The Duggars, Family On '19 Kids And Counting' Share A Day In The Life

Maintaining a house filled with 19 kids might seem like a nightmare, but according to Michelle Duggar of "19 Kids And Counting", that isn't the case -- it's all about planning and team work. "We all work together, it takes everyone helping," Michelle told the "Today" show's Savannah Guthrie, who visited the Duggar's Arkansas home this morning.

Michelle and her husband Jim Bob shared their methods to the madness on camera. They have nine bathrooms -- but sometimes still have to wait -- and only four bedrooms. Nine girls share one room; nine boys share another. The entire family uses one big closet. Like a business, they've also established a mail room.

Between laundry (there are 35 loads done each week) and dishes, housework is a never-ending cycle, Michelle says. But all of the kids, with the exception of baby Josie, have jobs. To divide chores, Michelle and Jim Bob split the children into teams with designated captains. Two teams of boys usually get put on dish duty.

What's most mind-boggling, though, is the Duggar grocery bill: $3,000 a month. In that time, the family goes through 5 dozen eggs and 48 boxes of cereal -- it's no wonder they use their garage as a pantry. To ensure that mealtime goes smoothly, Michelle says they plan ahead. For breakfast, they start preparing the night before. It's also helpful to finalize a menu prior to grocery shopping, she says. Then, when it's time to eat, everyone lines up and serves themselves buffet style.

And then ... it's time for a whole bunch of dishes.

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Comments

[sabra505]

06:56 PM on 08/24/2012

One of the most pleasant and godly families I have ever seen.

[Hikerguy22]

07:27 PM on 04/24/2012

Get this show off of TV. The world is headed for 9 billion and counting. TLC (THE LEARNING CHANNEL) should teach the science of climate change and the population bomb after this show.

[Claire Southern]

06:17 PM on 04/12/2012

That is scary. That's how much my dad makes each month....

[Goldie Treasure]

05:06 PM on 04/12/2012

Yeah planning and team work, meaning your four oldest daughters do all the work while you are off doing speeches and making more little blessings for them to care for.

[jdg64]

11:31 PM on 04/11/2012

So, do the people watch their show celebrate this family's choices or to stare at them like they're freaks?

[AchieverMaude]

09:07 PM on 04/11/2012

Soooooooooo...they use their TV show to pay for their family's every need? A fine example of everything the average American family isn't.

[francesca marie]

05:59 PM on 04/12/2012

They seemed to be doing just fine before they were ever on tv.

[Foxrockets]

07:42 PM on 06/15/2012

Yeah, Jim Bob was always oddly career minded. He's a succesful real estate agent and used to be a State Legislature for Arkansas.
I haven't heard of any Welfare Dipping, and besides the odd point of views--No scandals either. Yet.

[jtsmith329]

06:28 PM on 04/11/2012

If people will take the time to learn more about them, rather than complain and make accusations, they may find out that Jim Bob served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002. He is a real estate agent and investor and they also have income from the rental proceeds of some commercial properties they own. Imagine that a couple that thought ahead and set up their future income when they were still young.
Like may families they all chip in help out and learn from an early age that they are part of a family therefore they are required to participate (meaning chores, etc...) unlike a lot of the people I have seen.
This family is raised with morels.. plain and simple. These parents have chosen to spend their time and money on their family, rather than having a second home, or latest gadgets, like a LOT of people out there.
Amazing how people can be so up in arms over a family that is nice and normal (almost old-fashioned) but will sit by and watch the craziness in the world like it's nothing.
THAT is very telling about our society.
THAT is what is so sad.

[LadySweetG]

09:47 PM on 04/11/2012

I enjoyed having a normal family with only one sibling, because we both got attention from both of our parents every day, and I didn't have to be a surrogate parent to my little sister. We had morals, albeit not morel mushrooms; we had rules; we had chores. What we didn't have was the immense workload, so we had time to play and be ordinary kids. Your mileage, of course, may vary.

[Freedom Mama]

02:14 PM on 04/12/2012

People are up in arms mainly out of jealousy that they could not do that good a job of parenting and running a household.

