Fans are used to seeing Jessa and Ben Seewald’s home on Counting On, but this week, Jessa shared a version of their house that viewers don’t get to see on the show!
Along with a string of photos posted to Facebook on Wednesday, the former Duggar girl told fans she was giving them a glimpse into “real life, y’all” — which in this case, consisted of her house in complete (and somewhat disgusting) disarray!
The 10 photos she posted were accompanied by an explanation of what each depicted. Among the “real life” messes photographed was more than six loads of laundry piled on a bed, a side table she admitted hadn’t been dusted in at least six months, dried spit-up from her son Henry that she’s been sleeping on “for who knows how many nights”, a rather sizable pile of dirty diapers on a dresser, a sink full of dirty dishes, a stovetop featuring food and crumb residue that Jessa said hasn’t been wiped down in few months, and a dust-covered HVAC.
Jessa told fans in the lengthy Facebook post that while the family — aka her — has a never ending to-do list, she prefers to utilize life’s little moments picking up her children instead of picking up a broom. She did, however, clarify that she was not trying to mom-shame those who do provide a clean environment for their little ones.
“Not trying to pit a clean house against interaction with kids — sometimes both are possible [though] often they do seem in opposition to one another,” she said. “Just remember, whatever projects are pulling at your time and attention today, don’t forget to make time for the people around you. These are the memories that will last forever.”
While the photos were certainly a shock to many — especially ‘Counting On’ viewers who are not used to seeing the Seewald home in such a state of disarray — Jessa has received many comments supporting and relating to her message.
“Jessa, this is real life,” one person wrote. “I have been a fan since day one but this speaks volumes to me and the pressures we moms put on having our houses perfect for everyone else but meanwhile busy with kiddos in the real world.”
“Thank you,” another fan wrote. “I very much needed this today! I’m so glad I’m not the only one with a less-than-perfect house! Thank you so much for sharing this!! It’s a good reminder of what is most important in life.”
While many fans commended and related to Jessa’s post, others argued that the condition of the house was inexcusable.
“It only takes a few minutes to clean up a mess room by room and all the while playing or singing to your kids. Absolutely disgusting!” one person wrote.
Jessa’s followers were particularly grossed out by the photo of the pile of diapers. (Jessa captioned the photo, “Pile of diapers on the top of my dresser… pretty sure these all collected in the past 12 hours.”)
“This is dirty and lazy not busy. It takes two seconds to drop a diaper in the garbage. I can smell that picture from here,” someone wrote in the comments of the photo.
“If those are dirty diapers you have unsanitary conditions around to babies,” someone else commented. “I get the laundry and the blocks on the floor. Babies need our attention but cleanliness is next to Godliness.”
Jessa’s post received so many comments that she eventually posted a follow-up to explain the mess and assure fans that her house has since been cleaned up.
“Backstory on my previous post: As I was making out my housecleaning to-do list the other day, this thought struck me… we all try to put our best foot forward and are most comfortable posting our “highlight reel” for people on social media to see,” Jessa wrote. “I could’ve waited 24 hrs and posted pics of everything freshly cleaned and looking beautiful (the stovetop is sparkling, dust bunnies have been removed, laundry is folded, bed sheets are washed, etc). Certainly people would find no fault with that… but many may find fault with themselves. I didn’t do that for a reason. Reality.”
“The point was not kids vs. house cleaning. The point was my heart’s goal to devote undivided time and attention to my kids– to make memories together each day, no matter what else I have on my schedule,” she added.
(Photo: Facebook, TLC)
36 Responses
I love Jessa!
Let’s be real, other than Jana, none of these girls have any real life skills. When you’re I’ll equipped from the beginning you stay so. Other than Jinger, the others live in crappy houses, that need serious cleaning. They have lazy useless husband’s who don’t help. They’re kids who thought being married and moms would lead to some sort of easy life.
It’s not real life, its called she’s nasty and lazy. end of story.
I don’t know. I have a 5 and a 3 year old and I’m 35 weeks pregnant and I can’t imagine my house looking like that…things get hectic and dirty but I clean up nightly so it would take me about 10 minutes to walk around and pick up. The diapersand sheets probably bug me the most. It takes about 2 seconds to throw a diaper away when you’re done and I hate changing sheets and totally get when you have a baby that pees or spits up in your bed often but come on.
Neither of them have full time jobs other than looking after their kids and home so I don’t need how this mess is excusable. Gross.
Buy a diaper genie fool.
Why does everyone think Ben doesn’t work? It’s been well established he does and is studying for ministry. Even free jinger has that correct. I mean, judge and shame her if that makes you feel better but her husband works full time. Oh and for everyone saying “well my house never” turn that on its head. I bet there are things people could say in judgment of you too. I’m not a huge duggar fan but the mom shaming is awful.
They say cleanliness is next to godliness. So, in this case, I’d say Jessa is about as far away from godliness as possible! Lol tsk tsk p.s. That is just pure & utter LAZINESS!!!! I get a little clutter from the kids, but diapers piled up, not dusting, etc etc thats just being lazy!!!
In the time it took to take and post those pictures, she could have threw away the diapers and stripped the dirty sheets. Just saying.
My house is definitely not as clean as it should be but, dirty diapers on the dresser? Ewwwww!!!! At least put them in a plastic bag on the floor until you can take them to the trash.
