Reality TV, in and of itself, should be considered a mental disorder. I don't really understand people who watch it. But I really don't understand people who willingly put themselves on it. In fact, those people, in my view, tend to be somewhat broken and not particularly good people. It is far more insidious when people involve their children.
This brings me to a topic I am loathe to discuss. I regularly trash any form of media that spends even an iota of time discussing their existence, but I need them to make a larger point. I am, of course, talking about Jon and Kate Gosselin (or formerly or whatever).
These are bad parents. They should not have had one child, let alone eight. The second they signed a contract to put these children on the air and expose them to our tabloid media culture they should have been put in child services.
If you put your children's lives on television you are a bad parent. It is bad for them. It will screw them up. And eventually, if not immediately, they will hate you.
People who go on reality TV have massive needs for attention. They are needy, narcissistic, in love with the idea of fame even at the lowest levels, and lack a sense of dignity. These are not ideal parent qualifications. People who need a camera on them at all times have something wrong with them and are too involved with themselves to properly care for a child.
Even worse are people who put their children on TV. Exposing your children to the world like that is damaging. Period. It is not what a good parent does. A good parent protects their child from the ills of the world. Instead people like Jon and Kate thrust their children forward into the hot spotlight of much of the ills of the world all to greater glorify themselves as if cameras and tabloid coverage were validation.
Being on TV hurt the Osbourne kids. It will hurt Jon and Kate's kids and the other Lohan and Denise Richards' kids and whoever else is so full of themselves, so willing to put their own need for attention ahead of the needs for love of their children, that they put their kids on TV.
Those poor eight kids will be lucky to not have problems when they're older. It will only be by the grace of good nannies that they don't and even then they will hate what their parents did to them. This shouldn't be done to them or anyone else.
Should children not be allowed to be on reality TV?
Comments (34)
I've never understood the hype around that show, and epically now why Kate is being treated like a celebrity.. she's a crazy bitch and I think john is doing the right thing by not allowing them to continue filming (whatever his reasons are behind it, I'm sure its more money related then out of concern for his children.) Whatever. I pity the children and think the parents are freaking insane.
I honestly think there should be a law banning kids from being on reality tv. We (my husband and I) besides the fact we can't afford it won't get cable because of the mindless crap thats on there now. I seriously do not like watching the lives of dysfunctional families theres other things that are seriously better to watch.
This is totally irrelivant, but Jon looks just like this guy.
Yeah, I don't get putting your kids on tv when they have no free will. I understand if you want to make yourself look like a dumbass, that's you choosing to do so.
I watch reality tv for the pure laughs at people.
xo
@Dare2BDiferentt@xanga - Disagree, imo. He doesn't really look like that guy.
I understand initially why they might have done it - having eight kids is expensive! The initial TLC documentary did not rocket them to fame. That, however, was before TLC was so trendy and their documentaries so popular. The Gosselins should have cut themselves off at one or two specials, with enough dough to provide for any "material" needs they may havehad. To continue on with a series that is so popular is disgusting - they have profited way more than necessary to provide for their kids. The result of their fame is a divorce and kids constantly in the limelight - I can't imagine the show continuing on with new episodes after this contract is up.
@imTHEmeowMIXcat@xanga - Must be the hair.
@Dare2BDiferentt@xanga - Haha, must be!
i agree wholeheartedly about people who want to be on reality tv. after all, i am dying to be on the real world. however, if i had kids, i would never subject them to that. i think all people, even children, should have the choice to NOT be on tv. it seems like a pretty basic freedom, and parents who take that away pretty much suck.
You do realize that the only reason they're able to give the kids a decent life and afford the house and pay for their clothes and food is because of that show?
