The Duggars have been known to cause some contention — whether living in their truth or stating an opinion without shame — that can often make this controversial family polarizing at times … and that seems to go double for anything that involves the youngest members of the family.
Over the years, this family has caught some major heat for moments fans believe have put their children in harm's way. Some accusations are over-the-top and just downright silly. Others, however, could make you nod your head in agreement — or shake it in disbelief.
As concerning as it is to think of anyone putting a child in danger, it's hard to write off the Duggars as being heedless when it comes to the children in their family and the potential threats — often common threats in most cases — that can lurk around the corner. Other times, we really do have to wonder what they were thinking.
Read on for times that parents in the Duggar fam were accused of putting their children in danger. There's no doubt they'll continue to get backlash for this kind of stuff for years to come — after all, this is the internet we're talking about.
Going Helmet-Free
Safety is important, which could be why some Duggar fans were upset to see children riding bikes without helmets in this photo from a few years ago. There appears to a back-and-forth debate about whether those concerned for the Duggar kids' safety were overreacting or not. Regardless, Jim Bob and Michelle caught heat for this snap and potentially putting their children in harm's way.
Jeopardizing Henry's 'Development'
At this point, this pic is a major throwback, but we can't forget how Jessa and Ben Seewald caught hell for this "controversial" photo of baby Henry standing up that could've jeopardized his joints.
"Too young to be letting him stand with his weight on his legs," wrote one Instagram commenter. "That's not good."
Fortunately, Henry seems to be thriving as a toddler, despite that oversight.
'Blanket Training'
Oh boy. Fans questioned if and why Jill reportedly was trying to "blanket train" Israel when he was a baby in a somewhat disturbing photo she has since taken down. (But thanks to Twitter, the screenshot lives on forever.) We do know that Michelle and Jim Bob did use blanket training on their own children, though.
Needless to say, this didn't sit too well with some Duggar fans who consider blanket training to be a form of child abuse.
Josh Duggar Going to Play Mini-Golf
We know what you're probably thinking: What did Josh Duggar do at a mini-golf facility? Thankfully, that answer is nothing, though many parents were not happy to see this controversial Duggar at a family friend's facility not long after his molestation scandal went public and high-tailed it out of there with their kids. It's hard to blame them for that …
Spurgeon's 'Immodest' Pic
It's hard to believe that people thought this photo of Spurgeon Seewald was "immodest" … but here we are. Apparently, you can't be a (cute) baby and show off too much leg in a onesie, because that's super inappropriate. Fortunately, it seems like we've seen less of these kinds of comments on the Duggar ladies' social media since.
Jim Bob Allowing Josie to Drive
How young is too young to drive? While there are laws in place that prohibit underage persons from getting behind the wheel, Jim Bob caught heat for letting 7-year-old Josie "drive" a vehicle while in his lap. "WTH Putting Josie in danger!! Seat belt??? You people make your own rules," one person commented on the Twitter pic.
Though Papa Duggar isn't the first parent to do something like this, he sure did get chewed out for it.
Derick Letting Israel 'Ride' a Motorcyle
While the sight of an adorable little boy sitting on a motorcycle would likely evoke an "Aww" response, some Duggar fans who saw this photo of Israel "riding dirty" on a hog were concerned about the danger to the point of questioning whether or not Israel was legally allowed on the back of a bike.
"Lol, he's obviously not taking the child for a ride," one person wrote on Instagram in defense of the Dillards.
Jill & Derick Misusing Israel's Car Seat
Boy did Duggar fans have something to say about Jill and Derick misusing Israel's car seat — because the harness was too loose and Israel was too short to reach the headrest — during their first mission trip in Central America.
"Forward facing vs. rear facing is a choice," one Instagram commenter wrote. "Wrong car seat and or improper use of car seat is not a parental choice. That's just neglect and putting your kid at risk."
Jinger Neglecting Car Seat Safety
Let this be a lesson to everyone in the Duggar family: If you don't take the necessary car seat precautions, fans are going to call you on it … even if your intentions weren't bad.
