Another Duggar baby is on the way!

[ArtisticFan]

Josh's wife was 20 when she got married, so marrying young is what they do. However, from what I've seen on the show, none of the girls, with exception of a couple, seem all that into kids and marriage. Who could blame them? And beisdes, If the older girls got married, that would mean Michelle would actually have to take care of her own children.

Michelle was 17 when she married Jim Bob. So there is another example.

But it isn't like the girls can even go sign up for Christian Mingle. Potential suitors must go through Jim Bob to even approach the girl about a courtship. That man only sees dollar signs. While Josh and Anna make money for the family by being on the show, any daughter who gets married would essentially move away to be with her husband and his family. It isn't like there is an enclave of Gothard following people there in Northwest Arkansas. A child missing for an episode or two wouldn't be noticed, but one moving away would be noticed by viewers. Yes, there could be visits and vacations, but it would be a different aspect that I'm not sure Jim Bob could see the monetary value in at the moment.

Many who are in the movement do value their privacy, modesty and humility. There is a hypocrisy with the Duggars' television cameras, news show appearances and publicity seeking that does not sit well with a young man who might want to marry one of the daughters. While the show portrays them as the royalty among overly fertile people, I'd think that quite a few "godly" young men would be turned off by the cameras, attention, and potential for being used.

[Wyliefan]

This. Anyone I know (in my circle of peers) who had a baby before age 30 had an accident. Seriously. Even my friend who is pregnant with number seven didn't marry until 29 and didn't start having kids until she was 33. It is a bit outside the norm these days.

Not exactly. The average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. is 25. Having three kids by 24 may be outside the norm, but having a child before 30 isn't.

[skatesindreams]

That's what makes it "newsworthy", for some people.

At this juncture, I find Jim Bob Duggar "smarmy"/borderline offensive.
He's using his family/beliefs as a money-making endeavour.

[ArtisticFan]

This. Anyone I know (in my circle of peers) who had a baby before age 30 had an accident. Seriously. Even my friend who is pregnant with number seven didn't marry until 29 and didn't start having kids until she was 33. It is a bit outside the norm these days.

I can't remember the comedian, but there was one who said she knew she had grown up when her response to a friend announcing a pregnancy went from, "Oh My God What are you going to do?" to "Congratulations."

[PDilemma]

Not exactly. The average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. is 25. Having three kids by 24 may be outside the norm, but having a child before 30 isn't.

Average age is inevitably pulled downward by teenage pregnancies, though. Just like the average American woman supposedly wears a size 14 but I recently saw a story that that is the lowest selling size in stores. In circles where women are educated and pursue careers, not that many are popping out three babies by age 24, and more women are pursuing higher education than men.

[Skittl1321]

I'm 31 and beginning to feel like I'm the only person left without a kid. Pretty much everyone I know started having kids around 25-28. 95% of these people went to college, many had their babies during grad (or in one case med) school. Most have 2 by now. My sample of friends composes 3 states due to various moves, so it isn't just a small region- though I do know that Texans tend to marry young, especially when compared to East Coast, so that skews it a bit.

[MacMadame]

I don't really care you sneezed. But do you know if Kim Kardashian did? That would be news!!

I am that you don't care about my sneezing habits. What about Madonna? I heard she worked out yesterday, too. Is that news?

Wow. I thought this was Michelle Duggar. I'm like, give that money-maker a rest, why dontcha?

Yeah, if it was Michelle, it would be newsworthy. Though congratulations to whichever Duggar brat it is. I'm sure they're excited and happy.

As for "average age", statistics aren't predicative to the individual. Saying the average age is 25 doesn't mean hardly anyone under 25 has babies or even that most women are 25 when they have their first. I know plenty of women who got married out of high school and starting have kids soon after. It's not THAT unusual. Of course, it's not that unusual to go to college and wait until after to get married and have kids and there are enough women like me who waited until their 30s to get married and have kids too. You see plenty of us all along that spectrum for none of it to be all that unusual or newsworthy.

[Zemgirl]

Not exactly. The average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. is 25. Having three kids by 24 may be outside the norm, but having a child before 30 isn't.

