The last thing Jim Bob Duggar wants is any of his children thinking for themselves or making their own decisions.
And if they insist on doing so, he would probably prefer that that they 1. quickly become miserable and return to his way of doing things, and 2. keep the whole experiment a secret.
So needless to say, Jill Duggar is really pissing Jim Bob off in several respects these days.
Jill's husband, Derick Dillard, has been feuding with Jim Bob for months, and the situation has gotten so bad that the Dillards have basically cut ties with the Duggars.
So for the first time in her life, Jill is forging her own path through life.
And much to Jim Bob's chagrin, she seems to be loving every second of it.
Throughout her estrangement from the rest of her family, Jill has been spending a lot of time with her cousin, Amy Duggar.
Amy also used to be a regular at family events, but her rebellious lifestyle eventually got to be too much for Jim Bob, and the two of them are no longer on speaking terms.
Amy posted the photo above this week, along with a caption about how much happier Jill has become in recent months.
“You smile just a bit brighter these days! So proud of you hippie chick!” Amy wrote.
Amy has admitted that her relationship with the rest of the Duggars has become strained over the course of the past year.
She recently singled out individual members of the family, such as Jinger, for being brainwashed by Jim Bob.
So her fans know exactly what message she's sending when she sings Jill's praises.
“She’s distancing herself away from the family and becoming her own person,” one commenter wrote, according to The Ashley's Reality Roundup.
“She’s been putting lots of hard work in.”
“Breaking away from that father is what they all should do,” another commented.
This is not the first time that Amy has praised the Dillards for calling out Jim Bob.
“[Derick] you really are shedding some light on some very dark gray areas,” Amy tweeted in January. “Keep it up!”
In a recent interview, Amy revealed that she has little contact with the rest of the family.
“I think we are all just trying to find our path, and we’re all just doing things differently,” Amy said.
“I’m doing things differently and I’m happy where I’m at. I’m happy for them.”
Despite the estrangement, she claimed she harbors no ill will toward Jim Bob.
“I hope all the best for him and that he and the family are fine,” Amy said.
“I’m in a good place and I wish my family all the best,” she added.
“I have freedom and it is wonderful.”
And now, it looks as though Jill has freedom, as well.
We're sure she's finding it equally wonderful -- especially with a guide like her cousin to lead her to happiness.
And Jim Bob is almost certainly not thrilled with this partnership, which makes it even better!
