Arkansas family prepares for baby No. 19

"They adhere to a Christian movement called Quiverfull, whose members take seriously the Biblical exhortation to be fruitful and multiply and believe that every child is a gift from Providence."

They also take the idea of a womens place is in the kitchen and submits to the husband to the same level. I've read some really horrible stories of women who escape the movement.

And, it's a bountiful tax deduction, wow.

Quiverfull = nutcases, a cult - should be investigated and shut down.

It should NOT be that way though, Addiem!

Definitely a gene pool that needs to be diluted or washed away!

These people are NOT acting Responsibly OR Rationally!

If one parent ends up out of work, 90% of this family will end up on Welfare!

Keep your Richard in your pants.....OOPS too late that boy has been born already!

Tax deduction? Do you have kids? because if you did, you would know the maximum deduction is only 2 or 3, no matter how many kids you have! Be nice :)

a cult - should be investigated and shut down

Obviously you don't know anything about this family. He is a successful business man in the area that they live in. Granted, it's not something most people would want to do (have that large of a family)......but... a cult? Typical....start calling people names and labeling them.

So many sad people on here that would never admit to any kind of jealousy of the stability of this family. It's pretty clear that this entire family is happy in their situation. Some will be honest and wish they had that...others will only hide their sadness behind insults.

Regina, you can deduct as many children as you have, that meet the requirements for deduction. You have to be able to prove you provide over 1/2 of their support, that they lived with you for over 1/2 the years.

I work with a young man (33), he and his wife have been married for 11 years and have 10 children. He doesn't have any federal withholding deducted from his check because he has all the children to deduct from his taxes.

Jay - I agree with most of what you are saying.

I don't, however, believe these (me included) posters are Jealous. That word is so over used!! If you don't agree with someone, you always get labeled jealous, especially on these boards.

I do admire the Duggars for their happiness and their stability. That is one thing (stability) my former husband and I could never offer our 2 kids. My sisters and I had stability while growing up. Security, stability. Nothing can beat that!

I do think they (Duggars) take the Scriptures too seriously. I don't think God wants us to have a colony all on our own. There are too many people already. While they will never go hungry or be homeless. they will suffer limitations that a smaller family will not. And I do think 19 kids are too many. I think more than 4 are too many.

Especially since they have been on TV - Now it just seems to be a game they are playing. Seriously, I'm a woman and I cannot even imagine being pregnant that many times!! I can't believe how they find time to have SEX!?!?!

Of course, This is AMERICA, where we are free to procreate at our will and wouldn't want it any other way. And what the Duggars do are their business. As long as they are happy with their actions and continue to take responsiblity for those actions, I say more power to them!!

But I won't watch their TV show. Somehow, TV, in my mind, has made them less believable. I mean, would they continue to have children if they didn't get to announce it on TV and then have a TV show about how many children they have?

Gayle, I understand what you mean. Not everyone is making fun of them out of jealousy. I understand that some disagree, but many are disagreeing without understanding. I realize we all have been guilty of that. It's human ignorance. Don't you think God is happy that there are more people on this earth that trust him and rely on him as a result of what this family has done? This family is very different from the whole Octomom situation. I won't say they don't have their problems, but you can see they have consistency.

Yeah, Jay, they're "consistent" all right. Jealous? Pleeeeeze! I can't speak for the rest of the women out there, but I'd rather be tied to an anthill in Baghdad or run naked through the Mall of Americas than have 19 kids.

I'd be curious if the whole family ever got to go on vacation together? Via bus I guess? How do you find something that entertains the span of ages? If the older children still have to "parent' the younger children even then, is that really a vacation?

What would happen to all of these children if something were to happen to either of the parents? As a parent we owe our children that we are responsible. Having this many pregnancies has to be very hard on the mother's body. I just believe it is selfish on the part of the parents.

Gosh....this family reproduces faster than my zucchini plant produces zucchini!

"Don't you think God is happy that there are more people on this earth that trust him and rely on him as a result of what this family has done?"

Jay Thomson: Just so you know, for future postings, when referring to God, it's "Him" not "him".

Good catch jojo. Consistency in grammar is important to communication in our society. I try to uphold that as I preach it.

