Jill Duggar had a truly horrific upbringing, and she detailed many of the most painful incidents from her bizarre childhood in her recent memoir, Counting the Cost.
Jill has criticized her parents many times in the past, such as when she and Derick Dillard revealed that they were not paid for their work on the reality shows that made her family famous.
But with her new book, the mother of two has really burned the bridge and driven the nail into the coffin of her relationship with her parents.
And it’s not just the comments Jill made in her memoir that have left her permanently on the outs with Jim Bob and Michelle.
Jill is still promoting her literary debut, which means she’s still speaking publicly about the abuse and trauma she endured while growing up.
Earlier this week, Jill appeared on Christy Carlson Romano’s podcast, where she spoke about the ongoing war between her father, Jim Bob, and her husband, Derick Dillard.
She also opened up about the difficulty of raising children who have to be wary of their own grandparents.
“It’s so fun. I love being a boy mom. I love, just, the environment and the fun,” Jill said.
She noted, however, that she does not share her parents’ obsession with old school gender roles and has been teaching her sons to “feel their feelings, but also to think about other people’s feelings and keep that in check.”
Asked if she’s concerned about what impact her strained relationship with her family might have on her children, Jill joked, “Everybody’s got their crazy.”
“You can always compare yourself to others. I don’t think that’s always wise. Like, I think everybody’s experiences should be validated,” she continued.
“Just because your crazy isn’t as bad as somebody else’s doesn’t mean that that should silence you either. So I think you should process and feel those feelings.”
Jill added, however, that she teaches her children to distance themselves from “toxic” people who might have a harmful effect on their mental health.
She didn’t mention her parents by name, but we think it’s pretty obvious to whom she was referring.
“I’ve definitely had conversations with people who have said the same thing. Yeah, I’ve had a hard time, like, putting some distance. Even if it’s for a short time between people,” Jill said.
“That’s something in our generation that’s definitely helpful and talked about,” she continued.
“You do have to think twice about it. Even when it’s family and even people that are close to you.”
Jill said that while her parents prioritize loyalty and secrecy above all else, she’s taught her own kids that their health and happiness should be their top priorities.
“You have to be healthy in the end, and if that means distancing yourself from family for a period of time as you kind of disentangle,” Jill explained.
“I think that is healthy in some respects.”
Clearly, Jill has internalized the hard lessons of her upbringing and will not be making the same mistakes her parents made with her.
Jill Duggar: I’m Teaching My Kids to Avoid People Like My Parents! was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.