The Duggar Family.........

I am a confirmed television channel flipper.........I just can't resist flipping channels (except when Lost is on) to see what else is on. Sometimes you discover a pleasant surprise - a show you haven't heard about, but a show that you find interesting.

Then there are shows that you just can't stop yourself from watching....... The first time I saw a show about the Duggar Family I couldn't believe it. This is a religious family who have had 15, 16, 17 children over the last few years. The children are home-schooled - they leave a productive life of schooling, bible study, music practice (all children play the violin and the piano) and household responsibilities. They dress modestly, have no debt and all participated in building their new home. The mother, Michelle Duggar, has been pregnant for 135 months of her life. She is 41 years old. The family has just announced they are having their 18th child. This child will have a name that starts with "J", like all of the other other children (and their father, Jim Bob)

The idea of this family's choices is breathtaking to me. I can't imagine ever home-schooling my children (successfully) and I'm not sure I would ever have the discipline needed to make the household function (or thrive). On television the children look happy and busy. The mother doesn't look as exhausted as I would think she must be..... I wonder how many children her children will decide to have - my parents were both from big families and they knew very early on that they only wanted small families.........I have noticed that many mock this family's choices - I'm more in awe and wonder.

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