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[aandsdean]

You know what my problem with the Duggar family is?

That they teach the kids that the earth is 6000 years old.  I'm a little shocked you all haven't jumped on that one.  As a scientist and educator, I am lot more threatened by that than Tater Tot Casserole or the family's carbon footprint. 

Actually, Discovery hides that.  But if you see the Duggars on another media outlet, they'll cop to what homeschooling package they use - I forget now which one it is, but I heard of it around I think #17.  It's a creationist-science one.  I've had students in my classes before that were homeschooled with one of these creationist packages, and they get very little science and math, both in content and in rigor.  I can't help them.  I send them to get tutors and they still flunk. 

This is not necessarily a problem, it is simply Darwinism in action.

Science, are you as successful in preserving and extending your genes as the Duggars?

[sciencephd]

You know what my problem with the Duggar family is?

That they teach the kids that the earth is 6000 years old.  I'm a little shocked you all haven't jumped on that one.  As a scientist and educator, I am lot more threatened by that than Tater Tot Casserole or the family's carbon footprint. 

Actually, Discovery hides that.  But if you see the Duggars on another media outlet, they'll cop to what homeschooling package they use - I forget now which one it is, but I heard of it around I think #17.  It's a creationist-science one.  I've had students in my classes before that were homeschooled with one of these creationist packages, and they get very little science and math, both in content and in rigor.  I can't help them.  I send them to get tutors and they still flunk. 

This is not necessarily a problem, it is simply Darwinism in action.

Science, are you as successful in preserving and extending your genes as the Duggars?

Genes, maybe not.
In their case I was referring to social Darwinism;  my memes are doing pretty well so far, though.

[magistra]

I saw a snippet of their show on tv, and even in what I suspect was the sanitized show, it was very much "the boys do this, the girls do that."  Specifically, they went on "vacation" to some religious home schoolers retreat every year, and the boys got to run off and play games, and the girls went off to other, girly activities.  So, especially if you're one of the eldest girls, you're not getting a lot of your parents' attention, you have tons of chores, your education is questionable, you can't get away from the tribe even at school, and you're not treated equally to your brothers (we've agreed since Brown v. BoE that separate isn't equal, right?)  Even the glossy, televised version made me want to run screaming.

Granted, some of the kids might love this upbringing, or at the very least not know anything different.  But I can see running away at the first available opportunity and not looking back.

Oh, and the kids had to wear color-coordinated outfits on their trip.  Actually, that made sense -- don't want to leave anyone behind! -- but if I were 16, I think I'd be unhappy about that on general principles.

[magimax]

I saw a snippet of their show on tv, and even in what I suspect was the sanitized show, it was very much "the boys do this, the girls do that."  Specifically, they went on "vacation" to some religious home schoolers retreat every year, and the boys got to run off and play games, and the girls went off to other, girly activities.  So, especially if you're one of the eldest girls, you're not getting a lot of your parents' attention, you have tons of chores, your education is questionable, you can't get away from the tribe even at school, and you're not treated equally to your brothers (we've agreed since Brown v. BoE that separate isn't equal, right?)  Even the glossy, televised version made me want to run screaming.

I read a blurb about one of the upcoming shows where the kids get to switch their chores (what they call "jurisdictions"), so the girls get to do stuff like change oil, rotate tires, mow the lawn, while the boys get to do laundry and cook!  Such fun!

[magistra]

Yeah, I had a friend who was one of 8 and she resented the burden.  And the last one was born after she'd gone to college, so she was out of it (they were well-spaced).  The idea there too was that "they're all our children", and she objected -- after all, she hadn't had a choice in whether they were born.  At least her parents listened to her, and saw to it that she was well-educated.  But still, she spent a lot of nights in high school up with the baby.

I wonder how much time the kids spend on their school work vs. on their chores? 

[j_source]

Because the Catholic school system in my hometown was so crappy lots of my classmates were one of 6 or 9 or 13 (that was the biggest I think).  Almost to a person they grew up to have no children or at most one.  By choice.

[zarathustra]

I wonder how they manage to conceive as well with that many kids in the house. He must work quickly.

Turkey baster.

[magimax]

I wonder how they manage to conceive as well with that many kids in the house. He must work quickly.

Turkey baster.

OMG, the images...

IIRC, their new house has an entire wing for the parents quite a ways away from the kids' side, so methinks stealth is not nearly such an issue now.  However, when they lived in the smaller house, perhaps there was much more stealth involved.  If you're hyper-fertile, it only takes one shot (uh, no pun, wait, yes, pun intended).

[sciencephd]

Yes, Quiverfull is an apt metaphor, in more ways than one.

[j_source]

http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/08/02/news/080307duggar17.txt

The uterus is not a clown car!

Apparently it is for these folks.  In the name of sweet jesus chritt, people - STOP!!!!!

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24823338-5002700,00.html

[athena1]

At least in the latest episode I saw, the kids wore normal clothing.

[qrypt]

Perhaps we should set an automated post for this thread, to be added 10 months from now.

[kaysixteen]

As a Christian school teacher, I can sadly attest to the fact that many of the students we get in hs, who have previously been homeschooled, are extremely poorly educated, esp. in areas of math and science.  Many of them have been 'taught' whatever they do know, right or wrong, by moms who have just purchased an hs textbook and worked along with the kids, trying to keep a step ahead of them, and, with respect to things like math and science, many hs parents do not even much care whether their kids get good training, if any at all (depending on what state they live in and how much they are forced to do, etc.).  What these kids, esp. boys who will be expected, in such a culture, to be working outside the home as breadwinners while raising large families, etc., will be able to do for gainful work does not ordinarily figure large into the calculus.

[wildwest]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/12/11/michelle-duggar-gives-birth-th-child-months-prematurely/?test=faces

On the one hand, I feel really sorry for Michelle Duggar.  On the other hand, I continue to think:  what in the hell are they thinking?

Is the female uterus designed to withstand so many pregnancies?

As someone who is having difficult conceiving, I wish the joy could be spread around a little more equally.

I can't help but follow some of these stories--they are just so surreal.   

[collegekidsmom]

With a baby that size, this time things will not go so smoothly at home, or with the show. It will be a tough road ahead. I hope the baby is OK, and maybe the show needs to take a hiatus. It's easy after 18 other kids, I guess, just to think things will go along smoothly just like always. This premature birth might be the wake up call for the show, or for the family. Probably not though, considering the mindset.