You know, there are probably two big issues here that Jon and Kate worry about for their eight: security, and money.
It has to take a fortune to clothe, feed and pay for eight children. They've done well because of their reality show. I imagine that they have had times when they have wished they could stop the cameras but honestly don't know how they'd make enough money to make sure the kids get all the care they need, college savings and so on.
Of course, there are many many families with multiples all over the country who are doing it without being on television, so clearly it can be done. And they don't need a huge compound to be comfortable. Clearly, one thing has led to the next -- the show allowed a level of comfort, but brought a level of publicity and security needs that we can only imagine.
I think Jon and Kate and their 8 are a curiosity and a slight societal addiction. But in reality, the kids are just plain going to get less interesting really soon. Think about it: everyone can walk, talk, feed themselves, dress themselves, potty by themselves and assert themselves. They are all going to be in school most of the day now, and soon they'll all be doing homework every day after school. There will be things like soccer games and parent-teacher nights, but the kids won't all be in the same classrooms and there will be more hours in the day when they aren't on camera (I can't imagine their schools going along with the reality-tv thing). Honestly, I can't imagine passing the days with just the grownups.
What makes twins, triplets, quads and the rest -- especially now the octuplets -- interesting to us is the sheer quantity: how many diapers do they change? How many bottles do they feed? How do they get all those kids into the car? But once the kids get to a certain level of self-sufficiency, their activities are just not as TV-worthy. And there will be at least some kids in the family who, at some point, decide they're over it, and they don't want to be on camera anymore.
Though I have to say that Jon & Kate + Eight Teenagers would be interesting watching. Just to see if they survive!
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You know, there are probably two big issues here that Jon and Kate worry about for their eight: security, and money.
It has to take a fortune to clothe, feed and pay for eight children. They've done well because of their reality show. I imagine that they have had times when they have wished they could stop the cameras but honestly don't know how they'd make enough money to make sure the kids get all the care they need, college savings and so on.
Of course, there are many many families with multiples all over the country who are doing it without being on television, so clearly it can be done. And they don't need a huge compound to be comfortable. Clearly, one thing has led to the next -- the show allowed a level of comfort, but brought a level of publicity and security needs that we can only imagine.
I think Jon and Kate and their 8 are a curiosity and a slight societal addiction. But in reality, the kids are just plain going to get less interesting really soon. Think about it: everyone can walk, talk, feed themselves, dress themselves, potty by themselves and assert themselves. They are all going to be in school most of the day now, and soon they'll all be doing homework every day after school. There will be things like soccer games and parent-teacher nights, but the kids won't all be in the same classrooms and there will be more hours in the day when they aren't on camera (I can't imagine their schools going along with the reality-tv thing). Honestly, I can't imagine passing the days with just the grownups.
What makes twins, triplets, quads and the rest -- especially now the octuplets -- interesting to us is the sheer quantity: how many diapers do they change? How many bottles do they feed? How do they get all those kids into the car? But once the kids get to a certain level of self-sufficiency, their activities are just not as TV-worthy. And there will be at least some kids in the family who, at some point, decide they're over it, and they don't want to be on camera anymore.
Though I have to say that Jon & Kate + Eight Teenagers would be interesting watching. Just to see if they survive!
May 25, 2009 - 7:06amThis Comment
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