Jessa Duggar Criticized For "Blanket Training" Parenting Technique

Jessa Duggar is usually one of the least controversial members of her family -- especially these days.

But at the end of the day, she's still a Duggar, which means she holds a number of strange beliefs and engages in a number of controversial practices.

If you've been keeping an eye on these dysfunctional fundies for a long time, then you might be familiar with the practice of "blanket training."

Many have described it as child abuse, and it's been linked to multiple deaths -- yet the practice persists in the Duggar clan.

And now, Jessa is being accused of using it on her children.

In case you're unaware, blanket training is a discplinary method in which children as young as six months old are placed on a small blanket and instructed not to move from it.

If any part of them leaves the blanket, that part is promptly struck with a ruler, or some other small object,

Jessa Seewald, Ben and Kids

Needless to say, it's a brutal, outdated practice and there are many good reasons why it never caught on.

It was widely believed that the practice had died out with the current generation of Duggar parents.

Which is why fans were so shocked to see a photo of Jessa Duggar's daughter Ivy seated on a blanket in a corner, atop a hardwood floor.

Ivy Seewald Blanket Training

That may sound harmless, but many fans believed that the photo -- posted by Jessa's mother-in-law Guinn Seewald -- was meant to be a sort of dog-whistle signal to other blanket trainers.

As first reported by Katie Joy of the Without A Crystal Ball blog, commenters were quick to call Guinn out and criticize her for keeping the savage practice alive.

"On a blanket ... heartbreaking and sickening," one follower commented.

Jessa Comment

"Blanket training. People who have obviously never studied child development. Ignorance," another added.

Guinn was quick to respond to these remarks, and she claims -- probably correctly -- that haters and trolls are simply looking for drama where none exists.

"Note to all who are digging for a morsel of gossip," she wrote.

Ben and Jessa Seewald on TLC

"Ivy skipped over to this play area, climbed onto the rocking chair, and was sweetly singing to her baby," she elaborated.

"Whatever to 'blanket training.' This was a picture perfect moment, so my daughter took this photo."

Yes, the most likely explanation for this pic is that Ivy simply saw a comfortable-looking area and sat down.

Jessa Seewald on Counting On

But can the Duggars really blame us for assuming the worst and constantly being on high-alert for signs of child abuse?

After all, just a few weeks ago, Josh Duggar was arrested on child pornography charges.

Sure, it's not fair to blame the entire family for Josh's crimes, but several other Duggars -- most notably Jim Bob and Michelle -- were complicit in hiding his acts of abuse from the authorities.

Jessa Seewald and Meredith Duggar

So we guess Jessa and company will simply have to adjust to the new level of scrutiny or stop posting.

Because the public won't be forgetting about the sins committed by this family for a very long time.