Jessa Duggar Seewald of the new TLC show "Jill and Jessa: Counting On" has really come into her own ever since she became a mother to Spurgeon Elliot last November. As grateful as she is for her own mother Michelle's parenting skills, Seewald confesses that there are some things that she would like to do her way.
"Spurgeon is still pretty young, but I'm sure that as he continues to grow, I will find that I tend to do some things differently than my mom did," Seewald told Us Magazine. "That's the beauty of the individual family. No one is identical."
"There will be variations with little things here and there, but I know that our foundational goals remain the same — to raise our kids to love God and be a blessing to others," she said.
Seewald revealed that it was actually Michelle's idea for her to blaze her own trail as a mother. However, she is quick to acknowledge that she cannot go through motherhood without relying on Michelle, who is a veritable "baby encyclopaedia."
"Every time I come to my mom for advice, she always reminds me that I've got this," Seewald said. "There's no pressure to do things just exactly how she did them, but I'm so grateful for all her advice and help. Even when I feel overwhelmed, she's always there to encourage me and tell me, 'You're doing a great job!' That gives me the courage to trust my instincts and do what I feel is best for my baby."
Jessa's elder sister Jill Dillard has also embraced motherhood. Jill and her husband Derick and son Israel David are currently working on their family ministry in Central America. Their elder sister Jana and younger sisters Jinger and Joy-Anna are still single and have not entered into courtship.