For all of you who are worried about the population, instead of trying to stop this couple from producing hard working American citizens, why not gas the murderers and rapists in the prison system instead of paying tens of thousands of dollars a year for them to live in a cage... Or could you people really be that sick that you'd rather stop people from having children like China does?

When it finally reaches the point where human existance is dependant on our keeping our population under control because of mass starvation, you may change your mind. We have already exceeded our carrying capacity. At the exponential rate of population growthg already far out pacing the growth of food production and capacity, it is only a matter of time.

I may change my mind when I damn well please. In the meantime, I recommend looking at the prison population that remains alive because of our tax dollars. How stupid do we look when complaining about a family of 19, law abiding citizens, taking care of themselves, when we pay for murderers and rapists to live in prisons!!! I wouldn't expect people to be yelling at the Muslims that are having millions of babies in different countries. Why make such a fuss over a few people doing it here?

You do know that if you killed every person in prison it woudn't even touch on the number of population growth we are experienceing right? Even if you killed every one of them around the world? You get how population growth is mantained, correct? You have seen the world wide numbers, correct?

This isn't an us of them thing, when it is finally fully felt it will be an all of the human race thing.

Bren, they are trying to take over the state. That's why they are "doing it". Or maybe they're just severely damaged material...

And people criticzed the Catholics!!! I certainly don't think it's a good idea to have that many children, (or even close) but what the heck, it's no skin off my nose. If they can afford it, and manage their family and the children know they are each one loved, how about we all just worry about our own kids.

stevo, that was hillarious and

phlan, are you saying Jesus made her pregnant? :-)

Jay, everyone here has a right to be appalled by their actions...and the only person I believe is jealous is Michelle. How convenient for this pregnancy to happen right as her daughter-in-law is getting deserved attention for her first child. Michelle is taking the attention to be taken off the first grandchild so she can be pampered again. She and her husband are selfish. Just because these families are all sunshine and roses on television doesn't mean something isn't happening behind closed doors. People get upset because of classrooms being overcrowded because the children cannot get the attention they need. Who in their right mind is going to believe that a family that has a sign-up sheet to have one-on-one time with their parents while the older children raise the younger ones while mom's planning the next baby shower is stable?

Gayle-324397... Your comment at #2.9 was great other then the last paragraph. I disagree that this family has anything to prove for the TV show or anyone else when it comes to their choice to have children. They are not J&K, who are being supported by their children. The Duggar's made good financial investments long before doing the TV show.

Jay Thomson... You made an excellent post at #2.10. I have agreed with some of your other posts over all and I understand where you are coming from.

Jay Thomson-

For all of you who are worried about the population, instead of trying to stop this couple from producing hard working American citizens,

Well yeah it is hard working being a baby factory.

Have you actually read ANYTHING about Quiverfull? You do realize the girls will never go to college or university. They will be made to breed. There is no contraception, no pre-natal care, surgical sterilizations are reversed, it is sacrificing your body for more babies, etc

There mission statement

Missionary effort

Quiverfull's principal authors and its adherents also describe their motivation as a missionary effort to raise up many Christian children to affect the world for the cause of the Christian religion.[2] Its distinguishing viewpoint is to eagerly receive children as blessings from God,[2][5] eschewing all forms of contraception, including natural family planning and sterilization.[6][18]

wiki

I'm all for happy, stable families, just not ones that include double digits of kids. It is too many.

The female is supposed to get pregnant every 2 years, in that time frame. It is like a breeding cycle of non-human animals. The female is well basically like a breeding slave.

The story of Vyckie Garrison a former follower that got out. Interesting information of her life within and given the fact her husband had a work accident and that was their source of income, and be apparently became abusive.

All the intelligent, self-respecting women I've ever known fit into one of two religious categories.

1) Christian, but extremely liberal in biblical interpretation, or

2) Non-christian and quite satisfied with their choice.

Reactionary nutballs like Quiverful only serve to illustrate the reason why, imo. :P

I think there is something in the bible about gluttony. She and her husband need to think that just because her uterus will accomodate yet another pregnancy, that maybe it just isn't that good of an idea! Maybe instead of birth control, either of them should think about getting sterilized. God made man, man can sterilize one of these crazy parents? Sounds good to me.

