19 Kids and CountingalumJinger Duggarisopening up about her family’s tiesto the Christian fundamentalist organization,Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).The former reality star wants to share her experience of growing up in astrict religious environment,with her former church’s rules controlling nearly everything in her life. One of these rules included dressing modestly andwearing long swim skirts in the water,which meant that Jingernever learned how to swimproperly.
While talking toPEOPLEabout her latest book,People Pleaser: Breaking Free from the Burden of Imaginary Expectations,Jinger confessed how embarrassed she was to realize thatshe couldn’t swim.According to the reality star, she developed a fear of water as a result of the constricting clothing thatshe was forced to wear as a child.However, after marryingJeremy Vuoloand moving to L.A. with him,Jinger decided to overcome her fear.
TheCounting Onstarasked a close friend from Hawaii to help her. She recalls being pregnant with her daughter,Evangeline Vuoloat the time. However, that didn’t stop Jinger from learning the basics. The reality star admitted thather progress was slow,but she didn’t give up. “One day it clicked and it was amazing,” she revealed. Jinger was proud to share thatshe can now jump in her deep pooland swim. However, she admitted that she is still not completely comfortable in the water andwouldn’t trust herself to swim aloneor let her daughters in with no one else around.
Jinger Duggar’s Has More to Say About Her Former Church
Jinger’s latest bookwas released on July 20, 2025,and focuses on the former reality star’s personal experience of alwaysseeking the approval of others. In an exclusive interview withPEOPLE,Jinger discussed her book and talked about feeling likeshe wasn’t good enough for the IBLP.While Jinger has recentlyspoken against her former church’s teachings, her childhood was very different.
According to the Duggar sisters, her parents’ devotion to IBLP founderBill Gothard’steachings led her to believe thatsomething was wrong with her.Jinger shared that herparents would “drill” Gothard’s teachingsinto her and her siblings. She revealed that the Duggar sisters, especially, were told todo everything to please their husbandsbecause if they didn’t, they risked being abandoned. “It was all so focused on, ‘Do this, do this, do this, do this,’” added Jinger.
Jinger credited her husband, Jeremy, for having helped herunlearn all of thisand showing her what an equal partnership looked like. Jinger recalled how much the IBLP’s teachings impacted her life, to the point whereshe was afraid to make simple decisionswithout her husband’s approval. However,Jeremy pushed her to be vulnerableand share her feelings with him. In Jinger’s exact words: “‘I don’t care,’ He said, ‘I want to hear even if we have different opinions.’” Butit took Jinger years to start speaking her mindwithout feeling overwhelmed.
All episodes ofCounting Onand19 Kids and Countingare available to stream on Discovery+.
19 Kids and Counting
A reality show that follows the Duggar family, showcasing the experiences of parents Jim Bob and Michelle and their 19 children. The series documents their everyday life, from managing household chores and homeschooling to celebrating milestones and navigating the complexities of a large family. Viewers are given an intimate look at their close-knit family relationships and the principles that guide their lives, emphasizing their commitment to faith and family values.
