Last week, we reported that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were in El Salvador to visit Jill and Derick Dillard.
The trip came as a surprise to fans who were under the impression that Jill and Derick had returned to Arkansas due to their fears about contracting the Zika virus.
Of course, these days it seems that everything the Duggars do stirs up controversy, and Jim Bob and Michelle’s trip to Central America was no exception.
In fact, this time there are multiple controversies surrounding what at first appears to be an innocent trip to visit family.
First, some irate social media users expressed their outrage over the fact that Jim Bob and Michelle took a trip without bringing all of their many, many children.
“Wow Mom and Dad get to go on vacation? Who’s watching their children? Oh wait, they watch themselves smh,” wrote one fan on the Duggars’ Facebook page.
“Must be nice ma and pa can just take off and not to give a sh-t about all of their kids at home. THEY are useless parents,” wrote another.
Frankly, we’re sympathetic to Jim Bob and Michelle.
When you have so many kids that it would probably be cheaper to charter a private jet than to buy them all seats in coach, you might have to just leave them home sometimes.
Some fans weren’t upset about the fact that most of the brood was left in the States, but did feel that the Duggars were putting their kids at risk by traveling to an area of the world that’s fighting a virus about which little is known.
While the most commonly reported symptoms of Zika have involved birth defects in children of infected mothers, scientists have not ruled out the possibility that the illness could have damaging long-term effects on men, non-pregnant women, and children.
Many feel the Duggars unnecessarily put themselves and their massive brood at risk by traveling to El Salvador and promptly returning to their house full of children.
And then there’s the issue of why the Duggars chose to make a surprise, brief visit to Jill and her husband.
For weeks now, reports that Jill is pregnant with her second child have been circulating online, and the Dillards have done nothing to dispel the rumors.
Did the Duggars head to Central America to offer their congratulations in person?
It may be a while until we find out, but you can be sure the topic will be addressed when the family returns to television later this year.
In the meantime, there will no doubt be plenty of new Duggar scandals to keep the family in the tabloids.
