Duggars Are Raising Kids Differently Than Jim Bob and Michelle

Making changes. Many of the Duggar kids have chosen to raise their children differently than their parents, Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar.

Jim Bob and Michelle raised their 19 kids under strict rules that included specific dress codes, not being allowed to use birth control, being homeschooled and not drinking alcohol.

When it comes to what their kids were allowed to wear, the girls were not permitted to show their legs in any revealing manner, and they were 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 their 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.”

Additionally, the parents prevented the kids from getting tattoos and piercings. Other rules in the Duggar household include not reading romance novels and not being allowed to have their own social media accounts.

After several of the Duggar children got married and moved out of Jim Bob and Michelle’s home, they rebelled by breaking the dress code, getting piercings and having their own social media accounts.

When it comes to the dress code, many of the Duggar women have explained why they no longer follow their parents’ guidelines. In her 2021 book, The Hope We Hold, Jinger Duggar 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 on her own, the mother of two 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.”

Now that they’re old enough to make their own decisions, the Duggar kids have also chosen to raise their children with different rules than the ones they were subjected to during their own childhoods.

For example, Jill Duggar and her husband, Derrick Dillard, have chosen to send their children to public school.

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While the Counting On alums don’t have kids old enough to date, it will be interesting to see if they make their children court in a similar way that Jim Bob and Michelle did.

Under their rules, the unmarried children must have parental chaperones while they go on dates. Additionally, the kids are encouraged to remain celibate until marriage and aren’t allowed to give front facing hugs to the people they are courting.

Keep scrolling to find out how Jim Bob and Michelle’s kids are raising the next generation of Duggars differently.

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Public School

In September 2020, Jill revealed that she and Derick chose to send their eldest son, Israel, to public school despite Jim Bob’s stance that their kids should be homeschooled.

They documented their son’s big day in a video shared on the family’s YouTube channel. The parents seemed to think they made the right decision and sent Israel back to public school for first grade the following year.

Letting Them Dance

Another rule implemented by Jim Bob and Michelle is that their kids were not allowed to dance.

However, Jessa Duggar and her husband, Ben Seewald, revealed their kids can dance when the mother of four shared a video of her three oldest kids showing off their best moves while the family enjoyed a meal outside in April 2022.

Ensuring Privacy

While Jim Bob and Michelle had no problem featuring their kids on their TLC shows, Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo have chosen to keep their daughters out of the spotlight

The couple – who share daughters Felicity and Evangeline – revealed that they will no longer feature their kids on their social media accounts in April 2021.

During a Q&A with her fans via social media, Jinger was asked why she stopped sharing photos of her kids online. “The girls are doing great! Felicity is absolutely smitten by her little sister and Evy adores Felicity,” the 19 Kids and Counting alum replied. “You haven’t seen much of them simply because we are wanting to give them a bit more privacy while they’re so young.”