The Duggars have a lot of opinions when it comes to all facets of their lives, whether it's parenting or politics, but they're probably the most vocal about dating and relationships. After all, the oldest Duggar daughters even wrote a whole book about it — which is sort of odd coming from a family who waits until marriage to peck their husbands on the lips. But the Duggars are fundamentalist devout Christians who preach a more strict and extreme form of spirituality than their mainstream counterparts, and for them, sex and relationships are the foundation of, well, everything. And they have a lot to say about it.
For one thing, the Duggars don't believe in dating — they court. A courtship is a highly-monitored kind of dating where the young couple is accompanied by chaperones and have their text messages screened by their parents. The reason for all of this, according to parents Michelle and Jim Bob, is to keep the relationship pure from sin. The Duggars believe men are a volcanic eruption away from acting on impure impulses, and so much of their advice is targeted to controlling those urges — and yes, most of that work is expected to come from women.
But when the Duggars aren't giving outdated patriarchal advice, every once in a while they give tips that make sense. For example, Jim Bob once advised on their official blog to never go to bed angry or give in to negative name-calling, which are two tips we can definitely get behind. Those are just common sense, right? But their other recommendations for a healthy relationship delve right back in that crazy, questionable realm that makes us scratch our heads. Considering all the controversies that plague the family, should they really be giving anyone advice? Below, 10 relationship tips from the Duggars you should probably skip.
