"I think I rollerbladed once, but I was really not very good at it. I think my mom said I looked like giraffe on wheels."
-Kendra Caldwell
On last night's episode of Counting On, Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell go to a local park for a rollerblading date (see video below). James Duggar is their primary chaperone, and Jackson Duggar is their "chaperone in training." At the end of the date, the couple jokingly gives Jackson a mediocre rating, as he is only present about half the time.
Photo/video courtesy TLC
Jackson was present exactly as much as someone his age should be expected to be. It's ridiculous to bring children along and expect them to vigilantly enforce moral purity. Jackson looked like he was the only one who was having fun!
ReplyDeleteThey aren't supposed to be enforcing anything. They are there as a reminder of the rules the couple has established for themselves. I think the camera crew following them served as chaperones as well plus knowing they were being filmed. It just gave them an opportunity to spend time with Jackson as well.
DeleteGreat observation!!! I agree.
DeleteSo, the purpose of a chaperone (kids, no less!) is to keep the couple in line and follow the rules. Are these young people so terrified of losing control and crossing some arbitrary line that it will leave them forever devastated and regretful? It doesn't speak well of their own convictions. I've always been taught that the sign of true character is to do what you think is right, even when no one is looking. It's a shame that the Duggar kids have ever been afforded this opportunity.
ReplyDeleteWhat could possibly happened if they went to dinner together without a chaperone?
DeleteOf course they have been afforded that opportunity. Everyone has times where they choose whether to do right or wrong in business, in their finances, in what they think about, in how they treat people.... Their parents are very smart to have chaperones. I couldn't tell you the number of people I know that were going to wait for marriage and didn't end of waiting. Some of them ended up pregnant and then married and then struggled in marriage. The guilt and shame they felt had a major impact on their marriages. The Bible says to flee youthful lusts. Putting young people in a position where the temptation is strong is not smart. They are all human and too often make the wrong choices. There is no way to go back and change the decision after the fact and the consequences.
DeleteJackson is so cute!
ReplyDeleteAnd James has gotten much older. Deep voice.
It just makes us realize how little we see of them now.
Good! We shouldn't see them. They're minors and don't belong on reality tv. It's harmful to their development.
DeleteWhat a precious time spent together during this sweet season of life. Their joy in skating together mirrors each of our journey through life with the Lord skating along by our side; their kneepads and wrist guards like the Word protecting us from worldly evils. It's just surreal and such a blessing to see the love these two special young people have for each other and the Lord. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for them. Precious.
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteWow! I remember when Jamesy-Bug was chaperoning Jerrick, and now he's sharing that knowledge with Jackson. Time flies!
ReplyDeleteCan't hold hands but sitting thigh to thigh is ok. These courtship rules are getting sillier and sillier. Maybe she should be sitting on her side of the car because being that close is breaking their 3 second sidehug rule and that is basically a sidehug in the car
ReplyDeleteYep, she was way too close in the car!
DeleteFunny - I remember when Ben & Jessa were courting and Michelle sat between them inBens little pickup truck. Michelle was smashed up against Ben! But I see it was OK for Joe & Kendra to sit against each other. And don't tell me each kid makes their own courtship rules, because they don't. Jimbob & Michelle make those rules!
DeleteThinking the same things here. If the whole idea is to keep some physical distance to avoid temptation, she should be sitting in the passenger seat over by the door...not pressed up against him. The courting rules are ridiculous!
DeleteReally enjoyed last nights episode of Counting On. Joseph and Kendra make a cute couple. Joseph is so nice and Kendra is so precious, I just love her...Jane
ReplyDeletewhy hasn't baby Mason been adding to your header yet
ReplyDeleteSo....a nine, ten years old child, whatever age this child is, is the one in control of what two adults can or can't do? Wow 😳
ReplyDeleteWould you make out in front of your kid brother?
DeleteJason, who was the chaperone, is 17 years old. Jackson, who also came along to learn what a chaperone does, is 13, not 9 or 10. And most importantly, the adults are responsible for and in control of their actions. The chaperone is along as a witness.
DeleteJason is a teen, 15 years old. Jackson is still a child.
DeleteJason wasn't the chaperone--it was James and Jackson!
DeleteTheir chaperone was James......and Jackson in training 😬
DeleteSeems like Kendra has been rescued. Mom should try to say something nice, rather than a hiddeous image that would intimidate the girl to the side lines.
ReplyDeleteIt's a playful joke...
Deletelooks like you were having a blast, you folks go for it!
ReplyDeleteI still don't get the point of a chaperone! How strong are your convictions if you can not be alone with each other and your actions on a date are control by a child!!
ReplyDeleteI agree, if you can't handle yourself, you may need to do some reevaluation. Just hang out in public places, not alone in a house somewhere. Drive your own car if you feel the need.
DeleteIt may not be a question of how strong their convictions are, but of how much other people will talk and what other people will think, if they don't at least appear to have a chaperone.
DeleteJill once said it's so that somebody can't say they did something, and they can come back and say actually we didn't so and so was with us.
DeleteThe chaperone is not an indication of lack of self-control. They are a witness to protect you from nasty false accusations.
DeleteThey are there to tell on the couple if something goes wrong
DeleteWhy would people of such high ethical and moral standards such as the Duggars and their friends even have false accusations? What are they thinking?
