Jon and Kate Plus 8, Official Thread-Part 3

[madge]

Same as it is for doctors (my grampa's brother is chief of staff and has had to miss several family holidays and is always on call), corporate big wigs, other celebs, etc. who have kids.

absolutely. it's all about choices! that's what makes America a great country ... home of the free and all that

I wonder if it would even out if she had a nursing job and Jon had an IT job again. Like, would they spend they same amount of time together? When they're not promoting now, they can be home all day. Does that even out to only seeing the kids for a couple of hours after work and before bedtime?

that's a good question! an opposing opinion (and not my opinion) might be that it would be ______ to see the kids every day (optimal, ideal ?? I don't like those words, though) as opposed to being gone days at a time. Using this set of appearances as an example, Kate is gone to California for 5 days, then home for a couple of days before leaving again. The cross-country travel may/could be difficult to bounce back from quickly, making it hard to have much time together before leaving again.

One of Kate's argument for doing the show has always been about having the opportunity to spend so much time together as a family. So one could make the argument that if they're getting as much time together now with the travel schedule as they would if Jon & Kate were each working separate shifts ... then time spent with family isn't really the reason for doing the show. Big shocker, there. LOL.

 

[Coconuts]

They're just messing with you!

Play nice ladies!

Thanks mla. Unsubscribing.

 

[MichelleVW]

They're just messing with you!

Play nice ladies!

We're always nice.

 

[madge]

How do you know Kate isn't thinking "Someday I'll have to put 8 kids through college. Might as well bank the money while I can."?

I don't know that she is, but how do you that she isn't?

I might be more inclined to think along those lines if Kate didn't say how much she loves what she's doing now and doesn't want to stop. Kate has also been quoted as saying she wants her own talk show.

By saying she loves and wants continue to do what she's doing (which includes travel for speaking engagements, meetings, appearances, etc.) and have a talk show tells me that she's comfortable with her choice to be away from her children for extended periods of time. I think that it's reasonable to come to the conclusion if she's ok with being away from the children, then the money (and fame) are worth it.

Kate Gosselin certainly isn't the only parent to make that choice.

 

[madge]

We're always nice.

Apparently. I'm not.

 

[Buckalew11]

But is this the schedule always in Kate and Jon's life? This is specifically for the book? There are other speaking engagements for them (her, I know) also but this is *special*, not the norm, for the time away from home, correct? Or do we actually even know how much time Kate spends at home?

I would think doing the show does allow them more time to be together at home with the kids. And work is now taping but they are still together when they are doing that, for the most part.
When my parents sold everything and moved us south to own a motel, it was about time at "home" time as a family. Motel business was 24/7 and while they were home, they were also busy but at the same time we were together.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Apparently. I'm not.

You're a big ol' meanie, MaRge!!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

DH keeps telling me I can't go back for awhile due to money, yet he just sent me an email that he got from Disney Cruiseline with a discount code!! Why does he do that to me???? He knows I have a sickness!!

Hey, I got a kids cruise free PIN...let's tack on a cruise!! I bet Kate at sea would be lotsa fun!!

 

[madge]

Hey, I got a kids cruise free PIN...let's tack on a cruise!! I bet Kate at sea would be lotsa fun!!

ok. I want the kids cruise free PIN. I never get PIN codes!

You're a big ol' meanie, MaRge!!

I am. It's true. I'm a big ole Kate-hating meaning.

 

[madge]

But is this the schedule always in Kate and Jon's life? This is specifically for the book? There are other speaking engagements for them (her, I know) also but this is *special*, not the norm, for the time away from home, correct? Or do we actually even know how much time Kate spends at home?

we don't know. we never know. it's the age old problem where Jon and Kate are concerned. LOL.

 

[MichelleVW]

Hey, I got a kids cruise free PIN...let's tack on a cruise!! I bet Kate at sea would be lotsa fun!!

Yeah...that's the one!! The girls have been wanting to go on another cruise....I don't know why he tortures me like that...if anyone is mean it's my DH!!

ok. I want the kids cruise free PIN. I never get PIN codes!

Pin codes are the devil....they just make you want to go back when you just left!!!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Yeah...that's the one!! The girls have been wanting to go on another cruise....I don't know why he tortures me like that...if anyone is mean it's my DH!!



Pin codes are the devil....they just make you want to go back when you just left!!!

Yep. Have to agree with that one. I've received four pins this year alone!! RIDICULOUS, Disney, ridiculous. And I've had a trip booked all year. I booked our March trip in December, and I booked our September trip not even a month after the March one ended.

