LilSugar

Four Reasons Michelle Duggar Is an Amazing Mom

LilSugar — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:00:01 PDT

That fact that Michelle Duggar has birthed 18 kids boggles my mind. But, it isn't the delivery that is the difficult part of having so many children, it's raising them! Whether you love the Duggars or are bewildered by them, it takes about two minutes on the phone with the woman who has been pregnant for a collective twelve years to be in awe of her calm demeanor and genuine love for her offspring. Check out our slideshow for links back to our entire interview with the mom of many and learn the four reasons lilsugar thinks she's such an admirable lady!

Interview With Michelle Duggar: Mother of 18 (Part IV)

LilSugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:00:00 PST

In their spacious abode for their big brood, the Duggars have two kitchens - one for looks, a "pretty" place to make smaller meals and another for the more industrial cooking required when you have so many mouths to feed. Jim Bob and Michelle's book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting! ($11) is filled with recipes for their clan's favorite meals and thirst quenchers - from tater tot casserole to poor man's pizza and snow ice cream to lemonappleade.

There are even some thrifty ones for how to make household products like laundry detergent and inventive baby wipes from paper towels and an old ice cream bin. While chatting with the mama of 18, Michelle told us her thoughts on eating organic, how she stays trim between babies and even let us in on her very basic beauty regimen.

lilsugar: There's a big movement in parts of the United States to eat local and organic, but many of your recipes include canned or processed ingredients - do you not believe in that type of diet or is it an economical decision?

Michelle Duggar: We probably don't eat as healthy as we should. If we were trying to feed our large family, it would be a lot more expensive to do so. Our health and our children's health have been very good. We don't eat organic, but we do make wise choices with our food, we do eat candy and cookies occasionally, but it's not day in and day out. I will admit, I like ice cream so I consider a freezer without it not properly stocked. Overall, we eat a lot of vegetables and fruits and our meals have a lot of whole grains, we use brown rice and make our own bread after grinding our wheat. We have salad just about every meal and on any given occasion, we're going and buying five more bags of apples, but they're not organic (laughs). We also cook with ground turkey and season it so it tastes really rich. But, we also love dill pickles and pretzels as snacks.

To see Michele's way for losing her postpartum pounds and what surprised her most about motherhood,

read more. lilsugar: I read that you stay trim between babies by being a lifetime member of Weight Watchers. Despite the stress that comes with having 18 children, you look incredibly youthful. What's your secret? Michelle Duggar: I guess that the children keep you young running and keeping up with them. Losing 40 pounds years ago made me so much more energetic and eating high fiber and low fat. I still have a sweet tooth, but I satisfy it with Fiber1 and fudge bars. lilsugar: Do you have any favorite products? I know you make your own detergent, do you make your own soap or beauty products as well? Michelle Duggar: We don't make our own soap, but I've used Ivory soap forever. And then Lubriderm lotion. I have dry skin and I've used it from way back when the dermatologist said to use the one without scent. So every night, I put another coat on my face whether I get a shower or not! (laughs) And, I'm really bad, I don't take my makeup off every day. I put the lotion right on top and go on! lilsugar: You know you're a mother when ______? Michelle Duggar: You can't go to the bathroom without somebody knocking on the door saying, "Are you in there?" lilsugar: Why didn't anybody tell me _______ about motherhood? Michelle Duggar: How little sleep you learn to live on. Actually, the baby slept until six in the morning last night. I put her down at 11 o'clock and I woke up at 4:30 thinking why did she not wake up. lilsugar: How much sleep do you get? Michelle Duggar: I'm getting about three hour stretches or four. But sometimes she'll go six hours and I'm amazed, especially with breastfeeding. lilsugar: What's the best trick your mama taught you? Michelle Duggar: To be organized. My mom was such an organizer and I'm not. Things are never where they are supposed to be around here. We have a place for them, but everybody is always using them and they don't get back to where they belong. lilsugar: Helicopter mom or free-range kids? Michelle Duggar: I feel like I train them and I want them to be responsible and stand on their own, but it takes some time before you can cut them loose! To read our full interview with Michelle, check out these posts. The Duggars: 17 Kids and Counting airs on Tuesday nights on TLC. For more information on the Duggars, check out their website. Courtesy of TLC

Interview With Michelle Duggar: Mother of 18 Children (PART III)

LilSugar — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 06:00:45 PST

One Duggar flies the coop and another arrives! The large family known for their TLC show, The Duggars: 17 and Counting has had an eventful year. First born Joshua got married in September. (Tune in tonight to watch the wedding, which includes the 21-year-old's first kiss with his wife, Anna.) Then just before Christmas, baby Jordyn made her debut as number 18!

