Jon and Kate Plus 8. Official Thread!!

[TotalSnowWhite]

I just found another tub in the basement. Thankfully, it's already tagged, so I just have to transfer it over from last year's sale to this one. I'll probably adjust the prices since it didn't sell last year

I just need to get things organized and entered by noon on Tuesday. I've got until Thursday to actually get it tagged. And I NEED to find my tagging gun. I am in no mood to go the safety pin route.

Ha! Love it!! I haven't done the tagging gun yet. It's just a matter of time.

Jon and Kate are on TLC. <---On topic!!

We need a consignment sale thread!!

 

[wmoonknight]

I think a lot of people compare their lives to JK's, but in most cases, there really is no comparison. You can't really say you would live the same way with eight children because you don't have the experience. I had 12 children at our place for two weeks last August eek: ) while our pre-school was moving to a new facility. It was definitely eye-opening, but that is nothing compared to someone who has had that many children since birth, through the nights, etc., etc.

...

I live in a family of 9 kids. Two sets of twins. My mom had us in 14 years. 8 of us live at home all the time. Our family is nothing like the Goselins and never was. We don't do the vacations or day trips very often but we do like to camp. We are not poor but rarely have brand new clothes and none of us have our own bedrooms. I have always had knees and elbows poking me when I sleep because my little brothers won't stay out of my bed. When I go to college, I think I'll miss it. We have lots of family and friends or my mom says she couldn't have done it when we were all little. All familys are different, but if they are trying to show how this one copes with everyday things, I don't get the show. My sisters like it then get upset when they think someone has been treated bad. I don't know if the kids like being on the show, but I would hate it I think. We would never have time film a show like they do, they'd show us eating, cleaning up the kitchen and doing laundry. Pretty boring. Homework is a big deal too. We are running to different stuff all the time, and mostly have to divide and conquer. My mom and dad can't go to everything we do, they have to take turns and take other kids other places. If we tried to go everywhere all together nothing would get done.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I live in a family of 9 kids. Two sets of twins. My mom had us in 14 years. 8 of us live at home all the time. Our family is nothing like the Goselins and never was. We don't do the vacations or day trips very often but we do like to camp. We are not poor but rarely have brand new clothes and none of us have our own bedrooms. I have always had knees and elbows poking me when I sleep because my little brothers won't stay out of my bed. When I go to college, I think I'll miss it. We have lots of family and friends or my mom says she couldn't have done it when we were all little. All familys are different, but if they are trying to show how this one copes with everyday things, I don't get the show. My sisters like it then get upset when they think someone has been treated bad. I don't know if the kids like being on the show, but I would hate it I think. We would never have time film a show like they do, they'd show us eating, cleaning up the kitchen and doing laundry. Pretty boring. Homework is a big deal too. We are running to different stuff all the time, and mostly have to divide and conquer. My mom and dad can't go to everything we do, they have to take turns and take other kids other places. If we tried to go everywhere all together nothing would get done.

Wow! How old are all of you?? Give your parents a pat on the back from me!

 

[MichelleVW]

I agree. Also, if this is their "real life" I feel sad for all of them. They don't get phone calls. You don't see the twins going for sleepovers at a friends house. Do they get invited to parties? Has another couple ever come over for dinner? Have they ever been invited for dinner at someones home?

Maybe they do these things and maybe they don't. My girls have alot of friends/phone calls but they are teenagers. I saw on one show when Maddy had a friend call her so it does happen. When my girls were Maddy and Cara's age the phone didn't ring for them all that often.

DH and I aren't big on entertaining so I don't see the big deal about having couple's over for dinner. (I hate always hated that stuff).

On the show last week Jon was talking about how the girls missed being at the parade back home because all their friends are there. So it sounds like they have friends.

The twins are only 7, some people just don't let their 7 year olds hang out at friend's houses all the time.

 

[FergieTCat]

Another thought dawned on me.

If the Gosselins did not have a television show, would the Gosselin children be able to travel and experience as much as they do? Here's a partial list of things TLC has made possible for them:

A trip to WDW
A trip to Utah
A trip to Hawaii
A backstage tour of a zoo in Pittsburgh

They've also visited alot of local places, but I'm sure J&K would have taken them there eventually.

