Jon & Kate - Will you continue to watch this show?

[denisem]

I watched my first full episode last week (the one with the b'day party in the park) and caught the tail-end of the motorcycle episode early this morning when flipping channels.

1st off, one would have to live under a ROCK to not have heard or read (or formed an opinion) about J&K+8. Let me throw out another viewpoint by a bystander. I like reality shows and give many of 'em a shot. J&K+8 immediately turned me off for several reasons:

1) Big family? BTDT - I'm older than dirt, my mom came from a family of 12 kids. THOSE kids begot (naturally, no treatments or multiples) families of 14 kids, 13 kids, 10 kids, 8 kids, etc. (I came from one the smaller ones - only 4). This was back in the days of farming families, they all pulled together, supported their own with no aid, much less TV residuals.

No offense, but to have families that size nowadays (unless you have the resouces of Brangelina or Madonna) is just whacked.

2) With all due respect to people with fertility problems...we've experienced that in our later generations. Those that were successful were over the moon and grateful for their children. Those that weren't - would have been thrilled merely to deliver the two beautiful twins of J&K.

3) Ergo, J&K's "I WANT MORE" attitude (in retrospect) can now be seen as an omen of things to come. Evidently the first few seasons were heartwarming, loving and low-key. I can even accept that in terms of solidifying a finanancial future for the kids.

Then the greed - not merely money, but attention & fame - set in, and it's now out of control. When my husband (who is generally glued to CNN & political/worldwide issues and clueless on "pop" culture) announces to me "Hey, Octomom is getting a divorce!" ...I know that J&K+8 have made their mark.

I'm sad for the kids and especially sorry for J&K. They have only a few more years to "own" the fact they screwed up before the kids grow up & turn against them. It won't be pretty.

OR it'll be a top 10 TLC realtiy show for 2019...

 

[RitaZ.]

They have only a few more years to "own" the fact they screwed up before the kids grow up & turn against them. It won't be pretty.

Exactly.

 

[happygirl]

Yes, I'm totally a fan. I'm going to continue to watch and I don't see any reason why Kate shouldn't keep on filming the show. I'm very much "Team Kate."

I don't think it's exploitative or damaging to the children. If you've been in Kate's shoes and you have the opportunity to assure a financial future for your children you would be amazed at how quickly you could justify her actions.

The TV exposure of family life vs. a secure financial future without having to work second shift as a nurse would be totally worth it to me as a mom. I would never say it didn't have an impact on the children in some way to continue the show but it would be the far, far lesser of two evils for me if I were in her postion.

I'm not one of those mothers who says it's worth it to sacrifice everything material so you can be home with your children. I'm seeing a lot of those kinds of moms wishing they had made other choices now that they are unemployed and their children can't afford to stay in college.

Whether Kate has been a shrew all along is beside the point - Jon enabled that behavior consistently and he was the one who dropped the ball. If you are unhappy in your marriage you communicate with your spouse and you try everything to resolve the issues with counseling, etc. You don't start auditioning for a new girlfriend until you have done everything you can to save the marriage you promised to stay in forever. I think he's a total scumbag and she's better off doing it alone.

So, yes, I'll continue to watch!!!!

Nice post

I will still watch.

 

[richmond282]

I'll also say that I don't think the show had anything to do with the end of their marriage. We saw some filmed examples of the way they interacted in stressful times but I don't think that was in any way responsible for the end of their marriage. I've seen that kind of interaction before - both personally and with other couple friends - and it's always a sign of a much deeper rift.

A passive agressive spouse who checks out of the responsibility and longs to go back to a simpler carefree time in life and a partner who is increasingly frustrated at that behavior and scared of its ramifications is a pretty common dynamic - not that I know anything about that personally!!

If both partners won't acknowledge the problem amd commit to working together on a solution, there's a predictable outcome - and the Gosselins have reached that pretty much like every other couple dealing with the same issues.

Again, if you don't like being harped at by your spouse take a mature approach to it and stop acting like it gives you free rein to cheat.