They use the "buddy system" to raise the kids, which means the parents gave control of the newborns over to one of the other kids to raise. That is ridiculous. They quit taking responsibility for the children that they create a long time ago. That is just plain lazy and as far as I am concerned, amoral. After all, if you are going to give birth to these children, shouldn't you take responsibility for their care and upbringing? That's why they keep having kids, because they found a way to get out of taking care of them.

I wish the media would quit glorifying abnormally large families like this, the Octomom, and John and Kate. There is nothing to aspire to with these families. It's disgusting.

I totally agree. Children are not cattle, you shouldn't just shoot them out and run them down the chute to count them. They are human beings that need love and attention. How can you possible give that number of children all the attention they need. It's impossible, and these parents are totally irresponsible. Shame on them!

How the hell does one transport 19 kids around....... do they have a school bus? Can you imagine how much medical bills must be? The house itself? Food, clothes, diapers, presents... my God. You'd have to be rich to just survive day to day.

Donna, it's not impossible. This family has done it. It just takes hard work and consistency; something that our pussified country is now deathly afraid of. Try watching the show a few times and you'll see what I mean. It's not impossible, it's just really really hard to do nowadays, but they are actually able to do it.

Simplistic Reality,
They travel in a tour bus type motor home for trips and they buy in bulk to save money. Yes, they do have money, but look at what they spend it on. When you see that they don't buy much of the useless crap that the rest of us buy, you'll see how they can afford to live. It's budgeting and being wise with your resources. Something people used to do in our country 100 years ago.

And I'll bet the husband controls all of the money too. I'm glad they are able to live on such small amounts of money, but it sounds like abuse to me and I'll bet he LOVES to control his wife and kids!

Again, watch the show and you'll see that's not the case. We live in a society that loves to fight against this type of family that has specific roles. It's easy for a lot of people to assume this is about control, but if you look, there are actually men out there who love and don't want to simply control their wives, and there are women out there who respect and do not want to control their husbands. Some people just believe in a basic balance and when they agree on it and follow it, they have a happy, successful family of which people quickly become jealous.

I'm sure what you see on the show does not reflect their real lives. The fact that they HAVE a show is pretty disgusting to me, since you know that's how they make most of their money. They're exploiting their gigantic family.

re: 3.3 Simplistic-the duggars bought the land they live on a long time ago. they designed and built the house themselves. the entire family built that house. they installed a commercial kitchen by buying used appliances. they do things like make their own soap, shampoo and laundry detergent and household cleaners. clothes and shoes are purchased 2nd hand. they have a huge garden to grow their own vegetables (weather permitting) and buy in bulk with fistfuls of coupons. they travel in a 1993 prevost 15 bed tour bus (also bought 2nd hand). and they live debt free. their income is from commercial land rentals (a business they started right after they got married), their show and books they've written.

Oh! Is that the family that had a special on TV about there kids and the house? If so I have seen it. Was nuts. Kitchen and storage area looked like a restaurant size thing. Was crazyness.

Another thing that irritates meabout this family, that no one else has commented on, so far, is the fact that they all the kids names have to start with the letter J. That drives me nuts. Maybe if they sent the kids to school, they would find out that there are 25 other letters in the alphabet.

Many people use that same system when naming their children. It's a choice and not something to be concerned with. Some parents give their children very difficult names that are hard to pronounce and even more difficult for the child to spell it.

Neither parent seems to have any kind of control issues, with money or other areas in their life. Just a lot of respect for each other. We are not use to seeing this in our everyday lives so I can understand why some would thing this way.

I agree with Helen.... enuff already.

This family is self-sufficient due to Jim Bob's "investments" in real estate, and whatever else he has. The TV show $$ probably is nice, but not what they live on.

My problem with all this rabbit-esque behavior is what about their current 19 kids when they grow up? Assuming they adopt the same beliefs of allowing God to decide how many children they have, what happens if those children don't have the $$ or investments to care for them all. Who pays for them then??? That's an awful lot of kids/grandkids to cover in a will even with lots of personal wealth.