[leskataus]

03:52 PM on 04/12/2012

Jealousy? If anything, I feel sorry for the women who belong to that religion. They have to be very subservient to men and they can't pursue a higher education or have a career. Their only purpose in life is to keep having children until their bodies wear out. I think it's so sad to see adult daughters still living at home with no prospects aside from being married off when their father decides when the time is right for them. They should be working, attending college, and learning to live independently as adults.

[momcatx10]

08:22 PM on 04/14/2012

Oh, for God's sake~~that's one of the craziest comments I've seen yet.

[TheLastLuddite]

06:00 PM on 04/11/2012

Hey, Michelle, it's a v*gina, not a clown car!

[mkriewer]

05:53 PM on 04/11/2012

Ya gotta wonder how many of these sweet "well-adjusted" kids will turn into psycho killers just so they can get some private space......

[Freedom Mama]

02:14 PM on 04/12/2012

My guess? Zero.

[momcatx10]

08:26 PM on 04/14/2012

Figures.

[mkriewer]

05:45 PM on 04/11/2012

Could you imagine being seated on Southwest and this bunch comes trooping aboard? Yikes.

[baxtron]

01:59 PM on 04/11/2012

Thank God Jim Bob is a "preacher" and is claiming exempt tax free status.

[myzelf]

05:06 PM on 04/11/2012

The Duggars are not exempt from paying taxes. They pay more than you do.

[leskataus]

07:01 PM on 04/11/2012

I doubt it. Look at all the deductions they get for their children.

[baxtron]

09:50 AM on 04/12/2012

oh ok. that's proof enough for me. Jim Bob claims church tax free status. he claims to be a "preacher". At least when the cameras are rolling. Thanks for the conformation on how much taxes I pay. You seem to know a lot.

[liverbutterfly]

01:23 PM on 04/11/2012

I have to say they all look healthy happy well dressed well fed.live in an immaculate house.How do they do it..How is it funded.The mother looks so well for 19 kids.surely some one in her family has to say enough is enough.What is it doing to her body.I wonder what her parents think when she anounces shes having another.The eldest children too are they not embarssed that there mum is pregnant yet again.most kids hate to think of their mum/dad kissing let alone making babies. I have 3 boys i would have loved one more but i knew i could not afford another, something would have had to give.I worked and my husband we never had the big house either.Just day to day living cost,then clothing school dinners school trips the list goes on.But they do all look normal happy kids.Hope it stays like that.Its a big brood wen the obnoxious teens set in.hahaha

[Catherine Mitchell]

11:58 AM on 04/11/2012

She needs to get her tubes tide!

[Freedom Mama]

02:18 PM on 04/12/2012

Why? At least she is producing responsible citizens.

[leskataus]

03:55 PM on 04/12/2012

Because she's been warned not to get pregnant again. Not only is she getting to be too old but she can no longer carry a pregnancy to term. Her body is totally shot and she is risking her health by getting pregnant.

[BEWAREFALSEGODS]

09:53 AM on 04/11/2012

-God- bless the Duggars, they have proven beyond a doubt that raising a family the old fashioned way -Works-. No drugs, no teenage sex, no video games, no binge drinking, no disrespect of parents or elders,no divorces, no child sex, no abortions, no etc. etc. etc....

[joshua vanlandingham]

10:56 AM on 04/11/2012

Where do you get so much privileged info? Statistically, at least a few of those kids are screwing the neighbor and a couple others are out back smoking pot right now. Wake up.

No disrespect of parents? Please.

[BEWAREFALSEGODS]

11:50 AM on 04/11/2012

I bet that every tabloid and liberal news organization etc. are going thru there garbage etc. to try and disprove that the -Duggar- family values are too good too be good... We can't have old fashion family values around to disprove the new liberal -Evil- that now infects -All- of American families...

[baxtron]

02:00 PM on 04/11/2012

yes. and filing as a non profit church also helps to avoid contributing back to society. Jim Bob isn't a preacher no matter how many times he reads from the book when the cameras are rolling.

[RawDogger]

09:32 AM on 04/11/2012

scroo these people, polluting the planet with all these kids. there is no way without that tv show that they are supporting those kids