This is well said. (although I don't necessarily agree that the show had nothing to do with their demise.)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

2) With all due respect to people with fertility problems...we've experienced that in our later generations. Those that were successful were over the moon and grateful for their children. Those that weren't - would have been thrilled merely to deliver the two beautiful twins of J&K.

I hear your point (I thank God every day for what I've been given).

But are you saying that those who have children successfully via ART shouldn't long for, or try for, more?

 

[madge]

I watched the opener, and that's it for season 5. I didn't watch last night, and do not intend to watch when the show comes back in August.

 

[wall*e2008]

I hear your point (I thank God every day for what I've been given).

But are you saying that those who have children successfully via ART shouldn't long for, or try for, more?

I see nothing wrong with wanting more or trying for more, but selective reduction must be used when the number is over 2 or 3. If you cannot do the selective reduction then you should not be doing the procedure.

These type of procedures are not the only way to become a parent.

 

[DVCLiz]

I see nothing wrong with wanting more or trying for more, but selective reduction must be used when the number is over 2 or 3. If you cannot do the selective reduction then you should not be doing the procedure.

These type of procedures are not the only way to become a parent.

I cringe a little when I see the phrase "selective reduction" and the word "must" in the same sentence. While it certainly is a choice I would have made, it's not a "must" for those who feel it is wrong to terminate a pregnancy.

I'm more on the side of being thankful that the technology is available, helping millions of couples have the family they dreamed of, and occasionally throwing an unexpected super-multiple birth into the mix - as opposed to limiting the number of embryos.

Just my opinion, of course!

 

[wall*e2008]

I cringe a little when I see the phrase "selective reduction" and the word "must" in the same sentence. While it certainly is a choice I would have made, it's not a "must" for those who feel it is wrong to terminate a pregnancy.

I'm more on the side of being thankful that the technology is available, helping millions of couples have the family they dreamed of, and occasionally throwing an unexpected super-multiple birth into the mix - as opposed to limiting the number of embryos.

Just my opinion, of course!

I see it as a must because the most parents do not have the millions it takes to bring the kids into the world and to pay for all the extras needed due to the problems the kids suffer from in the high multiple births. Look at octomomma, her kids cost over a million each and the broke state of CA is paying the bill. Having multiples is not a right.

I for one could not do selective reduction and thus I would not take a fertility drug that could result in multiples. There are far more sets of multiples in the US than there were before the use of these drugs. I also could not destroy the unused embryos from IVF.

 

[DMRick]

I see nothing wrong with wanting more or trying for more, but selective reduction must be used when the number is over 2 or 3. If you cannot do the selective reduction then you should not be doing the procedure.

These type of procedures are not the only way to become a parent.

Which of the sextuplets should they have decided to reduce? Why must you be prepared to reduce if you chose this procedure? Sorry, that wouldn't fly with me or mine.

 

[wall*e2008]

Which of the sextuplets should they have decided to reduce? Why must you be prepared to reduce if you chose this procedure? Sorry, that wouldn't fly with me or mine.

That decison needed to be made BEFORE they did a procedure to make so many. If you cannot reduce, and as I have said I could not, then the procedure is not for you.

 

[BoardWalkBelle]

The show is now on hiatus. No new show til Aug. 3. Not becasue of separation, though.

 

[DMRick]

That decison needed to be made BEFORE they did a procedure to make so many. If you cannot reduce, and as I have said I could not, then the procedure is not for you.

And that would have to be your opinion. I'm glad it isn't a law. In most cases you can't control the amount with this procedure, these are't inplanted ebryo's, although it is very unusal to end up with 6..usually it's one, or maybe two. Some people could not abort, and know that going in, but still wish desperately for a baby. Should that be a law for people who 'naturally' have mulitples? Who decides how many is too many, and which one's 'go'? Both of the people I know who had this procedure had one very wanted baby. They knew the chances according to their doctors of having multiples and they were slim, past two.
I'm glad Kate didn't abort any one of those kids.
While that is how you feel, other's just don't feel the same way. It's the word 'must' that bothers me.