IMO,,, That would be their business.

More should worry about their own families then giving advice to others who do not need or want it. Your neighbors 2 children may be needing your help and advice more so then the Duggars.

This is America where people are free to choose and I do believe this family most likely have made long term plans. The children are not obsessed with name brands or having the best of everything like most kids are now a days. You would be surprised at the money families could save and put towards the future if the kids did not have to have 150.-200. dollar runners or top of the name brand clothing.

I think it also has something to strongly do with the father. His name is Jim Bob and all 18 soon to be 19 of the children's names start with the letter "J". It is like he has to show his manhood by how many children he can procreate and name after himself. It is sick really, I totally feel badly for the children. The only reason they aren't still living in their 4 bedroom ranch house, with 8 kids per room and making their own clothes, is because they were able to land a TV show with their freak show family. Those are two of the MOST SELFISH people I have ever seen.! They are contiuning to have children for all the wrong reasons!

No you have it wrong! In this country when its your religion we have to respect it and its alwayd correct. <sound of head pounding on desk>

abaker - I did see the show in the beginning, like the 'specials'. They were in the process of building that big house they live in back then. They were building the house BEFORE they got their own show.

I saw that show. That was when I decided I could not stand this family. I mean, honestly, the father uses his kids to do all the work. Does this father who made his living by renting out storage sheds, know what he is doing? These homeschooled kids are not contractors, or experienced construction workers. Give me a break. By the way, aren't there child labor laws in their state.

Jeanmarie-456447 wrote:

"Another thing that irritates meabout this family, that no one else has commented on, so far, is the fact that they all the kids names have to start with the letter J. That drives me nuts. Maybe if they sent the kids to school, they would find out that there are 25 other letters in the alphabet."

* * * *

JEANMARIE, perhaps if your mother had spared the use of the letter j, she could have named you MeanMarie.

re: @ #4.5 hahaha good one!

what about george forman naming all his sons george? what does it have anything to do with anything? it's their right to name their children whatever they please & beginning with whatever letter they want.

The best thing that could happen is that her uterus falls out. Then maybe the other kids will be able to have a childhood!

The older a woman gets the higher risk the pregnancy becomes. Perhaps it's going to take a special needs child to get these two to quit!

LS- 415070 - They don't care. Afterall, it's the older children that raise the younger ones!

I know. Thats what I would worry about too (damage to the mothers body, and the risk of complications and/or birth defects). What's going to stop her? Menopause?

I'm not 40, and I am pregnant with my first child. I cannot even imagine 19. She's been nothing but a baby factory, and those children have raised children. Selfish and unfair.

Their last child was born a few weeks early amid some minor scary circumstances. This next one has a very high risk of being in a similar situation add on the inflated risk for a special needs child and they are playing with fire. With each child Michelle takes time off her own life expectancy as she doesn't wait the recommended amount of time between pregnancies. Incubating life is hard work and takes a toll on a woman's body and not just externally. She's setting herself up for early death and She will be no good to her collection when she's dead. I can't belive they aren't responsible enough to care about such matters. It's a tradgedy for their 18 already born children- just as it will be for their grandchildren when their children raise just as many.

If the baby is special needs, then that was God's will to? Some god they have there!

I second that emotion!

They have a sign-up sheet for one-on-one time. I stopped watching the Today Show because they keep glorifying this mess of a family.

its not for you or obama to decide you left wing kook

Wow...it only took how many hours for one of you birther/bircher/whatever to try to bring up Obama? I guess next you'll say it's his fault Michelle Duggar confused her nether-regions with an assembly line? Or are you going to blame Obama for knocking her up?

Seriously...let it go!

At least Andrea Suleman admitted she made a mistake. This couple uses religion to justify their lack of responsibility. This is worse than a teen pregnancy. At least with a Teen Pregnancy the lack of responsibility is somewhat understandable. These two are 50 year old adults.....no excuse!

That would be NADIA SULEMAN (octomom). And ANDREA YATES (stupid bitch who drowned her kids).

