Wife Swap last night...

[barkley]

you got me jazzed to go watch it (it's a season pass on our tivo). i would just like to see one episode of this or trading spouses where they find ONE california family that is not arrogant/weathy or nutjobs (there are a few of us around-we just have the sense not to apply for these shows ).

remember the family from santa cruz on trading spouses-"papa bear" whose older teen boys still shared the family bed, wore no shoes...we went to santa cruz over the summer and when my dd realized it was the same place from the show she was like "mom, we're not going to see those people who get mad if their kids wear shoes are we? ".

jumping off to go see what you all watched last nite-

 

[Jeafl]

What was wrong with the realtor mom's teeth? If they can afford that big house, she can afford to have dental work.

I was watching it on a big screen TV and it looked like she had braces on her bottom teeth.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Yeah - realtor mom seemed to have braces on her bottom teeth. no biggie.

but the other mom...whoa. I mean - there's over protective...and then there's her. I'm sorry...but she' suffocating her kids. You can't keep them SCARED of the world...they'll never know how to deal with things as an adult.

I really, REALLY hope that "date" was staged. if it wasnt'...that poor girl...

 

[ChristmasElf]

I think realtor Mom had regular braces on her bottom teeth and those braces that are solid and go across the top teeth and are white so they aren't as noticeable. That way, she doesn't have a mouth full of wire while trying to sell houses!

 

[darrose]

I saw last night as a family who did nothing together versus a family who did everything together. I think it was more sad about the dd in the bedroom alone, the son in his bedroom alone playing video games, and the dad watching tv in his bedroom night after night.
The one lady certainly was too concerned with germs, but her children seemed very happy, social, and lovable. Really, how many children was that and they all seemed so adorable, sweet, and kind. I was so glad to see the lady who worked all the time enjoy the others lady children so much that she was willing to get to know her children better.

 

[barkley]

i just finished watching it...all i can say is i wish they would show more of the outtakes on these shows. they had a few seconds worth after the credits ran and the realtor's little boy seemed to be in the habit of acting our physicaly when he was angry (i'm surprised his sister was not injured when he did the running leap on top of her).

i just dislike that so many of these episodes center on sahm vs. working mom. there are working moms who spend every available minute doing family things just as there are sahm's who may be physicaly with their kids but very little of it is quality time (this in particular seems to be apparant in the "super nanny/nanny 911" shows with the sahm's who have work from home situations-either the work or the family gets the short end of the stick).

but i love to watch these shows...wonder if we will ever get a tabloid headline with "man leaves wife for wife swap partner-say's "i never had it so good""

 

[swilphil]

They certainly seem to find extremes....I didn't see the entire episode. Why did the family choose to live in the camper 5 days a week? Did they go on special trips?

 

[barkley]

They certainly seem to find extremes....I didn't see the entire episode. Why did the family choose to live in the camper 5 days a week? Did they go on special trips?

they used the existing home for storage purposes. they liked the camper because it met mom's mandate of no more than 5 feet of distance between her and the kids at any time.

 

[LisaR]

My problem with that family is that NONE of the kids, not even the teenagers were allowed to have friends or go within 5 feet of the RV without their parents. They had absolutely no freedom.

I have only watched this show three times, last night being one of them. EVERY time I have found some very contradictory things happening.

IF these kids were as sheltered as we were led to believe then how in the world did they manage to find dates so quickly? I believe they mentioned that the girls knew these boys from a homeschool group they hung out with. They must get out at some point and with that many kids, it would be virtually impossible for the mom to be hovering over all of them when they were out. The girls also adapted to working with the public quickly and easily. Odd for teens that are so sheltered.

It only took the younger kids two tries to adjust to preschool?? I know kids that are very socialized that take weeks to adjust to that situation. Then they gave the kids their own beds and not a single one had any problem adjusting? Not even the baby? It just doesn't add up for me.


Don't get me wrong, I think that mom has some major issues and needs to get some help. However, I have witnessed first hand some kids that are truly sheltered and none of those kids acted like a sheltered child.

I think they find families that are more then willing to have the show's producers greatly exaggerate their problems.

Lisa