THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

Mr Cat Dog

Mr Cat Dog

Frasier says it best
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    In the last few years, there's been a sharp rise in the number of television shows - mainly 'reality'-based - featuring children. You've got your Super Sweet 16s and your 16 and Pregnants and your Teen Moms, but also your Toddlers and Tiaras and Dance Moms, where the protagonists are often a lot younger than what's traditionally come before.

    So, any thoughts? Do you watch any of these shows? Find them enthralling or exploitative? [Insert other question about these shows here] yadda yadda yadda...

    Aaaaaand I can't let this thread go without embedding this lil' gem:

     
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    Super sweet 16s I don't care for, but it isn't as bad as the other shows listed. My main beef with Teen mom's/sixteen and pregnant, is that for some reason people become encouraged to get pregnant, just to be on that show. I don't have a problem with teen pregnancy, I just think that idea of creating drama in your life to become famous is kinda deplorable. Other than that, those shows are fine. As for toddlers and tiaras...that show frightens me, from the little I've seen of it. I think it's terrible to make young girls live up to expectations (being skinny enough, pretty enough, "hot" enough) or just making anyone live up to expectations like that. That type of thinking in people causes disorders, for them to try and live up to people's expectations (I'm not saying everyone on that show will get disorders or feel not good enough, I'm just saying that is what I think it promotes). And more often than not, it seems like it's always the moms trying to live through their children, rather than the kids wanting to do it themselves. Phew!
     
    I don't care for any of them. But at least with the teen ones they're choosing to be on the show. The Toddlers and Tiaras one and Dance Moms are like child abuse though. They're disgusting.
     
    One thing I find funny about tv today is that parents are really sensitive and overreact to what's on tv, yet then you have the side that allow their children to be on these pregnancy and beauty pageant shows. It's so opposite. I personally don't care for any of the shows you've listed. I don't want to watch spoiled brats. I don't want to watch pregnant teens ruin their lives, their parents' lives, and their child/childrens' lives. And I don't want to watch insane mothers not let their toddler daughters live their true toddler days. It's trash, it's disgusting, and I don't understand how anyone is entertained by this in a positive way. The only entertainment factor you can get out of it is to make fun of them, I suppose.
     
    My roommate forced me to sit through an episode of Dance Moms and I absolutely hated it. It was horrible. :( I felt so bad for the kids. I've never seen T&T but I assume it's even worse than Dance Moms since at least in DM, the kids are between 6 and 13 and they're actually very talented. One friend uses this to brush off the fact that it's child abuse (or from the editing, certainly seems like it) since at least it means they'll be amazing at it when they're older because of the discipline they get in their youth. It's slightly better than having toddlers get all made up but honestly, not by much. I felt so uncomfortable watching it and I seriously have no clue why it continues to be popular.

    I have no real opinion on the teen moms one except that I don't like that it seems to glorify . I think I caught the end of 16 & Pregnant once while waiting for a cake show to come on (cake shows are the only reality tv i watch omg) and I honestly didn't feel one way or another about it. I thought it was dumb and couldn't fathom why people liked it but at least if they've gotta be pregnant, they're probably getting paid for it. Or I assume the show covers their hospital bills or something. o_O That's a plus, I guess?
     
    The funny thing about 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom is that most are in this podunk or run down type of place, BUT YOU KNOW they gettin paid for being on the show. YOU KNOW MAN. YOU KNOW. And they have to act like they all poor and stuff. YOU KNOW.
     
    ^^That's another thing I hate about reality shows just in general, the acting. Where is the reality in that? And that's why these shows end up becoming so trashy, since they need to up the fights and the "Oh no you didn't"s and the trash-talking or whatever to garner attention, and the kids on these shows just get caught up in it *cough* *cough* John and Kate plus 8 *cough.* I feel like that's what really sets these shows apart from TV documentaries, a.k.a. something worth watching.
     
    Well, maybe they don't really get paid for it until after everything's done so that they won't be living it up instead of looking like they live in the boonies.

    Or maybe their contract really does just pay for like... hospital bills and then maybe a few things for the baby after the pregnancy. (I don't know. Do they even keep the babies or do they put them up for adoption? Actually, scratch that. I don't want to know.)
     
    I think most of them keep them, lol. One time I watched just to see what it was all about, and one girl considered adoption, but ultimately decided to keep it. One girl on Teen Mom doesn't even have custody I don't think. Her mom has her child, and they yell at each other all the damn time. I feel bad for that child. I watched as a curiosity and thought I might get a laugh, but with that case, it was just depressing really.
     
    Lightning said:
    Well, maybe they don't really get paid for it until after everything's done so that they won't be living it up instead of looking like they live in the boonies.

    Or maybe their contract really does just pay for like... hospital bills and then maybe a few things for the baby after the pregnancy. (I don't know. Do they even keep the babies or do they put them up for adoption? Actually, scratch that. I don't want to know.)
    Click to expand...
    If they keep them, that's the opportunity for a second season.
     
    Jon, is that your favorite Simpsons moment to reference? I've lost count of how many times I've seen Helen Lovejoy, the voice of reason, in your posts, lol.

    I don't pay attention to the majority of these shows, because they disgust me. Above all others, Toddlers and Tiaras and Dance Moms disgust me the most. If I lived in America, or even Canada (I'd make the trip down to America to complete my mission), I'd make sure these parents can never procreate again.
    Thats all I have to say on the subject.
     
    I hate them all. They make me want to throw up and punch something at the same time. Toddlers and Tiaras especially. I just feel so sorry for these little kids, because issues, man. So many issues.

    One time my mom was all "Come watch this" and it was Toddlers and Tiaras and I wandered in and the little girl was crying and the mother was saying "Don't you look at the camera while you're crying" and I'm like "what. why." I just asdfjkl I can't stand that show.
     
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