Duggar Family Bans TV, Pets From Household

Nineteen kids? No problem. According to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar of TLC's "19 Kids and Counting," the secret to a successful marriage is pretty simple: ditch your TV and say no to pets.

"I grew up watching TV, but when we got married a doctor friend of ours encouraged us not to have a pet or a TV the first year of marriage. So we did that. For the first year we lived on love," Jim Bob tells me. "And after that someone gave us a TV and for the first three weeks we were both glued to it. Communications dropped off, we weren't talking as much and we couldn't believe the content on TV we didn't think was appropriate. This is detrimental to our marriage. We prayed about it and felt we had to pull it out of our house, which we did. And I would say that is one of the best things we have done for our family."

The couple admits they do now have a television in the house -- not to watch other reality shows, but to watch "wholesome" family programs on DVD.

"We do watch DVDs -- 'The Andy Griffith show,'" Jim Bob tells me. "We are very selective about what we watch. We actually don't watch broadcast TV."

And forget Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp. Michelle's favorite actor is Kirk Cameron because he refuses to kiss anyone but his wife.

"I really appreciate what he stands for. He says whenever he plays roles and whatever movie he will not kiss another woman besides his wife," Michelle explains. "Whenever they have to do that they have figured it out that they will bring his wife in and he will kiss his wife and I'm so impressed. That's one of my kids' favorite actors."

Do you think having no TV explains all those kids?

"19 Kids and Counting" airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on TLC.

FOLLOW NAUGHTY BUT NICE ROB ON TWITTER

Comments

[Annette Rf]

02:16 PM on 11/08/2011

CONGRATULATIONS to the Duggars! I fully support their right to have as many children as God sends them. And although I am an animal rescue volunteer, I agree with their decision not to have pets; animals would not get sufficient attention in a family that large. The sad thing is, their children will never experience the love and joy that comes from having a companion animal. I know people who grew up without pets because their parents forbade it, and they were very unhappy as children.

[leskataus]

03:27 AM on 11/13/2011

Their comment about not having animals sounds a lot like Warren Jeffs said when he told his followers they could not have dogs. It's all about control.

[Annette Rf]

10:52 PM on 11/13/2011

I'm actually glad they don't have animals, because with the many times they have gone on long trips, who would watch the animals?

[Auracle]

02:43 PM on 11/14/2011

I fully support your right to believe that God sends children, but please... God is not some Celestial Stork. Sexual intercourse produces babies. When people stop having sex, and somehow still manage to get pregnant, then you can say God sends babies.

Also, you think that pets would not get enough attention in a family that large...but somehow the children get enough? Who needs more attention - children or pets?

[Annette Rf]

03:50 PM on 11/14/2011

I think you misunderstood me. When I say "God sends babies", I mean that people cannot conceive without the fact that God created human beings and gave them the ability to have children. Not all people can have children, so evidently God gives the gift to some and not others. As for who needs more attention, they BOTH need attention but obviously children need more. And who's to say they are not getting it?

[lindamh218]

10:36 PM on 11/04/2011

So they don't watch TV, but they don't have a problem making a living from appearing on a TV show. They certainly don't have any problem appearing on GMA to announce pregnancies and to promote their books. They have no problem with a camera crew filming the births of their children and grandchildren. When they were filming Michelle wakeboarding, she asked them to blur out her knees. Did she really think some man watching her show would get turned on at the sight of her knees? And Michelle's favorite actor is Kurt Cameron simply because he won't kiss anyone but his wife? Does she even know that he has done other things in TV? Maybe if everyone banned The Duggars from their TVs they would go away.

[ema123]

02:48 PM on 12/09/2011

How do you think they would be living if they didnt have the income for the show, those kids lives would be far different from what is portrayed on TV. They never could afford what they have. O think it is hypocritical of them and promotes the wrong ideas. VERY few could ever afford to support 19 children and to encourage them to do so is irresponsible

[Carabella1]

10:33 AM on 10/26/2011

They might consider banning new babies. Five or six I could see, but 19 is a ridiculous, publicity seeking stunt.

