The Couple that plays together? Can you imagine???

[mrs. red]

By JILL ZEMAN, Associated Press Writer
Fri Aug 3, 10:56 AM ET
 


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - It's a girl — again — for the Duggars. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar welcomed their 17th child, and seventh daughter, into the world Thursday.

ADVERTISEMENT
 
Jennifer Danielle was born at 10:01 a.m. at Saint Mary's Hospital in Rogers, Ark., the Duggars said in an interview. Jennifer weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and arrived five days after Michelle's due date.

Less than 30 minutes after giving birth, the Duggars already were talking of having more.

"We'd love to have more," Michelle said, adding that the girls are outnumbered seven to 10 in the family. "We love the ruffles and lace."

Jennifer joins the fast-growing Duggar brood, who live in Tontitown in a 7,000-square-foot home. All the children — whose names start with the letter J — are home-schooled.

The oldest is 19 and the youngest, before Jennifer, is almost 2 years old.

"We are just so grateful to God for another gift from him," said Jim Bob Duggar, 42, a former state representative. "We are just so thankful to him that everything went just very well."

Jennifer joins siblings Joshua, 19; John David, 17; Janna, 17; Jill, 16; Jessa, 14; Jinger, 13; Joseph, 12; Josiah, 11; Joy-Anna, 9; Jedidiah, 8; Jeremiah, 8; Jason 7; James 6; Justin, 4; Jackson, 3; Johannah, almost 2.

The family includes two sets of twins.

Michelle Duggar said that Joshua, Janna, Jill and Jessa were at the hospital, but that the rest of the family planned to visit their new sister later Thursday.

Michelle Duggar said she started feeling contractions Wednesday night and went to the hospital at about 5 a.m. Thursday.

"It actually went fast," she said. "I guess once I started progressing, it went within 30 minutes."

Jennifer was born via a VBAC — or vaginal birth after Caesarean, Jim Bob Duggar said.

The Duggars have been featured on several programs on cable's Discovery Health Network. The next special, the Duggar Family Album, is scheduled to air next month, Jim Bob Duggar said.

Among the "fun facts" listed on Discovery Health's Web page devoted to the Duggars: A baby has been born in every month except June; the Duggars have gone through an estimated 90,000 diapers, and Michelle, 40, has been pregnant for 126 months — or 10.5 years — of her life.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070803/ap_on_fe_st/17_kids

[Dugga]

I've seen that TV show, and I salute that family for a: supporting themselves and not expecting the government to finance their family choices, and b: raising their family in a firm foundation of faith.

But I have to admit, while I admire their discipline and commitment to a way of life they believe in, I also get a little disgusted at their selfishness. Wanting a home with 17 children, particularly when you have the means to support them, is absolutely awesome. But guess what. All 17 don't have to be from your own loins! There are SO many great kids out there that need a loving home, I think they could stand to do more "good" in the world by providing a loving environment for kids who need one. I'm in no way saying that they shouldn't have had some kids of their own, it just seems like 17 is selfish. Horribly selfish.

To touch on a sensitive subject, I also feel the same way about people who spend tens of thousands of dollars on in-vitro and other infertility treatments. I can't understand why someone needs to so selfishly see their own flesh and blood when other infants, children and even teenagers need loving parents. But I can't speak on this topic with much authority, because I stand here with children of my own, none of which are adopted (yet)...

In any case, I'm with what Mrs. Red said in another thread. I freak out when the cats won't stop howling. How they can stand 17 kids and keep their sanity, I'll never know.

[pdh3]

ITA Dugga. Just because You CAN have 17 kids, doesn't mean you should. I think it's very, very unfair to the children, because there are only so many hours in the day, and how are you going to give each child the attention he or she needs from parents? In the Dugger's case, it has become the responsibility of the older kids to "parent" and be responsible for the smaller ones.
I'm really shocked that the Duggers aren't planning to stop having babies now. My guess is that they plan to have 20. As Michelle ages, and the toll on her body mounts, that's just asking for trouble for her, and any future baby she may conceive.
I don't understand why they think it's appropriate to have so many children, especially when there are so many children in the world who would love to have a home. If they love children that much,then why not open their home and their hearts to  child who needs it?
I would adopt tomorrow if I had the money to do it. The Duggers apparently have the money, just not the will.
I wonder how many of the Dugger offspring will decide to follow in their parent's footsteps, and overpopulate their little corner of the world? If 17 or even 20 kids all start having large numbers of babies, can you imagine the impact?

[Dugga]

I just realized. If I was one of their 17, I would be Dugga Duggar. 

[pdh3]

 

[pdh3]

I just realized. If I was one of their 17, I would be Dugga Duggar. 

