Thursday, November 10, 2011

Big Families.

     Yesterday, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar announced the pregnancy of their 20th child!  It probably wouldn't be a shock to most of you that I am a huge fan of the Duggar family, and any family that chooses to follow God's will for their lives.  To be real blunt, I would love to have 20 children!


       I was reading some of the news stories this afternoon and below each story is usually a comment section where readers can sound off their opinion.  I was appalled at some of the things that were being said about this family just because they are different.  But, as I think about the reader's comments on the Duggar family, I think of some things that have been said, or assumptions made about my relatively small family of five children.

     First of all, we get the strange looks. The look of superiority.  The look of disgust. How could two people be so irresponsible to have so many children?   Stepping through the grocery lines waiting to see if I pull out a Link card so they can back up their assumptions. And as I whip out my debit card, they just start looking for something else to glare about. Perhaps Hannah has a Kool Aid stache. Tabitha's hair may not be parted evenly. Dylan could have big rips in his jeans. Therefore, I obviously am not doing my job!   Any number of things. Assumptions. Just because I have what they consider to be a large family.

     You also get the sorts of people that figure we are a drain on the world's population.  Well, here is how I look at it. There are several people out there that are unable to have children, or maybe they prefer not to have any.  Since the average married couple has 2.3 children (Don't ask me, I have never had 1/3 a child), I figure, I am just meeting that average for those that don't have any children.  LOL.

      And hold onto your seat belts when we are discovered to be a homeschool family! I don't hide this fact; in fact I am very proud of all that we have accomplished in the last two and a half years.  But, saying we are a HS family puts us on the fringe of society. It is then assumed that we just want to shelter out children and keep them from learning about "reality."  Well, I am not going to deny that one. Why not wait until they are mature, and properly equipped to handle the pressures of today's youth? I don't want my daughter believing that sex is cool in middle school. I don't want my son believing he has to stop playing with his light sabers just because he is almost a teenager. I don't want my children to learn a new set of words that don't have any proper meanings anyway.  If raising good, responsible, children labels me protective, so be it!  We take the name bigots, homophobes, racists, and freaks because we choose to keep our children just that - children. And for as long as we can!

     All of that said, we have had some amazing comments come from folks wherever we go.  We were walking through a parking lot and some guy pulls up and asks if these were really all my kids. While I was thinking, "No, I kidnapped all of them and decided to let them out of the basement today," I nicely nod my head. He said, "Wow. Good for you. We don't see too many big families these days, and it is great to see yours."  We had a Taco Bell worker come up to say that she appreciated the fact that my children cleaned up the floor after they were through eating, so she didn't have to.  We get told ALL THE TIME how well behaved our children are.

    As it should, the good comments definitely outweigh the bad/

     I certainly hope that eventually people would just learn to embrace what is different. I don't judge other people for having one or two children. I don't make assumptions about their family.  So why do they have to do it with mine?

    And since when did having five kids become a "big family?"

    So, I just hope that Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar stay oblivious from the negativity. They are an amazing family who really are just trying to show us how they function. I personally find them fascinating!  Lots of kids, faith in God, debt free, homeschool, and are very frugal! What is not to love?
  
     If everyone is SO worried about her health, say a prayer for her. That is what Michelle would want anyway. Her faith and trust is in the very God that blessed her with 20 babies!


And just for fun, a little humor.....



If you haven't ever heard of Tim Hawkins, you really need to look him up! By far, the funniest guy I have ever heard!

1 comment:

  1. I'm not a fan of the Duggars show per say, but then we don't have tv at all. They are providing and doing well, so good for them! Praying for her health. I've got 5 kids too and get the comments and looks often as well. I try to let it roll, but sometimes can't help pointing out how judgemental people are. Something about removing the boards in your own eye, folks. ;) Great read, thanks!

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