#18 for the Duggars has arrived....

I AGREE!!! 18 is enough!!! Well I am sure that around 5 would have been FINE. How is the HELL do they do it?! I don't want to hurt any feeling here, but I am sure they get state help or something. I understand that if you are going through a rough time to get some help but having 18 kids and getting help!!!! I understand that they have a TV show and are on talk show all the time, but CAME ON!!! ANYHOW.... I am having a really shitty day so I will shut up and get off my soap box now!!!

ME and

I'm just amazed that they're already thinking about having more. It's not like kids are goldfish...it takes a lot to take care of them! I'd love to have a big family, but I think 18 is a little too big for me.

Hoenstly, being from Utah 8 kids is normal, but 18!! We have TONS of poligamists here too and they ahve tons of kids but all different wives. 18 kids omg i cant even imagine what that women is thinking. The crazy thing is I believe everyone should have their own beliefs but I watched one of those episodes and the son "proposed" to his now fiance, but it was planned by the parents! It was an arranged marriage! I was like wtf? and not just that but they can only hold hands, htye cant even go on dates alone. they have to have someone go with them. Seriously, how is that really love? Anyways, everyone for themselves but that is going overboard.

Becky, I totally saw that episode and it made me really uncomfortable! They met like twice and they're "in love?" I just hope it works out. I know from my first marriage that you can't make yourself love someone, so hopefully it comes naturally for them. Yikes...

18 is NUTS.

I saw 10 minutes of an episode a few days ago, the Mom took a few of the kids to the Goodwill to get shoes, they bought like 30 pairs of shoes for $30. And have any of you seen their bathing suits? HA. They are like wetsuits, they are huge, they aren't allowed to show any skin.

And how does she home school kids of 18 different ages? Give me a break, that can't be good for them.

I don't think that they get financial support, they always talk about their commercial properties and how that keeps them a float. I could be way off base though, they may get some help in there too.

I am freaking out about not having enough time for this LO because I have a 17M old running around, so I have no idea how they do it...

Not to offend anyone....but those people are completely NUTS. How the hell do they possibly think that can be healthy??? All those kids. NO thanks.

at some point you have to just stop. shes been prego like all of her adult life. but thats JMO

I have been following the Dugars since they came out with the special, 14 and Pregnant again. Having a big family myself, homeschooled mom, strict rules and structure, I guess I am on the other side of the fence with this one. I do agree that they have enough. But if they can take care of them on their own and the kids are happy and they are not in any type of sect, why not? I know they are not on any state aid of any kind, they have no debt at all, they built their 7000 sqft house mostly by themselves with little help, he makes buko bucks, the kids are raised plain in a way, homeschooled, play instrements, all have responsibilities including the smaller ones, each of them help take care of each other, they have strict rules, structure and from what i can see they are loved. They have made several documentaries that i have watched over the years. They are all well behaved kids. She has the patience for it.. I see both sides.. but i do agree that she really needs to stop somewhere with having babies. Each pg is a risk.

JMO

Yeah,
surprisingly the family is debt free, and the hubby does make a lot of money (he owns a cell phone tower...amongst other things) Which leads me to believe that they do not get gov't assistance.

I think they are crazy...but whatever makes them happy, and as long as they are not causing harm to anyone, I think they are fine.
Crazy, but fine.

What does disturb me though, is their ability to have sex! I have a 3 yo and I can barely find time nor the energy, nor the desire to DTD!

After spending the day working, and coming home to 17 kids...what would make a man get it up to impregnate his wife with number 18??? that's what I do not understand...

Excellent Point...my DH was wondering the same thing. How do they find the time...

Do they get paid for having the show? Just wondering if they get compensated in any way from TLC.

I bet they do. I think I read that Jon and Kate get enough money from the show and things related to the show that they don't have to hold full time jobs anymore, so I bet the Duggars do too. But it doesn't sound like they need the extra cash, so maybe the donate the money to their church or something. My DH and I joke that we're going to contact TLC about doing a "Dan and Lisa plus a Singleton" show, so that we can both spend time with the baby without working. Do you think they'll buy it?

I like that idea.. April and Scott plus 8! A mix of his, mine and ours under one roof!