Ah yes - Andrea Yates, who was: basically forced by her husband to have a fifth child, despite having had crippling post-partum depression after the fourth child; forced to raise and home-school her children IN A TRAILER without assistance from anyone, including her husband; and was not allowed to seek treatment for her depression after the fifth birth. Yeah, she and Octomom are really alike.

I agree with you Vicki. I think of Andrea Yates as a victimof her faith, so sad and unnecessary.

Thank you for setting the record straight, Vicki!

Gayle-324397--

Calling Andrea Yates a stupid b*tch, as I am presuming you called her that name, is going a bit too far. She was mentally sick. There is a difference between purposefully killing your children such as Susan Smith who let her kids drown in the car, and Andrea Yates who was suffering mentally and did not really understand what she was doing, thus why she is in a mental ward.

Look at Brooke Shields when she suffered PPD, she tried to run her car off the road to kill herself and her child. Then she got treatment.

Nadya Suleman ok she is mentally unstable that has been proven, however she willingly and was in the right and sound frame of mind making a conscious decision to become a baby factory.

Jim Bob just needs to learn to pull out

That doesn't work! you can get a women pg even if you pull out. The clear fluid that comes ahead...the lubricating fluid a guy has sperm in it. So pulling out isn't reliable method.

The lubricating fluid...can have sperm in it. Is what I should have posted.

Teach them how to behave appropriately and you would have no trouble.  I had a horrible time with our first 2.  It was so easy to be sloppy with their training.  Having more but better behaved children has been so much easier for me and them.  There is so much less conflict when we all behave respectfully of each other.  I have many now and have been forced to learn to organize.  I actually find that I spend much more one on one time with each child now than I did with only a few because I have to be deliberate about it.  It is a non-negotiable part of my day.  Go for a walk with one, share an extended coffee time in the morning with one, etc.  We are have a great time talking about whatever they want to talk about.  I am also more structured with meal and chore planning.  We have way more time to be free and play than we used to just because we try to use our time wisely instead of watching tv or wasting time on things that don't matter.  Please don't judge this family when you don't know them (I have for many years.)  They love each other and others more than anyone I have ever met.  The children are happier, better adjusted, better socialized, and better behaved than any children I have ever known.  There would be public outcry if the Duggars or anyone else started publicly saying it was horrible that people have only a few children that they can barely stand because they haven't taken the time to love them and teach them. 

Momathome - Sorry, not buying it. But thanks for the stern advice at the beginning. (rolls eyes) No one is going to publicly, or privately (except your religious clan?), criticize ANYONE for having a FEW kids - so that conjecture is just not even justified. These people may be financially able, thankfully for society, able to care for that brood, but it offends - obviously, per the comments.

At least these people have a big tax write-off at tax time, geez. Their kids will probably qualify for financial aid big time, come college age.

momathome - it is the Duggar's and your own business to have all the children you can properly care for but I resent your implication that only these supersized families provide love and care for their children. There are millions of families with 2 or 3 children who love and respect each other and the children and the children are well adjusted, happy, well socialized and well behaved. I'm sorry that in your narrow world you never had the opportunity to meet them.

merg, it may be legal to have so many children, but that does not make it ethical. It took from the beginning of time to 1800 for the population to reach 1 billion. Now it is almost 7 billion and by the year 2037 it will be over 10 billion. It is unfair to those of us who have two or fewer children to have them suffer famine and pollution and wars because so many think they have the God given right to have so many children. Again, they may have the right, but if they care about other people at all, they would not do it. Love thy neighbor.

momathome- thanks for over populating this troubled world...

Hey MomatHome .. as a person who actively seeks to reduce the foot print I leave on this earth I feel more than validated in condemning the Duggars for their actions. It takes a bus to transport their family. They do more laundry in one day than I do in a whole month. Not to mention the 90,000 dirty diapers they've sent to the landfills to rot for 500+ years (imagine how many Duggars will populate the Earth by the time the eldest child's first diaper finally decomposes). The amount of energy it takes to power their home. Or the amount of trash that a family of 20 produces (even excluding the diapers). It's pointless to pop out kids claiming it's in Gods hands, when you're playing a role in ruining the planet God made.

