Katie Bates with Kayla Clark and Travis Clark
Clark home, New Jersey
"Travis called one day and said, 'Mrs. Bates, I've talked to Mr. Bates. Do you want me to key you in on all of the details?' And I said, 'No, stop right there. I know it's going to happen, but don't tell me one thing, so if Katie finds out, it's either [Gil's] fault or she's just a really good guesser.'"
-Kelly Bates
This Thursday on a new episode of Bringing Up Bates, Katie and her parents travel to New Jersey to spend time with Travis and his family. Katie thinks she is there to celebrate Travis' birthday, and she is, but there is also a big surprise in store for her that has to do with starting an official courtship (video below). It's definitely going to be a memorable weekend for the Bates and Clarks!
Photo/video courtesy of UPtv
When is Travis's actual birthday?
ReplyDeleteMarch
DeleteMO- Cute Couple. :o)
ReplyDeleteIs Travis in college or does he have a job?
ReplyDeleteBoth. Look up the Clark Family. He’s a main voice in his family’s very successful Christian singing group. Just released a new cd this week and it’s amazing as always.
DeleteTo be expected . That or someone pregnant or getting married. Go out live life experience new things. Marry later in life. The shows are all about the things I listed above. My opinon and thoughts. You can only make a show about for certain amount of time , need to move on
ReplyDeleteI was 17 when my husband and I married. We have gone out and lived life, experienced new things as a couple and family. You don't have to only be single to have great times.
DeleteYou're right. They never show people having surgery or doing their PT, running a dress business, decorating, starting nursing school, cutting down trees, going on missions trips, going on vacation, celebrating birthdays, or anything else.
DeleteYou obviously don't watch very often...
DeleteI agree with 8:14. Getting married and having babies at a young age just weighs you down. Your late teens and 20s should be about making lots of money, having fun, and discovering yourself and it's impossible to do that if you're dealing with a spouse, house, and kids. Also, the women should work or attend higher education at some point in that time period, so that they can learn skills other than cooking, cleaning, and childcare, just in case their husband dies or divorces them.
Delete6:25, which boat did you come off of? I totally disagree. I married at 20, had children after, and now they are grown to take care of themselves at home and we’re off trippin here and there and I’m only 40 years old! We had the child raising and cares of life when we had energy to do so and now most of that is past and we can go high lifein, havin fun, when you’re all bogged down with little children just because you didn’t have them earlier in life! Nope, if I had a chance to do it all over again, I’d pick exactly the same way we did it.
Delete6:25 - The Bates women have pursued higher education and most make their own money. They have skills beyond homemaking which have been featured on the show. Even with husbands and children they have been able to establish businesses.
DeleteCarlin, Whitney, and Erin run the Bates Sisters Boutique and Erin still creates music albums.
Josie graduated cosmetology school and worked in a salon for a year prior to marriage. She continued working until Willow's birth and is now has a business specializing in hair and makeup for special occasions.
Michaela is in nursing school. Prior to that she had her own online business that sold sewn baby products. She also worked as a nanny before marriage.
Alyssa worked for a florist prior to marriage. She then ran a cleaning business with her husband until her heart problems.
Tori went to Crown College and uses her degree to homeschool the preschoolers a few times a week.
Katie completed cosmetology school.
This has all been covered on the show.
6:25, did you miss the fact that all their girls have been to college and made their own money at one time or another?
Delete@10:44- It's great you're happy with your choices! I think that 6:25 had a good point about young women having the means to provide for themselves before they get married- having an education or training and job experience. You can't expect to depend on a husband for support, because stuff happens. It is also important for young people to understand that the divorce rate is highest among couples in their teens and early twenties. Financial harship is one of the main factors. Good for you in beating the odds. My husband and I were married in our mid-thirties and we have no regrets. Contrary to your thoughts, we had plenty of energy when the kids came along, as well as just plain old life experience. I think I was more patient than I would've been at 20. We're retired now and they are adults on their own. I'm glad I had a professional career that provided me with a good pension. We are enjoying this stage of life a great deal!
Delete10:44 The difference is that you had children while young and then stopped. That is not how this family works. They will continue to have children until they are no longer physically able to do so. By then, the older ones will be having grandchildren. There will be no end to the babies, and no eventual "freedom".
Delete1:57 That is a little dramatic! They do stop having children at some point. Kelly isn’t going to have anymore. Their children will all make their own choices about how many kids they have. I doubt very many of them will have as many kids as Kelly and Gil. Isn’t it wonderful in America that adults can make their own choices about how many children to have and when to have them?
Delete9:22- The reason Kelly isn't having more kids is that she's approaching or is in menopause. She didn't deliberately stop trying to have more.
Deleteamazing anonymous people want to give advice and their lives must be so great that they're afraid to use their own names. Maybe it's jealousy folks.
DeleteThey are so sweet. Travis is a gentleman and Katie is a beautiful lady. Talking about Katie, is she working in a beauty salon? or Is she helping her mom at home?
ReplyDeleteIMO, they seem to make entirely too much of a deal over courting. Save it for an official engagement. It just seems like an unnecessary step. When one of the sons was courting, the family made such a fuss over it and made it sound like a marriage was eminent. That's a lot of pressure. Katie and Travis are very young. Just date and get to know each other. If it works out, save an engagement for when they're both a fewyears older.
ReplyDelete@11:30-it is crazy pressure! Just relax and give them time and space to get to know one another. I love the Bates; but this big deal over asking to court is too much.
DeleteIt's easy to be sweet and charming in a situation like this, with both sets of parents looking on. But, how do they really get to know each other, and learn how the other deals with stress, communication, disappointments, other people, etc
ReplyDeleteYou don't... They marry and have to make it work. Divorce is not an option.
