Jon and Kate Plus 8 official Thread, Part 2!!

[Camster0307]

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Three kids of my own - 5 stepchildren - all adults now with families of their own..

It was brought to Kate's attention during that episode and her remark was, "Well that's what she gets for going into her sister's room.." - or something along those lines.. I don't remember the exact wording, but she was aware of it and blew it off.. So it wasn't the type of situation that you can explain away with, "You can't be aware of what your kids are doing 24/7.."

And as I stated before, this type of behavior seems to be the norm with Mady - not so much the other kids..

Or it's the only behavior that we, the viewing audience, is shown.

 

[C.Ann]

Or it's the only behavior that we, the viewing audience, is shown.

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I remember one episode where one of the boys wailed another one with a toy or something (I can never get the names of the boys straight for some reason), but other than that, it's usually Mady acting out - physically and/or emotionally (slamming doors; stomping through the house; sassing back; throwing things; etc.) - which Jon & Kate refer to as "That's just Mady being Mady.."

Alrighty then.. The "tween" years ought to be a blast..

 

[ColleenG]

I have 4 kids, the older 2 have their own rooms and the little 2 share. It is a daily occurance here for someone to be yelling, hitting and kicking someone to get out of their room. Do I see it all the time? No, but when I do the offender is punished. Usually the intruder had it coming. DS5 knows to stay out of DD7's room unless she invites him in, so I can see Kate's point about saying that the little kid shouldn't have been in Maddy's room. The rules were clrearly stated that they were not allowed in Cara and Maddy's room unless they were invited. I guess I just don't see it as that big a deal, it's just a part of having siblings. Maddy didn't seem to be viciously kicking Alexis. My kids have done far worse to each other.

 

[eduk8r26]

I raised twin girls and they beat the crap out of each other all the time. One even got the vacuum cleaner hose and whapped the other with it. They survived and now are best friends.

 

[disneychrista]

It was hardly one little kick.. Unacceptable behavior in my book.. I would be much more inclined to get upset over one of my children repeatedly kicking a younger child - than my girls getting ice cream on their dresses at Disney World.

I agree that it was totally unacceptable. But my guess is that niether Jon or Kate even knew it happened or they did and dealt with it off camera (or it didn't make the show). We only see 22 - 44 mins of day or multiple days each episode.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

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Three kids of my own - 5 stepchildren - all adults now with families of their own..

It was brought to Kate's attention during that episode and her remark was, "Well that's what she gets for going into her sister's room.." - or something along those lines.. I don't remember the exact wording, but she was aware of it and blew it off.. So it wasn't the type of situation that you can explain away with, "You can't be aware of what your kids are doing 24/7.."

And as I stated before, this type of behavior seems to be the norm with Mady - not so much the other kids..

Did they fight as children?

They refer to Mady as dramatic, the wild child. I don't think they mean to say "Oh, yeah, Mady just hits all the time, throws fits, etc." She's more vocal than Cara. If Cara were also as passionate as Mady, I doubt it would stand out. Twins will always be compared, and I think that's where a lot of the criticism comes from towards Mady.

Sure, she does some things that my child wouldn't get away with, but I also see her being disciplined (the cooking class in Hawaii comes to mind, as well as having to stay with Jenny in the hotel room, etc.). They've also said they could do a whole show dedicated to kids walking to timeout. Just because you don't see the others being naughty doesn't mean it's not happening.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I agree that it was totally unacceptable. But my guess is that niether Jon or Kate even knew it happened or they did and dealt with it off camera (or it didn't make the show). We only see 22 - 44 mins of day or multiple days each episode.

I think this is the thing a lot of people fail to grasp. Granted, people will make judgements based on those 22 minutes (and that comes with the territory), but it drives me nuts when some people refuse to believe that their off-camera life is different that on-camera.

P.S. That wasn't directed at anyone in particular, just an observation when people use small snippets of a life as a definition of their family.

 

[MM27]

This really has nothing to do with your post, but it's an observation about the Roloffs in general...

