phatmass phorum > Tlc's 17 Kids And Counting

Full Version: Tlc's 17 Kids And Counting

phatmass phorum > The Pharm Yard > The Overstuffed Pop Culture Couch

Snowflake3981

Nov 23 2008, 05:08 PM

Has anyone seen TLC's show "17 Kids and Counting"? It's about a family that is obviously religious (although they never discuss their religious affiliation), homeschools, limits TV & internet, has strong Christian values, and clearly doesn't practice birth control

.

Some people call this extreme, criticize their ability to parent, and think that they aren't able to pay enough attention to each child.

Others say it is a wonderful view of teamwork, love, sense of duty, and a great show of traditional values.

I personally love the show. The kids all seem very inteligent, strong in their values, very thoughtful & caring, and are very well behaved. I think the parents, especially the mom, do a great job of showing patience & kindness, and by homeschooling are able to teach their children as they see fit and ensure their Christian values are instilled in their children. They showed an episode recently of their oldest son getting engaged and did an entire episode on coursthip.

So what do you think of the show and of the family?

CatherineM

Nov 23 2008, 06:18 PM

I think they are what many could be if they would just be open to life, worry about being able to afford them, or house them, or educate them later.

icelandic_iceskater

Nov 23 2008, 08:57 PM

I think its cool, but I never could get past the "jurisdictions"

Snowflake3981

Nov 24 2008, 01:32 PM

QUOTE (icelandic_iceskater @ Nov 23 2008, 08:57 PM)

I think its cool, but I never could get past the "jurisdictions"

What are the jurisdictions? Is that just what they call their chores?

TotusTuusMaria

Nov 24 2008, 01:43 PM

QUOTE (Snowflake3981 @ Nov 24 2008, 03:32 PM)

What are the jurisdictions? Is that just what they call their chores?

Yeah.

They actually have 18 children now. And, the oldest was married a month or so ago.

I think they should be commended. St. Catherine of Siena's mother had 24 children.

icelandic_iceskater

Nov 24 2008, 05:26 PM

QUOTE (Snowflake3981 @ Nov 24 2008, 02:32 PM)

What are the jurisdictions? Is that just what they call their chores?

pretty much. its like a set of rules/guidelines.

littleflower+JMJ

Nov 29 2008, 11:18 PM

i love the show its great! the jurisdictions are pretty genius too!

mcts

Dec 1 2008, 02:30 AM

i love the show! i have always wanted to be part of a big family. I love seeing the way bigger families work. however, it's just me, my parents, and my 2 brothers.

Snowcatpa

Dec 5 2008, 07:24 AM

I think they're pretty amazing too. They seem like positive, warm, generous and faithful people. I believe their view of having children is more extreme than the Church's however. Wikipedia says they are part of the Quiverfull Movement (related to Providentalism/natalism). They disapprove of all forms of family planning including both contraception and NFP.

It's not the Church's viewpoint, for sure, as others have described because of the natural system of family planning already built into the body that we can learn from, and the general acceptance that not everyone can handle having a large number of children for physical, emotional or even extreme financial reasons.

However, in the world that we live in, they're not actively doing anything that the Church disagrees with in the slightest (such as engaging in contraception or abortion). They are passively promoting a pro-family life in their communities and on the national screen through showing the blessings of acceptance of children. And that is wonderful.

I just recently was watching Extreme Makeover:Home Edition in a prime-time slot (probably around 8 oclock) and was revolted at a "Plan B" commercial, which I thankfully have seen very few of. In addition the general concept, scenarios, and choice portrayed, they explicitly put in comments such as "Plan B is not the abortion pill. It only prevents pregnancy" It infuriated me that because the Society of American Gynecologists (or whomever says it) legally define "pregnancy" at implantation, and our Supreme Court only says so even later, that they can legally lie on Prime time, saying:

"An Abortificiant is not an Abortificant."

I'll take the Duggars in Prime Time 1,000 times over having to ever see that commerical again.

As a side note, I wonder if they have a stipulation in their contract that no birth control commercials can air during the viewing of their show. Wouldn't that be Amazing!

catholicinfilmschool

Dec 6 2008, 12:50 PM

Seriously...

my Monday and Friday nights are spent watching TLC.

Monday = Jon & Kate Plus 8, Little People Big World, + 17 Kids and Counting

Friday = What Not to Wear & Say Yes to Dress.

God save me from myself, but I've reached that age when my friends are starting to get married and have kids. I've got family planning on the brain!

But I must say, I used to like 17 Kids and Counting a lot, but now the editing is starting to take a turn for the worse to showcase the freakiness of Christians.

I liked the introduction of Amy as a character because she represents "us" the average viewer that cannot possibly imagine having that number of children, but they are now using her every episode, and the questions she is answering are starting to sound condescending. The episode where they went to that Creation museum and visited that Western rodeo thing (sorry I'm from California) stick out in my mind the most....

Plus, some of the questions being asked of Jim Bob and Michelle have been a bit loaded too, like, "Do you think you're upholding gender stereotypes?" WTF?

Just my .02. I notice these things as a film student...