Despite their hectic lives and sleep deprivation, parents Jim Bob and Michelle took time to write a book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting! and carved time out of their schedules to talk to me about it. While their oldest son settles down to start a life and family of his own, Jim Bob and Michelle still have plenty of charges. They shared their thoughts on the future and how they are preparing their offspring for the real world. Aside from helping build the home they live in, the Duggar kids have been taught everything from plumbing to tile work and learned about politics while sitting in on committee meetings when their father was a state legislator in Arkansas. Other youngsters have the business inkling having built and sold bikes and eventually motorized vehicles for as long as their parents can remember.

lilsugar: Josh is now married and living with his wife, but in regards to your other children at what age would you encourage them to move out and become independent?

To see their answer and thoughts on modest dressing and setting their girls up for success,

read more. Jim Bob Duggar: When each of our children move out really has to do with what the Lord has in store for their lives. I would not want a married son or daughter living with us I mean unless it was a crisis type situation. I'd want them to have their own place because they are their own family unless maybe at an older age we may be living with them (laughs). Michelle Duggar: At this point, I don't think we have anyone who wants to get out and thinks we're driving them nuts. Even Josh and Anna, they come this way and accompany us on some trips. Jim Bob Duggar: As far as my children, my goal, especially for my sons is to be able to develop skills so they can hopefully provide for their families in the future. I also want my daughters to develop skills so they can provide if they had to. Some of my daughters may get nursing degrees. My sons, it really depends on their interests. My second oldest son (John-David) really wants to be a pilot so instead of him moving out on his own and spending all his money on paying for his apartment and expenses, I'd rather him go and save up and get his pilot's license and then start saving up for a house or make some kind of investment in business where he doesn't have any overhead so he can save up money and really get a good start. Michelle Duggar: We taught our children from the very beginning that you never stop learning in life. School is never over. When you have that perspective, it's not the traditional way of viewing it. There are people who are out there and they are professionals at what they do and if you are a hard worker and have good character - are honest, responsible - there's many people that would be glad to have someone like that to work along side them. You can gain skills while you are being paid. A lot of trades, you may decide you like this right now, but go to work with somebody who does that and you'll find out if you really like it. There's so many people who go to college and turn right around and not use what they went to college for and this way, you're thinking it through. lilsugar: In such a progressive society where many parents, especially mothers, are encouraging their daughters to be tough enough to make their own way in the world, your show often features your girls taking the homemaker and child rearing roles. Do you think they will be able to provide for themselves if they don't marry? Michelle Duggar: Our girls are go-getters. No matter what, I know they could do that if they wanted to or needed to, but in their hearts, they would love to marry and lord willing if they had children to stay at home and raise their families. I've got a couple of them talking about going for their real estate licenses and about getting their CDL licenses because they want to be able to drive some of our big equipment. Believe me, my girls are not Namby Pamby. They've got goals and the desire to do things. lilsugar: Do any of the girls object to the modest clothing? I liked Jessa's quote in the book that said teenagers all wear the same thing and nobody is bothered by it. Michelle Duggar: We do a lot of that the perms and make-up. I think it was our producer who said the girls have sort of their own thing going, it's a "modern modest". That's a good way to dub it I guess. I told my kids, (growing up) I mowed the lawn in a bikini and had no idea what I was doing to my neighbor's husband across the street. No wonder the woman hated our family - you know? And, I think I had no clue as far as the responsibility I had in that the way I dressed caused men to have struggles. They (the girls) want to dress modest to draw attention to their face and not the other parts of their bodies that seem to be uncovered now a days. As far as wearing dresses, skirts and things, that was a conviction that the Lord placed on my heart and he knew the struggles of my heart from growing up Whether my girls continue that in their lives, it's up to them. Check out what Michelle had to say about feeding her large family, shedding the baby weight and her basic beauty secrets. If you missed the first portion of the interview, check out these posts. For more information on the Duggars, check out their website. Courtesy of TLC

Interview With Michelle Duggar: Mother of 18 Children (PART II)

LilSugar — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:00:20 PST

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are perhaps one of America's most fascinating couples. They are raising their eighteen children with conservative values in a very progressive world as the cameras roll for their TLC show, The Duggars: 17 Kids and Counting.

