Jim Bob Duggar Has Had 6 Jobs — And He’s Influencing His Kids to Live the Same Way
Jim Bob Duggar, the patriarch of the Duggar family, has raised his kids with very strict rules and values. He’s the head of the house, and he’s reportedly the one who controls the entire family’s money, whether the kids are married or unmarried.
Jim Bob did not attend college or master a trade, and though he’s developed a successful real estate business, he does plenty of other things to make money as opposed to having one steady, secure job. And he seems to be influencing his kids to live with the same income uncertainty.
Jim Bob Duggar has earned most of his money through real estate
Duggar was the sole provider for his 19 kids growing up. He and Michelle Duggar believe that the men should make the money while the women care for their kids. And most of Jim Bob’s income comes from the real estate industry. He works in commercial real estate (the buying and selling of commercial buildings as opposed to homes), and while there is plenty of money to be made, anyone who has ever gone into the industry knows it’s unreliable.
When the economy is great, people are buying and selling. But if the economy takes a dip, so do commercial and home sales. Though it can be an extremely rewarding career, it certainly is not recession-proof and therefore not always a reliable industry.
Duggar has had several other ventures to provide for his family
Besides real estate, Duggar has pulled in money from several other avenues — he doesn’t have one solid, secure income for the family. He’s been paid for speaking engagements, writing a book, and screenwriting, as well as dabbling in politics, and, of course, getting paid to film Counting On. Though Duggar has found success in most of his endeavors, not everyone is so lucky.
The Duggar kids don’t have much professional training
It’s important to note that there is nothing wrong with opting not to attend college. There are plenty of other careers that someone can become professionally trained in without obtaining a four-year college degree. Electricians, plumbers, and people of other trades might have a steady income and plenty of professional skill without obtaining a college degree. Real estate is another good example of developing a professional skill without a degree.
The thing is, from what we know about the family, Jim Bob doesn’t allow his kids to obtain four-year degrees. He carves their paths for them, and they must follow. Instead, the kids find other ways to make money without furthering their education. It’s one thing if they choose not to do so — it’s another if they’re never given the opportunity.
Jim Bob doesn’t allow his daughters to work
The Duggar women also are not pushed to attend college. In the family, it’s the woman’s job to care for the kids. These days, many of the Duggar women have tried to create an income for themselves through Instagram. Though Instagram ads can certainly be lucrative (most of the women have close to or above one million followers), using social media as a source of income isn’t always reliable. Without Instagram ads, the women don’t have any funds of their own, which isn’t exactly the best example for parents to set for their kids.
