Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar used television to introduce their 19 children to the world. Josh was born first, in 1988. Josie was the last child for the couple, and she made her way into the world in 2009. Since there are only 21 years between them, Michelle spent a lot of that time pregnant.
But even though she still is a person worth hearing about, the news has mostly shifted toward her children. Her kids are starting their own families, and some will likely continue the tradition of having multiples. For some of the kids, it's too soon to tell. While it's their choice to make, one thing's for sure. They'll never run out of family members to hang out with.
Jill Duggar was born in 1991. She's the second daughter and fourth child overall. She married her husband Derick Dillard in 2014, and they currently have two sons — Israel David Dillard, who was born in 2015, and Samuel Scott Dillard, born in 2017.
While Jill likely has a ton of experience dealing with kids, sometimes you learn the real tricks and tips when you have your own. And that may be why she wants to tell the world how she's dealing with Samuel's allergies. Keep in mind, you'll want to talk to your own pediatrician before trying this yourself. But it seems like something anyone can easily do.
Jill has admitted that poor Samuel suffers from allergies — which is common, yet especially scary these days. His particular allergy is dust. That may be easy to conquer in obvious spaces in the home, but dust can also collect on beloved toys and stuffed animals.
So Jill went on Instagram and taught her followers the method she's currently trying. It involves her freezer. "Stuffies in the freezer! We recently found out Sam has strong allergies to dust! ," she wrote, explaining what was happening in the photo. (Because, granted, it was a little strange.)
"Both of the boys love their stuffies…so when the allergist mentioned they could be contributing to the collection of dust it made total sense!" she added. "The allergist recommended freezing anything that’s tough to wash at least once a month for 48-72 hrs to hopefully kill the dust mites! I usually bag them up to keep moisture off of them and contain them a little. ."
Having allergies can be life-changing. Jill said that she made a lot of changes in the home, which many allergists would recommend. According to Nationwide Children's Hospital, most people should invest in allergy covers for their mattresses and pillows. To kill dust mites, it's recommended to wash these at a high temperature.
So why would a hot temperature work for linens but stuffed animals require a freezer? The hospital writes that freezing temperatures also kill dust mites. But it said that an occasional wash will also help: "If you have any favorite stuffed animals or blankets we recommend you wash these in hot water," the hospital states. Of course, you'll want to check the tags.
Jill's been doing more than busting dust mites these days. Fans couldn't help but notice that she made one impulse buy recently. But at least it's something her sons will appreciate, especially with more time outside as the weather warms up. She bought a tree and hauled it in her car by herself.
"I don’t like to think of myself as an emotional purchaser, but I have to say there was something therapeutic & satisfying about getting a tree," she wrote on Instagram. In times like these, it's good to know that her purchase will help the environment for years to come. "Now I’m off to plant the tree…and hopefully keep it alive," she said.
Fans have been extremely interested in Jill these days since she seems to have separated herself from her family. While all of the Duggar children have been living life their own way since marriage, it's rare for children to completely cut off their parents. Jill, however, may have done just that.
Back in December 2019, Jill's husband Derick made it clear that Jill was "not allowed" at her parent's house. He mentioned that, technically, the two of them were no longer on television, meaning that there was definitely some sort of separation. "We’ve never had any contact with TLC, hence not knowing there was a contract," he told someone online, according to InTouch Weekly. "Nobody from TLC has even mentioned to us what they would prefer that we say or not say."
Derick also cryptically made it sound as if there were something that he and Jill learned that made them want to keep their distance. "There are just more things we are aware of now. The truth will always set you free," he said. He later talked about how the Duggars were paid for being on air for such a long time.
"For a long time, Jill and I were under the impression that the family didn’t make any money from the show, but, rather, it was presented to us kids as something that was done as a ministry that TLC periodically subsidized in the form [of] reimbursements for things like gas, restaurants, travel, etc," he said, per InTouch. "But not any actual pay on top of that."
Regarding Jill not being able to access the family house anymore, Derick said that she wasn't allowed in if Jim Bob wasn't home. That in itself brings up a lot of questions. It's hard to recover from a damaged relationship if you have to ask for permission to be around your family.
"Jill even had to ask JB permission to go over to the house to help her sister when she was in labor because her sister wanted her help, but Jill couldn’t provide the assistance until we got it cleared with JB," he said. It makes fans wonder if Jim Bob and Michelle have any type of involvement with Jill's two sons.
Hopefully, they're at least allowed to see what's happening through social media, much like the fans. But still, it makes Jill's parenting approach even more interesting. She's really trying hard to separate herself from the show and the network and be a mom, as opposed to a celebrity.
And sometimes moms need to show the nitty-gritty of parenting. Like freezing stuffed animals and spontaneously buying trees on your day off. In a way, it's refreshing that Jill doesn't seem to be posting to gain followers. Instead, it seems like she's trying to create more of a safe community for other moms. Most of her recent posts on Instagram end with a question to help start a real conversation. Hopefully, that's something that Michelle can be proud of.