I wonder exactly how much footage they shoot to make the show. I imagine they film it all in one or two days. If the 'tups are starting preschool, wouldn't that be an opportunity for them to be away from the cameras, much like Cara and Mady are when they are in school?

Just some thoughts as I wait for my Ebay auction to end. I've discovered there's a market for the pins I bought a few years ago. At least I've managed to make some decent "investments."

 

[barkley]

i think they film pretty constantly-kate has said in the couch interviews and on the faq episodes that it's a misconception that all the episodes are done during one part of the year for later airing, and that filming is an on going part of their every day lives.

as for the travel-i don't honestly feel that kids at 3 or 4 would benefit greatly from traveling places enough to justify constantly having cameras in their faces (and in their bathrooms and bedrooms). when they travel it looks like they never have much downtime and are constantly shuttling from one video opportunity to another-and when the rare downtime comes it looks like it's often spent in the care of someone other than their parents. i can't speak for others, but when we vacation as a family it's meant to be relaxing and enjoyable, and some of the greatest enjoyment comes from those periods of unplanned/unstructured enjoyment. sure, i imagine the kids like the travel to some extent but i have to wonder if they don't internaly cringe a bit when they learn they are going to be taking off somewhere because they know it will trigger a frenzy of mom stressing out over packing and both parents loudly complaining how difficult it is to travel with so many people

i wonder what will happen if the little ones actualy go to preschool. that's going to leave an awful lot of free time on the parent's hands-and hardly will support their statements that they continue to do the show because it affords them the ability to have 2 sahp's (from the wording on the new website it sounds like they've totaly dropped the pretense that jon is home because he started up his own tech company ). i can't see either of them being the type to jump in and volunteer to help out in the classroom so where does that leave the show? j&k at home complaining about finances (when one or both could be at work while the kiddos are at school), kate talking about how she can't keep up with the laundry and housework because she constantly has little ones underfoot (oh-wait, they're not there for hours on end now), j&k talking about how they almost never get private time (except when they're on the couch talking about it, or at a spa talking about it, or going out to dinner or on a private bday vacation-talking about it).

i would imagine if the little ones are going to attend preschool it would start up pretty quick-they are over 4 and it would seem that this would be their last year to do it if they are going to have them enter kindergarten at age 5.

 

[madge]

Another thought dawned on me.

If the Gosselins did not have a television show, would the Gosselin children be able to travel and experience as much as they do? Here's a partial list of things TLC has made possible for them:

A trip to WDW
A trip to Utah
A trip to Hawaii
A backstage tour of a zoo in Pittsburgh

They've also visited alot of local places, but I'm sure J&K would have taken them there eventually.

I'm not buying that argument. A lot of people don't get those things ... and if they do, they work hard and save for the vacation. Only because Jon & Kate have marketed themselves into a TV show have they gotten those things. Although, according to Kate, the show is their job, so I guess they are working for those vacations & special treatment, now.

I wonder exactly how much footage they shoot to make the show. I imagine they film it all in one or two days. If the 'tups are starting preschool, wouldn't that be an opportunity for them to be away from the cameras, much like Cara and Mady are when they are in school?

If that's the case, and they're not on camera? Then what will they show? If the kids are all in school, it would seem to me that the bulk of the filming will come in the off hours from school, which could be more since they wouldn't be at home? That would be a break from the camera, though. Maybe it all comes out even?

 

[Camster0307]

I agree. Also, if this is their "real life" I feel sad for all of them. They don't get phone calls. You don't see the twins going for sleepovers at a friends house. Do they get invited to parties? Has another couple ever come over for dinner? Have they ever been invited for dinner at someones home? If they haven't, I have a good idea why (outside of Kate being so unpleasant). I bet no one wants to worry about all her rules and if they cook "organic" etc. We used to have friends where the wife was on a strict diet, and never ate fat or anything fried. I had them for dinner and she picked at the broccoli and pushed her food around a while and wouldn't eat because she was scared of the fat content like one dinner would kill her. It wasn't even a high fat dinner. It was just that she didn't "control" what went in to it, so she couldn't eat it. That was the last time I ever had them for dinner.

I wouldn't want to have Kate to dinner, because I imagine she would be too bossy about what I fed the kids. I would never go to dinner at their house, because, like, God forbid one of my kids spilled something. Her eyes might roll back in her head and she might start spewing pea soup as her head rotated on her shoulders.

