to think that having 18 children is just wrong?

[Rhinestone]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1328007/The-family-prays--gets-bigger-bigger-Meet-devoutly-Christian-Mr-Mrs-Bates-EIGHTEEN-children.html

Wrong on so many levels surely?

I have never understood tatertot casserole or tuna noodle casserole - to me, a casserole is meat and veg cooked long and slowly in stock and herbs - not a mixture of stuff cooked like pasta bake.

Two nations divided by a single language indeed!

I find the Duggars strangely fascinating too. The episode with the museum of creationism made me shout a bit, but otherwise I think it's very interesting to watch. It's a kind of disapproving approval.

I also have their book and every special & series on my PC - I am horribley sad!

SDTG - they look relaxed because they are not doing much parenting!

I'm am currently laughing away at those 'recipes'.

Banana cake is made with two ready made cake mixes and some bananas. I could give them a really good recipe for a quick, cheap and delicious banana cake that doesn't involve packets of cake mix.

The broccoli casserole sounds considerably more vile than the tatertots one.

To save anyone looking it up, I'll share the horror:

BROCCOLI CASSEROLE
3/4 lb. Velveeta? cheese, cubed
2 small boxes frozen chopped broccoli
1 cup cooked minute or brown rice
1 onion, chopped
1 stick butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
Saute onions in butter. Cook broccoli as package directs,
drain. Cook rice, combine all ingredients; pour into 9x13 in.
dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until brown. Yum! Yum!

I think there is a massive separation to be had between 'is 18 children too many' and the actual reasons why this couple is having so many.

Rhinestone just wondering what would your limits be - or your other solutions to the issue of over population?

Think my point was triangle that you shouldn't hanrangue the OP for things she hasn't said?

Just the word "velveeta" makes me shudder!

I looked it up. It's worse than I imagined.

Velveeta Cheese

I was pregnant, feeling ill and miserable and looking for serious Christian parenting advice and inspiration. I started googling and got fascinatedly hooked, really because of the fundamentalist side of it the cameras really seem to gloss over.

I can't get into J&K, which makes me even more sad for the kids. At least the Duggars seem to protect their children from the dangers of fame. Kate, I think, simply eploits hers.

18 children - So not breastfeeding then?

I'd be less worried about whether or not they breastfed than the fact they actually describe this as 'food':

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
7 lbs. frozen broccoli
2 lbs. Velveeta?
1 quart sweet whipping cream
enough water to cook broccoli
1 c. cornstarch w/ cold water to thicken after hot
Cook broccoli first. Add Velveeta? & whipping cream.
Add corn starch to thicken. Enjoy!

Kelly Bates and Michelle Duggar do both breastfeed, AFAIK.

presumably breastfeeding is particularly good when you have gazillions of kids and money is tight?

I can't get through to that link, but I never knew the man from To Buy Or Not To Buy died

God those recipes all sound revolting.

Yes, they both breastfeed til about 6 months.

So Velveeta is like plastic cheese slices you'd get in a cheeseburger, except in a solid lump? Bleeeee.

Breatsmilk - do you follow the FreeJinger website too?

Hairy - don't try and make me out to be something I'm not. My solution to over-population would be not having 18 children.

It's not for me to impose a limit and I'm not going to. I just think 18 is too many and not only for reasons of population either.

I think they do. Breastfeeding is a big part of the Quiverfull movement, perhaps because it's a subtle means of contraception and perhaps explaining why most Quiverfull families 'only' have 6-8 children. Both Mrs Duggar and Mrs Bates claim that they're able to conceive immediately after birth whilst breatfeeding. They could be telling the truth, but my guess is that they do some fairly heavy-handed things to get babies sleeping theough the night from birht, thus removing the contraceptive element of breastfeeding.

The fact that at least two of those recipes are called 'daddy's favourite X' also makes me want to .

Yes, Kate exploits her kids, I have stopped watching them recently.

I actually find JimBob is a better parent than Michelle - he seems to have genuine affection for the kids.

Ma Yes I love Free Jinger! Are you there too?

Damsel - everything they do is because Daddy likes it!