A throw down of epic proportions

I don’t think it matters if you come from a big family or a small family, there is always drama.  I grew up with three sisters and I can distinctly remember some massive fights and arguments we had.  Some fights were over big issues like snarky comments or backhanded remarks and other times fights were over even bigger issues like who gets to lick the bowl after my mom made brownies.  Seriously we would have throw-downs over that one.  Regardless of size, family arguments are a natural part of any family’s dynamic.  Its human nature and it makes us normal. 

So what I can’t figure out is how in the world does the Duggar family never argue? I mean never, ever argue.  I’m sure they have their occasional squabbles like the rest of us, but you would think that having 19 kids in the house would mean TLC would have more footage of the kids arguing than of them not.  But every episode shows happy, well-adjusted kids who enjoy hanging out with each other.  I’ve read articles and seen reports that the family shown on TV is what they are like in real life.

 

As I watched the season premiere last night I was sure that with all the hubbub that was going on in their family some sort of disagreement was going to ensue.  There was one scene where Jessa, Ben, and Michelle were discussing Jessa’s upcoming wedding to Ben.  While discussing the details, Jessa said she wanted to invite 1,000 people and have the reception at her parents’ house.  I was thinking “This is it!  1,000 people at their house?!  There’s no way Michelle is going to allow that.”  But amazingly the exact opposite happened.  Instead angelic Michelle nodded and let the engaged couple continue their planning without even so much as a second thought.  

Next, the soon to be Seewalds took us to their future home that they will be renting from Jim Bob and Michelle once they are married.  Now, don’t get me wrong it’s a perfectly fine house and definitely appropriate for a newlywed couple starting out life together.  But then you see to the other newlywed couple, Jessa’s sister Jill and her husband Derick, starting their life together in a HUGE house they are also renting from Jim Bob and Michelle.   Jill’s house could probably fit three of Jessa’s houses inside.  I was thinking, “Oh man here we go.  There’s no way that Jessa won’t have a snide comment about their house compared to Jill’s house.  Jessa’s house is very dated, has mold, and is much smaller.  She’s bound to be snarky about this!” 

Cut to Jessa saying the following: “The reason why Jill got the big house was because it's really close to Derick's work and so it's kind of the opposite of town. We don't mind though, really.  That's a lot of work to keep up with. They have three floors. It's got to be a lot of work." 

Amazing!  She wasn’t jealous.  She wasn't snarky.  She wasn't anything but sincere.  Wow!  I remember when my sister went to college and my mom bought her a new pair of Birkenstocks.  I was pissed!  Here she was going to college with half of my clothes and a new pair of sandals.  Petty I know, but I was 16 and my Birkenstocks had seen better days.  I can’t imagine the cacophony that would ring out if my parents dished out two vastly different houses to us.  That would be a throw down of epic proportions.

The Duggar family is almost nonhuman.  They have their own reality show, but shop at thrift stores.  They have a ton of people under one roof, yet their house is fairly neat.  But the most remarkable thing is they have 19 kids and they all get along and generally love each other.  They don’t argue with each other or with the parents.  Whatever it is Jim Bob and Michelle are doing, I need to copy it because if my kids are anything like my sisters and I were I’m going to have one hell of a fight over that brownie bowl.  

Of course they would be able to get everyone looking at the camera and smiling

Clearly blood is thicker than water or in my case thicker than a brownie bowl