Someone said earlier in the thread that theyoften think how thier life would look on tv, the spats with spouse etc. I think about that too. I know there are times that our snipping would look worse to outsiders than it feels to us since we know each other so well. But on the flip side, I watch their show and think, well , if a camera crew followed us for just this weekend, they would have seen us at 3 parties, 3 soccer games. They would have been here when my best friend who lives 3 hours aways stopped by unexpectedly yesterday and I made lunch for her family. They would have seen my son being invited to a friends pool, and then would have had to follow me to drop off clothes for him because the family asked him to spend the night. They would have seen my kids running in the yards of the neighorhood having races with about 15 neighbor children. They would have been here when my mom stopped in just to stop in and see the kids. When my FIL came to the my sons soccer game. I know I don't have 8, but I have four, and honestly, I would live the same way with eight, I would just be putting four more place settings out at meals. . I would go nuts without my family and friends.

You seem to be assuming that just because you don't see these things happening on the show, it's not happening at all. Again, TLC EDITS the show to present footage that they believe would be most interesting to the viewer. Showing playdates, soccer games, or running over to friends' houses would involve getting permission and signed releases from all involved. Seems to me like it would be one big hassle and it's easier to just show footage of the Gosselin family themselves doing things together.

You have no way of knowing what the family is doing when the cameras aren't filming - which has been stated is NOT every day of the week.

 

[GeorgiaPeach8]

ITA that I'm not sure how much benefit the kids are getting right now but I do think that if the show only goes on another year of two (reality show tend to be pretty short-lived) and if J&K have invested wisely then the benefits for J&K plus the kids could be enormous. The show could just become...some they used to do and the kids may have the benefit of two fulltime parents.

I don't know about Kate but that would be my plan. Wake up one morning and decide...I'm done with it.

 

[wmoonknight]

Wow! How old are all of you?? Give your parents a pat on the back from me!

My brother that wrote about our family is 17 1/2. My parents say thanks for the back pat but never understand why people are impressesd. "they are our kids" they say "who else is going to raise them?" One thing I wanted to say about big families. We never feel like we make things hard. All kids can frustrate their parents, but we don't feel like burdens. I hope the kids on the show don't feel like they cause all stress. The parents are always saying how hard everything is and I know the kids hear it.

 

[nuke]

I'm not buying that argument. A lot of people don't get those things ... and if they do, they work hard and save for the vacation. Only because Jon & Kate have marketed themselves into a TV show have they gotten those things. Although, according to Kate, the show is their job, so I guess they are working for those vacations & special treatment, now.

It's not just their job "It's their life". Pretty sad actually since their "life" will end in a short time. What will their "life" be then? I hope it's finally their children.

Anyways one of the controversial episodes is on later today, Cupcakegate. I didn't catch it the first time so I'm hoping we will be home later.

 

[talulabelle]

i think they film pretty constantly-kate has said in the couch interviews and on the faq episodes that it's a misconception that all the episodes are done during one part of the year for later airing, and that filming is an on going part of their every day lives.

as for the travel-i don't honestly feel that kids at 3 or 4 would benefit greatly from traveling places enough to justify constantly having cameras in their faces (and in their bathrooms and bedrooms). when they travel it looks like they never have much downtime and are constantly shuttling from one video opportunity to another-and when the rare downtime comes it looks like it's often spent in the care of someone other than their parents. i can't speak for others, but when we vacation as a family it's meant to be relaxing and enjoyable, and some of the greatest enjoyment comes from those periods of unplanned/unstructured enjoyment. sure, i imagine the kids like the travel to some extent but i have to wonder if they don't internaly cringe a bit when they learn they are going to be taking off somewhere because they know it will trigger a frenzy of mom stressing out over packing and both parents loudly complaining how difficult it is to travel with so many people

i wonder what will happen if the little ones actualy go to preschool. that's going to leave an awful lot of free time on the parent's hands-and hardly will support their statements that they continue to do the show because it affords them the ability to have 2 sahp's (from the wording on the new website it sounds like they've totaly dropped the pretense that jon is home because he started up his own tech company ). i can't see either of them being the type to jump in and volunteer to help out in the classroom so where does that leave the show? j&k at home complaining about finances (when one or both could be at work while the kiddos are at school), kate talking about how she can't keep up with the laundry and housework because she constantly has little ones underfoot (oh-wait, they're not there for hours on end now), j&k talking about how they almost never get private time (except when they're on the couch talking about it, or at a spa talking about it, or going out to dinner or on a private bday vacation-talking about it).

i would imagine if the little ones are going to attend preschool it would start up pretty quick-they are over 4 and it would seem that this would be their last year to do it if they are going to have them enter kindergarten at age 5.