Oh and as a mother of 2 I can spend plenty of time with both my kids without having to organize and schedule my life. One child stays home with daddy and plays or watches a favorite movie, while the other comes with me to do shopping. Both kids are generally well behaved, but they have their moments because they are after all only children. I have gotten many complements by strangers as to how well behaved my kids are. Amazing how it can be done and I don't have to have more kids to accomplish it.

How can they be better socialized when they're home schooled? I'm sorry, I don't buy it. I've known quite a few home-schooled kids and they've all been socially awkward to one degree or another.

It is possible if the parents take the proper approach to home schooling for the children to have very good socialization. There are many home schooling groups that meet up on a regular basis. I know back in Texas there was a gymnastics place that did classes specifically for home schooled children. There are plenty of opportunities out there, you just have to have the dedication and desire to find and utilize them. The Duggars seem to stick mainly to their religious group so their interaction with other children is more limited. A kid in public school who is subjected to ridicule from classmates is likely to be socially awkward too. You can't always win by placing a child in a setting with lots of their peers.

Very true, public schools can produce some pretty poor results. However, the fact that these children are not exposed to the world outside their religious circle means that if they ever do get out into the 'real world', they're going to be woefully inequipped to deal with it.

I was thinking attention whore. If someone in their family farts, they call a press conference to announce it and tell everyone how blessed they are.

LOL Tracey!

Seriously. The local stations carry the news. "J____— Duggar farted today. Michelle Duggar reports that the family was so blessed to get to share the smell. 'We'll take all of the farts the lord gives us,' she was quoted as saying." Major league attention whore.

LOL Tracey!

No, octomom is even more disgusting because she could not provide for these kids in the first place! Even Kate Gosselin is fake in front of the camera!

Right, but we still keep hearing about them both which means obviously someone somewhere is still reading/watching/listening to stuff about them.

Kristynn

Who told YOU that WE LOVE to hear about psychos like the octo-mom?????

Gayle-

Just an example of the kind of smut people will pay for or watch.

Maybe I made my point poorly; I basically meant to say look at the stuff people WILL watch (let's use some other reality show...let's say anything on VH1, that'd be a good place to start), but can't just say, "Ok, I would never live like the Duggars or agree with it, but at least they are (or seem to be--TV never shows everything) decent, hard-working, caring people." Doesn't anyone see any value in that? Of course not. They're just talking about how the family is sucking up Mother Earth's resources. Oh my gosh people give me a BREAK! Seriously?!

Please don't lump me into "all those  people who love to hear about psycho octomom" because I certainly DO NOT.  Personally all these baby factories are unhinged IMO and I hardly ever watch TV because of all the dumb reality shows on these days.  If everyone adopted, the "let's be fruitful and multiply attitude" in this country we'll become another China where, because of over-population, the government will be telling us how many kids we can have here.

Thanks to those of us responsible and exercise our rights to use birth control, we're not there YET and I pray it stays that way.  This planet simply cannot sustain the amount of people on it now as resources are getting consumed faster then nature can supply them.

First, I didn't lump you in....I said "...people hate on this family..." Obviously lots of people enjoy reality tv and if you don't, then you're not included in that group of people.

"...the government will be telling us how many kids we can have here."

Isn't that what those of you who are arguing against this family are doing? Or at least saying that someone should be doing?

Especially if anyone else threatens her permanent baby shower registry at Wal-Mart by daring to have a family themselves.

Amen! People warn against the over breeding of dogs in puppy mills, the female has no time to recover before the next litter etc. I can't believe this crap makes the news, but that is what happens when you go to 24/7 news they have to fill the time slots with something...oh look religious twits pregers again....who friggin cares. The reality shows just prove what a lack of imagination TV world has anymore.

They do see an ob regularly and deliver at the hospital and everything. They use a very nice female doctor that comes highly recommended around the state for her expertise and skill.

Last time they had to search for an OBGYN who would deliver her (and put up with the media bliss). She had to have a C-section (which she has had before).

In one interview it looked like she wanted to pop out a few more in hope of securing her record holding position (there is another family popping them out and that woman in much younger, so personally I think Michelle is going to come in second).

These people are a bunch on hicks and that daughter-in-law is really dumb.

