With 19 kids living under one roof, there’s no doubt that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar struggled to get everything they needed to done in a day. To combat this, they’ve widely spoken about enlisting their older children to help with the younger ones – but we had no idea their kids started helping out this early. During a recent podcast appearancel, Jill Duggar said she started helping raise her siblings at age 6, which is pretty shocking to hear.
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Jim Bob and Michelle have been open about using the 'buddy system' in their family.
This meant that the older children would be assigned a few of their younger siblings to be in charge of throughout the day. The big kids would make sure the little ones had everything they needed and that they were present and accounted for during outings and trips.
Michelle and Jim Bob have been criticized widely for this, with some people accusing them of parentification, and now, Jill’s sharing her experience growing up with this system.
Jill said she received her first buddy at just 6 years old.
During an appearance on The Unplanned Podcast earlier this month, Jill said she started looking after her younger siblings starting at 6 years old, though there were “different levels” of responsibility for the children as they got older.
This meant that starting at age 6, Jill changed her first diaper. On the other hand, her husband, Derick, who was also a guest on the podcast, said he didn’t change a diaper until he was 26 and a first-time dad.
She insisted that Michelle was more 'involved' than some might think.
Although the kids did all share a room — and often, even a bed — Jill insisted that tiny babies were still bunking with her parents and that Michelle never left any of her kids out to dry when it came to caring for their younger siblings.
“Even during the night, like if we woke up with a kid they would help,” she said. “If somebody’s sick, it’s her dealing with them. It’s not us.”
Jill didn't seem to think it was a big deal.
In fact, she said it was the way her parents ensured that kids never got left behind.
“That way nobody slipped through the cracks. There was always somebody making sure this one got lunch and this one got their diaper changed,” she said.
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Now, Jill's a mom on her own.
With just three little ones at home compared to the oversized brood her mom was raising, it seems like there’s no need for the buddy system in her family — but it doesn’t appear that’s Jill’s style anyway.
So far, she’s raising her three kids her own way, which includes public school and a lot fewer rules to follow. And so far, it seems to be working for them.