I agree, outside of WDW, I'm sure the kids could care less about the other trips, oh, except maybe the beach trip. And at WDW, they were like 3 at the time, I'm sure they don't even remember it, and if they have a memory, it is probably of being tortured by mom with icecream as they cried.

I feelsad that school is Maddie and Cara's "downtime" from the cameras. How sad that hom would not be "downtime". They must cringe on the way home kowing they have to deal with the cameras and mom expecting them to perform etc.

As far as preschool. Well I'm guessing that they will have to mention a preschool on air 500 times so that they can get free tuition. (If it is there as it is here and there are no free preschools) I'm going to be interested in how Kate copes with getting them there on time and clean, and how she acts when they come home soiled from the playground and the crafts. I'm sure she will complain about different teachers and requirments because the kids will need to be split between classrooms.

ALthough I'm sure (hoping) the show will be canceled by the time the kids are in 4th grade, (or it will end because someone will finally get the child labor laws fixed to include these poor helpless victims) I would love to see how they are going to cope when the big book reports all roll around at the same time. How about Science fair projects! Can you imagine having 8 kids having these due at one time? It's not like Aunt Jodi and the grandparents will decend on them to help out.

 

[longstangetrip]

You seem to be assuming that just because you don't see these things happening on the show, it's not happening at all. Again, TLC EDITS the show to present footage that they believe would be most interesting to the viewer. Showing playdates, soccer games, or running over to friends' houses would involve getting permission and signed releases from all involved. Seems to me like it would be one big hassle and it's easier to just show footage of the Gosselin family themselves doing things together.

You have no way of knowing what the family is doing when the cameras aren't filming - which has been stated is NOT every day of the week.

Do you think each child/parent, adult, whoever that shops at the Roloffs pumpkin patch signs a release? Each person at a LPA event, school dance or soccer game? I don't know the legalities but I've seen signs that say filming is taking place and if you cross into this area you may be filmed at a local art school.

Did you notice that lots of the church congregation was visible in one episode (even though no one talked to the Gosselins... they like their church because people "leave them alone")? I wonder what provisions are made for public places when people are in the background?

 

[Camster0307]

Do you think each child/parent, adult, whoever that shops at the Roloffs pumpkin patch signs a release? Each person at a LPA event, school dance or soccer game? I don't know the legalities but I've seen signs that say filming is taking place and if you cross into this area you may be filmed at a local art school.

You're right. And I know at the beginning of each school year, I have to sign a release as to whether I give permission or not to have my child filmed or photographed. I don't pretend to know the legalities either; just thinking it may be easier to avoid such situations. Regardless, the point I was trying to make it that many here are assuming that if they don't see something happening on the show - it's not happening at all. No one knows for sure. But I'm thinking that the producers are the ones who choose what the episodes are going to be about; therefore they control what we see and don't see.

I agree, outside of WDW, I'm sure the kids could care less about the other trips, oh, except maybe the beach trip. And at WDW, they were like 3 at the time, I'm sure they don't even remember it, and if they have a memory, it is probably of being tortured by mom with icecream as they cried.

I feelsad that school is Maddie and Cara's "downtime" from the cameras. How sad that hom would not be "downtime". They must cringe on the way home kowing they have to deal with the cameras and mom expecting them to perform etc.

As far as preschool. Well I'm guessing that they will have to mention a preschool on air 500 times so that they can get free tuition. (If it is there as it is here and there are no free preschools) I'm going to be interested in how Kate copes with getting them there on time and clean, and how she acts when they come home soiled from the playground and the crafts. I'm sure she will complain about different teachers and requirments because the kids will need to be split between classrooms.