Duggar fans were not happy with Jinger's photo of Michael Duggar improperly strapped in the car. Though we're sure Anna's little boy was likely pooped from his shopping expedition with his auntie, some people were not so forgiving of this snap.
"My first thought as a pediatric ICU nurse was 'that kid is not properly restrained,'" one commenter wrote. "I am not passing judgement. I have just seen a lot of really bad things. And I don't want anything to happen to anybody else's child."
Coffee Shop No-No?
Jessa and Ben got scolded on Instagram for this photo of baby Spurgeon sitting in his car seat while the proud parents enjoyed some time at a coffee shop. "Not suppose to leave a child strapped in their car seat. Too many babies have died that way," wrote one commenter on Instagram.
Israel Using a Small Car Seat
Poor little Izzy couldn't seem to escape car seat controversy during his parents' first mission trip. Derick's photo of Israel in this car seat did not make fans happy — resulting in a few constructive comments heading Mom and Dad's way.
"Saying this with kindness — his chest clip needs to be up a little higher. It also looks like his little head is going above the top of the seat itself which isn't safe," one Duggar fan mentioned.
Underestimating Zika Virus
Aside from having a huge problem with his beard, some fans weren't happy at the Zika virus joke Derick made while in Central America on a mission trip with his family — especially when thinking about the safety of little Israel. While we do see the humor in the OFF reference, Zika isn't really a joking matter as it's affected so many families, causing birth defect microcephaly among little ones that's so sad to imagine.
Jim Bob & Michelle Visiting the Dillards in Central America
Speaking of Central America, Zika virus, and all the fears people have about the two, does anyone remember fans being upset at Jim Bob and Michelle for going to Central America to visit Jill and her family? Aside from likely concerns about the Zika virus, people were generally wondering about who was watching Mama and Papa Duggar's little children back in Arkansas.
(We're sure they put someone capable and reliable in charge … probably Jana.)
Exposing Israel to Danger
Hearing of some of the dangerous situations Jill and Derick Dillard faced in Central America on their first mission trip, some people questioned why the two would go to a dangerous country like El Salvador, potentially putting little Israel in harm's way.
Anna Dressing Meredith 'Immodestly'
Seriously, what is UP with people who have silly and pointless issues with what tots wear? Some "fans" of the Duggar family weren't happy to see Anna and Josh's daughter Meredith wear pants and considered it being immodest. (Yes, immodest.)
"OMG they let the little girl wear pants," a commenter mentioned on the adorable Instagram photo of cousin Amy's husband, Dillon King, and Meredith together.
Kids Eat Everything
Anyone who's ever spent any time around babies and toddlers knows that just about everything goes in their mouths — it's almost impossible to stop it from happening! But Joy got an extra dose of flack when she posted this photo of her daughter, Evelyn, chewing on a fence while her parents played softball. Yikes …
Jinger's Lack of Childproofing
In April 2020, Jinger shared this photo of her daughter, Felicity, talking on the phone next to an outlet that was totally open — no childproofing to be seen. Of course, people in the comments pointed out how dangerous that was, but it may not have been Jinger's house; it looked like it could have been a hotel room. Either way, fans weren't impressed.
Playing in a Truck Bed
When Jessa shared this photo of Spurgeon and Henry playing together in a truck bed, she knew she was going to hear about how dangerous it was … but she didn't care!
"Yes, we’re barefoot, and we kept away from the roll of barbed wire, and he didn’t get to keep the prized nail that he found," she wrote.
Water Safety Issues
In this series of photos that Kendra and Joseph shared to Instagram, fans quickly noticed that their daughter, Addison, joined their family on the boat without a life jacket. Of course, people didn't waste time reminding them how very important water safety is — we're just glad to see that no one got hurt.
Eating Rocks
This photo wasn't just a cute picture of Joy's kids, Evelyn and Gideon, playing outside together. Joy made the mistake of mentioning that Evelyn had gotten a taste of a rock while they were out there, and even though it sounds like Joy had grabbed it from her before the situation turned dangerous, her followers were concerned.