[Auracle]

11:04 AM on 11/10/2011

I personally agree with banning more babies, but I don't think it's a publicity stunt. Some people actually believe that they are "called" to accept as many children as God wishes to send them. Nevermind the fact that how many children they conceive and bear is a biological function influenced by how much sex they have and when, how fertile the woman is, what her uterine conditions are like, etc.

No, God wants babies and he wants tons of 'em! (See he knows that most of them won't make it to heaven and he wants lots and lots of people in heaven loving him, so he's gotta make a ton of babies to even out the odds so to speak, kinda like how some animals produce a crap-ton of offspring because not many of them actually survive to adulthood). Feh.

[annienjones]

06:00 PM on 10/19/2011

Why judge? It looks like they're doing a decent job. They were out of debt before they ever got a show. The kids aren't in any kind of trouble with risky behaviors. They're not in therapy. They all seem pretty happy and well taken care of. I say "right on!"

[ncc1701]

04:19 PM on 10/19/2011

No TV? Are you kidding me?I realize that there is less and less content that is appropriate for families but to be making the bulk of your living on a TV SHOW and then say, kids pose and smile, but don't watch, a little hypocritical. Then again, just making nineteen kids would not leave much time for watching anything!!!

[Annette Rf]

02:20 PM on 11/08/2011

When I began homeschooling in 1995, I also tried to ban TV from the home, but unfortunately my husband is a technology addict (literally!) and I had no say in it. I do not watch TV myself, however.

[msbeltran]

01:52 PM on 10/19/2011

We keep the TV off. When we watch anything, it's on DVD, and we're pretty selective about what the kids watch (though not as selective as the Duggars, apparently, but then we're not conservative Christians). I think it is one of the best decisions we ever made... the kids actually know how to play and entertain themselves with productive activities and hobbies. They read, they do puzzles, they play board games, create art and music. TV is a small part of their lives, they don't waste hours per day on it, they only indulge as a treat a couple nights per week and watch things that are age-appropriate and not overly-laden with violence and sex. They appreciate classic old movies like 12 Angry Men and Singing in the Rain. They're also not overly-influenced by Hollywood role models or trends, they don't go all fan-nuts or beg for inappropriate clothes just because someone on some show wears it. I have worked with kids for a long time, as a nanny then as a teacher, and I can notice a big difference between children who watch little to no TV and children who watch every day. Best thing a parent can do is limit it.

As for pets... I wouldn't want pets if I had 19 kids, either. Chaos.

[njtopit]

01:48 PM on 10/19/2011

What does taht tell you when they make their living off of TV but they don't watch it?

[baydolphins]

01:40 PM on 10/19/2011

I have this overwhleming desire to throw up

[hans8mi]

01:34 PM on 10/19/2011

Maybe if they watched more tv they could stop breeding like rabbits! After 19 kids she has to be worn out! Like throwing a pickle down a hallway.

[ncc1701]

04:21 PM on 10/19/2011

You are freaking hilarious!!!

[annienjones]

05:54 PM on 10/19/2011

That's gross.

[fourlivelys]

01:33 PM on 10/19/2011

I think that's a bunch of hyporcricy right there. "we don't allow television, but we'll sure take that paycheck from a broadcasting company to plaster our brood all over it"...No wonder I can't stand them! What a bunch of hypocrites!

[Auracle]

04:02 PM on 11/10/2011

Honestly, at the end of the day, I think we're all hypocrites in some fashion or another... but yeah, this kind of egregious, public hypocrisy is enough to make a person want to vomit.

[centagency]

01:11 PM on 10/19/2011

I think what there doing is very wise. All their children are talented,loving,caring and intelligent people. All go to church,set a good example and keep themselves busy without drugs an alcohol. People should take their example and run with it. It works for a reason, they let god rule their lives and they've been very blessed because of it!!!

