Friday, May 21, 2010

Career Gals: Duggar Daughters Talk Careers

On a positive note, Michelle has blogged about Jana and Jills career goals. This should hopefully take some of the wind from the sails of those who choose to believe that the Duggar parents refuse to let their adult female children have lives outside the home. Someone posted these links on a message board if you want to read the entire articles:

http://www.examiner.com/x-49382-19-Kids-and-Counting-Examiner~y2010m5d14-Michelle-Duggar-talks-about-oldest-daughter-Jana-and-her-career-plans

http://www.examiner.com/x-49382-19-Kids-and-Counting-Examiner~y2010m5d20-Jill-Duggar-wants-to-pursue-nursing-career-after-seeing-Josie-in-hospital

Michelle talks about Jana's desire of midwifery or being a doula, however she also discusses a career goal that most of us probably overlooked--teaching and performing with her harp!

Concerning Jana’s interest in midwifery, Michelle says, “Jana has helped with a doula. She hasn’t worked alongside with an actual midwife yet. She’s assisted with labor and delivery, kind of getting her feet wet to see if she really likes that realm of work.” If Jana were to decide to become a midwife, a minimum of one year of clinical training is required, including at least 1,350 hours under the direction of a supervising midwife. A midwife candidate must also pass the North American Registry of Midwives written exam and skills assessment to become certified. Training is less rigorous to become a doula or childbirth educator. However, according to Michelle Duggar, Jana may choose music over midwifery.

“It’s interesting, she’s doing some music studies, and she’s pursuing some more in-depth harp. There’s good money to be made in harp-playing because it’s not something a lot of people do,” said Mom Michelle of her oldest daughter. All of the Duggar children learn how to play a musical instrument at an early age. Jana Duggar has excelled at the harp. She also gives music lessons to others. “Music is something she likes to do. I wouldn’t be surprised if she became a music teacher eventually,” Michelle added.


I posted this on another blog that discusses the Duggars to let everyone know (anti-Duggars mostly) that Jana is looking at her future and it isn't all babies and family. It angers me when people just assume that the girls in this family have nothing to look forward to but a life of babies and family--UNLESS THAT'S WHAT THEY CHOOSE! Frankly, that's what I want...work never turned out to be something I enjoyed, but a lot of women DO want careers, my mom loved her job and it was a huge part of her life and who she was before she retired.

And now Jill has decided that nursing really is her passion, especially after seeing Josie in the NICU. Michelle says that Jill is currently checking into nursing courses at nearby colleges. “I can see her doing that. She just literally loves people,“ mom said of her second daughter. “It takes a special person to be a nurse and to be in that realm. She’s definitely interested in that, so we’ll see,” Michelle added on her most recent TLC blog entry. Frankly, I CAN see Jill as a nurse. She is the one who is the care-taker, the patient, kind, over-seer. I have no doubt that Jill has what it takes to make it through a nursing program. And luckily there are several to choose from right in her back yard. Arkansas has 17 different nursing programs at colleges, universities and medical centers. The closest one to her home is the Har-Ber School of Nursing, located right in Springdale. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Baptist Medical Center are two of the state's largest and most popular nursing programs in Arkansas.

It angers me when people assume that Jim Bob and Michelle have their children's lives mapped out for them. Jim Bob and Michelle constantly talk about G-d giving people the gift of free will--why wouldn't they allow their children to exercise it?

5 comments:

  1. A comment under one of these articles really made me laugh - questioning whether Jim Bob would let them go to college. Duh why would they tell the whole world the girls have career aims and then not let them do anything about it.
    I can totally see Jill as a nurse and would think that Josie being cared for by NICU nurses has really inspired her. According to Michelle Jill is the girl who has taken on some of the childcare responsibilities, where as Jana has taken on their office work, and Jinger and Jessa are running the house. If we go back to the first hour specials the girls were already considered to have gifts in these areas.
    Jana, if an engagement comes along, may not have time to learn the Midwife side before she potentially get tied up herself but teaching the harp can be flexible, reasonably well paid and much more social hours. (I am a qualified Double Bass teacher so talking from some experience)
    I bet Jim Bob and Michelle are encouraging Jana to consider all of these details.
    Mind you the engagement stuff is all speculation!
    But I am glad for more information just because I'm pleased that although the family is turned upside down with Josie, life does go on for the rest of the family.

