The Weirdest Rules the Duggar Children Have to Follow

It seems like everyone knows of the Duggar family. And knowing about the family, who were made famous thanks to the TLC shows 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On, means knowing they don’t act like so many other families.

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are committed to raising their children in a unique way. The children seem happy and well-adjusted, but they must follow much stricter rules than most of their peers. There is no such thing as bending the rules if they live under their parents’ roof, but once they grow up and move out, there are certain times when they rebel against what they’ve been taught. Then again, that is just a part of growing up.

So what exactly are the Duggar children forbidden from doing? These are the weirdest rules the Duggar children must follow.

Women can’t wear pants

Any photo you see of a Duggar lady will undoubtedly show her wearing a skirt or dress (of a modest length). Why? Simply because in the Duggar family, women don’t wear pants or – heaven forbid – shorts. This rule may be broken once the girls grow up and move out, but as long as Jim Bob and Michelle are in charge, it’s all skirts all the time.

Boys can’t stare at attractive women

The Duggars may be able to control their own apparel, but obviously they can’t dictate what everyone else is wearing. That’s why they have a code for when they come across an attractive woman wearing a suggestive outfit in public. If that happens, someone will yell, “Nike!” which means all the Duggar boys should look at their shoes to avoid seeing her and having sinful thoughts.

No going to the beach

For similar reasons, the Duggars avoid going to the beach where the “Nike!” code word would become a constant refrain. Rather than tempt members of their brood with all those miles of bare flesh, the heads of household choose to just stay home and avoid the bikini scene.

Babies get ‘blanket training’

This is a controversial parenting technique that Michelle Duggar uses and her daughters continued. For blanket training, a baby is placed on a blanket and struck whenever he or she attempts to crawl off it. This essentially “trains” the child to stay safely in that spot. Because who can afford 19 pack n plays?

No dancing

Dancing is seen as way too sexually suggestive, so Duggars avoid doing it at weddings or family gatherings.

Limited access to television and movies

Anyone who follows the Duggars knows they lead a sheltered life, and this extends to television and movies, too. The kids are allowed to watch certain movies (Veggie Tales? The Passion of the Christ?) but for the most part, they are forbidden from viewing modern, secular programming.

There’s no such thing as dating

Instead of dating, Duggar sons and daughters engage in a ritual known as “courting.” Jim Bob must approve any potential matches and both parents supervise time spent together between the couple, including phone calls. This getting to know each other period is strictly seen as preparation for marriage, not casually seeing each other.

No hugging or kissing before marriage

Duggar first kisses don’t occur until their wedding days. Same goes for full-frontal hugs.

No hand holding until you’re engaged

Touching members of the opposite sex, even something simple like hand-holding, can lead to feelings of lust and desire. That’s why Duggar children are not allowed to hold hands romantically until they’ve set a wedding date.

No birth control

With no kissing, hugging, or even hand-holding, it would seem that a rule against birth control seems unnecessary. But in the Duggar’s religion, birth control is forbidden even after they tie the knot. Some family members may break this rule, however.

No drinking

Drinking alcohol leads to poor decisions and lowers inhibitions. The Duggar family avoids drinking for this very reason.

These are just some of the strict rules the Duggars follow. Think it sounds unreasonable? Maybe. But if they are all happy, then maybe it’s worth it.