Before they leave the nest (which occurs only after they’ve married), Duggar children are forced to abide by a very strict code of conduct.
And we use the word “children” very loosely here, as 28-year-old twins Jana and John David Duggar are still bound by Jim Bob and Michelle’s stringent regulations.
Longtime fans of the show know that the rules of the house run the gamut from the famous Duggar dress code to strict courtship guidelines that prohibit virtually all forms of romantic physical contact before marriage.
Once Michelle and Jim Bob’s offspring meet The One, however, the parameters change immediately.
The men become heads of household and govern as they see fit, whereas the women are now subservient to their husbands, rather than their father.
(Needless to say, the Duggars won’t be racking up awards for their progressive views on relations between the sexes anytime soon.)
Not surprisingly, some of the more rebellious Duggars have been quick to take advantage of the freedom afforded them by marriage.
Jinger Duggar started wearing pants after receiving permission from her husband, Jeremy Vuolo.
Apparently inspired by their sister’s courageous act of sartorial defiance, Jill and Jessa Duggar followed suit and purchased some Levi’s of their own.
Yeah, they’re not exactly smashing the patriarch, but it’s a baby-step toward independence.
Sources close to the family say Jim Bob is less than thrilled with this gradual loss of control over his daughters, but he’s even more concerned with the next threat to his authority.
Yes, it seems the next Duggar to marry is also planning to cast off the shackles of Jim Bob’s oppression, and in doing so, he might set a precedent that could a major shift in the balance of power within the family.
Last month, Josiah got engaged to Lauren Swanson following a very brief courtship.
Wedding plans are currently underway, and it seems those who know him best are already bracing themselves in expectaton of Josiah asserting his independence in a way that will bring him into direct conflict with Jim Bob.
A former Duggar employer spoke with The Hollywood Gossip excluisively and informed us that Josiah is set to be his family’s biggest rule-breaker yet:
“Josiah is gonna be the next one to bust out. He’s a little bit crazy,” the source tells us.
“He’s a 90-mile-an-hour guy. He drives 90 miles an hour, he moves 90 miles an hour, he thinks 90 miles an hour.”
The insider recalls a recent incident in which Josiah neglected his father’s orders and nearly caused a tragedy as a result:
“He almost killed a couple people one day with a car,” our informant says.
“This is a car they bought from one of the sales over there. It had a banged in front end, he got in at just – 90 miles an hour off the back of a roll-off truck right into another car.”
The disaster apparently came as no surprise to those who are familiar with 21-year-old’s reckless ways.
Of course, Josiah has been throwing caution to the wind and disregarding his family’s cherished customs for years now.
When he announced his relationship with Lauren, Josiah became the first of his generation to engage in multiple courtships.
Yes, as longtime fans of his family will remember, Josiah courted Marjorie Jackson back in 2015.
The relationship ended abruptly and without any sort of public explanation.
Asked about the reaction to the unexpected breakup in the Duggars’ community, our source says one leading theory emerged:
“Folks used to think he was gay,” the insider tells, adding, “I don’t guess he is.”
Watch Counting On online for more from reality TV’s most controversial family.
