take tests.

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    4. They graduate at different times. They have a party every couple years for the ones who graduated. Michelle said it would be too much for people to come every year to celebrate. They have people from different state that travel to the party

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    5. I assume it’s an online program that they complete at the speed they need individually.

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    6. Michelle mentioned in one episode, they don't have the PARTY every time each child finish their course requirements, they combine the parties together. It is most likely that Jason finished his requirements a year ago, but Mom and Dad did not throw the PARTY until after James finished his requirements.

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    7. Many times one of them graduated months or a year earlier, but they have to share a graduation party with a sibling.

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    8. Other than filing with the state, Arkansas does not regulate homeschooling. Parents pretty much decide what and how to teach. No testing is required and the state does not issue diplomas. Depending on the curriculum, you "graduate" once you've jumped through all their hoops and the company gives you a diploma. KIds move at their own pace, that's why they "graduate" at different ages. Homeschooling rules and regulations vary a great deal from state to state. Some are much more strict about record keeping, testing, standards, etc.

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  8. The body language in the top picture.

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    1. What about it?

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    2. Are you claiming to be one of these silly body language experts? The picture is lovely!

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    3. What about it?

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    4. I think we've just witnessed the newest thing, the One-Way Side Hug.

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    5. What about it 10:06?

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    6. She standing next to the stove she might have something on her hand or someone said lets take a picture and caught her off guard. Relax people.

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    7. I want to see every picture you have taken 10:06

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    8. Why don't you hug your own son on graduation day? Her hand is drawn far away to the side.

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  9. I'm glad they have finished high school. What are their career plans? Are they going to trade school, vocational school or college to learn job skills?

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    1. They would be the first Duggars to do any of that!

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    2. The Duggars don’t encourage that sadly. I hope someone breaks the mold

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    3. The comments here expose prejudices, "mainstream" thinking & ignorance. The Duggar children helped build their own family home; plenty of life skills learned! Their parents did a spectacular job. Congratulations! ❤

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    4. 5:40- Exposure to and learning life skills are great. However, are any of them professionally licensed in the building trades?

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    5. And the Duggar daughters are (or will be) responsible for homeschooling their own children. With such a low bar set for graduating homeschool high school in that State how can they be competent enough to educate the next generation?

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    6. You know lots of people learn by bring taught by others, having mrntors, learn by watching, and by reading about and doing it themselves and real life common sense is sometimes better than book sense.

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    7. It's not like the younger kids will be hidden from the world as many travel. The kids will learn and get curious about stuff and may end up going to study in college when they get older

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    8. If everyone got only a high school education and nobody went to college, we'd throw society backwards by about 400 years and completely stall technology and medicine. Is that what you non-college promoters want? Our job as parents it to prepare our children for the future and encourage them to take the reins, fully educated, so they can exceed our own achievements. The future is depending on it.

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  10. Congratulations to Jason and James on your graduation! When home schooling who knows when its time to graduate?

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    1. The state has certain requirements that they have to meet in order to get a high diploma. When those are met, it's graduation time.

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    2. When you finish the curriculum

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    3. Each state has it's own laws for homeschooling and when a student has completed a course of study and most homeschool parents follow these laws and I'm certain the Duggars do to.

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    4. I homeschooled in high school and homeschool my children now. In highschool I had to receive the correct number of credits before I could graduate. I had to evaluate my senior year what credits I had left to decide what classes I needed to take to graduate. I also followed a curriculum but I decided which extra classes to take if I was lacking a credit in a certain area.

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  11. Congratulations!
    How many Duggars now graduated? 13? Only 6 to go!

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    1. The Duggars, still in home school are: Justin, Jackson, Johannah, Jennifer, Tyler, (Michelle's Grand Nephew,) Jordan and Josie.

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    2. Yes 13 have graduated and there are 7 to go, including Tyler.

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    3. Tyler is not a Duggar. Unless they have legally adopted him and changed his name. I thought he was just living with them temporarily due to a bad family situation he had.

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  12. Why is Jason wearing a baseball cap inside the house?

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    1. Why wouldn’t he? Many people wear hats inside the house, it’s not a big deal.

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    2. Maybe the men are allowed to wear a hat in the Duggar house.

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    3. Why does it matter?

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    4. Because it is his family house and not yours

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    5. Wow! I'm glad you don't live in my home. When I was rearing my 2 sons, I learned to pick my battles. Wearing a hat in the house was very low on my priority list.

