19 kids & outnumbered the Bates Family

[cushioncovers]

Anyone watching? I've just discovered this. I remember them as one of the families that the Duggar's visited in their show.

[SingleHandSue]

Ooh, what’s it on? The Duggars are my guilty pleasure

[Limer]

It’s been on Lifetime channel the last couple of Saturday afternoons – I recorded them all and binge-watched, fast-forwarding through all the ads. The family all seem so lovely, so happy and genuine – BUT it’s clearly very heavily edited and orchestrated for the cameras. I deplore the sexism. Horrible old-fashioned gender stereotyping everywhere. Some of them must be gay, and with a decent education all of them would do really well in proper careers. The biggest event in those poor girls’ lives is their wedding day – one day of dressing like a princess before an eternity of housework, motherhood and drudgery.

The modest clothing is madness for swimming!

The religious stuff makes me eye-roll massively. Everything being the will of god, and the lack of contraception meaning that god has sent them all those children.

And what is it with all the yodelling?

[maxbabi]

It's on every night x2 episodes. I have to say I am enjoying it, such a nice contrast to twitter!
I used to be in a church similar but we could wear trousers! I left after a while.
They are such nice people though and clearly bright. And home schooled!!!

[cushioncovers]

Sorry single I've just got sky tv moved from virgin and couldn't remember what** channel it was on.

[cushioncovers]

Liner you would hate the 19 kids and counting series then with the Duggar's. 😂 I don't condone their way of life but find it fascinating to watch.

[Limer]

Cushioncovers I've watched some of the Duggar programmes - and yes, they fascinate me too! I'd love to see a proper fly-on-the-wall viewpoint though, rather than the polished and sanitised version. Can't help thinking that it's not all rosy and lovely for them - especially the women - with them obeying their husbands etc. I saw an episode where a young wife had sadly suffered a miscarriage, and she was basically saying that it was the will of god Maybe she blamed herself for not praying hard enough

[namechange0073]

I saw an episode where a young wife had sadly suffered a miscarriage, and she was basically saying that it was the will of god Maybe she blamed herself for not praying hard enough

I don't think so. It's another way of saying "it wasn't meant to be".

[kimlo]

yes I watch it. But it's a very polished version of what these people are. Gothard, the pearls, blanket training, keeping sweet, being joyfully avaliable to your headship it's all a big rabbit hole you can fall down.

[Limer]

I'm still finding this curiously addictive. Their lives are so narrow and sheltered. Boys generally having fun and playing, while the girls do the housework and watch from the sidelines. And all home-schooled, can't believe that works very well with such a huge age range.

Poor Michaella has been married for a while and still no baby

[Xmasfairy86]

I clearly need to watch this! Duggars are my guilty pleasure and I remember the family from the show.

I too do not agree with the lifestyle but find it fascinating

[Limer]

I’m a bit bored of the format now, they always do something exciting (which isn’t exciting, it’s always a wedding, birth or party) and then chat about it to the interviewer (in their little single-sex groups).

I’ve got as far as 2017, just watched the episode where Katie gets her purity ring. Poor girl. And the boys had no answer to “why don’t boys get a purity ring?”

Interesting that loads of the girls are married but only the eldest boy is. But in that community, the girls are real catches – they’re fully trained to obey their husband, they can cook, do all the housework & childcare. Whereas the boys are way down anyone’s list of a prospective husband – they’ve got no qualifications and are labourers/tradesmen at best.

[CatMuffin]

Late to the party, but I like this programme. It's fascinating seeing a completely different, traditional culture.
A positive is that the parents have a very positive parenting style. Lots of praise and encouragement. Making individual kids feel valued and special, despite there being so many of them. No harsh punishments/hitting. I much prefer this parenting style to my own parents' parenting style in the 70s/80s which involved smacking/hitting/lots of criticism and not enough love or praise. They are nice people.
A negative is that the education is too narrow and doesn't give them enough exposure to other ways or enough opportunities to see what they can achieve in life. Too much emphasis is put on marriage and babies which makes it a lot harder if this doesn't work out.
They're also too right wing for me.
Agree that it's too gendered. Let the girls wear trousers!
My channel keeps playing up to the end of series 6 and then going back to the beginning so I've had to stop watching as i don't want to keep watching the same episodes over and over

[CatMuffin]

Something else i think is better about their culture is that child rearing is valued and seen as important whereas in our culture it isn't.