When thier son got married and kissed his bride for the first time by holding both sides of her face (controling if you ask me) I wanted to puck. What kind of a first kiss was that?

How this woman has not had uterine prolapse before now should be considered a "miracle", not to mention what her poor breasts have been through after nursing so many babies. OUCH!!!!

Well there is still time for that to happen. Of course if she is having C/S's then a prolapse prob not gonna happen. But there is tons of other things that she may have to contend with if not already...ie: pelvic floor relaxation, leaking urine, rectocele, cystocle.

It's pretty common here in Arkansas for women to say they have had bad experiences with birth control. It makes me wonder if the doctors are not explaining them properly. Like for instance, there are a lot different hormonal combinations and the first one you try might not be the right one for you (try a different one?) Also, there is the idea that other methods are largely unknown (pills or condoms seem to be the only options widely accepted)

Hate to say this, but I don't believe they used birth control pills, unless it was one time for about 2 weeks.

If they were serious about birth control one of them would have been "fixed" by now.

Thanks for diagnosis doctor

Once again Ringo, your comment is completely inapplicable.

Diana, I completely agree with you. And no matter what kind of comparisons anyone here tries to draw between her and Suleman, Suleman is in no way near the attention-whore level that Michelle and Jim Duggar are. And shame on the Today Show for constantly giving them a forum to encourage this behavior!

yeah, other than belonging to a cult their super!

If people think we should actually be learning lessons from them, then this show needs to be taken off the air ASAP!!!

Google "Blanket Training". That's how they start their kids off to make them so wonderfully well behaved. Yes, lets all take lessons from them on how to raise a child.

http://www.ffministry.org/blanket_training.htm

"Blanket training" has been one of the most helpful tools for me! I only wish that I had heard about it before my 7th child came along!! The sweet lady who explained blanket training to me called it her "playpen in a purse"! This concept involves placing your baby or toddler on his/her favorite blanket, explaining to the best of their understanding that they must stay on their blanket, and then demonstrating the consequences of getting off the blanket with a small rod or switch. Simply switch the floor or carpet all around the outside edges of the blanket and firmly but sweetly say, "No, No! Don't touch!" Give your child few favorite toys to keep his attention, and switch the toys out every little bit, and that child will learn to stay on his blanket for quite a long period of time. Begin with just 3 - 5 minutes with very young children, and after practicing every day for several weeks, he will build up his time to play happily on that blanket until he can stay there for an hour or more! What a joy and a help this was to me when I had the older 6 children in school and needed to spend time with them! The joy of this training is that you can fold that blanket up, put it in the diaper bag, and take it easily to a friend's house, or visiting new church members, and your child will sit quietly without disrupting the visit! One of my pet peeves is when folks come to visit and just "unleash" their children to invade every room of your home! What chaos! This blanket training is easily converted to "church training" when you begin taking your young child into the services. Simply fold the blanket and put it on the pew and your child will already understand the limitations and rules!

I think I will let my baby be a baby and teach her as she gets older. I do not, nor would I ever, expect my 26 month old to sit still for an hour or more at time. She's a child her job in life right now is to explore her environment and learn as much as she can.

...They HIT THEM if they leave the blanket? God I hope these parents somehow really screw up and get all those poor kids taken away from them.

I wouldn't even train my dog that harshly!!

According to that excerpt, they don't actually hit the child - they "simply switch the floor or carpet all around the outside edges of the blanket". HOWEVER - I would be concerned that anyone who uses this sort of training will sooner or later fall victim to the temptation to use that "small rod or switch" ON the child. I'm also concerned about this mother saying that the "blanket training" was great because it allowed her to spend time with her school aged children. Does this mean that she's not watching the youngest child because he/she has been "trained" to stay on the blanket?

You're not getting the point.

1. They are using more of the world's resources than is even remotely responsible.

2. The kids will eventually grow up to be psychotic.

3. Once the reality show is canceled, this family will NOT be able to afford all of these kids ... then we all will be paying for them.

liar

Ringo, I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that you are just another troll.

steve2-just curious because I can't find any information to verify your remark.  Where did you find that a full quiver is five?