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    6. Because he's in his own home?

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    7. So you would ask

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    8. Because he’s in his home and it’s not 1950.

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    9. Really?!? THAT is what you took away from this post? Who cares!

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    10. Why are you asking such an asinine question?

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    11. Lol, do people question why you wear certain things in your house. This is a ridiculous question!

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    12. Because there's no law that says he shouldn't AND who cares what someone wears in their own house anyway?

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    13. There is no law but it is called good manners to remove hats when indoor no matter what the year.

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    14. Why would someone ask such a question? Because it got 10 replies, that's why!

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    15. 10:35 Good manners are relative and change throughout time.

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    16. 10:35, maybe in some houses, not everyone is that uppity though.

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    17. I think the good manners/hats rule has gone by the wayside in our culture. I personally have no problem with someone wearing a hat in their own home.

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    18. Men remove hats inside and when the National Anthem is played. These boys should know that. That will never change. Would they wear hats inside church?

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    19. I love that response 4:03 PM! Thank you!

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    20. So 10:35 Since you consider it "bad manners" to wear a hat or anything for that matter in the house, would you require a Mennonite woman to remove her cap or hanging veil in your home? Or a Jewish rabbi to remove his prayer cap? After all, they are inside and according to you there are no exceptions including religious.

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    21. Respect and common sense are timeless

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    22. Having good manners isn't uppity it's just plain polite. It's basic removal of a hat not like he has to wear a tuxedo to dinner now that would be upputy LOL

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    23. Mennonite caps and yarmukles are not hats and are vastly different things than a teenager's baseball cap! Nice try, though.

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    24. Prayer caps and ball caps are entirely different things, 6:53. You don't expect a nun to remove her habit or a Muslim woman to take off her hijab either. But that doesn't make wearing a man's ball cap inside a building any more correct. It's not a religious article. It should come off indoors. If these boys didn't learn that from their father, they should have learned it from that academy they attend that makes "men" out of them. Bet you can't wear your uniform cap indoors there.

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  13. Congratulations and blessings on your nee phase of life!

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    1. It's a new SEASON of life, not a phase.

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    2. A season IS a phase. A period of time. Like the 4 seasons in a year. The 2 are quite similar and do not require any correction.

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    3. Anon 5:16 - I can’t believe you are so critical. Phase is an acceptable term for a measured time in your life.

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  14. Happy 4 birthday Meredith!!!!! 🎂 🎉

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    1. Her birthday is tomorrow, July 16th.

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  15. IS it a high school graduation ?

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    1. I gather they've completed the state requirements to get a high school diploma. Since they don't attend regular school, I guess it's what they get.

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    2. I suppose. When I see this I feel really sorry for the Duggar and other home schooled kids. Home schooling may have its advantages but they have none of the memories that made senior year special. It's been many years since I graduated high school, but I still have my yearbook, class ring, tassel from my cap and senior picture. To say nothing of all the activities that we had. Senior breakfast, senior prom, getting my class pictures made, wearing our cap and gown to graduation ceremony and graduation party in the school gym. The Duggar boys get a party in the family kitchen. I guess it's all they ever expected but I think it's pretty paltry.

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    3. 4:08 - I went to a regular school and my only memories of senior year are depression and bullying - chance is homeschool probably doesn't have those.

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    4. to @4:08 pm. I went to a plain old public high school and we had absolutely no special senior year. Same yearbook as everyone else. No breakfast. No activities. The graduation ceremony is always held in November and by then most people have moved on. I went 10 hours away to university and could not come back for that and, anyway, was too busy with my new life. Also, I have friends who did not care for any of those activities when they did have them at their high schools. That's nice you had good memories but it does not mean that other people share your opinion or that homeschoolers have a lesser experience than you.

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    5. Anon 1:20. Graduation ceremony in November? Your school must been unique. I've lived in four different states and NONE of the schools where I lived did that. Graduation was always held at the end of the academic school year (usually late May or early June). I can't imagine why a school district would do that. Pity you don't have better memories of high school.

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    6. @10:38

      Same. I hated my senior year and could not wait to graduate. I refused to go to any of those special senior events except graduation, and I was hesitant to attend that as well.

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    7. I was a homeschool graduate, and we had a ceremony/party like the Duggars, where several people spoke and I was handed my diploma. It was fine. I went through the pomp and circumstance when I graduated from college and grad school. Sure, it was fun and exciting. But in the long run, I graduated every time and it's really not that important how it was commemorated.

