OMG!! Who saw "Trading Spouses" last night?

[BuzznBelle'smom]

We watched this show for the first time last night. I couldn't believe the California family! Are they just totally nuts?? An 18-year-old who still sleeps with his mother? I thought what they were doing to their kids was child abuse--the boys have no sense of the outside world, no work ethic. I was just stunned. And the dad is an absolute fruitcake! I did think the Tenn. mom was a good sport. Her family seemed pretty normal and fun. What did you all think?

 

[poohandwendy]

No, I didn't see it, but:

An 18-year-old who still sleeps with his mother?

Ewwww, that is just totally whacked...poor kid.

 

[Minnie824]

I saw as much as possible without our news breaking in, but they are nuts. And I agree with the other mother, Nicky??, who thinks those kids are being brainwashed. I wouldnt doubt it. One thing that bothers me, is that the 'weird' family in every episode tries to push their beliefs to both familys, the CA woman who went to the other family, should adjust to them! Just like that vegan woman last week should have.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

We flipped over to it towards the end . . we were watching Xmas Fear Factor . . .Did the father or the sons ever wear shoes? They kind of struck me as a very very odd family . . .I am definately watching for the conclusion to get more of a feel what these weirdos were about.

 

[bjgrazi]

We were watching it in our house but I missed some of it.

I too want to go "pet" a redwood. I thought they were pretty strange.

 

[Poohbear123]

No, they do NOT wear shoes, have NO furniture, and wake up at 5:30 to do yoga EVERY MORNING! They have a "family room" where they ALL sleep in the same bed, 2 adult young men, Mom and Dad! Vicky is going to tell the Dad next week what he is doing wrong, she has already told the boys their Dad is "NUTS!"

 

[ericamanda01]

I saw the begining. The part where the Cali. mom was leaving and crying I thought was a bit much. But then I thought that maybe she was really close to her family. Then out of no where the Cali father says he doesn't cry because it's just a form of self pitty. I thought to my self what a "Real Sweetheart" he was. I changed the channel after that and was gunning for the Tenn. mom.

 

[4greatboys]

No, they do NOT wear shoes, have NO furniture, and wake up at 5:30 to do yoga EVERY MORNING! They have a "family room" where they ALL sleep in the same bed, 2 adult young men, Mom and Dad! Vicky is going to tell the Dad next week what he is doing wrong, she has already told the boys their Dad is "NUTS!"

He is nuts. Some family togetherness is great. When its 24/7 and you kids are grown and eatm sleep and pee with you that's not normal and certainly not healthy for those boys.
It was also really rude of them at the restuarant to speak in another language in front of the Tenn mom the whole time. A few lines wouldnt have been bad but they just kept on. Not a very good way to make someone feel welcome.

 

[tjmw2727]

DH and I watched and despite wanting to turn it off we just couldn't!!

I found it telling that the CA family tried to push their ways on both the TX wife and the TX family. The CA mom kept wanting to connect with the kids yet did nothing to find out what they liked and just kept thinking about herself.

The CA dad is just odd - I am not sure he completed one sentance, that and the fact that the kids are homeschooled and "content" is worrysome.

I loved the carefree spirit and sense of humor of the TX family and think the CA mom could benefit from that.

DH was wondering how/why a family without television would want to do this and how they would have found out about it in the first place.

What can the TX mom possibly spend the $ on ??

TJ

 

[4greatboys]

Hopefully the TN mom will earmark some money for the boys OUT OF STATE college so they can see how the real world is.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Yeah, I'm hoping the TN mom goes for a Disney trip--that and college would be a good choice, but based on what little "homeschooling" they showed, I don't know that those two boys really have the education to handle college (let alone the social skills, but strictly looking at the course work).

This was our first time watching--normally, we're a Fear Factor family, but we've had a GI bug running through the house, didn't want to see any more puking than I already have in the past week.

I wondered, too, about the CA mom trying to reach out to the TN family--they kind of just showed her doing her own thing, but then I was thinking, well, when I'm the mom in the house, I'm the one who sets the pace and all (although attempting to get my kids out of bed at 5:30 to do yoga would work, well, about as well as it did for her!)

I can't help but wonder if the husband heard about the show and told his wife to go do it. I get the feeling he's more about the money than he lets on--plus, he just seems to have the whole gang brainwashed, I could see him thinking, "Gee, you go for a week, we get $50k". Lord knows their street singing isn't going to pay the grocery bills.

 

[Samirella]

...wake up at 5:30 to do yoga EVERY MORNING!
They have a "family room" where they ALL sleep in the same bed, 2 adult young men, Mom and Dad!

I didn't see the whole episode, but what in the world is wrong with waking up at 5:30 every morning to do yoga? Also, having a family room to sleep in as well as bathing together is very common in Japan. Mainly this is done due to the lack of space. Far be it from any of us to condemn or judge someone because they choose to live their lives differently.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Samirella, I understand about other cultures and all, but to me, it's still BEYOND odd to have 2 teenage boys in sleeping with their parents in the same bed. Isn't that what Michael Jackson is on charges for? Not implying that these people are doing anything kinky, but it just is so weird to me to even consider having a healthy 18-year-old sharing a bed with his parents.

As far as the yoga thing goes, if you want to get up at 5:30 and do yoga, go jogging, write a novel, that's fine. But don't waltz into my house and expect me to join you. However, if you suggested it politely, I may be game to try it once--and I might even like it. But the CA mom had no sense of humor about anything. She thought the kids were "mocking" her about the music, too, and I thought they were just having a good time. The CA mom didn't seem interested at all in learning about THEIR music or culture.

 

[nancy679]

Well Michael Jackson is on charges for sleeping with other peoples kids, not his own. But I dont think that there is anything wrong with their sleeping arrangements, it looked like a big enough area, they werent all in one bed. Family beds are quite common in other cultures.

 

[gallaj0]

Maybe it's just me, but after this show and the other one with the Vegan California mother and the Cajuns that some "fringe" groups seem to be using the shows to get some "airtime" for their lifestyles.

I wonder if ther is a message board like the Dis out there somewhere for "California kooks", and someone posted about these shows looking for participants.

I also wonder if they see people obsessed with Disney, and think the same of us.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Are they just totally nuts?? An 18-year-old who still sleeps with his mother?

Just the thought of that is disgusting!

 

[flamom]

i hope the TN mom gets thru to the cali dad that the boys need to be exposed to other things besides there way of living. they should be allowed to make there own choices on how they want to live there lives when they get older.i hope the TN mom earmarks alot of the 50,000 to the 2 boys. i have no problem with them doing yoga but not wearing shoes when there out when they can step on something like glass etc is just plain silly. also the boys need new clothes they had the same outfits on thru out the show. and lastly where the heck do they find these people?lol

 

[OhMari]

The CA family. My first thought was the tv show wanted you to think they live in a run-down house. The house was actually very nice, just no furniture. Sleeping in the same room-my oldest ds-22 walked into the room and he said, "I hope none of his friends see that".

When the CA family was walking without shoes, I just noticed that their feet just seemed way to clean, like they just took off their shoes and socks. People that go barefoot or wear sandals, their feet a brown and tough looking. I beginning to think some families are told to do something really wierd.

 

[Muffin]

The Loupes (Cajun family) were approached by the producers who asked Diana to do the show. They provide animal services for movies that are made in the area and are known to the tv/film community.

The Taoist family was also asked to do the show after the producers saw their website www.playingbyear.com