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  2. Chris, you just said exactly what I was thinking. In the middle of this major crisis the Duggars have two teenage girls who are at crossroads in their lives. Jana is obviously talented in music, I think her piano playing is probably as good as or close to as good as Erin Bates. She has the "improv" down good when she plays church music and that is what congregations love. She obviously loves music and I can relate to the way she uses it not only as a means of worship, but possibly a means of escape of refreshment when upset. I don't recall hearing her play the harp but I know that aren't a lot of Christian harpists out there.

    As both a church musician and a nurse/nurse educator I can relate to Jill in her desire to be a nurse. She seems to me to have a great personality for it. She appears to be organized, conscientious and caring and to have good "person" skills. I would love to have her as a student.

    Both of these girls seem to me to be well on the way to planning a career. On their mother's day messages they were both thanking their mother for being their for them and for staying awake for them when they needed to talk. It reminded me of Michelle's statement in her book as to how the older kids favorite time to talk was after the little ones had all gone to bed. It looks like, despite cracks to the contrary more goes on in the Duggars master bedroom than just pro-creation. that is the setting for many of those late night talks.

    I think it is just beautiful the way the girls especially have pitched in during this crisis situation. Isn't it a good thing that their early training prepared them to be able to do that!

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  3. I also think it's so wonderful that these girls have pitched in and taken over the house so that Michelle can spend time at the hospital with Josie. They are wonderful girls, and are making their little brothers and sisters lives less stressful by keeping things as normal as possible for them. I think Jim Bob finding all the creative things for the kids to do around Little Rock has been great for keepign the kids busy and focused on something rather than sitting around the house wondering how Josie is, and when Mama's coming home, etc.

    Harp playing can be VERY lucrative. My mother in law hired a harpist to play at my sister in law's wedding and this lady had a 2 hr minimum, and she charge $200 an hour. She hired her for 3 hrs, so they paid her $600 to play the wedding and part of the reception. She had played another wedding that morning and got the same amount for it, so that's $1200 in one day! Jana could make some serious cash! :)

    Love Samantha

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  4. Hey! I just heard Jana and JD are going to be missionaries. It was also said that Anna's sister Priscilla will be going with them. I'm gonna dig a little deeper for facts, of when and where.

    I bet ALL the older kids have enough money to buy land and a house by now. :) I refuse to believe JB isn't allowing them to cash in from TLC. But, TLC isn't forever and it would be great for them to have a "safety net" for the future. I remember JB stressing that his kids choose a profession that they will enjoy and not regret. Something that will make them happy and fulfilled.

    I think Jill would make a wonderful nurse. She can be a great comfort to kids who are afraid of pain and needles. This is something she can totally relate to. She is also very calm and nurturing.

    I'm a little late with noticing Jana likes music. Well, I guess she does since she plays the violin, piano, and harp. I've seen her play the piano but I've never seen her play the harp her dad bought at an auction. Hate to be mean...but the violin playing was pretty bad. Not saying Jana was bad. Maybe it was because everyone was mixed in together. I've heard them all playing the violin on many occasions and was only impressed by the fact that they could play "a little". But then again, I'm no Mozart on the piano my self. If I forget a note...I just make up one!

    I too think it's great how the family is handling a crisis with such grace and dignity. Get Well Wishes for Baby Josie!:)

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  5. Angie - LOL at the violin playing. I do play the violin (quite babdly to my standard) and double bass and until I developed this chronic pain stuff, I played in an orchestra. I have to say that I have seen some good playing and some not so good. The piano playing is much better and the harp playing is also good. I have the ability to play any string instrument but the double bass is the one for me. As Michelle and Jim Bob chose for them to learn the violin and piano - in a way they play whether they feel for it or not. But you notice the older boys gravitating toward guitars and other instruments.
    As an interesting note the recent experiences Jana has had with Michelle's delivery and Josies fagile state will probably make her a better musician.

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