DeleteIn this case it is very easy. Katie has gone to see Travis many times while he has been at other churches singing. It is always a stressful time to make sure the sound equipment is working properly and dealing with many kinds of people. Remember that they don’t film every time they meet and see each other. The show gives us a small glimpse into their lives. There is a lot that happens that is never filmed. Travis and Katie spent time together before he was ever filmed.
DeleteIs Travis employed?
ReplyDelete@1:14-he’s a part of his singing family. I’ve read they have a few CD’s and perform on the Christian circuit. Not sure how that all pays?
DeleteMO- NO!
DeleteI love this young couple. They are young though. I hope they take their time and date a long time.
DeleteKatie Is beautiful but seems a little more immature then the other girls. I hope they take their time. I married at 18 and have been married 52 years. We were both Christians. But. It’s been hard at times. We grew up together. I think they need to give it a few years. Love them both though.
I don’t get it. Why on earth would any parent condone or encourage all these young marriages?
ReplyDeleteYay Katie found her a sweet Pisces man. He seems like a nice kid and wish Ic could see new episodes
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching Bates Family.
ReplyDeleteThey both look like they're going to the high school freshman dance. That's about where their maturity level is too, sadly. These two KIDS should not be pressured in to anything with anyone at this time in their lives. They just want to be able to kiss someone. Not a reason to marry.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy watching the Bates family. Entering into courtship is like becoming "official boyfriend/girlfriend" instead of just friends. And it doesn't mean they have to get engaged or married. The ones who did marry young and/or older, all appear to be doing fine and prospering in the LORD just fine. Their parents are well-equipped to give counsel and I don't think they are making them go and look for husbands. They seem to encourage them in their life dreams and support them. They are all well-rounded, educated, and talented. Praying that the LORD will continue their family.
DeleteTotally agree at 4:34 AM. Emerging science states brains aren’t even fully developed until age 25. It’s concerning that they are marrying so young in this family. Maybe they’ve had good luck so far, but I don’t think it should be advised. I guess I don’t understand why it seems to be promoted so much...
DeleteSo you trying to get everyone to think they are all only marrying so they can kiss? Wow they all seem alot smarter than that
Delete@2:00- While a courtship doesn't automatically mean the couple will lead to marriage, from what I've seen on these shows, the Bates make a big deal over it like it will. It doesn't at all appear to be just girlfriend/boyfriend.
DeleteA courtship is the way to marriage. They marry fast and want a big family.
DeletePatricia-think about how excited you were as a teen to just kiss; never mind anything else! These kids can barely hold hands at this stage! It’s kind of sad that they feel forced to with enter a courtship and/or marriage before they are ready in order for them to be physical.
ReplyDeleteVery child like young lady. Travis sings with his family doesnt work on his own, so still lives @ home depends on his parents. Not @ all ready for marriage.
ReplyDeleteSTOP. If you love someone, you can marry them. Are you Travis? Maybe he does have a job.
DeleteI believe Kelly Jo found the husbands for her daughters early on and pushed courtship, engagement and marriage on all of them.Most of the Bates daughters sought education from an unaccredited college in which their very narrow choice of majors does not qualify them to work in the real work force. If this is not true, why isn't the daughter with the education degree teaching in a real school? She could teach in a private christian school but she isn't. It's babies right away.
ReplyDeleteCrown is accredited, so don’t spread information that isn’t true. Tori isn’t teaching at a “real” school, because she has two small children. Maybe she never will, but the teaching degree will help her to teach her own children. If something were to happen to her husband, she would be able to get a teaching position. Kelly Jo didn’t find their husbands. Obviously you don’t watch the show.
DeleteTori chose to stay at home. Her degree in education will be used to homeschool her children. She currently teaches Zach and Erin's preschool-aged children a few times a week. It isn't a wasted degree and, as you point out, she could teach in a Christian private school if she wanted. The degree gives her options and right now she's a sahm.
DeleteJosie went to Crown College for cosmetology and makes her own money. She has been in the workforce for years, pre and post Willow's birth.
Erin also continues to use her music degree by releasing albums. She also taught piano for several years. The lessons provided supplemental income. While unrelated to her degree, she, Whitney, and Carlin currently have their own online boutique.
Carlin received a BA from an accredited college while Michael an AA from their local accredited community college and is now in nursing school.
Katie also went to cosmetology school at Crown College. It gave her the skills to be state certified, like Josie is, so she can join the real workforce.
The Bates women used their limited options to gain skills and are utilizing them in various ways. What really matters is whether they are happy with their decisions.
I thought homeschool rules indicate that only parents may home school their children. It is not allowed for others to do it. They get around the law by calling the person a 'tutor', just like that other large mega family does with their son in law 'tutoring' the children. I find that uncaring of the parents and not quite kosher. Skirting the law is not being an honest, genuine person. Yet, they claim to be so holy.
ReplyDeleteIt depends on your state law. Do you know the fine points of the homeschool laws in Arkansas and Tennessee?
DeleteI'm a custodial Grandparent I homeschool my Grandson. We are referred to as "learning coach" because we have several teachers. Maybe some states have different laws. We use Connection Academy it's free public school online.
DeleteYes, Arkansas law states that homeschooling may only be done by a the parent. You are not allowed to 'farm it out'.
ReplyDeleteActually, the Bates live in Tennessee.
DeleteAmazing how some people think that they know everything. The way that the Bates family does things works. Maybe if more people in this country took things seriously, we wouldn't have the culture that we do right now. They have good lives with a focus on Jesus and wonderful relationships and people are telling them how they should be doing things. That would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
ReplyDeleteHow is having a reality TV show and compromising your children’s privacy a focus on Jesus?
Delete