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(More customer reviews)I'm an adult who is the oldest of five siblings, and I've always wanted to have a family of a similar size. A 5-kid group sounds like a massive family to most everyone that I've met, but for us it's natural. We wouldn't want to have one brother or sister less--every person is unique and wonderful, and our lives are richer for having each other. The Duggars of TLC's show 19 Kids and Counting feel the exact same way about their kids, except that they have four times as many kids as my family! This book covers a lot of their child-rearing principles and spiritual beliefs, as well as the recent challenges in their lives, starting from the time in late 2009 when Michelle went into early labor with their 19th child.
I had never gotten to see the Duggars' TV show, but I was curious about their family and found this book to be the perfect way to learn more. They have been through some major struggles in recent years, but they've always held close to their faith in God's goodness. Early chapters of A Love That Multiplies discuss the medical emergency that arose when Michelle delivered baby Josie three full months before her due date. It was chilling to realize just how close they came to losing Josie, who was just 22 ounces at birth. I had not previously been aware of how hard a "micro-preemie" baby struggles just to survive. In Josie's case, she was having to live through three months of growth that should have happened in the safety of the womb. And yet God provided for their family in times of trouble--a lady they didn't even know offered to let the whole family borrow her house so they could be close to little Josie while she was in such a life-threatening condition.
The Duggar kids may be the focus of the show, but this book makes it clear just how important the parents' attitudes affect the overall family dynamic. By the things Jim Bob and Michelle say about each other, it becomes apparent that they are really in love. It's a big deal that they can express so much admiration for each other in times of stress. Jim Bob sounds like a real problem-solver when he does things like hooking up the generator on the family bus to the house so they could power a washer and dryer during an ice storm that knocked out their power. Michelle seems very savvy, too, with her quiet discipline, creative homeschooling methods, and commitment to meeting her children's emotional needs. I love how conscious Michelle is of how her attitude affects her kids...if you've ever been a child-care provider in any capacity, you know how quickly your own negative behaviors can show up in the kids! But fortunately, the same thing goes for positive traits.
It's also encouraging to see that the Duggar kids are not at all "cloistered" or "sequestered" or any of those other big words for kids who are kept at home and not allowed to see any of the world. These kids have met film crews and magazine representatives and have gone on mission trips to El Salvador. The kids all play music (piano, violin or harp), but they also have their own interests--the older girls like to cook and sew, but the oldest two have also undergone firefighter training work as volunteer firefighters! The oldest two sons own an auto sales lot and a towing business, and are committed to living debt-free. The book mentions a lot of the Duggars' principles for business-running, finance management, and homeschooling, and there's a handy list of resources provided in the back of the book.
It's also important to note that the Duggars aren't forwarding a big political movement--they aren't trying to get everybody in America to have a bunch of offspring; this is just what God has called them to do. It is so touching to see how much they love Jesus Christ and how much they want to meet the needs of others, whether it's baking their TV producer a cake on his birthday, taking cookies to the local fire department, or putting on a concert for residents at a nursing home. I think that supporting the Duggars is not a matter of whether we personally want 19 kids (there are probably not many people who do), or whether we think that most families should be this size (it's probably not practical on a large scale)--it's about whether they seem to be loving and nurturing the kids they have. From all evidence, they're doing just fine. May God bless the Duggars and bless all of our families, whatever their size.
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A Love That Multiplies: An Up-Close View of How They Make it WorkIn this second book from the Duggars, they focus on the principles that equip them to face life's challenges—drawing from their most recent challenge with the 3-month premature birth of their newest child, Josie. They also share the new challenges their older children are facing as they prepare for adult life. Central to the book is a section on the principles that the Duggars have consistently taught their children. These simply worded principles arebasic to the Duggar family andareshared in a way that other parents can incorporate in their own homes.A special chapter on homeschoolinggives valuable information toparents who are considering this route or are already invested in it. The worldcontinues to beamazed by theirnineteen well-groomed, well-behaved, well-schooled childrenand theirhome life, which focuses on family, financial responsibility, fun—and must importantly, faith. The Duggarsshow how parents can succeed whether they're rearing a single child or several.
Table of Contents:
Preface: Our Biggest Test Begins Part 1: Little Baby, Big Challenges 1. Little Eyes Watching 2. More Babies on the Way! 3. A Surprising Test Begins 4. Praying without Ceasing 5. Miracles and Milestones 6. Difficult Priorities Part 2: Shaping Hearts and Minds 7. Living under the Microscope 8. Opportunities to Reach Out to Others 9. Developing a Servant Heart 10. Making Faith Fun Part 3: Big Hope for Our Children's Future 11. Homeschool, Duggar Style 12. Vocations, Goals, and Roles 13. Daily Training, Tips, and Practicalities 14. Life Is a Classroom Part 4: Big Hearts, Full of Love 15. Protecting and Cherishing Our Relationships 16. Michelle's Heart for Children and Moms 17. Jim Bob's Lifelong Hobby 18. Do the Duggars Date? P.S. Answering the Big Question
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