With twenty personalities (21 including their first daughter-in-law, Anna), visitors coming in and out, and Jim Bob's parents living with them so they can help care for his ailing father, how do they keep the peace? In the hour I talked with Jim Bob and Michelle over the phone about their new book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting ($11), I never heard more than the soft murmur of a baby in the background. How does the couple manage this? They shared their parenting secrets.

lilsugar: On your show you are always together, do the kids, particularly the older ones get any time to themselves to go out with their own friends?

Jim Bob Duggar: They go to the ice hockey rink to play broom ball usually every Friday and Saturday night. Sometimes I go with them and sometimes I don't. There's kids there from public schools, Christian schools and some who are homeschooled - it's like a meeting center. The boys and girls both play and they have a blast. Usually 30 to 40 people show up. And, they usually go out for ice cream after.

To see what Jim Bob and Michelle have to say about homeschooling and controlling their tempers,
read more. lilsugar: As far as education, you both attended traditional schools, do you think that homeschooling your children puts them at any social or academic disadvantages? Jim Bob Duggar: There are some down sides. You don't get picked on as much, you don't get beat up on the playground or introduced to drugs. No really, we have seen our children become so mature. Part of the maturity process is not just interacting with people your own age, but people of all ages. Michelle Duggar: When Josh, our first, was eight months old we really decided that this was the direction we wanted to go and we thought that we would feed the fruit that we wanted to see in our children. All those goals we set out to accomplish, we've actually seen them come to fruition with our older children at this point. It's a different way of doing things, but it's been a good thing for our family. Jim Bob Duggar: I think the children becoming best friends is a huge benefit of homeschooling and that really has to do with keeping up with their attitudes and actions and if there's some distance between siblings to make sure that they make those things right so we stay on top of that encouraging to go to each other and then if that doesn't work get mom and dad involved. For them to learn how to resolve conflict for those they are around day in and day out is a great thing that will help them through the rest of their lives in jobs and marriage. Michelle Duggar: Learning to communicate without getting angry - sometimes you have to humble yourself and ask for forgiveness. That happens day in and day out around here. We're constantly having to go back and make things right. We're not perfect, we're human you know? Those are good life lessons being learned everyday. lilsugar: You have 18 kids, how do you stay so calm? On your show you seem to have a sense of peace within yourself and in your household? Jim Bob Duggar: I think Michelle is a sweet person naturally, but she has chosen to stay calm when things are going wrong. She has a way of lovingly correcting, but not being angry. She chooses to keep a sweet voice even though she doesn't feel like it. Michelle Duggar: I think it's something that is learned like patience, you don't want to pray for that. It's a hard place to be, but it's God's grace. It's not me. I know from my own experience, when I had five under five, those were the most challenging days of my life. I was trying to have extra arms and eyes and to keep up with everything. I remember that there were many moments when I would just cry - cry to the Lord, cry, "What am I thinking? I can't do this, you know?" And, then God would give me a thought or a scripture would come to mind. I had little guys fighting and fussing over toys and it was constant and I'd be trying to figure out who did what and all I did was referee and I thought this is not the way it's supposed to be. Surely, this is going to drive me nuts and I just remember Matthew 18 came to mind. So I got down on the floor on their level and explained it to them. They learned to work it out and communicate. There's so many lessons of life that are learned at a three-year-old level. We would have never imagined, but after trial and error -It is amazing that there is peace in our home. We've taught our children to respect each other and their belongings. lilsugar: Is the same true for you, Jim Bob? Michelle Duggar: Jim Bob jokingly said in the book that he never had an anger problem until he had children. It's so true because you realize what can really push your buttons when these guys are not catching on to what you are trying to tell them to do and then they turn around and do just the opposite. But, when we react in anger, we are undermining everything we are trying to teach them by example. Jim Bob Duggar: That's probably the number one way to make them get out of the home as quickly as they can - to occasionally explode with anger. And, then you are like a time bomb waiting to go off and they don't know when you are going to go off next and no one likes to be around that if they are a stable person. Michelle Duggar: And, one day we were around the table going through our homeschooling stuff and part of our study was about dealing with anger. There were four points and the children could probably recite all of them, but the one that stuck out in my mind was that a soft answer turns away wrath. My anger is not going to bring about the right behavior that I want to see in my children. There have been many times when they've done something wrong. I say, "You sit right there." and then I walk back to the kitchen and get what I need to do done and then go back in just a minute. It gives me the moment to regroup, pray, whatever I need to do and then when I go back. I say, "I was not having the right response, will you forgive me?" And, I lower my voice. When I first whispered instead of raising my voice, my children were shocked. Jim Bob: In the book I talk about my story about accountability (a family member touches the upset person's arm to remind them to remain calm) and even if the kids do something way out there and color on the cabinets, I still struggle with that, but it's helped me so much. Michelle Duggar: And, we've seen that happens with our kids. One child will put the hand on their sibling's arm and say, "I think you are kind of getting angry." And, for the other one, it's like ice cold water being poured over a hot head. We're all human and we're going to struggle, but we love each other. Check out what Jim Bob and Michelle had to say about their children leaving the nest and modest dressing in tomorrow's post on lilsugar. If you missed yesterday's post, check out the first portion of the interview. For more information on the Duggars, check out their website. Courtesy of TLC