I don't watch their show regularly, but I've caught a few episodes (and met the parents on the Rachel Ray show). The mom sure has her Kate moments, too. Do people speak of her the way they speak of Kate? I saw an episode where the mom and the daughter were disrespectful of the dad. He said something to the effect of "I have no friends here," and the mom rolled her eyes.

There is criticism out there about the Roloff's, but it is certainly nowhere near what J&K get. People post about how messy their house is, how the kids are disrespectful, etc. I suspect that you don't hear as much about it because first of all, the kids are older and second, their season is much shorter than J&K.

 

[C.Ann]

Did they fight as children?.

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Not in front of us - nor did any of them ever come to us and say, "Mary hit me/kicked me/pinched me, etc." Does that mean they never hit each other? I don't know - I would have to ask them to be 100% certain..

But I can tell you for a fact that when I was growing up - with an older brother and an older sister (my younger brother wasn't adopted until after I married for the first time) - we never hit, kicked, punched, slapped, or pinched each other.. It simply was not acceptable behavior in our house.. Maybe that's why for me, Mady's behavior stands out so much when I watch the show.. It's a totally foreign concept..

 

[C.Ann]

There is criticism out there about the Roloff's, but it is certainly nowhere near what J&K get. People post about how messy their house is, how the kids are disrespectful, etc. I suspect that you don't hear as much about it because first of all, the kids are older and second, their season is much shorter than J&K.

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Oh I could definitely voice my opinion on the Roloff's too - but then I would be going OT - LOL..

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

What is the big deal with the kids not having their own rooms? There were five of us in a three bedroom, one bathroom TEENSYWEENSY house and we all survived just fine. I never had my own room..I was always having to share with my sister and it didn't kill us. DH's grandparents had ten kids (although none were multiples) in a teeny weeny house and with one and a half baths and THEY all survived to be normal (well, relatively ) adults.

It was also not uncommon for us to beat up on each other. We whaled on each other all the time. There was a period of time when it was fairly common for my brother to come in my sister and I's room to throw shoes at us to get us up.

My brother and I also took allergy shots at home for period of several months and I SWEAR he'd jab that needle into my leg as hard as he could.

 

[MichelleVW]

Ok, I just watched the new episode and the receipt thing was no where near as bad as some people said.

While watching I just kept thinking, "I hate moving, I hate moving".

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Yeah, that's totally comparable...

Kids just fight. I'm going to go out on a limb and say there has never been a set of siblings that didn't argue, hit each other, tackle each other or kick each other. Mady didn't have Alexis doubled over, kicking her in the stomach. Big difference between malicious, I mean to hurt you kicking and sibling rivalry. Granted, the latter can turn into the former, but this isn't an example of that.

I understand what you are saying, but you need to understand what I am saying. My point was that these are thing I generally don't feel acceptable and believed neither does the general public. As these things, regardless of severity, are in turn becoming more acceptable... it's sad.

No one is saying it was OK to kick; just that it's what siblings do to one another. I'm sure if Kate saw it, there would have been a punishment. But alot of you seem so shocked by this behavior, and unless you have cameras monitoring YOUR OWN KIDS 24/7, I don't think you can pass judgement on the behavior.

Read back, there are people saying it's ok. There are people saying, if it were my kids, I'd let it happen. You pass judgement, as does everyone else. Whether the judgement is positive or negative, it is passed. There is no way to not form any judgement as it would result in having absolutely no opinions.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

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Not in front of us - nor did any of them ever come to us and say, "Mary hit me/kicked me/pinched me, etc." Does that mean they never hit each other? I don't know - I would have to ask them to be 100% certain..

But I can tell you for a fact that when I was growing up - with an older brother and an older sister (my younger brother wasn't adopted until after I married for the first time) - we never hit, kicked, punched, slapped, or pinched each other.. It simply was not acceptable behavior in our house.. Maybe that's why for me, Mady's behavior stands out so much when I watch the show.. It's a totally foreign concept..

I find it really hard to believe there was never conflict among siblings in your family. However, since I wasn't there, I'll take your word for it.

It makes more sense when you preface your comments with your experience. To make a blanket statement that something is unacceptable is bound to bring about differing, possibly argumentative, opinions. If you would have said "In our house growing up, that would be unacceptable..." I think your comment would be more valid.