I haven't used any of them, either. We did the 4/3 in March, and we're using the military deals in September.

Kate said that's why she's always in a sour mood. They never get pins, either, but her sister, who's only been once in 1989, gets 'em all the time!!

 

[MichelleVW]

Yep. Have to agree with that one. I've received four pins this year alone!! RIDICULOUS, Disney, ridiculous. And I've had a trip booked all year. I booked our March trip in December, and I booked our September trip not even a month after the March one ended.

I haven't used any of them, either. We did the 4/3 in March, and we're using the military deals in September.

Kate said that's why she's always in a sour mood. They never get pins, either, but her sister, who's only been once in 1989, gets 'em all the time!!

We've never used a pin code either...but we keep getting the evil things. We got a pin code for free dining for November after we just went in September and I was OH SO CLOSE to taking Disney up on the offer.

Just yesterday I priced a 3 day trip for DD16 and I to just go down for the MNSSHP

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Whew, you gals have been busy!

You know, I got 2 pin codes too but of course they were for times that we absolutely couldn't go! I wish we lived closer to Disney so we could just pop in all the time for dinner! Maybe one will come for us in October....

I think you scared that poor lady off the boards! I understood it be a joke but did she seriously unsubscribe? I thought you guys were just having fun!

That was a good point someone made about the time spent with the kids...if Kate and Jon were both working to make ends meet, then the kids wouldn't see them all day practically! Maybe in the end it will all even out. Who knows.

So, did anyone buy the new book, Eight Little Faces? I haven't seen it yet myself.

 

[newtodis]

Trying to convince her...and Madge will be there, too!! Madge is so excited to meet the Gosselins on that trip!

Wow...maybe by the time we get to another thread some of us others will be special enough to get invites.

Same as it is for doctors (my grampa's brother is chief of staff and has had to miss several family holidays and is always on call), corporate big wigs, other celebs, etc. who have kids.

I wonder if it would even out if she had a nursing job and Jon had an IT job again. Like, would they spend they same amount of time together? When they're not promoting now, they can be home all day. Does that even out to only seeing the kids for a couple of hours after work and before bedtime?

I agree - everyone makes sacrafices for their family. My DH is/was a firefighter and we he was on the line (he works in an office now), I spent many a night leaving the grocery store (or wherever we were) to drop him off at some accident or going to functions alone with the kids because of a fire/accident so I can relate to that. Even in the department he and I work in now (I'm not a firefighter - so not even close!), the guys work 24 hours "on" and 48 hours "off" so they can have time with the family.

I would think this specific traveling is related to the book and it was smart to try and put it all together into one big trip like that. Kate will probably be whipped from having to be "on" all the time and not really being able to relax running from one place to another and it will probably take her a while to get back into stuff at home but it looks like she's got to turn around and run again once she's home too which isn't going to be easy.

I might be more inclined to think along those lines if Kate didn't say how much she loves what she's doing now and doesn't want to stop. Kate has also been quoted as saying she wants her own talk show.

By saying she loves and wants continue to do what she's doing (which includes travel for speaking engagements, meetings, appearances, etc.) and have a talk show tells me that she's comfortable with her choice to be away from her children for extended periods of time. I think that it's reasonable to come to the conclusion if she's ok with being away from the children, then the money (and fame) are worth it.

Kate Gosselin certainly isn't the only parent to make that choice.

I totally agree! I might think more that Kate was just out promoting the book but with comments I've heard (season finale) and read in various places (mainly here or links posted here), she's happy with what she's doing being in the public eye, basically away from her family. And from what Jon says, he doesn't want to be the only one home with the kids which, I think, is going to make for a very tense situation on the home front.

She's not the only person to make this choice. In my previous job, I put in lots of overtime. I knew some things were going on and I needed to be sure my face was there and things were getting done. In the end it saved me from getting laid off while I was still there. I can't say Kate's in the same boat as this, but I think she knows it won't last forever and is trying to jump on as many things as she can right now.

Hey, I got a kids cruise free PIN...let's tack on a cruise!! I bet Kate at sea would be lotsa fun!!

That's the pin J&K need - woohoo!

Kate said that's why she's always in a sour mood. They never get pins, either, but her sister, who's only been once in 1989, gets 'em all the time!!

OMG

Whew, you gals have been busy!

You know, I got 2 pin codes too but of course they were for times that we absolutely couldn't go! I wish we lived closer to Disney so we could just pop in all the time for dinner! Maybe one will come for us in October....

I think you scared that poor lady off the boards! I understood it be a joke but did she seriously unsubscribe? I thought you guys were just having fun!