ALthough I'm sure (hoping) the show will be canceled by the time the kids are in 4th grade, (or it will end because someone will finally get the child labor laws fixed to include these poor helpless victims) I would love to see how they are going to cope when the big book reports all roll around at the same time. How about Science fair projects! Can you imagine having 8 kids having these due at one time? It's not like Aunt Jodi and the grandparents will decend on them to help out.

Wow! Unless you know the family personally, you can't be sure about anything. You're certainly entitled to your opinion though; and, if that's the way you feel - then fine. Doesn't make it true though. Just keep that in mind.

 

[MichelleVW]

I agree, outside of WDW, I'm sure the kids could care less about the other trips, oh, except maybe the beach trip. And at WDW, they were like 3 at the time, I'm sure they don't even remember it, and if they have a memory, it is probably of being tortured by mom with icecream as they cried.



As far as preschool. Well I'm guessing that they will have to mention a preschool on air 500 times so that they can get free tuition. (If it is there as it is here and there are no free preschools) I'm going to be interested in how Kate copes with getting them there on time and clean, and how she acts when they come home soiled from the playground and the crafts. I'm sure she will complain about different teachers and requirments because the kids will need to be split between classrooms.

.

Who cares if they remembered the trips or not, the thing is that they went and enjoyed them. My ex used to complain about going on vacations because the girls were "too young to remember" So I guess I should have put them in a closet until they were old enough to remember the trips.


OMG can you imagine preschool tuition for 8 kids!! I would hope they would at least get a massive discount on tuition.

 

[talulabelle]

Who cares if they remembered the trips or not, the thing is that they went and enjoyed them. My ex used to complain about going on vacations because the girls were "too young to remember" So I guess I should have put them in a closet until they were old enough to remember the trips.
OMG can you imagine preschool tuition for 8 kids!! I would hope they would at least get a massive discount on tuition.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have taken them on the trips at that age, or that they need to stay i na closet until they are older. I'm just saying that gettingto travel (for the kids sake) SHOULD NOT be a reason for them to submit their kids to the cameras in the house,bedrooms,bathrooms all the time. Takingthe kids on trips are nice, but whatever the benefit (for the children) it is not worth the sacrifice they make.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

OMG can you imagine preschool tuition for 8 kids!! I would hope they would at least get a massive discount on tuition.

Our public schools here have preschool programs funded by Title 1. If that is not available in their area, I'm sure the tuition will be paid by someone Or they may decide not to send them to preschool. That leaves another year of filming for the show. Heck, they might even want to homeschool. We'll be watching for years

 

[MichelleVW]

I'm not saying they shouldn't have taken them on the trips at that age, or that they need to stay i na closet until they are older. I'm just saying that gettingto travel (for the kids sake) SHOULD NOT be a reason for them to submit their kids to the cameras in the house,bedrooms,bathrooms all the time. Takingthe kids on trips are nice, but whatever the benefit (for the children) it is not worth the sacrifice they make.

They really don't show them in the bathroom/bedroom anymore. Now someone ALWAYS has to go to the bathroom, but with 6 4 year olds, that's going to be mentioned!

I'm not going to speculate on the "sacrifices those poor children make" because to me they look happy and healthy. So I'm just going to enjoy the show and go about my day.

 

[MM27]

Since everyone wonders why nobody ever has a good experience with Jon and Kate, I wanted to share a story from a blog I was reading.
http://estherandrobby.blogspot.com/2008/01/jon-kate-plus-8.html

We had quite an eventful trip home from Maryland! It was a very long day... with about 10 hours on the same plane.... but I would do it again if I had the chance! Here's why....

As we were waiting to board our 8:40 am flight from BWI to SLC we noticed a bit of commotion near our gate. A couple camera guys, microphones floating in the air, and several small children...

"Oh my gosh! Robby! Those kids.... I know them! It's Jon & Kate Plus 8!!!"

I recognized the kids before I even spotted Jon or Kate.... in their entourage they had their 8 children, 4 family friends as helpers, and about 4 crew members following their every move. As I posted about earlier I LOVE this show! I think this is the neatest family! It's about a couple who had fertility problems so they did IVF and got twins, wanted one more baby so they did it again and BAM! Sextuplets! So they have 2 six year olds, and 6 three year olds....