I understand what you are saying, but you need to understand what I am saying. My point was that these are thing I generally don't feel acceptable and believed neither does the general public. As these things, regardless of severity, are in turn becoming more acceptable... it's sad.



Read back, there are people saying it's ok. There are people saying, if it were my kids, I'd let it happen. You pass judgement, as does everyone else. Whether the judgement is positive or negative, it is passed. There is no way to not form any judgement as it would result in having absolutely no opinions.

They are completely different. Do you have children? Not that moms and non-moms are better or worse than the other, but with motherhood comes children's conflicts that will sometimes involve hitting, kicking, etc. It might raise an eyebrow in public, but it is generally looked upon as a "been there, done that, glad my kids are grown" experience.

Stoning people to death is not even in the same galaxy as far as societal acceptance. Widows and widowers aren't looking at each other with the knowing glances that parents do when their kids argue.

I can kind of, maybe, possibly (but not really) see what you're trying to say, but the analogy is completely off the mark.

*****

I also read back and saw someone mention that they would have told Alexis the same thing, but I didn't see anyone say it was ok to kick. Can you link it? Or quote it? I must have missed it.

Alexis knew she shouldn't have been in Mady's room (I know I heard Kate tell the kids that they could just go in Mady and Cara's room to look, then they couldn't go back in the room without permission). That make it "ok" to kick, but I can see that as the reasoning behind the PP's comment.

 

[C.Ann]

I find it really hard to believe there was never conflict among siblings in your family. However, since I wasn't there, I'll take your word for it..

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Oh I never said there wasn't any "conflict".. I can still hear my sister - in that horribly whiney voice - complaining to my parents.. "MOTHER..she's in my room AGAIN.. But would she kick me for it? NEVER!! We tattled on each other - as did my own children and stepchildren - but it was the parents who dealt with the situations.. Never was it left to the children to "duke it out" among themselves....

I guess in retrospect I probably should have worded it the way you suggested, but because siblings wailing on each other is such a foreign concept to me, I never suspected so many other parents would view it as "normal" behavior.. Even my 10 year old DGD has never been involved in any kind of physical altercation with another child, so it's waaaaaay out there in left field for me..

 

[GeorgiaPeach8]

With three kids under the age of 7, I have a firm no-hitting policy in my house. Really, I think this will only cut-down on the fighting not cut it out completely.

I do kind of agree with the letting the kids fight it out some. For example, soon the sextuplets are going to figure out that they don't have to take Mady's crap. Mady's a firecracker but she is no match for six 4-year-olds ganging up on her. If I were Kate I might be tempted to turn a bit of a blind eye sometimes and let Mady learn the hard way...within reason of course.

BTW, my kids don't want their own rooms. My DD has asked repeatedly if she can just share one big room with her brothers.

 

[TheZue]

With three kids under the age of 7, I have a firm no-hitting policy in my house. Really, I think this will only cut-down on the fighting not cut it out completely.

I do kind of agree with the letting the kids fight it out some. For example, soon the sextuplets are going to figure out that they don't have to take Mady's crap. Mady's a firecracker but she is no match for six 4-year-olds ganging up on her. If I were Kate I might be tempted to turn a bit of a blind eye sometimes and let Mady learn the hard way...within reason of course.

BTW, my kids don't want their own rooms. My DD has asked repeatedly if she can just share one big room with her brothers.

Ya older sisters can only beat up on their little brothers for so long My dad had two older sisters that used to beat him up; until he peed on them hahaha. As obnoxious as it is I think some sibling fighting is really gaining skills in conflict resolution.

And for all those parents who don't think their kids hit; they might when you aren't looking. My dh and his sister have AWFUL stories about what he used to do to her and my MIL had no clue until they were adults. Things like my SIL being the 'goalie' standing against a wall while my dh pelted her with rocks with his hockey stick. They will still body check each other into walls; hurt themselves and start giggling while their mother yells "I raised you better than that!" Then there is a good friend of mine...when her baby brother was born right before halloween her mom couldn't take them out trick or treating and her younger sister was MAD. When her mom left the room she was kissing the baby then when mom came back she was mid air working on a body slam on the baby...she waited until her mom was out of view lol. Kids are sneaky!