Steve, that was TOO funny! LOL!

Julia, you actually tried to confirm a remark that was obviously a joke? Seriously?

Well Sheri,

You are obviously smarter and more in tune than I. It wasn't obvious to me that Steve was joking. He comment didn't even seem sarcastic to me.

The Today Show is nothing more than the Enquirer on TV. Remember how they glorified that woman who gave birth to twins that have 2 different fathers? They called that a "medical marvel". I called her a slut.

I used to watch the Today Show. Not anymore. After all they think Nadya Suleman is a wonder woman too!

I have to agree somewhat here. NBC's TODAY Show has covered their announcements but never follow up with going to Dr. Nancy so she can tell us what happens to a woman's body when she does that. Nor do they bring on anyone to explain what happens to a childs well being when they have 17 or 18 siblings to compete with for parental attention. True attention. As a mother and father when do they sit quietly and read together, one on one? To obligate your children to take care of your children is pretty darn selfish. Chores and helping out are one thing, but making them responsible for the children you decided to have is entirely another matter. Today Show...be careful...be resonsible...

Give me a break..i have more respect for this woman than that Octomom.

The Duggars concvied all of their children naturally, somethign that the Octomom cant claim to have done.

So it's OK to be irresponsible breeders as long as you don't get help for it? It's not deliberate unless you see a doctor? And if you respect the Duggars for over-breeding while condemning Suleman, there is a word for that: hypocrisy.

Disgusting. 19 children. This is not biblical - it is twisted.

Cats and dogs can have litters but no big TV shows about that. What makes these people so arrogant as to think that GOD thinks they are special, so they can make babies? Insane people and mentally impaired people can have babies. People in prison, people who are starving. Procreation takes no talent at all.

This planet was created without humans - and humans are definitely nothing special. We have scraped the vegetation from the land, polluted the water, turned the Pacific ocean into a large Glad trash bag, burned the forests and cut them down, killed off entire species like the Carolina parrot - just to get some brightly colored feathers, or still killing whales when there is no eathly need to......... Just what the world needs - more of us "special" humans.

I wonder how many land fills full of diapers and baby food bottles they have created. GOD is not creating this irresponsible couple's scenario - if He does watch, he is shaking his head in sadness as he watches his beautiful world turn into man's garbage dump.

I completely agree..

I think it socially/ morally wrong.. Pretty frick'in arrogant to think that you and your family (the duggars) are entitled to suck up all these resources with no thoughts/ consideration for the other six or is it seven billion people on the planet now..??

Exactly. It is utterly selfish & morally wrong. Now, if 19 kids each have ONLY 5 kids that makes 95, and if those 95 have 5 that equals 475.....

The amount of food, gas, electricity needed, along with pollution all that creates is the last thing this planet needs right now. But, they got their money and attention so I'm sure they don't bother to consider the rest of the people who share this planet. We don't have the "one child rule" like China does, but due to people like the Duggars, that may become a reality here in the future as well. We are overpopulated as it is. These people are ignorant and irresponsible. Yeah, they have the "right" to have as many children as they want...and I have the "right" to waste as much food, gas, electricity & pollute as much as I want, too...that doesn't make it right.

Jeff you are a bumbling idiot. the world is not over populated even though you left wing morons think it is.

oh look a home school aphobe, how nice. But i bet you think its ok when your left wing hero Larry king has a kid at age 85. typical left wing hate speech.

NBC is not a news channel. It's a forum for Obama. Have you ever seen NBC post anything not favorable to Obama

Remind me again how this story is about Obama? God you're dumb

Mattstadon, are you really surprised that one of those types popped up here and tried to turn it into an Obama conspiracy? I'm surprised they haven't tried to blame Obama for the conception as a vast left-wing conspiracy to raise the price of cloth diapers.

Ringo, let it go...

I know, I feel bad for them, not even married for a year and here comes the first baby...poor Anna, married into a crazy family

I'm sick of people like this claiming it's God's will that they have so many children. Did you forget GOD GAVE MAN FREE WILL! Have you ever heard of a condom or for christ sake at least pulling out?

this is a FAMILY story, not a place suitable to evil swearing. no place is.