 

[blissventure]

And that would have to be your opinion. I'm glad it isn't a law. In most cases you can't control the amount with this procedure, these are't inplanted ebryo's, although it is very unusal to end up with 6..usually it's one, or maybe two. Some people could not abort, and know that going in, but still wish desperately for a baby. Should that be a law for people who 'naturally' have mulitples? Who decides how many is too many, and which one's 'go'? Both of the people I know who had this procedure had one very wanted baby. They knew the chances according to their doctors of having multiples and they were slim, past two.
I'm glad Kate didn't abort any one of those kids.
While that is how you feel, other's just don't feel the same way. It's the word 'must' that bothers me.

Don't want this thread to head off into a zone that will be a mess.
Personally, though, I think it's probably time to limit the embryos, to one or two, period. (And even if there is a split embryo, this would still limit the numbers.)

Back to the Gosslin kids. They are here. We wish them all the best as they grow up.

 

[Tikitoi]

This question should have been a poll.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Sorry OT. But just one more thing.

The Gosselins did NOT do IVF. So they did not choose how many embryos to put in, like nutty Ocotom did. The two cannot be compared.

The Gosselins did IUI - intrauterine insemination.

So I'm not sure how one can make any type of argument about Kate and Jon, and what they should have, would have, could have done, without even knowing the facts.

Sorry for the disruption...

 

[wall*e2008]

And that would have to be your opinion. I'm glad it isn't a law. In most cases you can't control the amount with this procedure, these are't inplanted ebryo's, although it is very unusal to end up with 6..usually it's one, or maybe two. Some people could not abort, and know that going in, but still wish desperately for a baby. Should that be a law for people who 'naturally' have mulitples? Who decides how many is too many, and which one's 'go'? Both of the people I know who had this procedure had one very wanted baby. They knew the chances according to their doctors of having multiples and they were slim, past two.
I'm glad Kate didn't abort any one of those kids.
While that is how you feel, other's just don't feel the same way. It's the word 'must' that bothers me.

This possiblity needs to be addressed BEFORE the procedure is done and if the parent will be relying on the taxpayers to pay for the many they chose to make but then chose not to limit then they should not be doing the procedure.

Don't want this thread to head off into a zone that will be a mess.
Personally, though, I think it's probably time to limit the embryos, to one or two, period. (And even if there is a split embryo, this would still limit the numbers.)

Back to the Gosslin kids. They are here. We wish them all the best as they grow up.

That was my point.

 

[Hootiss]

I'll also say that I don't think the show had anything to do with the end of their marriage. We saw some filmed examples of the way they interacted in stressful times but I don't think that was in any way responsible for the end of their marriage. I've seen that kind of interaction before - both personally and with other couple friends - and it's always a sign of a much deeper rift.

A passive agressive spouse who checks out of the responsibility and longs to go back to a simpler carefree time in life and a partner who is increasingly frustrated at that behavior and scared of its ramifications is a pretty common dynamic - not that I know anything about that personally!!

If both partners won't acknowledge the problem amd commit to working together on a solution, there's a predictable outcome - and the Gosselins have reached that pretty much like every other couple dealing with the same issues.

Again, if you don't like being harped at by your spouse take a mature approach to it and stop acting like it gives you free rein to cheat.

I totally argee with you. Can Kate be a witch sometimes....yes, but imo Jon is just as much to blame, now he wants to be FREE, give me a break, the hair implants, diamond earings, sports car and cocky attitude, pretty soon he will have a bunch of tatoos.

I have seen this before, he is having a mid-life crisis, and thinks the grass is greener on the other side. What he will be doing to those children will change his realtionship with them forever. His older dds are going to know that he was caught cheating on mommy while they were still "together". What kind of father does that? I am sorry but he makes me sick.

 

[MoniqueU]

Yes, I am one of their new viewers that has tuned in mostly for the drama.

 

[DMRick]

This possiblity needs to be addressed BEFORE the procedure is done and if the parent will be relying on the taxpayers to pay for the many they chose to make but then chose not to limit then they should not be doing the procedure.

I think you are confusing your procedures. K & J did not have embryo's planted. I agree that embryo's should be limited, and for most doctors they are. However, if you only did 1 or 2, since many times they don't 'take', they do have 'usual' amounts they use based on history. Octomom should not have had the amount she did..most doctors would not have done that.