Arkansas Couple Welcomes 17th Child

I thank GOd for our 6, but we would have loved a few more

 

Simple mathematics. Divide the time available by the number of offspring.

 

I don't get it - you may not be able to handle it, but who says this mom and dad can't Each child does not need 3-4 hours a day of personalised attention. 3-4 at a time is
grand.

I just don't see how you can tell this family what is best for them.

 

Think 17 is a lot?

Rehoboam had 88.

Which raises a question...

How much time is truly needed for each child.

Rehoboam only would have had 16.36 minutes per child a day... providing he never slept.

More than likely, he seldom spoke to his children one on one. His eighteen wives and 60 concubines probably advised and raised them.

 

With my eyes closed, I pointed to my computer screen and yelled "whalla". That was the thread I chose to be critical of

I think you mean to praise god for all christian families. :godisgood:

Yes, I read the article. My sentence was "If" they home schooled. I couldn't recall off hand

Magnetic Poles stated it best, it is simple math. 24 hours in a day, with 17 children. 9 hours of it is sleeping so you have 11 hours left. If you gave each child 1/2 hour of pure intimate time to just talk, it would take up almost 9 hours per day. That leaves only two hours left to home school your kids, clean your house (or instruct the housekeeper or who ever) make dinner, clean etc.. you must sign kids school papers sent them back, and there is a good chance as a parent, you already had to be somewhere that day anyways so you never started out with 24 hours in the first place.

Maybe a child was sick and you needed to go shopping, run some errands, take the child to the dentist, participate in parental conferences with teachers (even in this situation) need I go on??? And when exactly do these people find time to be intimate together? To be intimate with other couples so the kids can see that adults need that type of companionship?
Children can perform some parental duties which keep the other children alive, but that's about it. Possibly give some guidance, let the parent know what's happening with siblings friends. We can REQUIRE the older siblings to partially do OUR JOBS for us but really....Don't you want more for your children? Let kids be kids, and parents be parents.
We are considering having another baby at the moment but due to the abuse it does to the females health, we are hesitant. She has osteopenia and would loose more bone mass, though she has grown a whole lot back. I had a vascectomy which would need to be reversed so it doesn't look good.

Though we have one teenager at home, it would NOT be his responsibility to raise OUR new baby. He may be willing to help with some parental duties, but he deserves time to be what he is, a big brother. Nor would I trust his guidance upon a few sensitive subjects.

I tried to google the medical implications of giving birth, but came up with nothing. Our good friend is a retired MD who suggested my wife not get pregnant. He explained one looses bone mass with each pregnancy, and stated he could go on and on concerning the abuse it does to the female body. It also shortens life span.

It would be nice to hear from a MD who can explain the medical implications of pregnancy. That in itself, is reason enough to limit pregnancies .
It's just sad. These people are mentally unstable, period.

 

My mother gave birth to seven children and lived to be 94...

 

This is an amazing judgement to make. Totally unjust and unfair. I daresay as the years go by they will prove just how stable they and their choices are.

 

I don't consider it a judgement, just an obvious conclusion from the facts presented.

Children suffer when parents can't provide for them properly, and keep them mentally and physically healthy. It appears this family is exceptionally physically healthy.

I went to their official website and followed some links. Their version of eating out includes ONLY the dollar menu at fast food restaurants. And their favorite recipes button included meals full of junk food (frozen, pre-packaged and canned food thrown in to make a meal). Maybe the healthy recipes haven't been added yet? Eating all of that junk, well...I hope they exercise.
It takes alot more time to prepare healthy meals. And more $$

A 2200 sq ft for 19 people is insane. They are moving into a larger home soon. Maybe they are using the $$ they made from the TLC show to help subsidize it. The midget family (Little People Big World) did well financially off of their show.

Like Scarlette, I am concerned with the home church/home school combination. Kids need to be with other kids.

In all fairness, they appear a Christian family teaching solid christian values. Yet I cannot, in good faith, find them to be mentally stable. But maybe some would say the same thing about me

 

Wow, that's great

 

What I would like to know (and only time will bear this out) is whether or not the children will eventually react against this lifestyle.

IMO, I think some of the children will want to have large families, and some may not want to have any children.

I do understand the comparisons to the OT, but, without polygamy, 17 kids is a HORDE of children.

 

I would have a concern here also. If they are shooled at home, and receive religious instruction at home, it could be dangerous for the children.

When the author of the Epistle of Hebrews wrote,

'Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together...',

I do not believe he was speaking of only one family unit. They do that all the time at home. No, there must be fellowship amongst other believers as well.

To teach those children only from Dad's perspective with none other to tell them Dad could be wrong in his beliefs at all could constitute a cult... IMO

 

Where is the Bible for you conclusion? Especially your first opinion?

 

I think you are limiting the verse. Now, I am not for the individuals who feel they need to start a "home church" because they have had it out with the pastor over the color of the new carpet and quit and then never really do anything at home.

But what about countless missionaries who have went to the field and their only assemling for months and sometimes years was with themselves?

There are also instances where families live in or move to an area where there are not any sound Bible believing and practicing churches. If you literally apply Romans 16:17-18 and Titus 3:10. We had the same issue here and began a church with only three familes attending (and far less of a congregation than the Dugger's have with just themselves) since all three familes were only couples without children at the time, and an additional two mothers and a father (about 10, give or take what family members and friends came the first 6 months).

Now, correct me if I am wrong, for I don't have television at home, but I believe I saw at a family member's house one day that there home church is also with at least one other family, and that they go to different camps or Christian retreats each year... am I right?

Maybe a good thread would be defining what not forsaking assembly is.

 

There are numerous churches of different denominations throughout Springdale, where the Duggar's live.

From what I have seen and read, they only home church. Again, that is dangerous. I see no reason why they cannot find a local church.

As to missionaries abroad, they don't just sit at home and teach one another, they go out visiting other communities and share the gospel; inviting others into their home for Bible lessons. They also take the Bible to others. At least that is what our missionaries do.

Both homeschooling and homechurching in one family could lead to a cult just as bad as the Phelps family church.

 

I would like to clarify a statement. The Duggan family WAS living temporarily in a 2200 sq ft house a few years ago.
The Bible doesn't cover all issues, as you know. I suggest you re-read my posts and visit the links I provided below. You may find them on the Official Duggan Family website


I am with GL here... This family situation is resembling a cult. These kids need to be involved in a local church


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/121805dntexbigfamily.2bb5559.html


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/04/earlyshow/contributors/melindamurphy/main615586.shtml

 

One potential issue...

Once the kids hit puberty and have no contact with outsiders, it could result in some bad things going on.

 

Has it been established that they are NOT in a local church? I thought they were.

It troubles me to hear of these people being demonized all for having and supporting a family.

 

Are ya'll sure these people ain't Catholic,?

cause Catholics now do this of thing, they don't believe in Birth Control at all... at least not the one's I know!