19 Kids and Counting: The True Meaning of Family

     Reality television has been around for a very long time and till this day people can not help but question whether or not the shows we are watching display actual reality as we know it. I personally believe that many reality television shows are questionable but I do not believe that all of them are staged. I chose the show 19 Kids and Counting to express the fact that not all reality television shows include paid amateurs portraying a life that they are not truly living. 19 Kids and Counting is a show that I truly recommend and it allows viewers to get the true sense of family; spending time, creating unforgettable moments and showing unconditional love to the people you surround yourself with through both good and bad times.

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar

            Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar are a middle-aged couple living in Arkansas that raise and homeschool their nineteen kids in their very Christian household. The show has had twelve seasons and in every episode there is always something to look forward to, whether it is a family trip, moving into a new home, or even the birth of a new child. There is never a dull moment in the show and unlike other reality shows there is not fake drama created in order to keep viewers watching or to simply keep the show alive. The show runs itself in the sense that no scripts or anything needs to be made because the family is just full of positivity and entertainment themselves. I am convinced this show is nothing but real and people should tune in because you get to see the lives the children live from a Christian perspective, they do many interesting and amusing activities as a family, and just like any other family they have their issues that they face together.

Eight out of the ten Duggar daughters on sister Jana's wedding day.

 With nine boys and ten girls ranging from all different ages, the Duggar kids are all very different and unique in their own way. Though they are all different ages and have different interests they all seem to come together and get along which gives the show a great vibe. The show never fails to neglect how important religion is to the entire family, so they therefore live a more strict lifestyle than other kids their ages might live. Jim Bob and Michelle  limit the kids access to the internet, social media and television because they believe it is a distraction

The Duggar sons.

but rarely will you see the kids complain because they entertain each other and I find that very settling especially in today’s society. Nowadays you do not really see kids wanting to do anything other than be on their phones or on social media so by watching the show you get a different more positive perspective on kids, that I believe everyone should get to experience. “19 Kids and Counting contains lots of positive messages about family, faith, and love, thanks to Michelle and Jim Bob's gentle, but firm, approach to parenting, and the children's willingness to help their parents and each other without being bratty or disrespectful.” (Times Review) 

            Being that there are so many kids it’s hard to think of how it is possible for everyone to civilly be in one room, but in every episode the family is always engaging in fun activities together. They find joy in the simplest things such as cooking, playing, having random contests, etc. Michelle and Bob wrote in their blog, "It is fun spending time with 19 of your best friends. It is a blast everywhere we go. There is never a dull moment!"(Ong) You can just tell that they all enjoy being with each other and feelings like that you can not stage nor make up unlike other reality shows.

                                                                            The entire Duggar family, including Grandma Duggar and the spouses of the married kids.

            The Duggars may be portrayed as the ideal, picture perfect family but like every family they encounter problems. For example, in one of the seasons the family became very down for a while when Michelle had a miscarriage. Losing a child was a big deal for the whole family but we all watched them get through it together. The season after that, they tried for another baby, the last baby was born with many deficiencies which caused her to be special needs. The largest and most recent issue the family had to face are the charges that have been given to the oldest son of family, Josh Duggar. Josh has publicly admitted to doing some disturbing things in his teenage years. Because of the innocence and grace the family has portrayed over the years, this was a huge shock to fans of the show and the family. Like anyone else, everyone makes mistakes and Michelle Duggar tells Time, “We pray that as people watch our lives they see that we are not a perfect family. We have challenges and struggles every day.” Again, the family got through and still is getting through it like a family should.

This show truly proved to me that some reality television shows are not all fabricated. A good reality television show does not have to include drama, fighting and confrontations in order for people to stay tuned. 19 Kids and Counting is a show that everyone could relate to and displays nothing but a positive message about the importance of family. There should be more genuine shows like this one and then maybe more people would feel better about reality television.

Work Cited

Begley, Sarah. "Who Are The Duggars? Meet The 19 Kids And Counting Family." Time.com. 5/26/2015, pN.PAG. 1p.

              Ong, Czarina. "Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Seek To Teach Their Kids That No Matter What Happens, They Have a Friend in Jesus." Christiantoday.com, 21 Oct. 2015