After a posted a comment to the Jon and Kate Reality TV show I got to thinking back about what life was like when I was a fairly young mom and my kids were all at home. Would I have done a reality TV show?
Since my kids are in their late forties and fifties I'm talking about a long, long time ago. There was no such thing as reality TV.
I don't remember how it happened, but somehow I became friends with the society page editor of the local newspaper. One time she came to the house to write an article and take pictures of all of us getting ready in the morning.
We lived in a three bedroom, two bath tract home. The bathroom with the shower was called the boys' bathroom, for hubby and the two boys; the other one with the tub was the girls' bathroom. And yes, we all got ready in the morning together.
Hubby had to be in uniform at the Seabee base and the boys ready for school. The action in the girls' bathroom was a bit more exciting, since girls always do more with make-up and hair--and they all went to school too. I have no idea what my pursuits were at the time of the story, but probably I was busy with PTA since I was president 4 years in a row at two different schools.
I also had a Camp Fire Girls group and I know I managed to get lots of publicity for the group too as we were always earning money for some camping trip or another. Our group was unique as we had girls from all different ethnic backgrounds as members. Our final trip when the girls were seniors was by our own Greyhound Bus to the Grand Canyon--and we earned every dime for that trip. None of the girls came from families who could afford to subsidize them.
For ten years I worked part time in a pre-school for developmentally disabled kids--and I have an old newspaper clipping of me doing physical therapy with my class.
So, looking back, there's a pretty good chance I might have agreed to a reality TV show if there'd been such a thing at the time. No doubt people would have been critical of me too because I was every bit as bossy as Kate--still am. Like Jon, hubby didn't pay a heck of a lot of attention to what I had to say.
And believe me we were far from perfect. The kids did things that scared us, made us worry, shook us to our core and I talked about everything to my best girlfriends. Hubby and I definitely had our faults too--lucky for us we managed to work through them since we're still together after the tumultuous times of raising our kids.
Anyway, that's what I've been thinking about and I suppose I should be thankful there was no reality TV back then, because if there had been and people watched us and made all the comments that are being made about Kate and Jon--we probably wouldn't have made it either.
Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com
Another thoughtful blog. I must disagree however. Knowing you, there is no way your family would have ended up like the Gosselins since your ethics and beliefs are always directed at what is best for the kids, for the family, for the others you meet. You always, always are thinking of others. You're a wonderful role model -- and it's okay if you're bossy :-)
ReplyDeleteYou know I have strong feelings about the circus that is the Gosselin reality show -- but part of it is that it treats the kids like animals in an exhibit. The sextuplets are viewed as a group, rather than individuals, some of whom may want to be followed by cameras 24/7, and maybe others who don't. There's a great article in the Philadelphia Daily News today which says, "We don't let them drive, or drink or quit school to support their families.
And we shouldn't let anyone invade their privacy and sell their childhoods, either."
Marian
I have parents and in-laws. So I already have plenty of people looking over my shoulder, second-guessing my every parenting decision! :) Why submit to reality TV, which would make them even more aware of my every misstep?
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