Viewers have watched Jessa Duggar's courtship with Ben Seewald since she entered the relationship 11 months ago. As of Thursday, the couple is now engaged and looking forward to their wedding day.
Many of you have asked for more details on who Ben is and what he is doing to prepare to support Jessa and his future family. He is a full-time college student studying business and, like his father, works full-time replacing and repairing auto glass. His family lives three-and-a-half hours south of the Duggars in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but Ben recently moved north to be closer to Jessa.
Ben's parents, Michael and Guinn Seewald, interviewed with People Magazine about their son and his relationship.
"When Michael and I had Ben, he was a great baby, but he was a real
handful as a toddler,"
Guinn, 40, told People. "He was very adventurous.
He was a very opinionated kid."
Although Ben is young, only 19, his father says he has always been mature for his age. "We have tried to treat him like an adult growing up,"
Michael, 39, told People. "He did kid
things, but with adulthood in view. He has had that his whole life."
The Seewalds are in full agreement with the Duggars' views on courtship and purity.
"There
is nothing in the Bible that says 'thou shalt court,' "
Guinn told People.
"But we have raised our kids to know that someone else's heart is like a
treasure, and you want to be careful with that other person and treat
them with great respect. There is no perfect pattern. Treat other people
as a gift. Honor God and your relationship."
One of the key differences between courtship and traditional dating is that courting couples are never alone together. They always have at least one chaperone. In the Duggar household, it isn't always easy to find someone who is willing to chaperone, unless you resort to bribery.
"Jessa and I found out that Jill and Derick were bribing the
younger Duggar kids with Skittles payment to be chaperones for them,"
Ben told People. "We had no idea that's why they had such an
easier time of getting chaperones."
Michael and Guinn Seewald, parents of seven, say that the size of their son's future family
is up to him and his soon-to-be wife and that they have full confidence
in Jessa and Ben to make the right decision. They like Jessa and are excited about the upcoming marriage.
"[Jessa] is very strong," Guinn told People. "She is very intelligent. She
has a lot to offer to a conversation. She has great ideas – I have
enjoyed getting to know her."
"She is exactly who we would want our son to have a relationship with," Michael added.