I think, in keeping with the Dugger family tradition...you'd be Jugga Dugger.....

[Dugga]

I feel sorry for that poor Mother Duggar. 

[tcumom]

I feel sorry for that poor Mother Duggar. 

If you go to their website, it is interesting to read how much those kids do ..... evidently, they (or some) are in charge of meals, laundry, each older child mentors a younger one.....and so on. 

I can't put my finger on it, but watching the tv show about the family, and then reading the website just left me unsettled/uncomfortable.   

[tcumom]

I forgot to add that their 7000 sq ft home was paid for in cash....as they went along in construction. 

[nonesuche]

Well I have to post this for it is yanking my chain a bit, I too agree about adoption in fact my own father was adopted, back in the day when it was still whispered about and not something to be tagged with as less than desirable.

The other point is.......while the Duggan's can afford these kids now, who will pay for their college educations? I suspect some will get scholarships and some will get loans. Either way, our tax dollars support all in-state college institutions so there will be a 'cost' to the public attached to the Duggan's brood.

I'm glad I don't live in their state so that I won't growl when I have to sign those college tuition checks at my house 

[justinsmama]

My family was 5 children. Despite having loving parents, I felt as though I did not receive optimal attention from our mother. There simply was not enough time, energy and other resources for her to give. Gotta wonder about the impact on a family of that many children.


I can only imagine what all those pregnancies have done to that woman's body. *shudder*

[BTgirl]

I want to agree with what Dugga said about adoption. My hubby was abandoned by his birth mother at the hospital just after his birth. If he had not been adopted, he would have grown up in foster homes. He was placed on a list of children with problems because of his gluten intolerance, and was not the first choice of most people wanting to adopt. He was six months old when his adoptive parents chose him, and I'm sooooo glad that someone was willing to do that.

Once I worked with a woman who had three children of her own, and was extremely anti-abortion. She had had her tubes tied, and then said she regretted it because she wanted another baby. She ranted and raved about how if people weren't allowed to have abortions, she would have an easier time finding a baby to adopt. I said to her, "But there are zillions of children out there you could adopt. Sure - some of them might be biracial or have a health problem, but they still need loving homes."

The woman looked at me as if I were an alien and said, "I'm not going to bring a child with imperfections into my home with my children!"

Sometimes people really are selfish. 

[pdh3]

I feel sorry for that poor Mother Duggar. 

If you go to their website, it is interesting to read how much those kids do ..... evidently, they (or some) are in charge of meals, laundry, each older child mentors a younger one.....and so on. 

I can't put my finger on it, but watching the tv show about the family, and then reading the website just left me unsettled/uncomfortable.   

The older children are sharing in the parental responsibilities. It makes me a little uncomfortable too. My daughter commented on it, about how the kids did all the work, and what did Michelle do if all the work was done by the kids?
My children do lots of chores around the house, and I do believe in teaching kids to pull their own weight, and to learn to live in a community by contributing at home first. But there is something about that family that seems unbalanced. Mom and Dad choose to have more and more kids for the older ones to care for.....and most of the additional work falls on the children they already have.

[LouiseVargas]

ADOPTION

Once upon a time, my son (who you don't know about) said he has to divide his time amongst his four children. He said each child gets 25%. My daughter and I both thought there was something off about that.

Speaking of adoption, I got pregnant at 17 in the spring of 1961 when it was a scandal to be an unwed mother. I did not want to marry the boy. The boy's mother suggested abortion. My mother said, "Over my dead body." I was sent to a Salvation Army home for unwed mothers. I was in touch with a social worker from a Jewish adoption agency every week. There was no question that I could keep the baby. I gave birth on December 30 in an operatory with a spinal block and the baby boy was whisked away. They said that if I were giving up the baby for adoption, I could not hold him as that would bond us. I spent two days on the hospital floor and I could look at the baby three times a day through the window. I signed the papers and it was over. I went home and cried for three years.

The baby found me in 1996. It was a fabulous time but when the "rubber meets the road" it was a curiosity for them.

I'm thankful my mother forbade abortion. It was a short time in my life. His rich parents provided the means for him to become an MD and PhD so he could help contribute to society. He works for a radiology group in Kansas City and is an expert in nuclear medicine and interventional radiology.

What if I had an abortion?

[pdh3]

Louise - How courageous of you to tell us that story. Your son got his guts from you! You did a wonderful, loving thing for your son.
Apparently, his adoptive parents raised him well, and he is a good example of the promise of every child. You gave him life, and he has been able to do something honorable with it.
Since the Duggers consider themselves superior parents, it is really a shame they couldn't have taken the adoption route. Who knows how many children would have been able to fulfill their promise, if they'd had a supportive and loving home?