[dethburger]

01:47 PM on 10/19/2011

With the worlds population now at 7 billion I think I'll ignore any "wisdom" this couple has to offer.

[Kathlyn S Starbuck]

10:03 PM on 11/08/2011

What saddened me up was Jim Bob saying with a straight face that the entire world population will fit inside the city limits of Jacksonville, FL!

874.6 sq. mi. x 5280 ft/mi. = 4,617,888. So if they were each to occupy only 1 sq.ft., ... my calculator can't handle a number that big to tell me just how many of the world's SEVEN BILLION people will be left standing outside the city limits of Jacksonville, FL.

There may be lots of space in Arkansas, but try Calcutta, India! They are feeding their children abusive amounts of brain-crap

[njtopit]

01:52 PM on 10/19/2011

Do you personally know all of them to make that kind of comment. Yes they appear to be a upstanding family but Mom and Pop Duggar are not setting a good example for their family. Doctor after doctor have stated how Michelle Duggar is putting her health and body at risk by "overbreeding" (for lack of a better word). Jim Bob is unrealistically producing a family that by normal standards, had it not been for the show and the $$$ that they get from it would not be able to support such a brood. Jim Bob and Michelle do not raise the family as they should, they depend on the rest of the family to raise and take care of their kids for them.

[sikidk]

01:09 PM on 10/19/2011

I don't understand what the 'no pets' ban has to do with TV being a bad influence. I sort of understand the arguments that always watching TV instead of talking leads to less communication and that there is a lot on TV today that isn't appropriate for kids, but how does a pet stifle communication or corrupt the children? It's a strange leap from one to the other.

[MIMom]

04:20 PM on 10/19/2011

Good question. These people are completely off their_nut, though.

[JKriegs]

04:40 PM on 10/19/2011

They've had several pets: dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. I think the no TV and no pet suggestion was for their first year of marriage so that they could focus on each other. After the first year they could get pets and a TV. They ended up getting rid of the TV though.

[Debbie Eppenstein]

12:57 PM on 10/19/2011

I am conflicting opinions...I have 5 kids which is hard to handle but I do it...19 I could never do and I agree they are letting the older ones take care of the little ones which is wrong...I do think that watching TV poses a problem in their faith but then why have your own TV show. The pet thing I do not understand. In this family we learn a lot from our pets. We do not have regular pets we have regular pets which the children have to research them, figure out what they eat, their habitat and what makes them happy. I guess with 19 kids that would be a problem. With her wanting to have more is utter riduculous especially because the last one barely made it.

[Auracle]

11:17 AM on 11/10/2011

"With her wanting to have more is utter riduculous especially because the last one barely made it. "

I'm sure that was all part of God's Great Plan. See...baby almost doesn't make it. Baby makes it. It's a miracle! See how GREAT God is???! All Praise Jeebus!

[MelissaGoldman]

12:48 PM on 10/19/2011

Of course there's no tv watching allowed in their home--this family is a bonafide cult and the only way to keep the kids in line is to be their full time thought police. If these kids actually see what the outside world is like, they will likely reject the insanity in which they're being raised.
And what's wrong with pets, are they not obedient enough??
Having kids by the dozen is environmentally irresponsible AND from what I've seen, which admittedly is not much because this family make me want to puke, they eat mostlty canned food and pizza off of paper plates and plastic forks...unhealthy and horrible for the environment.
It's a shame these people are making money at the very thing they claim to despise...can you say hypocrite...?

[automan 57]

12:38 PM on 10/19/2011

Had a pastor once who raised his children with no pets and no Tv. I felt so sorry for his kids they were like uneducated or unknowing of world issues or surroundings. The Pastor and a decon visited my home once when something was going on major in the world. I was ill life threatening, the Tv was on low in my room and I don't think the Pastor ever took his eyes off the Tv set and made any conversation other than a prayer when he left. I knew I was sick, but I felt sorry for the pastor !!!~~~I guess it is true some people are their own worst enemy.