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One of the criticisms I have of the Duggar IS that they made their ‘family’ a cottage industry. ABC isn’t camped out in Michelle Duggar’s bathroom, waiting for the pregnancy test to develop...they ‘alert’ the media themselves.

On ‘paper’ they appear awesome. On the TV show...well...those girls (in particular) lead a pretty hard life (sooo very much of household chores are the RESPONSIBILITY of the kids...not a chore...their ‘job.’) The camera catches all...and some of the episodes show (again the girls) marvelling at their new front loaders at their new house and how wonderful and more effiencient their laundry chores will...and the girl was like 12 or 13. Sorry...learning to be responsible and helping with assigned chores is different than having a younger sibling assigned to you; along with ten loads of laundry or cooking for 20 DAILY.

As I’ve traveled about the world and returned to the States the thing that earmarks American children of all economic classes is that American children are spoiled.

Doing chores and WORK in the company of your brothers and sisters is a good thing. In El Salvador many girls do loads of laundry on a river rock. The Duggars have these labor saving machines.

If that's the way you feel, then don't have 19 kids and raise your own children however you like. But these people seem to be doing a fine job with this brood.

Frankly, kids who have to work hard and contribute to the family seem to turn out to be better, more productive adults than kids who have a lot of free time or a lot of planned "kid" activities.

Think about it. In generations past, kids were expected to work hard - and our society was not digging itself into the pit of hell (or at least not as fast). Now, our kids have lots of free time, or are busy with planned "kid" activities - they are spared having to work hard to contribute to the family - and look at what our society has become.

On ‘paper’ they appear awesome. On the TV show...well...those girls (in particular) lead a pretty hard life (sooo very much of household chores are the RESPONSIBILITY of the kids...not a chore...their ‘job.’) The camera catches all...and some of the episodes show (again the girls) marvelling at their new front loaders at their new house and how wonderful and more effiencient their laundry chores will...and the girl was like 12 or 13. Sorry...learning to be responsible and helping with assigned chores is different than having a younger sibling assigned to you; along with ten loads of laundry or cooking for 20 DAILY.

I only had 4, and they learned to do their own laundry at about 8. All of them learned to cook before they left home -- including the boys, especially the boys. Mine all had jobs in high school and college. They all are grown and have families of their own.

I admire the Duggar family and enjoy their "shows" on TV. I couldn't do it. I think they lived in a rather small house until just recently. And Michelle shops at thrift stores. They are self supporting and own rental property from which they derive much of their income. Michelle also home schools them. We need more Duggars in this country. Anyone criticising them is emotionally stunted themselves.

Having assigned chores /jobs didn’t see to hurt anyone for hundreds of years.As example look at how the west was settled. Children in families were expected to do far worse chores from dawn until dusk with no modern appliances.

maybe the verdict is still out on this family, maybe we will see in a few more years as more grow up and leave the family. If most of them go on to lead productive lives then it didn’t hurt them to work during their childhood. I wouldn’t be surprised to have 1 or 2 rebel, just the law of averages.
For now they are certainly learning responsibility and how to care for themselves, something too few children of today learn.

As far as them contacting ABC does it say it in the story they contacted ABC? I had not heard of this family until number 17 and then only a small story in Dallas paper so I doubt they are having children for the fame.

Certainly different than 3rd generation welfare mothers having more to get increase in WIC etc govt money. wouldn’t you say?

I normally agree with you, but on this I don’t; we used to work with a black man who had 12 kids and used the same methods as this family, each and every one of his kids went on to college and got advanced degrees and last I heard all are a joy to their family, the LA Times even did a story on them one time because they were an oddity for a black family living in Compton (tough, tough neighborhood)...same as Duggar’s the older kids were responsible for the younger and everyone had chores.... personally I think a great deal of what is wrong in this country is kids are being coddled and not required to do chores and have responsibilities; chores are as important (IMHO) as being good students... and in many ways seem to go hand-in-hand.

those girls (in particular) lead a pretty hard life (sooo very much of household chores are the RESPONSIBILITY of the kids...not a chore...their ‘job.’)

And they do it with JOY. I don't consider a household 'job' to be a 'hard life'.

You make it sound as if the parents are slave owners and they aren't anything like that. The Duggars love their children, respect their children and homeschool their children. It doesn't take ALL DAY to homeschool (like it does with public school). Everything they do, they do as a FAMILY.

Every child plays a musical instrument. They own several businesses. Mr. Duggar was once a state congressman.

No, the children aren't MADE to do anything. They are more than happy to take part in their FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES. I have never seen any of them without a smile on their faces. I would think if they had a 'pretty hard life' it would show at some point.

Yes, they really look unhappy with a 'hard life'. /s

They all look so unhappy. That 'hard life' must be taking it's toll. /s

Sorry...learning to be responsible and helping with assigned chores is different than having a younger sibling assigned to you; along with ten loads of laundry or cooking for 20 DAILY.

Somehow, they find time for school, for play, to play instruments, and sing. I dunno. I grew up in a family of only five kids, but my parents believed that idle hands were the devil’s workshop. So - we had a few hours of chores EVERY day. Weeding a two-acre garden, cleaning out the woods, laundry, dishes, etc. We certainly didn’t have as much as a 20-person family, but they made up for it by MAKING jobs. We had to clean “shut-ins” houses, and garden for some elderly folks around us. (At ages 8, 9, 10.) Somehow, it all turned out ok.

I think only time will tell. But I also think that a child who’s been given responsibility — even big responsiblity — along with joyful, family experiences, will do a lot better in life than a child who’s been given a remote and a playstation.