Jinger Duggar Hopes Her Kids Won't Marry as Young as She Did

The reality star says seeing her daughters get married at 19 like her parents would "scare" her.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Jinger Duggar, 32, opened up on her podcast about hoping her children don't follow in the footsteps of her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, who married at 17 and 19 years old. Jinger, who married Jeremy Vuolo at 22, said the idea of her own daughters getting married that young "would scare me a little bit." The Duggar family is known for their conservative courtship practices, but Jinger wants to take a more open-minded approach with her kids.

Why it matters

The Duggar family's practices around marriage and dating have been a topic of much discussion, with some criticizing the strict courtship rules the children were raised with. Jinger's comments suggest she may be looking to break from those traditions with her own children, reflecting a shift in perspective from the previous generation.

The details

Jinger acknowledged that her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, married at a young age of 17 and 19. While the Duggar children were raised to follow a courtship-style of dating, Jinger said she doesn't necessarily plan to impose the same rules on her own kids, Felicity, 7, Evangeline, 5, and Finn, 11 months. "I think that the Bible's clear about what purity is before marriage, but as far as the specifics, it's not nailed down," Jinger told Us Weekly in 2023. She wants her children to be more "open-minded" as they grow up.

  • Jinger Duggar, 32, opened up about her views on marriage age in a February 2026 episode of her podcast.
  • Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar married in 1984.

The players

Jinger Duggar

A 32-year-old reality TV personality and one of the 19 children of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, known for their conservative Christian beliefs and large family.

Jim Bob Duggar

Jinger's father, who married Michelle Duggar when he was 17 years old.

Michelle Duggar

Jinger's mother, who married Jim Bob Duggar when she was 19 years old.

Jeremy Vuolo

Jinger's husband, whom she married at the age of 22.

Ben Seewald

Jinger's brother-in-law, who married Jessa Duggar when he was 19 years old.

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What they’re saying

“That would scare me a little bit with my own kids.”

— Jinger Duggar (usmagazine.com)

“I think that the Bible's clear about what purity is before marriage, but as far as the specifics, it's not nailed down.”

— Jinger Duggar (usmagazine.com)

“I want to equip them for life and give them the best possible lives that I can and point them to the word of God.”

— Jinger Duggar (usmagazine.com)

“I don't think that courtship is a word that we're gonna use with them at all because I don't think that that's the only way to find a spouse — or the best way — at all.”

— Jinger Duggar (usmagazine.com)

“I really wanted to start a family and just begin that aspect of my life.”

— Ben Seewald (usmagazine.com)

The takeaway

Jinger Duggar's comments suggest a shift in perspective from the strict courtship practices of her upbringing, as she looks to take a more open-minded approach with her own children's relationships. This reflects a broader evolution in the Duggar family's views on marriage and dating.