I just don’t understand why she would post it. I mean, if you don’t want backclash, don’t post things like that! It’s like she is enjoying attention, good or bad. As I said before, social media is making some people really stupid. You don’t have to post everything that happens in your life even if people can relate to you.
in response to my last post I didn’t know the husband didn’t work
Jana must be off helping Josh and Anna. She’d better get over there and get that place cleaned up.
She’s probably extremely tired of cleaning her parents house and not being able to be a child growing up and raising her brothers and sisters.
Maybe in the back of her mind it’s the first time she’s been allowed to do things on her own time
If it wasn’t for the diapers would we be giving her the Red Baron Mommy Patch? ( I mopped up spilled milk with my sock and I’m still wearing them? lol
It’s the diapers and sheets that are just too gross to excuse by saying she was too busy paying attention to her kids. Laundry and dusting? Yeah whatever. But having dirty diapers presumably with feces on your dressing table for 12 hours is beyond unsanitary. It takes no time at all to throw those away. And with both her and her husband at home all day with no jobs, I just find it hard to believe that she had no time to change her sheets instead of sleeping in vomit for days.
Yay for her for posting these, I guess. But it came with a side dose of self-righteousness and life lessons as usual.
Jesus God (Leah)! She needs to go back to Duggar Academy.
*edited to add…
Jana is slacking.
I give her credit for posting her real life pictures. Hardly anyone does that on Social Media. I’d rather see that than yet another Super Mom post. I also admire her for having a thick enough skin to take all the criticism she does. There are things the Duggars say and do that bother me, but this isn’t one of them. Good for you Jessa. And for all those that are repulsed and have never – not once – had a messy house, count your lucky stars that you have the health, time, money, and energy to keep it clean every single day.
Nice speech.
Do you handclap other cults?
My only question is; why do people follow a Duggar?
I have triplets. My house is relatively clean. I’ve definitely never had diapers 12 hours old sitting on a dresser. And if my kid spits up in my bed…the sheets get stripped immediately.
She nasty.
I get what she was trying to do and think it would have been better with 3 pics instead of 10. The extensiveness of the filth when:
1)there are 2 adults and “just” 2 kids (in parens since that’s tiny for a fundie fam)
2) neither of them works outside the home
3) the house is only like 800 square feet
It’s just annoying to witness and hard to sympathize with.
My husband and I work full time with 8 mo old twins and a two year old. Our place is not like this at all ever. We give our kids plenty of attention. My husband and I take turns looking after the kids while the other gives the house a good clean every weekend. It takes two seconds to quickly wipe down the stove, throw the diaper in the garbage or throw the soiled sheets in the wash. There is a lot that can be done too once the kids are asleep. For two parents that don’t work this is good old fashioned laziness. Why would you want your kids living in squalor? They could easily afford a maid if Jana can’t do it for free.
I haaaaaaaaaaatr to say this, but you can’t compare. If you both work full time, neither you or your kids are in the house for, what, at least eight hours each day? That’s eight hours of mess happening elsewhere, of someone else tidying up after your kids every diaper, spilled bit of milk, messy toys, etc.
The Duggars are part of a horrid cult. Jessa’s post also has nothing really to do with that.
Tl;dr easy to keep house clean if you work outside the house and have daycare.
If I had the kind of money she’s pulling in, I’d have a house cleaner who did all the laundry once a week!
Kid-clutter is one thing, cleanliness is another! Get a diaper genie! Do one load of wash, start to finish, every night, so you don’t get overwhelmed! Load and run the dishwasher every night, empty it in the morning! Establish good habits! I did all that with MORE kids and a full-time job! No one has ever taught her how to do it on a small scale, for a family of 4. Still, she has money and she can afford a lot more help!
I get the toys, laundry, and dishes, anyone with multiple young kids know they are messy. I’m constantly cleaning up after mine. But the diapers?!? No! That is gross. Even if your diaper pail is broken, get a garbage bag and put it outside your door. I can’t imagine the smell of poopy diapers for 12 hours. That is being lazy and gross. It’s not that hard to throw a diaper outside after you change it. Especially when she is a stay at home mom. There’s no excuse for that.
I’m a faithful reader of the Ashley so hear me out lol. I’m actually appreciative of her post. This is real life people. Yes the diapers were gross but (bear in mind I’m a clean freak) there was a point in my mothering little children as a stay at home mom where I was in the same situation. We need to give grace to the hard working moms out there. And let’s be real, sometimes I would rather be sitting drinking tea in silence than I would like to be picking up crap and dusting guest bedrooms. All the power to her ❤️
Good for her! I liked her follow up response.
Genuine question and I’m curious if anyone knows what do they do with all the money they get from their show? I mean I understand having a crazy morning and stuff still left on the counter when you come home And that feeling of you need to do laundry but not having a second to get it done but why couldn’t she get somebody to come in once a month and help her keep up with the house They clearly don’t have time to do it on their own
There are so many of them on the show and in the family. I wonder if once the money gets split 25 ways if it’s not very much for each cast member?
The smiling children show me Jessa’s priorities. Good for her.
There are two adults home, neither work and they don’t have time to clean at all? That is ridiculous. How many parents both work and still manage to maintain a decent house and still raise their children well. This is sheer laziness. This is filth. No way.
And Jessa House is Amazing
God bless the Duggar family They are my favorite family and counting on is my favorite show.
Ok. I find them awkward, creeps, using kids for money, not worthy of the money they make, Derrick and Josh deadbeats..need I go on? Why do people get paid for not wearing condoms?
Not to mention bigots and child molestors.