Interview With Michelle Duggar: Mother of 18 Children (Part I)

LilSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:17:46 PST

Michelle Duggar has been pregnant for 12 years if you combine all the time she spent carrying her 18 children. She and her husband, Jim Bob, have two sets of twins in their brood aged one month to 21 years old.

The mom and dad made famous by TLC's 17 Kids and Counting took time away from their family to chat with me via phone about their new book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting!, and the topics - marriage, raising children, conservative values, financial freedom, and faith - it covers, while their newest addition Jordyn gurgled in the background. The couple was candid, open, and incredibly kind. And if you assume they set out to have kids by the dozens and name them all with the letter "J," then think again!

After suffering a miscarriage, Michelle and Jim Bob, who are religious, chose to forgo the birth control they had been using and leave it up to God to decide how many children they would have. Michelle, now known for her soft voice and calm demeanor, spoke of a time when she had five children under five, was exhausted and shedding tears. She credits her faith for getting her though the challenges of motherhood.

As far as their children all having names starting with "J," in the text, Jim Bob and Michelle explain that they initially picked names they liked that all happened to start with the same letter for their first three children and then continued the trend not wanting the newest baby to feel left out - only they never suspected there would be so many names.

To see Michelle's candid responses to a couple of lil questions,
read more. lilsugar: The book answers just about every question a person could have about your family and the forces that have guided you in making those decisions. Did you write The Duggars: 20 and Counting! to dispel misconceptions people have about your family? Michelle Duggar: I see how the book could do that, but I don't think that was our intention. We really just had a heart to answer the people who had been emailing us. We had thousands of emails and there was just no way we could do what we needed to do to take care of our family and take care of those. We've been in politics in the past (Jim Bob was a state legislator in Arkansas) and we know there's a lot of people out there that don't agree with us, so that goes on as well, but we wrote this for the people that ask us for advice and encouragement more than the other angle. lilsugar: Online, some members of the public have been critical of your buddy system, saying that your older children are raising the younger ones; do you think this is a misconception? Michelle Duggar: I'll put it the way my daughter, Jill, said it - she had really had a sweet answer. She said, "Mama, they just don't understand or know what it's like to be in our large family and how much fun we have and how sweet is it to have these little ones that look up to us and want to be like us. When people get this idea of oh my God, they have so many kids and there's no way you can spend one-on-one time with them and give them the undivided attention or that the older ones are raising the younger ones, love doesn't divide it multiples." My older ones have a mentoring relationship with the little ones. We are still the parents, Dad and I are the ones to give them counsel and different things like that, but when they are working together on their music practice or playing phonics games and doing math drills, those times are precious because I see the relationships that have developed. Check out what Jim Bob and Michelle had to say about homeschooling and keeping a calm home in tomorrow's post on lilsugar. For more information on the Duggars, check out their website.