The Duggar Siblings Differ on How They’re Raising Their Kids
The Duggar family has been caught up in multiple scandals in recent years, and more may be on the way. The family will be the focus of an Amazon Studios docuseries about the Institute of Basic Life Principles. While the controversial ministry was once a massive part of the Duggar brand, many of the family’s children have struck out on their own and are doing things differently. Some adult Duggar kids are following their parents’ lead, while others are charting their own courses, well, sort-of.
The Duggar kids differ in their social media usage
The Duggar kids all largely grew up in the spotlight. That doesn’t mean they all plan to do the same with their children. While all of the Duggar kids were active on social media, showing off their children, while the family had a reality TV show, things have changed substantially. Both Jinger Vuolo and Jill Dillard remain active on social media but have opted not to show their children’s faces. Joseph Duggar and Josiah Duggar have shied away from social media completely, and John David Duggar only occasionally shares photos of his children.
Meanwhile, Jessa Seawald, Joy-Anna Forsyth, and Jedidiah Duggar appear interested in leveraging their children for social media clout. The three siblings heavily featured their kids on social media and in YouTube videos. Jessa is the mother of four children. Joy-Anna Forsyth is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her third child this month. Jedidiah’s wife, Katey Nakatsu, is due to deliver their second child later this month, as well.
Their religious affiliations have changed, too
The Duggar kids all grew up in the Institute of Basic Life Principles, an ultra-conservative, controversial Christian ministry. While the Duggars largely avoided mentioning the church in the latter years of their show, parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar still have strong ties to the ministry. Several of the Duggar kids do, too. Not all are adhering to the teachings, though.
Jill and her husband, Derick Dillard, spoke out against the IBLP first. In an interview several years ago, Derick shared that he is not affiliated with the IBLP. Jinger slammed the ministry in her recent memoir, and Jessa and her husband, Ben Seewald, are affiliated with a Southern Baptist church. Ben, who married Jessa in 2014, is a pastor.
Anna Duggar still appears to be raising her seven children in the IBLP. Husband, Josh Duggar, is serving a decade-long prison sentence on child pornography charges. Several other Duggar kids have been spotted at ministry-sponsored events, although it is difficult to decipher who is still a part of the ministry.
Homeschooling isn’t a choice everyone is making
While several Duggars kids have opted to continue with their parents’ homeschooling tradition, not all follow the informal schooling practice. Jill opted to send her eldest son to public school when her family settled down in a small Arkansas town. It doesn’t look like public school is still the plan, though. Jill hasn’t addressed her children’s schooling recently, but family followers have quickly noticed that Israel Dillard is spending a lot of time out and about during school hours.
Jinger Vuolo has no plans to follow the family’s homeschooling tradition, and it looks like she’ll be sticking it out for longer than her older sister. Jinger, who recently penned a book about her upbringing in the IBLP, spoke to the New York Times in January and revealed she and Jeremy Vuolo have no plans to homeschool their two children. Jeremy and Jinger’s two children, Felicity, 4, and Evangeline, 2, aren’t at school age yet, but they are getting there.
Anna, Jessa, and Joy-Anna are all homeschooling their kids. It would appear that Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell’s children are also homeschooled, though information about the private couple remains scarce. The rest of the Duggar grandchildren are a bit too young for school.