DeleteDo you know that Billy Graham has never alone with a woman that's not his wife? VP Mike Pence follows the same rule. Probably not because they can't can't control themselves, but to protect against false allegations.
DeleteWell then the courting rules are an epic fail, because we can all see clearly that Kendra and Joe are touching more than a 3 second side hug or holding hands, when there's clearly room for her to be sitting in the passenger seat. Instead it just looks more like she/he/they took advantage of the situation to be physically closer than their stated rules. @@
DeleteAnon 3:38. Are you kidding? People have already been saying Joy must be further along in her pregnancy because of her size. Anyone in the public eye can be falsely accused.
DeleteI personally don't believe they have chaperones for the sole purpose of keeping people from talking. I think they are smart enough to realize the temptation to be physical is very strong. They also want their children to know their future spouses really well and not base things on how the other person kisses or the thought or being intimate. They spend their time talking and really getting to know each other's hearts and not making out.
I thought chaperones were suppose to be the couple's age or older, what is Jackson going to do tell mommy and daddy that two adults decided to hold hands?
ReplyDeleteWell what is an older sibling supposed to do if they decide to hold hands? Having someone there is so that they aren't alone and "tempted" to do anything they shouldn't be.
DeleteThere's nothing to report because nothing would ever happen, with or without Jackson and James along. It's silly enough to need a chaperone, but bringing some kids along as romance spies...
DeleteJackson wasn't the main chaperone, he was just there in traing. Jason, the teenager, was the chaperone.
DeleteJackson was in training...
DeleteJames was th professional chaperone 🤓 ❗️ 💚
Kendra is wrong, because a lot of the older Duggar girls don't wear skirts below the knees anymore. Unfortunately, the Duggars don't seem like they have very high modesty standards anymore.
ReplyDeleteUmm, the Duggar girls still have extreme modesty standards, with the exception of Jinger who, in my opinion, still has very modest clothing, but doesn't think women only need to wear dresses or skirts. The Bible never says women aren't aloud to wear pants, it says for women not to dress like men, and for men not to dress like women. Pants weren't even worn in Bible times, people wore robes/tunics -whatever you want to call them-, how then can you say the Bible says women can't wear something that didn't even exist at that time?
DeleteSerious questions -- What's wrong with knees? Where does the New Testament prohibit showing knees?
DeleteThey still are extremely modest...
DeleteThis last season I noticed Jill and Jessa wear floor length skirts. Jana's skirts are right below the knee. I've not seen one of them with skirts above the knee. Point out which episode you saw them with skirts above the knee.
DeleteJessa wears skirts above the knee. The recent episode with her on the plane - they had to blur her knees out. Jana & Jinger have been showing knees, too. Look at the recent picture of Jana on this blog!
DeleteAs long as one wears their dress, skirt, and or shorts longer than their finger tips what length they are? It is just so one does street trash or a skimpy teeny bopper is what we should be concerned about. As for slacks, capris, and crop or Bermuda shorts if God did not want someone he would not have given them the brain to do so. All the fashions mentioned if longer than the can be done with a tasteful and modest tone. Yay to Jeremy for broadening Jinger's new fashions and horizons. They look great with much taste and modesty. Kudos.
DeleteMaybe Jinger wears pants because Jeremy said - "Women weren't " saved" to wear skirts"! I happen to agree with Jeremy. You know Jinger wouldnt wear pants if Jeremy thought it was wrong!
DeleteModesty goes out the window when pregnant. Then it's super skin tight shirts which are only allowed during pregnancy to show off the stomach.
DeleteAnonymous #3 with the knee question- Michelle referenced the Old Testament passage where the thigh was mentioned. Michelle took that to mean that anything that might potentially show the thigh would be immodest. So begat the ankle-length "prairie dresses" which morphed into mid-calf skirts, which morphed into just below the knee skirts.
Delete"Kendra and I's." Sounds like Jim Bob
ReplyDeleteI know they'd still be considered children but both Jackson and James are teenagers now. When Josh and Anna were courting their chaperones were around the same age as these boys so I don't see what the huge deal is.
ReplyDeleteWe use chaperones but not to enforce moral purity. There's so many tales that can get told about a girl OR a boy. Accusations can be made that can damage one's reputation and if someone else is there then everyone stays accountable.
ReplyDeleteIt's 2017. Are we still so archaic as to worry about reputations? If you don't know the character..or reputation..of the person you're intended to marry you have way bigger issues than potential gossip.
DeleteMy kids, my life, my rules. Your kids, your life, your rules. You do things the way you see fit for your family and I do the same. I wouldn't judge your parenting choices and I don't care what you think about mine. I was only explaining the way we use chaperones. My children are not yet 18, so they will not be getting married anytime soon. When they become adults then they will no longer need chaperones.
DeleteOh gosh 9:44. You sound very defensive. I think perhaps you do care about others opinions.
DeleteKendra seems nice. She may be 19, but she sounds much younger with her giggly laugh. She seems so young. They both seem very young.
ReplyDeleteThe whole chaperone system is so weird. And I really don't like the idea of controlling what dating adults are talking to each other. When I was dating and engaged to the man, whose has now been my husband for 10 years, it would have driven me crazy to have my parents go through our text messages and listen to our phone calls. I would never do that to my children. Couples need the privacy to share their thoughts. We don't live in the Middle Ages anymore.
ReplyDelete