i would like to see parenting classes as the new reality show thing. and in a hopeful and successful way, a la biggest loser, not in a disgusting spectacle way, a la charm school. #judging
@noaconstrictor: I'm not sure how Biggest Loser is a "hopeful and successful" way, considering how its focus is on total body loss, not health, how it promotes rapid, unhealthy weightloss that is likely to not create a balanced lifestyle, and how it tends to extremes.
Maybe if a parent workshop show was done more to the tune of Frontier House or 1940's House, it might work - an objective look at the issues, a helpful guide to solving problems, but without the kids.
That reminds me - even "reality tv" can be done with older children when done in terms of things like 1940's House, where children were featured sparingly and with a historical point in mind. For instance, learning about what kinds of toys they would have played with. #judging
This is why when I run my own country, no one will be allowed to procreate without first passing a comprehensive common sense exam. And taking a life skills course. And one in child development. The birth control will be in the water #judging
I have no problem with judging. I am a huge fan of being judgmental. It’s wanting to be jury and executioner that worries me.
See, very rarely do judges do anything, they just watch, say whether or not the people involved are following the rules, and, occasionally, give colorful commentary at the end. The power lies in the jury. I have no desire to be juricious, to affect the lives of those I am judging. So give me my powdered wig and black robe back, damnit! #judging
definitely agree that parent-judging is maddening and boring, but given how much attention some are seeking, i don't feel bad when the attention goes badly for them. the heenes might not be the best example, since there are many accounts of domestic violence in the family and a few 911 calls/police reports regarding violence in their home, both domestic and not, and at least one conviction for mr heene.
abuse/neglect is often determined through pattern, not a singular event, and child exploitation doesn't become not-abuse because it's done by the parent.
that said, parents losing it, shouting, the occasional swat, sending an older child to bed without dinner, (even professional careers in the arts), are not a problem for me. i just can't make the heenes the poster children for parental innocence in a judgmental culture. #judging
Saying that children should be removed from their parents is all well and good, but actually doing it is another story. CPS is so incredibly strained that they barely can handle all the cases of serious, serious abuse. Given the circumstances, I would rather not add watching reality TV to their duties.
I think we do need to do a better job protecting our child stars, but I think it has to go higher, deeper, not to mention sooner than than just calling for the removal of a child from a home. #judging
@PaintedTrollop: Agreed. The children don't appear to be in any physical danger. They actually seem pretty healthy and happy. Their parent's are just wacky, but in reality, harmless. There are far more important cases needing Child Service attention. The parents may be dumbasses and/or tools, but that isn't illegal. #judging
Does the poll answer where the children should once removed from the home? Into the over-burdened foster system? where there is no guarantee that they will receive better parenting?
The Heene's have kooky ideas and I think perhaps a parenting class might behoove them, but it crosses the line from protecting children that are victims of abuse and legislating parenting methods with what we deem is "correct". #judging
If we start penalizing people simply for acting like assholes, we're starting down a slippery slope leading to assholery being made completely illegal, and that's just un-American. This great country was founded by assholes and governed by asshole type behavior. We've assholed our way across the great plains in covered wagons, we assholed our way to military preeminance, and we assholed our way to the moon. We've assholed ourself into economic ruin, and damn it, we'll asshole ourselves out of it. Criminalizing assholery will lead to this country being run by a few small towns in Iowa, and the rest of us will be forced into incarceration. Viva la asshole.
The Heenes are crazy idiots, and I doubt that their parenting style is doing their kids any favors, but the parents being attention whores didn't actually put their kid in danger. He was safe, hiding, at the house.
Most child / youth / family services agencies in most states are overwhelmed, underfunded, and understaffed just to deal with the families who are beating their kids half to death. I suspect it'll be a long time before the law has the patience and resources to get into the issues of what reality TV does to unwitting young stars. #judging
@Etoiles: My husband had to investigate a case a few weeks ago where a weeks old baby showed up at the hospital with MULTIPLE broken bones (and evidence of healed "old" injuries, too).
I agree - let's deal with those parents first before we deal with the ones who are just stupid. #judging
Yeah, and a recent poll showed 57% of Americans favor a public option.
Unfortunately, polls don't govern reality. (Or fortunately in this case...I'm not sure the kids would benefit by being separated from the parents.) #judging
I think the solution for the Heene family is to put them on SuperNanny! They get more TV time while someone teaches them how to be parents. Everyone wins. #judging
@Wonder4A: I like this idea. They could perhaps even start a spin-off show where Jo visits reality TV parents exclusively- like the Toddlers and Tiara moms. Everyone gets what they want! #judging
I can't say for sure if they're bad parents, but they certainly made a bad decision. A lot of parents are stupid/ignorant, but taking their children away from them is probably not the best solution. Putting the children in a very broken-down foster care system will not help them in anyway.
Also, to clarify, I'm not saying all foster parents are bad... there are just a LOT of kids who slip through the cracks of the system. #judging
I don't think that the Heene children should be removed, but I think that some parenting classes that might make the parents more aware of how their actions affect the children would be a good idea. #judging
10/23/09
10/24/09
Maybe if a parent workshop show was done more to the tune of Frontier House or 1940's House, it might work - an objective look at the issues, a helpful guide to solving problems, but without the kids.
That reminds me - even "reality tv" can be done with older children when done in terms of things like 1940's House, where children were featured sparingly and with a historical point in mind. For instance, learning about what kinds of toys they would have played with. #judging
10/23/09
10/23/09
See, very rarely do judges do anything, they just watch, say whether or not the people involved are following the rules, and, occasionally, give colorful commentary at the end. The power lies in the jury. I have no desire to be juricious, to affect the lives of those I am judging. So give me my powdered wig and black robe back, damnit! #judging
10/23/09
abuse/neglect is often determined through pattern, not a singular event, and child exploitation doesn't become not-abuse because it's done by the parent.
that said, parents losing it, shouting, the occasional swat, sending an older child to bed without dinner, (even professional careers in the arts), are not a problem for me. i just can't make the heenes the poster children for parental innocence in a judgmental culture. #judging
10/23/09
I think we do need to do a better job protecting our child stars, but I think it has to go higher, deeper, not to mention sooner than than just calling for the removal of a child from a home. #judging
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
The Heene's have kooky ideas and I think perhaps a parenting class might behoove them, but it crosses the line from protecting children that are victims of abuse and legislating parenting methods with what we deem is "correct". #judging
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
Ray: "No it's Iowa. Don't be an asshole." #judging
10/23/09
Most child / youth / family services agencies in most states are overwhelmed, underfunded, and understaffed just to deal with the families who are beating their kids half to death. I suspect it'll be a long time before the law has the patience and resources to get into the issues of what reality TV does to unwitting young stars. #judging
10/23/09
I agree - let's deal with those parents first before we deal with the ones who are just stupid. #judging
10/23/09
Unfortunately, polls don't govern reality. (Or fortunately in this case...I'm not sure the kids would benefit by being separated from the parents.) #judging
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
Also, to clarify, I'm not saying all foster parents are bad... there are just a LOT of kids who slip through the cracks of the system. #judging
10/23/09
10/23/09