19 Kids and Counting alum Jill Duggar recently shared insight into her relationship with her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, following her 2017 departure from the show and her decision to distance herself from the family’s strict religious lifestyle.
When asked by a follower on her Nov. 2 Instagram Story about where things stand, Jill described their relationship as “complicated.”
“We are in a rebuilding phase now with healthy boundaries still in place,” she explained, adding that they try to spend time together when they’re able to navigate the situation without added strain.
The update comes after Jill revealed in January that she and her husband, Derick Dillard, had not seen her parents in over a year, dating back to before the release of her memoir, Counting the Cost, in September 2023.
Co-written with Derick and writer Craig Borlase, the memoir discusses her childhood, conflicts with Jim Bob over compensation from 19 Kids and Counting, and the family’s handling of her brother Josh Duggar’s molestation scandal.
While Jill acknowledged that her parents may have listened to the book on audiobook, she expressed reluctance to stir further controversy.
“It’s kind of like when you get together at the holidays and there are just certain things you don’t want to bring up,” Jill explained, emphasizing that they’re still figuring things out.
Jill, who shares three sons—Israel, 9, Samuel, 6, and Frederick, 21 months—with Derick, also addressed her parents’ interest in discussing issues with a therapist.
“We’ve tried that before, and it just is not the healthiest way to go about it,” she shared.
At the time of the memoir’s release, Jim Bob and Michelle shared a statement with People, expressing their love for all their children and their desire to handle family issues privately.
“Few things are more painful than conflicts among those you love,” they said, reiterating their commitment to honoring Christ and supporting their family through challenges.
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