Jinger Duggar Admits She’d Be ‘Scared’ If Her Kids Tied the Knot at 19
The Duggar family is recognized for marrying young, yet Jinger Duggar aspires for her children to break that trend.
“My parents married at 17 and 19, which seems quite young,” Jinger, 32, shared on the Wednesday, February 11, episode of her podcast, referring to her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. “That does make me a bit apprehensive for my own kids.”
Jinger and her spouse, Jeremy Vuolo, are parents to Felicity, 7, Evangeline, 5, and Finn, 11 months.
“I believe all of us [siblings] would probably think, ‘17 might not be the best age for a girl,’” Jinger remarked, acknowledging that Michelle, 59, felt “ready to get married” before turning 18. “It’s one of those things you reflect on later.”
Jim Bob, 60, and Michelle have been married since 1984 and have 19 children together. They raised their kids following a courtship-style approach for dating as they entered romantic relationships. However, Jinger doesn’t plan to apply the same philosophy with her children.
“I think the Bible is clear on what purity entails before marriage, but the specifics aren’t explicitly defined,” Jinger told Us Weekly in 2023. “[We were taught] you can’t date without a chaperone. You can’t kiss before marriage, you can’t hold hands — all those rules. I don’t find that in the word of God.”
Jinger aims for her and Vuolo’s children to be more open-minded as they grow.
“Sometimes things involve trial and error,” the People Pleaser author mentioned to Us. “I want to prepare them for life and offer them the best possible experiences while guiding them towards the word of God.”
She added, “At the end of the day, I believe they will grow and mature. I don’t foresee using the term courtship with them at all because I don’t think that’s the only or best way to find a spouse.”
Jinger, who wed Vuolo at the age of 22, observed some siblings following Jim Bob and Michelle’s example of marrying young. For instance, her brother-in-law Ben Seewald was just 19 when he married Jessa Duggar in 2014.
“One reason that comes to mind is what my parents have shared about getting married young, having kids young, and raising them. Now, we’re getting married, and the grandkids are arriving while they are still young and energetic enough to enjoy time with them,” Seewald, 30, noted during Wednesday’s podcast. “This gives the next generation greater potential to be involved in their lives.”
Regarding Seewald, he was eager to “start life” with Jessa, 33, as soon as possible. (Jessa was 21 at the time of their wedding.)
“I was really keen to start a family and begin that chapter of my life,” he remarked.
Jessa and Seewald currently have six children, welcoming their youngest in 2025.