I believe in Israel the average age for Jewish women is now 27, though I don't think any of my friends (most of whom are in their early to mid thirties) had kids at that age, and 30 or so was probably the most common among those who do have kids. The national average is affected by religious women, who tend to marry young and have kids soon after; while families the size of the Duggars would be unusual even among the ultraorthodox, having more than ten children isn't that uncommon in certain religious communities here.

I suspect most ultraorthodox women are much better educated than the Duggar girls, however.

[Prancer]

Average age is inevitably pulled downward by teenage pregnancies, though. Just like the average American woman supposedly wears a size 14 but I recently saw a story that that is the lowest selling size in stores. In circles where women are educated and pursue careers, not that many are popping out three babies by age 24, and more women are pursuing higher education than men.

That might be, but the birth rate for women 35 and over is higher (14%) than the birth rate for teens (10%), so there's quite a bit of offset there, and while most young women try college, most of them drop out, too. The majority of women are not college educated and pursuing careers. There are far more women (and men) who have jobs.

[skatesindreams]

I suspect most ultraorthodox women are much better educated than the Duggar girls, however.

Since what they are allowed to learn is dictated by their beliefs, I don't doubt that.

[milanessa]

P.S. Yesterday I sneezed.

A belated Gesundheit.

[Skittl1321]

A belated Gesundheit.

Oh come on! This only encourages the attention seeking behavior

[MacMadame]

Oh come on! This only encourages the attention seeking behavior

Good one. Next thing you know, I'll have my own reality show.

[agalisgv]

Anyone I know (in my circle of peers) who had a baby before age 30 had an accident.

People I know are often grandparents by age 30.

[Japanfan]

I'm not advocating for their lifestyle. I just don't understand the contempt for it. Once again, live and let live.

I would say 'disturbed and frightened by it' to be the more accurate term than 'contempt'?

Do you put any limits on 'live and let live'? Are there any human practices or values that would cause you to draw the line? Any situations of racism, misogyny, exploitation, and injustice that you would give as exception to the rule?

It's a pretty little maxim but you can use it to excuse almost any behaviour.

[milanessa]

Do you put any limits on 'live and let live'? Are there any human practices or values that would cause you to draw the line? Any situations of racism, misogyny, exploitation, and injustice that you would give as exception to the rule?

Yes, but this isn't it.

[LilJen]

LOL! ((male gynos)) the article thinks they are all pervs. conversely, i always wondered if they ended up disgusted by women.

It's understandable that some women choose female OBs, but this preacher guy is totally jellin' on male OBs. Because nothing's hotter than a pap test.

Oh yeah. And I guess there are no lesbian OBs?

This. Anyone I know (in my circle of peers) who had a baby before age 30 had an accident. Seriously. Even my friend who is pregnant with number seven didn't marry until 29 and didn't start having kids until she was 33. It is a bit outside the norm these days.

It varies so much. I grew up in Seattle and most of my friends didn't start until very late 20s/early 30s. Then I moved to the Midwest, and it is a totally normal thing to get married in the early 20s and have 3-4 kids by age 30. Totally intentional, and not Quiverfull people either.

[Ziggy]

Yes, but this isn't it.

It is. They are exploiting their daughters and the misogyny and patriarchy means they can't realise their potential.

[michiruwater]

I have multiple classmates (class of 2007) who already have more than 1 kid. Some have 3. Probably about half my class is either married or engaged, and most of the married ones have children already.

[PDilemma]

Oh yeah. And I guess there are no lesbian OBs?



It varies so much. I grew up in Seattle and most of my friends didn't start until very late 20s/early 30s. Then I moved to the Midwest, and it is a totally normal thing to get married in the early 20s and have 3-4 kids by age 30. Totally intentional, and not Quiverfull people either.

I am in the Midwest. Not normal among the women I know at all. Even working in a Catholic school, my co-workers had children in their 30s not their 20s.

I think this is not regional so much as influenced by education and often religion (as is the case for the Duggars). The young women I taught in an evangelical school married very young and had kids very young. Those who remained in that religious tradition, anyway. Those who went away from it and pursued an education did not have children young.