Jinger Duggar is slowly opening up about her childhood and what she dealt with in the Duggar home.
When she and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, tied the knot, they immediately moved away from Arkansas. Jinger lived with him in Texas before the couple settled on the West Coast in Los Angeles, California.
The Counting On star wrote a book detailing her journey leaving the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). Still, it didn’t delve into the situation and traumas she experienced within her family.
There has long been a sense that Jinger was unhappy growing up in the Big House, and there was a forum dedicated to freeing her from it called Free Jinger. She even incorporated it into her book title.
Now, the mom of two is opening up about some of the things that bothered her growing up and confirming that the stuff between her and her parents isn’t as good as it appears to the world.
Jeremy and Jinger stopped by The Unplanned Podcast (where Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard also spoke out) to set the record straight.
Jinger Duggar talks about ‘kids raising kids’
While speaking on The Unplanned Podcast, Jinger Duggar opened up about something she would change in her childhood.
She said, “There were things that I definitely would have changed. The imbalances of kids raising kids is unhealthy.”
“Kids can help out and learn responsibility in other ways.”
Jinger Duggar had a buddy team
There has long been speculation that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar let the oldest four daughters do much of the caretaking for the younger children.
The Counting On mom and dad had 19 children, and once the number of children got to be too much, they developed the buddy teams.
Jana Duggar, Jill Duggar, Jessa Duggar, and Jinger Duggar were responsible for themselves and some of their siblings.
Jinger’s team consisted of Jedidiah Duggar and Johannah Duggar. She had the smallest team because she was the fourth girl in line to get a baby.
Michelle would keep the newborn with her until they were weaned, and then they would be passed to their “buddy” from there on out. Jinger and Jedidiah are only five years apart, which makes things even more complex.
Talking about this was a big step for Jinger because she has been so careful about what she’s said, trying not to rock the boat with her parents too much.
Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is currently streaming on Prime Video.