Growing Up Duggar Book Review

On yesterday, I downloaded and completely read the Duggar girls new book.  Needless to say I was excited to get to know more of the somewhat mysterious-yet sweet, naive looking Duggar girls.  I have always been somewhat irritated, yet interested in not just these sweet girls but, the ultra-conservative lifestyle of Michelle and Jim Bob's 20-count clan.
First, let me explain, the book is a very easy reading for teens.  The Duggar girls took turns talking about why they wear long hair, and skirts and dresses- because they are feminine.  They also talked of how they learned to get along with siblings, and all of them agreed numerous times in the book that they absolutely loved caring for their younger siblings and that they were always ecstatic when Mama Michelle popped up pregnant time and time again.  The Duggar girls also talked, almost excessively of their mother and father's childhood problems that ultimately led them to the Bill Gothard Cult  the Lord.  The girls used certain phrases time and time again such as, "Share our hearts"  that did not seem to be genuinely coming from the girls.  It seemed as if Mama Michelle coached their every word and told them what to say.  This was not only disappointing to me, but also raised a few red flags as well.

While the book was meant in the nicest and most innocent way, one thing that I noticed is that the girls were a bit preachy, and sometimes passively prideful in the fact that they seemed to be obsessed with not making any mistakes, and that somehow doing all of the right things would guarantee them a good life. They gave a long obsessive list of things that they did not do, such as:  no dancing, as to not make your brother in Christ stumble, no listening to music with a beat so that you don't get demon possessed, no watching movies that even hint at magic or playful kiddie spells- its evil, do not be too friendly to men because they may interpret it as a sign that you are a flirt, no wearing clothing that may be suggestive tight or close to the skin, always share your heart with your parents or something bad will happen, don't be a tattle tale, because Mama Michelle does not want to be bothered, if you want to get married to a man, your parents must approve and God will confirm the marriage with your parents permission, and the list goes on an on.  Sadly, when I was done reading the book of rigorous stressful Duggar rules, I thought to myself these sweet girls have not had the opportunity to be who they want to be, or need to be.  They have little idea of who they are.
Don't get me wrong, I respect what the Duggars are doing, but how much control is too much control. These girls are all grown and spoke as if they were barely teenagers.  They all agreed on everything, and did not really have many experiences to  share on their own- because they have not been allowed to make their own decisions and mistakes that are all a part of life and living.

As a mother of two young children, I with no doubt am raising my children to acknowledge God and to allow HIM, and not me to direct their paths when they become adults.  After all, if we trust God to help us to teach our children and raise them up in His ways, then why be scared to release them to the Lord so that he can fully direct them as adults.  As parents, we guide our children and love them, but must ultimately allow them to spread those wings that the Lord gave them to fly.  We have to trust that the Lord will allow those wings that we have developed and strengthened to carry them through.  If God's eye is on the Sparrow, then surely it is on our children. Let go, and allow the our children to live when they become adults, in the event they fall, (as we all do) quote Romans 8:28 and put your faith in the Almighty.