Strict upbringing! Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar raised their kids under several strict rules. From courting to conservative dress codes, keep reading to see how their 19 kids were raised.

What Are Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar’s Rules?

TLC fans got an inside look at how Jim Bob and Michelle raised their kids on 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On.

The parents have implemented a strict dress code that their children must follow. According to the rules, the girls are not allowed to show their legs in any revealing manner and they are prohibited from wearing pants.

“We avoid low-cut, cleavage-showing, gaping, or bare-shouldered tops; and when needed, we wear an undershirt,” the Duggar women said of their dress code in the 2014 book, Growing Up Duggar. “We try to make it a habit to always cover the top of our shirt with our hand when we bend over. We don’t want to play the peekaboo game with our neckline.”

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In her 2021 book, The Hope We Hold, with husband Jeremy VuoloJinger Duggar explained how the family’s religion inspired the dress code. “My mom had always dressed us girls in skirts and dresses, a standard that was taken from Deuteronomy 22:5, which says, ‘A woman shall not wear a man’s garment,’ (ESV) and I never really questioned it,” she wrote. “Modesty was a huge topic in our house, and we believed that wearing skirts instead of pants was a central part of being modest.”

When it comes to accessorizing, Jim Bob and Michelle made it clear that they didn’t want any of their kids to get tattoos or piercings.

They have also discouraged the use of birth control, while the unmarried children must have parental chaperones while they go on dates. Additionally, the kids are encouraged to remain abstinent until marriage and aren’t allowed to give front facing hugs to the people they are courting.

Other rules include that the family members can’t read romance novels, drink alcohol, attend public school or have their own social media accounts.

Have the Duggar Kids Broken the Rules?

While Jim Bob and Michelle have stood by their strict rules, several of their kids have rebelled and gone against their parents’ wishes.

Many of the Duggar children have their own social media accounts and often keep fans up to date on their day to day lives. Meanwhile, Jim Bob and Michelle have even changed their stances and created a joint Instagram account, The Duggar Family.

While several of the Duggar women have adopted pants into their wardrobes, sisters Jinger, Jill Duggar and Joy-Anna Duggar have even shared photos of themselves rocking shorts on social media.

Jill, who is considered the most rebellious Duggar daughter, has even experimented with her style by getting her nose pierced and dying her hair.

Jinger has also been outspoken about her decision to break her parents’ rule. In The Hope We Hold, the mother of two explained that she began dressing less conservatively when she realized she interpreted the Bible differently than her parents.

After taking time to read the Bible, the former reality star said that she’s “more aware of the different beliefs and doctrines Christians held,” and that “not everyone interpreted different passages of Scripture the way I always had, and I wanted to find out why.”

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