19 Kids and Counting may have gone off the air in 2015, but the Duggar family remains a controversial topic for many.
That’s because they follow several strict rules that stem from their Christian beliefs. This includes no premarital sex, homeschooling their kids, and even avoiding any physical contact before marriage.
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Curious what else? Keep reading for the 10+ strict rules the Duggar children had no choice but to follow.
While the Duggar family is far from Hollywood royalty, they are super famous in the entertainment industry.
Thanks to their show, 19 Kids and Counting , and their very strict rules that are enforced in their house, they made their way to fame very quickly.
But a lot of people may not know what the rules actually are.
We compiled some of the strictest ones for you to take a look at.
Some of them might seem super out there, but hey, who are we to judge? Let’s get into it!
1. Women can’t wear pants.
In a TLC Q&A , Michelle Duggar explained why the females are always wearing skirts or dresses.
“Our interpretation was that from the neck down to the knee should be covered. By keeping those private areas covered, there’s not any ‘defrauding’ going on.”
2. They can’t have sex before marriage.
Premarital sex is a major no-no in the Duggars’ rule book.
“In today’s day and time, it’s a little bit strange to be in our early twenties and have not had sex,” Jessa Duggar told Us Weekly . “But it’s how our parents did it.”
3. They have to homeschool their kids.
Since all the Duggar kids were homeschooled using the Advanced Training Institute, the parents want their grandkids raised that way.
Jill Duggar was criticized by her family when she decided to enroll her child, Israel Duggar, in public school.
4. They have to shun family members who don’t follow the same conservative values.
Jill’s relationship with her family has been strained ever since she and her husband, Derek, left Counting On .
As a result of this and Jill raising her children her own way, she is not as close with her family.
“We’re not on the best terms with some of my family,” she told *People*.
But she later told the publication that she hopes things can get healed eventually.
“I really just have to follow God’s lead and take it one day at a time.”
5. They can’t use birth control.
Since Michelle and Jim Bob suffered a miscarriage after using birth control, they blamed birth control.
“As conservative Christians, we believe every life is sacred, even the life of the unborn,” they wrote on their website.
6. They can’t have tattoos.
The Duggars consider tattoos to be one of the worst offenses, second to premarital sex.
That’s because Leviticus 19:28 reads from the bible :
“Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord.”
7. They have to let the parents read their texts.
Privacy isn’t given in this household.
When Ben Seewald texted his fiancée , Jessa, “Give me a ring,” it was Jim Bob who replied.
“No ring yet,” he wrote, along with a smiley face.
8. They can’t have social media until they’re married.
This would make sense if someone is a pre-teen or teenager. But get this: Jana Duggar, who is 30, doesn’t have social media.
The only reason is because she is still unmarried.
9. Their dates are chaperoned.
It “keeps things from going in the wrong direction,” Jim Bob told E! .
Plus, he says, it makes the females feel a bit more comfortable knowing that they’re not in grave “moral danger.”
10. After they’re married, they’re encouraged to have a lot of sex.
How else are they going to make so many babies?
“Anyone can fix him lunch, but only one person can meet that physical need of love,” Michelle once told Today . “You always need to be available when he calls.”
“My mom has a bunch of pregnancy [tests] at her house,” Jill told *Us Weekly*.
Clearly, her mom’s rule worked, as she and her husband Derick Dillard announced their pregnancy just two months after they were married.
So it wasn’t all for nothing in the end.
11. They can’t go to the beach.
Even though the Duggar clan would wear parent-approved swimwear, Michelle believes that other beachgoers would present problems.
“It’s just too hard for the guys to try and keep their eyes averted,” Michelle once explained.
12. They can’t have any physical contact before their wedding day.
No kissing, no chest-to-chest hugs, no hand-holding. This is all to avoid lustful temptation .
This strict rule has meant that many Duggars have had their first (read: awkward) kiss on their wedding days.
13. They can’t read romance novels.
If chest-to-chest hugs are forbidden, then you can count on books like Fifty Shades of Grey being off-limits.
That’s because the family follows what the bible says about not “gratifying the pleasure of the flesh.”
14. They can’t get divorced.
This might explain why Anna Duggar, Josh’s wife, chose to stay with him even after it was shockingly confirmed that he had molested two of his sisters.
Around this time, it was also discovered that he was a member of the “infidelity” website, Ashley Madison.
Anna shared her feelings in a special TLC interview on *Jill & Jessa: Counting On*.
“Not only was it a betrayal against me, but it was also a betrayal against those that call themselves Christian because here we were as a Christian couple,” she said .
Despite all this, they’re still going strong.
15. They have to be baptist.
A lot of the rules you read about here today stem from the family’s strict Christian values.
The Duggars consider themselves to be ” independent Baptists ” and live their lives as such.
16. Use soft words.
What we assume this means is that there were not many curse words being dropped in the house.
But beyond “always use soft words,” there is no insight into what this actually means.
17. They shouldn’t be in the same room with the opposite sex.
And believe it or not, this includes your own siblings.
I bet this really hurts their relationships, but we, of course, also can’t make any assumptions about it! But it’s something they definitely stick to.
18. They can’t help out unwed mothers.
Back in 2015, Jill Duggar who was practicing to be a midwife, couldn’t help out a friend of hers who was giving birth and wasn’t married.
She was forbidden to help her friend out during such an important time.
19. To dance, or not to dance?
They believe that dancing can lead to ungodly desires, ultimately leading them to go against many of their beliefs.
While it’s not a super strict rule, it is one that they definitely try to stick to.
Do you know of any other strict rules that were enforced on the Duggar children?
Or are you completely surprised by all of these rules that they had no choice but to follow?
Either way, let us know in the comment section! We would love to hear from you.
