Jill Duggar Reveals The Biggest Lesson She Learned From Her Mom
Growing up Duggar is a truly unique experience. Yet whether you have one sibling or 18, there are some things that are universal. Children, especially younger ones, can have difficulty playing together. It's easy for arguments to break out over favorite toys, cookies, or even just bad moods. Jill Duggar Dillard is now grown with a family of her own. While she may be diverging from the Duggar norm when it comes to parenting, schools, and dress codes, she still finds value in many of the lessons her mom taught her.
After all, if a mom can keep 19 siblings from tearing each other's hair out, we figure she must have some pretty decent strategies. Dillard apparently agrees, as she cited guidance that matriarch Michelle always told her children when it came to tattling on her family website. "Rule number 1: 'Talk sweet,'" she wrote. "Rule number 2: 'Go and tell'...an adult (and to be used only if rule number one didn't work)."
But what does that really mean?
Jill Duggar applies this rule when parenting her own kids
Dillard explained that these are steps that, when applied in order, encourage kids to first try to calmly work out their differences and then go ask for help from an adult if the problem can't be solved. If the child did not first make an effort to fix things, they were kindly asked to "try again." We're all about creative problem solving for sibling rivalry, and from Dillard's description, this has worked well both for herself growing up and for her own growing family. She noted that the rule never applied to emergencies — whether medical or home-destroying.
While we applaud kind and creative parenting in all forms, we'd add a little caution to the phrase "talk sweet," and we instead suggest to "speak calmly and with kindness" or something similar. While we wholeheartedly believe that this momma means well, there's a little controversy surrounding phrases like "keep sweet" that is best to avoid. Instead, focus on the spirit of empowering kids to learn and to solve their own problems.
Still, Jill Dillard provides a lovely example of a new mom charting her own path. We just hope she'll share tips for keeping the house clean with kiddos next!