The Duggars Are At It Again

Today, I read that the Duggars, Jim Bob and Michelle are expecting another baby, their 18th. He is a real estate agent and sometime politician, she, obviously, a stay at home mom. When I first heard of these folks they had sixteen children and had "outgrown" their home. They were expecting number seventeen and building a new home to house their ever growing family.

The Duggars are very religious and traditional, dressing their sons conservatively, but not overly so. Their daughters, however, wear the more traditional garb of the more conservative religious groups. They wear long dresses and skirts at all times and swimsuits more related to the early twentieth century. The children are well mannered and appear to be well behaved, at least in front of the TV cameras. They are talented and intelligent, and are home schooled.

I often wonder what motivates their behavior in these modern times. They are definitely not withdrawn from society and embrace modern traditions and inventions, unlike some other conservative religious groups . What motivates them to continue to have children? Michelle is now forty-one years of age and has been pregnant for eleven years of her life. Her husband says they will continue to have children "as long as God wills it."

For the last few years, the Duggars have been appearing on the Today Show and in a television series on the Discovery Health Channel. Discovery Health maintains a website (http://www.duggarfamily.com/) to keep their "fans" up to date on their activities. You can log on and help name the eighteenth child.

I have begun to wonder if they aren't having children these days to keep their reality series going, thus bringing in the funding to support the family. After all, these are the days of "branding" and sponsorships. How long before there is the Duggar clothing line and the official baby food of the Duggars? Will there be spin offs, when the older ones marry and begin to over produce? Details during the next hour...