That was a good point someone made about the time spent with the kids...if Kate and Jon were both working to make ends meet, then the kids wouldn't see them all day practically! Maybe in the end it will all even out. Who knows.

So, did anyone buy the new book, Eight Little Faces? I haven't seen it yet myself.

Yeah I think she got scared away too....sorry!! I thought everyone was playing nicely - I guess I figured that because I've been around a little bit and knew how you joked about that.

I think just being in the same house isn't being "together". Everyone being happy (as happy as kids can be) and spending time together (at home, on vacation, whatever) is what's important. Based on the season finale, that's not happening right now and the schedule here is a bit more proof of that. I so hope this family can work everything out - whatever issues they're having in their home.

Haven't bought the book yet but I saw it at Target on Wednesday or Thursday when I was there. I want to say it was $9.99 and it was right next to the first book (which I think was priced at $13.99). I only remember the prices because I thought to myself "wow I thought they'd charge more than that!".

 

[barkley]

I might be more inclined to think along those lines if Kate didn't say how much she loves what she's doing now and doesn't want to stop. Kate has also been quoted as saying she wants her own talk show.

By saying she loves and wants continue to do what she's doing (which includes travel for speaking engagements, meetings, appearances, etc.) and have a talk show tells me that she's comfortable with her choice to be away from her children for extended periods of time. I think that it's reasonable to come to the conclusion if she's ok with being away from the children, then the money (and fame) are worth it.

Kate Gosselin certainly isn't the only parent to make that choice.

i agree with you-and i've never perceived their choices as something they are doing to provide for the children's college education (i don't think they've ever spoken to anything down the line with the exception of weddings). and frankly-i honestly don't perceive kate as one of those parents whose priority or mindset is that they automaticaly will be paying their child's college education. she's made a few too many (for my taste) comments about how jon was very overindulged and did'nt have to work for anything as a young adult and how SHE had to teach him how to be a grown up, whereas she was raised under much different expectations. could be her expectation is those kids will be working to earn any college they want to attend (not that they are'nt working now imho). and realisticly-with all the kids of an age they would be attending at the same time, if federal financial aide is still available they would have to have a PHENOMINAL "income" (not the freebies or free services or other items they receive in lieu of income) to not qualify. absent of that it's entirely conceivable that if they continue to attend private christian schools they could qualify for the generous multi family member discounts at their private universities that can result in a per pupil tuition rate lower than the best public college single student pays.

 

[mousetravel]

I wonder if all the fame and money is worth it for her to be away from the kids so much.

I'm just basing my statement on what I'm thinking is...Would I want to miss precious time and memories with my children to satisfy my own greediness and popularity? Personally, I wouldn't. And I only have one child.

Last year, I went to Texas with my best friend (no kids) for 4 days. It wasn't the most comfortable feeling knowing I couldn't be there in a moments notice if something happened.

Maybe I'm just a worry wort, but I couldn't do what she does, even for the money, for this long.

 

[bigmerle1966]

i agree with you-and i've never perceived their choices as something they are doing to provide for the children's college education (i don't think they've ever spoken to anything down the line with the exception of weddings). and frankly-i honestly don't perceive kate as one of those parents whose priority or mindset is that they automaticaly will be paying their child's college education.

In the last Q&A show I saw, they did mention having money for college for the kids and how they would go from child to child visiting them.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I'm just basing my statement on what I'm thinking is...Would I want to miss precious time and memories with my children to satisfy my own greediness and popularity? Personally, I wouldn't. And I only have one child.

Last year, I went to Texas with my best friend (no kids) for 4 days. It wasn't the most comfortable feeling knowing I couldn't be there in a moments notice if something happened.

Maybe I'm just a worry wort, but I couldn't do what she does, even for the money, for this long.

Do you work outside the home? And do you feel the same way about parents who have jobs that keep them out of the home quite a bit?

 

[MichelleVW]

Today.....I am Kate....just ask my DH John

I will give you all the details later, but just let me tell you that he invited people over so I had to clean the house.....(well, he said, "it's just my dumb friends you don't really need to clean) uh yeah...I do...then this morning he tells me that his friend is bringing his wife so now I have to not only clean, but I have to be entertaining!! (I really don't like people at my house in "MY" space)

I have flipped out so many times today...so wish me luck on putting on the happy face in a 1/2 hour when people get here!!!


Just one detail.....DH went to Tractor Supply and DIDN'T USE THE COUPON I HAD!!

Oh yeah...one more detail, he let the cat outside after I hollered, "shut the door the cat is heading your way!!" GRR

I am Kate--hear me roar!!