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    8. @10:38 This is why schools have counselors. There's help for every child, if that child will take it.

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    9. No. There is no high school. There is a home school. So it is a home school graduation. But still a graduation. So good for them!

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  16. They really need to stop using the word "graduate."

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    1. Um, no. If they've finished their course of study, they have the right to use the word.

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  17. James looks so much like his grandfather Duggar.

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  18. Somehow having a party in your kitchen seems kind of sad to me. They don't get the excitement of a cap and gown, a ceremony with all the pomp and circumstance of a regular high school graduation in front of friends and family.

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    1. Have you seen their parties? They do not have the party in their kitchen. They do have lots of guests and a diploma ceremony.

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    2. Please don't make assumptions based on your personal experience. Not every student wants all the focus and attention that goes along with a public school graduation, walking across a stage in front of hundreds of people. How personal and how much individual recognition does each graduating senior get, with just their name being called as they cross the stage (one among the hundreds of other names)? So many students work really hard to graduate, for a mere few seconds while they cross the stage (and often the next name is called before they get to the other side and receive their diploma). Often the students who actually had to work for their grades are overshadowed by the "gifted and talented" students giving lofty valedictorian speeches. Many people have not had that warm and fuzzy, fitting-in, belonging, fun-filled public high school experience. That mandatory grad walk is them walking away and creating a better life for themselves. In my public high school of hundreds, a small group of 10 wealthy "popular" kids ruled the school, charming the administration, and targeted bullying of everyone else. The teachers knew it, but could do nothing because their parents were heavy financial contributors (one of the girls was the daughter of the schools superintendent, another was the daughter of the vice principal). My husband had a similar experience at his high school. A large number of public school students are just trying to survive by flying under the radar and are living for that grad walk to leave.

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    3. If you’re concerned about the PARTY, or even them missing out on the ceremony, you should probably rethink your priorities. Most graduation parties are either at the person’s house, or at a park. They have a massive house with tons of land; their house can host hundreds.

      I think it’s a shame that they miss out on going to school with other kids. They don’t get to do organized sports, or join the marching band. No school dances. No yearbooks full of memories and classmates.
      But I think it’s even worse that they don’t get a future. They can’t go to college and further their education. With 20 kids (counting Tyler) I’m sure some of them want to follow in their parents’ footsteps, but I can’t imagine that none of them would want to go college if given the opportunity. I doubt that they all want to have kids ASAP.

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    4. 6:43 It's too bad your experience was so negative. That's not the case for everyone and the Duggar kids have never even had the opportunity to try public school or college to see if they would enjoy it.

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    5. I know many homeschool families and the high school age kids are much much more mature than 17 and 18 yr olds of today. They have been classically trained which is a whole different way of learning. My son at 6yrs of age knows all the presidents in order, how to count money, tell time using a face clock and (gasp!!) Is socialized!

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    6. Some kids in my church prefer to go to the church’s graduation party because it’s dry, chaperoned and they know they won’t get pressured into doing something that nine months later results in labour & delivery .

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  19. Do you have to repeat grades in homeschool class like you do in private and public school if you get failing grades? Because one son is 19 and the other is 18. Most of us graduate at 17.

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    1. Just like public school students, home school students learn at different rates and have different learning styles. Sometimes, a student may need extra help in a subject (extra practice or even tutoring) and sometimes a student may need to repeat a course or grade. If the parent is pretty hands-on, one advantage of homeschooling is that the parent can see that their child is having trouble with a concept and rectify the situation immediately, before it becomes a major issue for the child (not six weeks later when report cards come out). Parents of large families, using primarily computer curriculum due to time constraints (and being outnumbered), do have to commit time to regularly review each child's computer-generated grades. Otherwise the child may silently struggle, become discouraged, give up and fall behind. One of the most important reasons to home school is to ensure your child understands and masters the material to the best of his/her ability. Just as in public school, not all home school students are going to be straight-A students. Educational standards vary, just like they do in public schools, depending on the teacher's commitment, the curriculum, the student, and the learning environment.

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    2. In home school one doesn't move on until they understand the topic or achieve mastery. There's no need to repeat grades. A lot of home schoolers do not put their child in the "box" aka grade level.

