The Duggar Family Popularized Blanket Training, But What Is It And Why Is It So Problematic?

Out of all the famous reality TV families, the Duggars might be the most controversial. They're best known for their reality television show, originally called 17 Kids and Counting when it premiered on TLC in 2008. As the family grew, the title changed to 18 Kids and Counting and eventually 19 Kids and Counting to reflect the addition of new family members. The show, which aired until 2015, featured the daily life of parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 children, all of whose names begin with the letter J.

One of the central themes of the show was the Duggars' conservative Christian faith. The family is Independent Baptist Christians and adherents of the Quiverfull movement, which believes in having as many children as possible to spread Christian beliefs. The Duggars homeschool their children and practice chaperoned courtship, where dating is replaced by the concept of courtship and parents are involved in the relationship process.

In addition to their unique family structure and religious practices, the Duggars are also known for various controversies. The most notable of these arose in 2015, when it was revealed that the eldest Duggar son, Josh, had molested several underage girls, including some of his sisters, when he was a teenager. This scandal led to the cancellation of 19 Kids and Counting. Josh Duggar's legal issues continued, and in 2021 he was arrested and charged with receiving and possessing child pornography. Despite the cancellation of their original show, the Duggars continued to be featured on TLC through a spin-off series, Counting On, which focused on the older Duggar children starting families of their own. However, Counting On was also canceled in 2021 amid Josh Duggar's ongoing legal issues.

One of the things the Duggar family has become famous for is their adherence to the IBLP and something called blanket training. You may have heard these terms before, but if you're confused about what they mean, here's an introduction.

What Is Blanket Training and Why Is It Problematic?

The Duggar family has long been in the limelight for their parenting methods, one of which is the controversial practice of blanket training, aimed at breaking a child’s so-called "rebellious spirit." Blanket training is a method originating from the book To Train Up a Child— Child Training for the 21st Century, written by Michael and Debi Pearl, American authors and ministers who are known for their controversial views on childrearing, marriage, etc. This guide, popular among evangelical Christians, encourages parents to use corporal punishment to teach obedience. According to the Pearls, “The rules [and] techniques for training an animal and a human are the same."

This discipline approach was adopted by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, who, according to their niece Amy King, couched the punitive action in a language of "encouragement." She recalls her aunt and uncle saying, "You need to come into the room, and we need to give you some encouragement. Do you need encouragement? I think you need encouragement."

This method was explained further by a former member of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), the same religious group the Duggars adhere to (more on that later). The individual described the practice during the Amazon Prime documentary, Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, as placing a six-month-old child on a blanket with a desirable object just beyond their reach. When the infant attempts to grab the object, move off the blanket, or even make a loud noise, they are struck. If they persist, the action is repeated, purportedly to break their natural rebellious spirit. Pearl writes that the discipline should be "momentarily unpleasant."

Michelle Duggar detailed this method in her 2008 book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting! Raising One of America’s Largest Families. In the book, she normalizes the practice, referring to it as "blanket time." Michelle shares how the children would eagerly spread their own blankets and choose a special toy, reinforcing the idea that obedience is enjoyable.

Tia Levings, another former IBLP member, suggests that the Pearls’ book aims to teach parents to spank their children without facing legal consequences. Tools suggested for punishment range from switches from a tree to craft glue sticks or PVC pipe. Blanket training is meant for infants as young as six months old in an attempt to create obedient children who don't even whine or complain out of turn.

There is certainly one thing that even proponents of spanking can agree on: It should be used on children who are old enough to comprehend the consequences of their actions.

While some marvel at the orderly Duggar household, critics argue that the cost of this unwavering, fear-based obedience is too high. While the topic of corporate punishment, more commonly referred to as spanking, is a controversial one among parents, there is certainly one thing that even proponents of spanking can agree on: It should be used on children who are old enough to comprehend the consequences of their actions, not on babies who have a difficult time understanding why they are being hit by their parents.

The book, promoted by the Duggars, even extends to advice on potty training, advising washing children with a garden hose for late toilet training, and gender role training for young children. Critics also argue against these practices, suggesting that such methods are not only potentially harmful but also perpetuate outdated and harmful stereotypes.

The Duggar family's adoption of blanket training is part of a larger trend of controversial child-rearing practices rooted in strict religious curriculums, raising critical discussions on the nature of obedience, discipline, and the potential psychological impact on children. But blanket training can't be fully understood without understanding what the IBLP is.

What Is the IBLP and How Does It Relate to Blanket Training?

The Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) is an organization founded by Bill Gothard in 1961 that provides Christian-centered discipleship for individuals and families. It was initially named "Campus Teams," evolving into the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts in 1974, and finally acquiring its current name in 1989. The IBLP offers specific guidelines for how its members should act and live their lives, including aspects as detailed as how women should style their hair. It also established the Advanced Training Institute (ATI), a Biblically-inspired curriculum that incorporates Christian teachings into all school subjects. IBLP is not a denomination of Christianity, but rather an umbrella organization whose teachings permeate many ministries and churches, emphasizing patriarchal authority. 

The Duggar family is associated with the IBLP and adheres to its teachings. They also used the ATI curriculum as part of their children's homeschooling. The IBLP has been critiqued for its beliefs and practices. These include a hierarchical structure where men are subservient to God and women are subservient to men. The rules and norms imposed by the IBLP are very specific and restrictive, including prohibitions against dancing, rock music, and certain types of dolls. Women are also required to dress in ways that are not seen as attractive or tempting to men. This includes not wearing pants, skirts above the knee, long necklaces, or sleeveless shirts. In addition, traditional dating is forbidden, with courtship (orchestrated mainly by parents) being the accepted path to marriage.

The IBLP's founder, Bill Gothard, has been implicated in controversy. Accusations of sexual harassment by multiple women led to his resignation in 2014, although an internal investigation by the IBLP found his behavior to be inappropriate but not illegal. The Duggar family's connection to the IBLP and their adherence to its principles have come under scrutiny, particularly in light of the allegations against the eldest Duggar son, Josh, when he was revealed to have sexually assaulted several young women as a teenager, including four of his sisters. The manner in which the Duggar family responded to this situation, potentially influenced by their beliefs, was investigated in the Amazon documentary.

The IBLP continues to operate, with an estimated 2.5 million people having attended its seminars. It's challenging to determine how many people are currently affiliated with the organization, due to its many offshoots. This organization endorsed the Pearls' teachings, including and especially blanket training, which is why the Duggar family used it so extensively with their children.

Many critics point out that this kind of strict structure in the home, which includes blanket training, uncompromising wardrobe rules for women, and dousing kids in cold water while trying to potty train, causes more harm than good. While it's helpful for children to learn obedience and discipline, having an unwavering, blind obedience that was developed in response to physical violence is not a healthy way to raise kids who will be fully-functioning members of society. There's a fine line between teaching respect for your parents and compliance with arbitrary rules and boundaries. The Duggars may have presented an orderly household to the world in their reality TV show, but there was clearly much darkness going on behind the scenes, such as the widespread sexual abuse claims, indicating that perhaps things aren't as perfect as they seem from the families that make themselves look shiny and flawless.

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