Why Fans Think a Duggar Will Definitely Court a ‘Bringing Up Bates’ Family Member in the Future
If there’s any family known for its massive size, it’s the Duggars. It all began with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, a Christian fundamentalist couple who believes in having as many kids as God will allow — and in their case, that’s 19. They rose to fame with 19 Kids and Counting, and fans continue to watch the older Duggar kids as they begin their own lives and families on TLC’s Counting On.
The Duggars aren’t the only huge famous family on the reality TV scene, however. More recently, the 19 Bates children from Bringing Up Bates have also had some time in the spotlight — and it turns out they also know the Duggars quite well. Here’s why fans of both families think we’ll definitely see a Duggar/Bates courtship in the near future.
The Duggars and the Bates have been friendly for years
While the Bates may be relative newcomers to the reality TV scene, they’re certainly not new to the Duggars. Romper notes Jim Bob has talked about how he first met Gil and Kelly Bates — and it was many years ago. As Jim Bob stated on an episode of United Bates of America, “Back about 15 years ago, I went to a conference, and I walked in and I saw this family with, like, seven or eight kids sitting around a table. And I said ‘This kinda looks like my family.’ That was Gil and Kelly Bates. And we’ve been friends ever since. It’s been a really special relationship.”
Not only did Jim Bob connect with Gil and Kelly on the sheer size of their families, but they also share many of the same views on dating and education. Both families choose to homeschool their kids, and when it comes to dating, both the Bates and the Duggars believe in limited physical contact (including no kissing) until the couple is married. Since many of the Duggars and the Bates family members have seemingly grown up together and share these views, it comes as no surprise that fans expect a courtship to occur at some point.
Erin Bates says she thinks there will definitely be a Duggar/Bates courtship
To solidify the idea that a Duggar family member and Bates member might eventually court, Erin Bates has broken her silence on what she thinks. Back in 2015, the Bates daughter (who was married in 2013 and is now 27) spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the topic. In addition to telling the publication that she was regularly in contact with Jill Duggar, she also mentioned that she thought it was quite likely that one of her siblings would marry one of the Duggars.
As Erin told Entertainment Tonight, “I personally think, hey you have 19 kids on each side, I think it’s almost inevitable somewhere down the line. As much as we see each other, I think there’s going to be an attraction somewhere.” As for which Duggar and which of her brothers or sisters she believes would make a good match, she’s not totally sure. “I don’t know where yet, but I think it’s gonna happen,” she added.
Rumors have continued to fly regarding Jana Duggar and Bates family members
Jana Duggar has been a fan favorite for years, and while she remains single, plenty of fans have wondered if she would ever date a member of the Bates family. In the beginning of 2019, rumors flew that Jana was in a secret courtship with Lawson Bates, People reports. Jana recently joined Instagram, which is something that’s usually just reserved for the Duggars who are married or in courtships. Not only that, but Lawson Bates, who’s 26, left a flirty comment on one of her photos. This led many to assume that Jana and Lawson were courting — but alas, the rumors proved false.
Aside from Lawson, In Touch Weekly also notes that fans have been in support of Jana dating Nathan Bates, too. While Nathan is just 25, fans have noticed how much time he spends with the other Duggars — and they could be the perfect match. For now, fans will just have to dream of a courtship for Jana, as she’s happily single. Or perhaps twins Jedidiah and Jeremiah Duggar, who are both 20, will begin courting a Bates in the future.
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