It’s no secret that the Duggar family loves rules.
From courtship rules to dress codes, these folks live to set guidelines and follow them.
So it should come as no surprise that Jill Duggar has made a list of commandments for her husband Derick Dillard.
(Would be nice if one of her rules was “don’t harass teens on social media ,” but we digress.)
Learn more about our latest bizarre insight into the nature of romance in Duggar Land in the gallery below.
[Update: A whole lot has changed in Jill and Derick’s relationship in recent months. Scroll on to find out just how different the couple’s marriage has become thanks to his Dillard’s feud with his father-in-law!]
Better Days Early in their relationship, Jill and Derick probably didn’t need a set of rules — but their situation has changed dramatically in recent months.
Counting Off (TLC) The most obvious change of course, is that the couple no longer appears on Jill’s family’s reality show, Counting On.
Kicked to the Curb Derick was fired from the show after launching a targeted harassment campaign against a transgender teen. Jill later quit as a show of solidarity.
Flat Broke (TLC) Obviously, this was a problem, as it left the couple with no source of income. Not a cheery situation when you’ve got two kids to feed.
The Solution? Derick decided to address this problem by enrolling in law school. But while that may put him in a better position to support his family later on, right now it means he and Jill have no money — and no time.
On Her Own So now, a harried Jill is just as strapped for cash and is taking on all of the household duties. Not surprisingly, Derick’s proposed solution to that problem flat-out sucked …
Date Night! Derick read the writing on the wall and decided to appease his wife by taking her on a “date.” So they hired a sitter, got all gussied up … and sat through one of Derick’s law school lectures.
Chutzpah Yes, in one of the ballsiest moves, Dillard actually attempted to convince his wife that listening to a professor drone on about tort reform qualified as a date.
This Effing Guy! (Getty) “Glad my favorite study buddy @jillmdillard was able to come to class yesterday! You’ve gotta find alone time (no kids) whenever you can!” Derick tweeted.
Jill Lays Down the Law So perhaps it should come as no surprise that Jill Duggar decided to lay out a list of rules for all future date nights.
Humor By Derick “You know you’re in law school when your wife uses elements to communicate,” tweeted Derick, who fancies himself the Duggar clan’s resident wit.
Seems Reasonable (Getty) It seems Jill’s list of date night demands is as follows:”1 ) change of scenery; 2) not having to cook or do dishes; 3) quality hubby time no kids. If one of the elements is missing, I feel like it’s a little harder to feel like an actual date”
“Quality Time” (TLC) Jill is a wiley one. That last rule leaves a lot of room for interpretation, and we assume it’s up to her to determine what constitutes “quality time.”
Just a Guess We’re gonna go out on a limb and guess that sitting through another law school lecture doesn’t qualify.
Ulterior Motives? The most obvious reason that Jill would compile such a list is that she spends all day taking care of kids and wants to go on actual dates with her husband now and then.
The Truth? Another possibility, however, is that Jill is upset over the latest round of Derick cheating rumors. She recently posted this pic, in which she’s highlighted a passage in the Bible about the evils of adultery.
He’s On a Roll! So in the past year, Derick has gotten fired from the family business and been accused of cheating on multiple occasions.
At Least Someone’s Laughing! We’re glad he finds the situation so humorous, but something tells us Jill doesn’t feel the same way.
Derick Being Derick But on the bright side, the more time Derick is forced to devote to saving his marriage, the less time he’ll be able to spend harassing vulnerable teens online!
UPDATE: A New Battle As you’ve likely heard by now, Derick is at war with his father-in-law, Jim Bob Duggar. And the feud seems to be getting uglier by the day.
A Little Background Derick claims that Jim Bob has been pilfering his kids’ earnings and renegotiating their TLC contracts without their permission.
JB on the Defensive Jim Bob, understandably, is less than thrilled with these allegations. So is Jill caught in the middle? Torn in two by the question of which man deserves her allegiance? Well, not quite …
Choosing Sides Jill is 100 percent Team Derick. In fact, it seems she’s basically cut ties with her parents as a gesture of loyalty to her husband.
Turnabout (Getty) Obviously, it’s a sad situation, but in a way, Jim Bob brought it on himself. After all, he’s the one who taught his daughters that women should be unfailingly loyal to their husbands in all situations.
Silver Lining And on the bright side, at least Jill and Derick have more time for those date nights she enjoys so much.