Pax Christi, Rebecca.

tinytherese

Dec 6 2008, 03:15 PM

I haven't seen the show myself but some of my friends have. They said that it seemed cult-like. Perhaps they're just freaked out at the number of kids and fear that the kids are being sheltered because of the homeschooling and the limiting of television watching. Just their observations, not mine.

lilCook009

Dec 14 2008, 07:32 PM

Personally I think that 18 kids is a few too many. I think that if they are able to handle that many kids they should look into adopting.

Snowflake3981

Dec 15 2008, 11:11 PM

QUOTE (lilCook009 @ Dec 14 2008, 07:32 PM)

Personally I think that 18 kids is a few too many. I think that if they are able to handle that many kids they should look into adopting.

Yeah, 18 kids is a lot.... I wonder if they are using NFP to try and have as many kids as possible? I know the mom is over 40. Maybe they're trying to get to 20 kids?

Lil Red

Dec 15 2008, 11:19 PM

+J.M.J.+
they are not Catholic, and do not believe in anything to curb conception (including NFP).

i think it's a good show. i don't really watch it, but i think it's a good show.

Brother Adam

Dec 19 2008, 12:32 PM

It's now 18 and counting btw.

Snowflake3981

Dec 19 2008, 01:13 PM

QUOTE (Brother Adam @ Dec 19 2008, 12:32 PM)

It's now 18 and counting btw.

Yeah - I noticed that on the news today.

QUOTE

ROGERS, Ark. – An Arkansas woman has given birth to her 18th child. Michelle Duggar delivered the baby girl by Caesarean section Thursday at Mercy Medical Center in Rogers. The baby, named Jordyn-Grace Makiya Duggar, weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20 inches long.

"The ultimate Christmas gift from God," said Jim Bob Duggar, the father of the 18 children. "She's just absolutely beautiful, like her mom and her sisters."

The Duggars now have 10 sons and eight daughters.

Jim Bob Duggar said Michelle started having contractions Wednesday night. She needed the C-section, her third, because the baby was lying sideways. Jim Bob said both baby and mother were doing well Thursday night.

"We both would love to have more," he said.

The cable network TLC broadcasts a weekly show about the Duggars, called "17 Kids and Counting." Chris Finnegan of TLC — which handles public relations for the Duggar family — said the show's name would be updated to account for the latest addition to the family. He said TLC also will air a show Monday on the baby's delivery.

Jim Bob Duggar is 43, a year older than his wife. Their oldest child, Joshua, is 20.

The other Duggar children, in between Joshua and Jordyn-Grace, are Jana, 18; John-David, 18; Jill, 17; Jessa, 16; Jinger, 14; Joseph, 13; Josiah, 12; Joy-Anna, 11; Jeremiah, 9; Jedidiah, 9; Jason, 8; James, 7; Justin, 6; Jackson, 4; Johannah, 3; and Jennifer, 1.

"Our whole family is excited about Jordyn's addition to our family," Jim Bob Duggar said. "She's just perfect in every way".

TotusTuusMaria

Dec 19 2008, 01:35 PM

QUOTE (lilCook009 @ Dec 14 2008, 09:32 PM)

Personally I think that 18 kids is a few too many. I think that if they are able to handle that many kids they should look into adopting.

St. Catherine of Siena's mother had twenty-four children. There is never a such thing as too many children. Perhaps it isn't God's will for everyone, but it is His will for them. I think they are doing a great job.

chloeaustyn

Dec 19 2008, 10:35 PM

QUOTE (TotusTuusMaria @ Dec 19 2008, 02:35 PM)

I went to an Advent Mission recently where the priest was the 17th of 22 children. His parents had been devastated by losing 8 of them during infancy due to disease, but kept at it anyway. He said one of the most powerful things his mom ever said to him was about how if they had listened to the world telling them that they were crazy after 16 kids, he never would have been born. Even when he was in a coma no one expected him to come out of at age 9, that he ended up coming out of legally blind, they stuck by him to the end and showered him with love.

So much for not having enough attention for each kid.

kujo

Jan 2 2009, 01:51 PM

I wonder how much parenting they get to do with that many kids. It would seem like the older ones would end up parenting the younger ones because of all the kids running around. I don't know that that is good, in my opinion.

I dunno....I think it's great that they hold such strong Christian values. And, I suppose that, if they have the means, than this sort of thing is fine. Still, I can't get over the feeling that 18 kids is simply too many.

MithLuin

Jan 2 2009, 11:22 PM

The Catholic Church emphasizes responsible parenting, where a couple decides whether or not they can reasonably support a child before engaging in sexual activity.

This couple's philosophy seems to be closer to 'have as many children as physically possible,' which may or may not align with that. I haven not watched the show and don't presume to know their circumstances. I do know, however, that 3 C-sections at the age of 42 means she is reaching her limit, physically. Most doctors will not advise a woman to have more than 3 C-sections (my mother had 5).

I have known children from large families (11, 16, etc), and sometimes it works out well while other times it does not. It really does depend on what the parents can handle and the needs of the kids. Same with homeschooling - it can be great, but a naturally shy kid can become much more socially awkward and isolated from his/her peers. Also, with that many children being homeschooled, you cannot argue that it is a small class size with individual attention!

I imagine the producers of the show would consider this family to be freaks of nature, though perhaps they do have genuine respect for them.

This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.