Why Jessa Duggar Seewald's New Video Of Her Children Is Raising Eyebrows
Although their famous reality shows are now part of TV history, many members of the Duggar family still enjoy connecting with their fans through social media. Almost all of the adult children of the 19-sibling clan are married — with son Jeremiah Duggar being the latest to wed – and almost all of the married Duggars are parents.
Through Instagram, fans can keep up with the family lives of Jinger Duggar Vuolo, Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth, and Jill Duggar Dillard (who's expecting her third child this summer, per a family blog post).
Jessa Duggar Seewald is one of the most active social media users in the Duggar circle as she regularly posts about the doings of her four children. One of her most recent posts is drawing more attention than usual because it captures a very un-Duggar-like activity.
On April 5, 2022, Jessa and her family went out to eat at a Mediterranean restaurant near their Arkansas home. She posted about it on her Instagram account, including a video that caught her followers' attention.
As music played in the background, sons Spurgeon, 6, and Henry, 5, began dancing with their younger sister Ivy, almost 3. The boys took turns grabbing Ivy's hand, dancing in circles, and even twirling her around. Spurgeon, in particular, seemed to have a knack for the move. In the background, dad Ben Seewald could be heard saying, "You guys are good dancers!"
This sweet moment would be cherished by any mom, but, for Jessa, it must have been especially significant.
Jessa Duggar Seewald wasn't allowed to dance when she was growing up
Part of the popularity of "19 Kids & Counting" was its glimpse into a highly conservative Christian household that shunned many secular influences, including dancing to rhythmic music.
As mother Michelle Duggar once explained, dancing encourages "sensual" feelings that can't be acted upon before marriage (per Us Weekly via E! Online). In an episode of "Counting On" (via OK!), Jana Duggar said, "We've had more of, I guess, a conservative side of music and no dancing."
Despite her own upbringing, Jessa Duggar Seewald has no reservations about allowing her children to dance. Her video of her sons and daughter frolicking at a restaurant got more than 31,000 likes, along with comments like, "Don't take this the wrong way — but I love that you let your kiddos dance!!" Another commenter clarified: "[T]his is Jessa and Ben's own family now and they have their own preferences and own way of raising their kids the way they see fit."
This isn't the first time Jessa's kids have shown off their dance moves. In August 2021, the family attended a wedding where, once again, Spurgeon and Henry did their thing along with other young guests, while little Ivy danced with her dad, per Jessa's Instagram post.
So, while it's not likely that we'll see the Seewald children rocking out to heavy metal, they're still allowed to express themselves a little more freely than their mom could at their age.