And they were even cuter in person than on TV.... I was dying of excitement and tried to not look like a stalker but just watched them in awe! We overheard that they were going to be on our flight - they were headed to Park City to go skiing....

They were the first group on the plane and took up the last 3 rows. I was too shy to try to sit near them and get way too motion sick to choose to sit in the back anyway so sat towards the very front of the plane.

While I was too nervous to even go near them Rob did not have that same problem. As soon as Robby got a little fussy he jumped up and being the very helpful father he is took him for a walk.... to the back of the plane...

Robby flirted with the flight attendants and then caught the eyes of several of the Gosselin kids.... I turned around and watched as the three little boys stood on their seats and waved and laughed at Robby for a good 10 minutes! The camera guy even busted out and started filming the action! (You better believe we will be waiting and hoping for a shot of Robby in an upcoming episode!) Rob got to talk to one of their helper girls for a minute as the kids were playing but didn't say anything about their show....

It was a long flight to SLC but it was exciting knowing they were on the plane with us! Little did we know as we were descending into SLC that the party was just getting started...

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain.... unfortunately Salt Lake has just closed their runways due to bad weather so we heading to Boise to land and refuel...... we'll give you an update when we get there..... so it's gonna be another 45 minutes till we land so if you need to get up and stretch please do so now...."

We were literally 10 minutes away from landing! And then back up we headed.... to Boise.

Rob hopped up and took Robby for another little stroll to the back of the plane. As he was heading towards the line for the restroom Kate was trying to pass something across the aisle to Jon - Rob kindly assisted her.... then she asked him, "are you in line?"

"Uh, sort of, not really, I'm just kind of stretching..." Rob said and then he let her go in front of him. Before she went in she said, "Oh well would you like me to hold him for you while you go to the bathroom?"

"Well, sure, if you have an extra hand!" Ha ha.... so yeah, Kate held baby Robby while Rob went to the bathroom. KATE HELD BABY ROBBY!!! Ahh!

We landed. We sat waiting for an update for about an hour and a half.... finally! Some news!

"Ok, well, SLC has reopened their runways so we will be returning there shortly.... we do have one small technical problem..... a heat sensor on the window here needs some work.... so why don't ya'll go get some food and everyone come back in 15 minutes....."

Grrr! I was starving so I jumped up and left Rob and Robby while I went to get us food. MISTAKE.

Apparently the entire plane practically de-boarded.... EXCEPT Rob, Robby, and oh wait, Jon & Kate & gang!!! I guess they sent 2 people from their group to get food and the rest stayed behind with the kids and waited. So guess who got to be all friendly with them? Yup.... Rob said all the kids were just running up and down the aisle and they'd come and say hi to baby Robby.... Jon even came up to Rob and asked, "Hey, my wife wants to know what your baby's name is?"

So I come back from getting food to find out that I totally missed all the action! Rarr! We still had some time before we took off but I was too embarrassed to go back there by myself for no reason really....

Ok so fast forward.... we finally get ready to take off, we're sitting on the runway basically when the captain says SLC has closed their runways again so we wait another 30 min till they let us take off and then it's a 50 min flight there but we actually made it!

We get the airport and it's chaos since so many flights had been delayed due to the weather. The bags for our flight happened to be split between 2 carousels - how the heck does that happen? - and they took forever to get in!

While we were exiting we were walking right past them and I knew it was then or never! I walked right up to Kate and said, "hey, we were on your flight and I just wanted to tell you that I love your show... love watching you guys! Your kids are so cute!"

Kate immediately deflected the attention from herself and said, "Oh you survived that horrible flight too? Ugh, wasn't it awful?"

Then they saw Rob (we had put Robby with Taba in the car since she'd come to pick us up) and recognized him.... "Oh you! Where's your baby? He is so cute!!"

So even though we talked to them for just a minute it was great!

They are such a neat family! If you get a chance you should watch their show! I love seeing how organized she is and how they all interact.... I can't believe they were on our flight! I can't believe I met Jon & Kate Plus 8!

 

[troobabiee7]

Since everyone wonders why nobody ever has a good experience with Jon and Kate, I wanted to share a story from a blog I was reading.
http://estherandrobby.blogspot.com/2008/01/jon-kate-plus-8.html

What a cute story!