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    3. The beauty of homeschooling is you can continue to work on whatever the child is struggling with at their own pace. Kids learn differently and I give all homeschool moms kudos for being able to choose to stay home while their husband works and really work with their kids to get the best education possible. Teachers cannot do what moms can. Moms can teach their kids. Curriculum books are available all over stores

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  20. It amazes me that they think these boys can have nothing more than some high school classes at home and then go on to support a wife and oodles of kids the rest of their lives. What are the "trades" they mentioned when they shared that picture? The boys don't go to any accredited trade school or come out with any state trade license, not that they've ever mentioned.

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    1. Exactly. If they went to trade school and got training to be a licensed electrician, plumber, welder, HVAC technician they were would be able to support a family. That never happens. The TLC money isen't going to last forever.

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    2. Who outside their own family or their church friends would hire an unlicensed Duggar contractor? It would be like sitting in the cockpit of a plane for awhile, watching someone else fly it, and then declaring yourself a pilot. There's a reason there are state exams and licenses for trades.

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    3. They all seem to be getting along better in life than I am so guess they're doing something right!

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  21. Con Grad U 2 lation!!!!!! I am proud!!!!!

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  22. I would love to see one of these kids break the mold and live on campus at a mainstream university.
    I hope the family would support them if they want to be an accountant, or an engineer, or a nurse.
    This family is stuck in 1940s like archaic gender roles where boys go to work for dad and girls get pregnant at 19. I hope and pray that this is what these young adults want.

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    1. Well being 'progressive'has gotten teens nowhere in life. Dumb Facebook challenges like eating tidepods, jumping out of slow moving cars and dancing in the street, licking ice cream out of containers and putting it back in the freezer while filming themselves!!! I'll take archaic way of life thank you very much!

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    2. Sorry but have you seen most of today's teens and young 20s?? Most don't want to work thanks to some fools in our govt thinking everything can come free. Not all are like that but I know so many. The Duggars can walk all over them with what they know and how they grew up. Morals have gone out the window.

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  23. Age 19? Was he held back a year? Do they hold back in home school? Congrats to them!

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    1. I think they just paired them up and taught them both at the same time because it was easier for the parents to do it that way.

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    2. Getting held back in high school is a joke.

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  24. Thats good for them!! Growing on up.

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  25. Congratulations to you both. All the negative ppl out there , I had a child graduate at 19 and one at 18. Depends on when their birthday falls and if they were held back a grade etc... As long as they graduate the ending is the same.

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  26. hope the boys move out join the military serve there country. go out into the WORLD. not depend on your parents

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    1. why is that a lol?

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    2. They don't have to join the military..

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    3. Lol ask the basement dwelling millenials when THEY will move out of their parent's house!! Lol!! Your comment is hilarious and foolish!!

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    4. @ 8:34 probably because it should be their country not there. I think they were laughing at the original poster.

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  27. Since Arkansas pretty much lets parents decide what their home schooled kids learn and doesn't issue high school diplomas to them, graduation is whenever the parents say it is. Guess it works for the Duggars since they don't go to college, they just go to work for JB.

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    1. When did working in the family business become so undesirable and looked down on? People have done it for centuries. The Duggars are not the first to do it. I wish I could work with my family but no one wants to but me. I think working together brings you closer. They are lucky their father has worked hard to make options available to them.

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    2. Working the family business used to be a thing! People made good money working in the family businesses back in the day. Poor parenting and participation trophys pretty much destroyed that

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  28. Dear Jim Bob and Michelle, My parents and I would love to see the graduation of Jason and James on Counting On. We are very excited for them. Congratulations hopefully they will go to college or somewhere for work experience. Natasha B.

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  29. Congratulations Jason and James. Good job. God Bless.
    Joan,Marion and Marilyn

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  30. It's so interesting seeing them grow up. They seem to be growing up into great God Loving adults. Some are practicing their faith a little differently than their parents but others seem to be following their parents path. So happy for James and look forward seeing how their future unfolds. By the way, I think Jason graduated last year but congrats to him as well.

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    1. Why do people always try to define the Duggars as "God loving"? There are other attributes humans can be and still be wonderful people. There are even other gods in world religions. The Duggars are not superior to others. I thought part of their (and maybe your) Christianity was to admit that.

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  31. I can't believe Jason and James are 18 and 19 already!! It seems just the other day they were little boys! Time flies so quickly!!!

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  32. The Duggar’s used to do Son-Light Christian curriculum which is computer software you purchase. But for all the little ones they do school at the table until they reach like 3rd I think she said. And that’s exactly what I will probably be doing here this year with my 3 because it gets hard to have varying ages focused and taught at once.

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