Like it or not you do what you need to get the money to support your kids. That comes frist
I surely would have done the specials with eight kids. Anyway I could get a good amount of money that's safe and respectable...and I think one or two documentary specials at an hour a piece is great. Not many ppl make it into a tabloid from a documentary. I would have most likely done one season, too. Anymore than that would depend on how old my kids are and how popular the show is getting. I definitely wouldn't be doing the show if I couldn't let my kids out into the yard without the paparazzi being there. Also, when the kids hit an age where they can be sent to school...filming would stop.
@stuipdthing@xanga - But could there be better ways to provide the kids a decent life without subjecting them through a TV show? I know a couple who successfully provided for 13 children simply by having both parents working.
@RoAngie467@momaroo - it depends on what kind of degrees they have. They can't both work. Who would take care of the kids? That's really not a choice unless they have some super easy cushy job where they could be home a lot. With only one parent working unless he has like a phd in whatever you're not going to be making enough money
Before the show, John was an IT analyst and Kate was a nurse. You can get an idea how much money there bringing home (descent... but not enough to support 8 kids). The TV show allows them to milk out as much $$$ as possible... and I feel sorry for them cause there is no other way to bring in a steady income that supports the life style that's been shown.
I'm iffy if children should be on reality tv. If they do, they should just pop up every now and then.
@sugar_mama@xanga - those jobs still have high demand in other states and make a decent amount of money (especially Texas) why didn't they move, i wonder?
@stuipdthing@xanga - I bet they would have little problem receiving government assisted daycare. That's what I use for my son. Granted, he's only a singleton, but I get to go to school and my husband can work full-time. I've never seen the show, but it'll be interesting to see how those kids turn out.
I agree completely. Jon and Kate disgust me, and I am betting on at least three of those kids ending up trying to get revenge on their parents for this. Or, they will end up being so used to having cameras on them that they'll do anything to keep the cameras on them. We're probably going to see a Gosselin children tv show sometime in the future. -.-
If you're gonna pit them, pit the Duggars and the Roloffs as well
I am done commenting on those two and very proud its a reality show I ban myself from watching.
I dont think they are bad parents. Jon and Kate always had good community support and never bad media/tabloid attention until their breakup. The show was well, and the kids enjoyed having the crew around. but now they have paparazzi at their bus stop and magazines in stores with their parents anger on them, which isnt good.
Im not saying that reality TV is a wise choice. but jon and kate's family was always handled very tastefully up until their divorce.
The kids are obviously gonna have many issues growing up, which reality show or not, they'd still have some. its just magnified
Doing a documentary about having 8 kids is one thing. That I think I can excuse simply because of how informative it can be to other people, especially those who have more than a few kids that are around the same ages. Subjecting your kids to a one-time-only documentary is about as bad as
having your son be the ring bearer at your sister's wedding. He might
feel weird about it, but it's over quickly. So if you want to expose your family life on a very limited basis for the benefit of others, that's OK.
However, this Jon and Kate business is disgusting. Those kids need to live, learn and play without being followed around by cameras. I mean, holy hell - this country is built upon the idea that everyone has an equal chance to pursue happiness. That extends to children, doesn't it? I don't care how much money they make from the show to 'support' those kids - they should have found another way.
And the media drama surrounding it is just as bad. It's OK to give a movie star some attention when they have a new film coming out. It is NOT okay to make a spectacle out of someone's personal problems.
i agree with you. i've never watched it but shows with kids on it are getting worse even for fictional stories, let alone reality tv. i think the only gd reality show is supernanny. she actually tells kids off for being rude and spoil.
@Dare2BDiferentt@xanga - submit that to http://totallylookslike.com/!
And, technically, doesn't being on TV count as work? And therefore, putting kids on TV violates child labor laws in some way?
They would NEVER be able to pay for all 8 kids' college if they didn't have that show.
Wow. If you had eight kids and someone offered to pay for all of them to go to college, what would you say?
Just because they're on TV does NOT make either of them bad parents. And those won't be screwed up just because they're on TV.
And saying that they will because of how the Osbourne's turned out a gross comparison. Parenting styles and personalities in general are COMPLETEY different between those two families.