Duggars announce the sex of their 18th baby!

It's a girl! Their 8th girl will be born in January. This gives them 10 boys and 8 girls.

Your thoughts?

I just read this. Personally, I dont care how many kids they have- who I am to judge how big a family should be. My problem with them is that they declared themselves a church- so they dont have to pay taxes.

kboogie wrote:I just read this. Personally, I dont care how many kids they have- who I am to judge how big a family should be. My problem with them is that they declared themselves a church- so they dont have to pay taxes.

What??!! Are u serious??? How can we do that??!

I am in no way judging...but my first thought having 2 myself with #3 on the way is that she is INSANE!!!

She must be one of those women, that I admire, who LOVE being pregnant. I wish I did...

They hold services in part of their house, so they don't have to pay taxes on that part of the house.

They're crazy.

Well, I love being pregnant but 18 times?!?!?!?!?!?! I guess what ever floats you boat.

I hate being pregnant...i dont ever want to do it again....I bet she is one of the women who never gets morning sickness...

LOL, I hate to say it but I never have morning sickness either. I do have terrible indigestion.

[b]Dear Me....I would have thought her uterus would have fallen out by now. I guess as long as they are happy and can give these children all of the love and care and necessities they require. To each his own...

Jill

That's percisely my issue with them. I don't think they have enough time to give them all the love they need. I think mom pawns the little ones off on the older ones, and I think that sucks.

alaskaga i think you are right...in some eposides i have seen the other ones are taking care of the younger ones and thats not fair..

I watched a show on them and you are right, it seems that each elder child has their own little one that they take care of.

I know that they say that they are being fruitful, or whatever, but I sometimes wonder if mom is addicted to being pregnant or at least the attention that they get for their big family? I only wonder because I don't understand.

Ok, here's my other gripe with them. Michelle stops nursing after 3 months so that she is more likely to get pregnant again. So at 3 months, she unlatches child, hands them to next older kid in line for parenting duties, and jumps Jim Bob Juthro or whatever his name is.

When do they possibly have time for sex? Oh right, they aren't actually raising their children, they are raising themselves. Does the US government give them a benefit for the amount of children they have. I know here in Canada she would get a Child Tax Benefit for every child under 18. That could equate to quite a few hundred dollars a month. Our government also gives us an additional $100 per month for children 6 and under to help with monthly child care costs.

Jill

That's one thing that I respect about them. They do not receive any aid, they have no debt, and their house is paid for. The only "help" they would get is being able to claim the whole herd on their taxes.

How in the world do they afford it? The Dad is in real-estate right? Good GOD. Feeding 18 children? How do they have a house big enough? How is their house paid for? Yes, they do have the show, which pays them...so that is my issue with Jon and Kate Plus 8 too, their children are growing up with camera's in their face so that they can afford to raise them, yet they go around the country "telling their story" and asking for money to help them, but they were here in the Richmond area looking at homes.....they toured a $1.9M home? Really?

Whenever I watch the movie Cheaper by the Dozen I joke with my DH about wanting to have a house full of children, but I can't imagine having the time to dedicate to each and every child the way they deserve...maybe they are just MUCH better Momma's than I am...

alaskagal wrote:Ok, here's my other gripe with them. Michelle stops nursing after 3 months so that she is more likely to get pregnant again. So at 3 months, she unlatches child, hands them to next older kid in line for parenting duties, and jumps Jim Bob Juthro or whatever his name is.

Exactly! i am with others on the "whatever floats your boat" deal. But she's doing this ON PURPOSE. Is she trying to set a record? she also has some other parenting beliefs that I'm not down with.

alaskagal wrote:That's one thing that I respect about them. They do not receive any aid, they have no debt, and their house is paid for. The only "help" they would get is being able to claim the whole herd on their taxes.

I think they have several commercial properties that they are renting out and they built most of their current home themselves.

I think back to my Great Grandmother. She had 16 kids! Then again, they lived on a farm, and that was a typical farm family. I think that this day and age has really sqewed our outlooks on families. The typical family now is 2.4 children. I wonder what it was 50 years ago.

I know that 50 years ago, the SF in a home was between 700 and 900. MOST families live in houses twice that size and are feeling cramped. Guess it's all a matter of perspective.

Yeah that is a good point...we just have too much stuff these days. Our house is packed!!!

Oh, I agree about the times changing. I am a farm kid and grew up when big families was still a necessity to help work the farm. I absolutely get that.