Counting On’s Anna Duggar Seemingly Slams the Duggars’ ‘Buddy System’: ‘I Want Our Children to Be Free’

Not holding back? Anna Duggar seemingly shaded her in-laws on a family photo with her kids.

“This photo definitely belongs in the expectation vs. reality file … but we had fun trying to take a family pic at church today,” the Counting On star captioned a shot with husband Josh Duggar and their six kiddos on September 7. “Hope y’all have had a wonderful Sunday!”

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In response, one fan asked, “Are they buddying their siblings? Mackynzie looks like a great big sis,” to which the reality TV mama said, “We do not have a buddy system. I’m mom, and as much as possible, I want our children to be free to enjoy their childhood!”

According to Michelle Duggar, the buddy system came about from a need to be everywhere at once, which was impossible to fulfill with such a large brood.

“We realized it works much better if we’re trying to hurry to have one of the older ones help the little guys buckle their seatbelts,” Michelle — who shares 19 kids with husband Jim Bob Duggar — explained to TLC. “I have noticed the ones that were teamed up and worked together a lot have such a sweetness in their relationship.”

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When the Duggars aren’t out and about, they refer to their color-coded chore charts, and their buddy teams are responsible for getting done whatever the chart tells them to do.

“All pink are Jan[a] and her team. All blue are Jill and her team,” Michelle once divulged to Parenting.com. “There is a schedule from morning until bedtime so that they know what to expect — what their goals are, what they are aiming for, what they try to get done.”

Although it sounds like Anna and Josh don’t see eye to eye with that aspect of his parents’ routine, it doesn’t sound like they’ll stop having kids anytime soon. In the same post, Anna shot down rumors she’s pregnant with baby No. 7 but said they are “enjoying” their six kids “as of now,” noting another little one is a “possibility” in the future.