 

[MichelleVW]

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Oh I never said there wasn't any "conflict".. I can still hear my sister - in that horribly whiney voice - complaining to my parents.. "MOTHER..she's in my room AGAIN.. But would she kick me for it? NEVER!! We tattled on each other - as did my own children and stepchildren - but it was the parents who dealt with the situations.. Never was it left to the children to "duke it out" among themselves....

I guess in retrospect I probably should have worded it the way you suggested, but because siblings wailing on each other is such a foreign concept to me, I never suspected so many other parents would view it as "normal" behavior.. Even my 10 year old DGD has never been involved in any kind of physical altercation with another child, so it's waaaaaay out there in left field for me..

My mother had no idea that my older brother would punch me and my sister, and trust me....it was not a light punch. No way would we tell on him, or we would get punched for telling! We get along fine with our brother now and have no deep scars from the experience. It happens, and with 8 kids under the age of 7, I'm sure it happens more often than in multi age households. No, it's not right, but 1. Kate didn't see it, and 2. with that many kids they need to learn how to settle their differences themselves because the parents can't be a constant referee.

 

[puffkin]

Just a few comments, I know I am late jumping in here:

1. I really think the bedroom thing is a non-issue. Kate specifically said that they liked this house because the bedrooms were small but the living areas were very large. She doesn't want the kids holed up in their rooms but down and interacting with the family. Her big point was that the new house had plenty of spaces for the kids to separate whent they needed privacy and she wasn't talking about holing up in their rooms.

And, just because Hannah has her own room now doesn't mean that it will be that way forever. Situations change all the time, they can always redo the room assignments if need be in the future. And I don't think Maddy and Cara mine sharing at all. I know plenty of kids that shared a room growing up and they didn't mind. Also, it is great prep for college!

2. The kicking didn't seem that bad at all. My lord, they would never get anything done if they had to referee every tiff the kids got in. I see worse on a daily basis when I drop off my 2 year old at daycare.

3. Just my thoughts, but I would assume that the old house will be getting a professional scrub down/touch up before it was put on the market. I would assume for security reasons (and logistics) that the house couldn't be on the market before they moved out. Obviously the people who buy that house will know who the previous owners were, and I can bet any amount of money that Kate would not leave it a mess for them.

4. The receipt part was hilarious. I assume she was talking about Bed Bath and Beyond......I don't see what the big deal was either. I totally get the "use a coupon there" mentality and while my DH is good with receipts I know many that aren't and their wives are constantly on their cases about it.

5. I thought it was pretty cool that their interview set was in their basement. Never realized that before.

 

[madge]

I give it one more season and they'll be off the air.. Without the little ones being home all day - every day - there's really nothing to tape..

My guess is that they'll create more reality... weekend day trips, etc. Or not put them in public/private school, pull Cara & Mady out and continue on..

I saw Kate on Larry King Live Monday night. It's the first time I've seen the "new and improved" version I've seen mentioned here .. the spray tan, stripier hair, slimmer face, and what appears to be obvious botox or other skin work. She was there commenting on the octuplets birth .. alone. Are Jon & Kate not doing interviews together these days? There were Jon's Utah interviews and Kate's CNN interview, and Larry King Live ..

Anyway, during the course of Kate's portion of the show, she mentioned that they chose to put their lives out there (**while showing clips of the naked (diaper only) kids running around ) and that it is their day to day reality. There is so much controversy swirling around about the mom of the octuplets laying out a PR plan for herself and her kids .. and there sits Kate, still trying to pass off their life/show as reality. Reality = something most people can relate to. Give me a break. The trips, the house, the cosmetic enhancements .. that's my reality. Isn't that everyone's?

** about the kids running around naked... my husband rarely, if ever sees JK8. He could not believe that a parent would allow their children (daughters, specifically) be filmed in that way and shown on national television. I told him how much people have complained over that .. he couldn't believe that was old footage, people have expressed concern, and they still chose to show that footage.

I haven't seen new episodes since The Bachelor and American Idol started. It might be a good thing.