derick dillard has been scrutinized much more closely ever since he posted unkind remarks about Jazz Jennings on social media. His comments led to TCL firing him “Counting On.” As a result of earlier, negative attention Derick drew to himself, fans are currently digesting every second of a video Michelle’s and Jim Bob’s son-in-law shared on Instagram.
Several Duggar family fans on Reddit and on Facebook contend that a video shows Michelle Duggar abusing daughter Jennifer.
Much talked-about alleged child abuse video disappeared from social media
Though the video has since been removed from Derick’s Instagram account, Facebook users shared a Tumblr link where the video was also reportedly posted (by someone other than Derick, it seems). The problem is now the video is no longer available for even more people to have a firsthand look-see. The video uploaded to Tumblr is not the same as the one described by In Touch Weekly or PopCulture.
What is certain is that fans have slammed Michelle since the topic of the video was shared on Reddit and on Facebook. At the heart of contention is whether Michelle is abusive to her young daughter, Jennifer.
Viewers of “Counting On” and the now defunct “19 Kids and Counting” may readily recall Michelle’s disembodied voice sounding a lot younger than her 51 year old one. Soft, sweet, calm, and reassuring, yet all-the-while authoritative.
Fans say Michelle’s voice was louder on video than her TV voice
Fans who saw the video after it was actually posted by Derick and before it was deleted (or became displaced from Instagram) have commented that Michelle does not sound as she most often does. Her tone struck many as loud.
The claim that Michelle raised her voice to her daughter, though, conflicts with accounts that her now-married daughter, Jessa, once stated during an interview by Heidi Baker of the “The 700 Club.” Baker stated that Michelle seems “even tempered.” The Duggar daughters pretty much agreed with Baker’s assessment (at approximately 19 minutes into the YouTube clip).
Baker then went on to state that she has “never heard” Michelle Duggar raise her voice. She asked, “Is she really like that?” Jill, while seated beside her sisters Jana and Jessa, stated that their mother essentially does not lose her calm demeanor.
Daughters said mom’s voice drops, ‘like whispering,’ when children are ‘in trouble’
Jill elaborated, stating that Michelle does not raise her voice but lowers it. The Duggars’ children knew when they were “in trouble” by the drop in their mother’s voice. Jill said that it was “like whispering.” The daughters’ account is in direct opposition to how Facebook fans describe Michelle depicted in the video that son-in-law Derick had posted.
Members of the Facebook “Duggar Discussion Group”also pointed to a different video with Michelle and Jim Bob, speaking about daughter Jordyn’s ninth birthday.
There is friendly debate among members on whether the little girl is shy or is pulling back from her reality star parents. Either way, the child does not appear as if she wants to be the center of attention – right then – even though it is her special day.
Married Duggar daughters appear thriving as adults
The Duggars’ married daughters, who are featured on TLC's “Counting On,” are a product of Michelle’s and Jim Bob’s parenting. They did not have the benefit, as some fans see it, of having older buddies assist with their daily living routines or helping keep them in line for their parents. Jessa, Jill, Jinger, and Joy-Anna appear to be well and happy.
While many people do not have nearly the same number of children as the Duggar parents or siblings as do their offspring, at no point have the children appeared to have been neglected or starving for attention.
TLC has production crew members on-scene who are also a set of eyes on the children. If abuse was happening to one or all of the children remaining at home, the probability is that someone would have reported it.
Duggars are not drama creators or seekers
TLC’s goal is not to cover up child abuse or suspected abuse for anyone. Unlike a garden variety of other reality shows, and on various networks, ratings for the Duggars have not been driven chiefly by drama bred by the Duggars (with a couple of exceptions that involved the actions of Josh Duggar and, then, by Derick Dillard).
It seems that nearly every reality show has its die-hard fans, along with its haters. If a parent raising his or her voice to a child constitutes child abuse, then millions of parents would be guilty. Did Michelle Duggar raise her voice? If she did so, does that equate with child abuse?
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