Baby Borrowers - We Only Wish They Were Kidding!
Last season we blogged Kid Nation and we thought then that reality TV had sunk about as low as it possibly could. We were wrong. Enter Baby Borrowers. This is one of those situations where if an extra-terrestrial landed on Earth and had the great misfortune of tuning in to NBC on Wednesdays at 9 PM, they would think, and rightly so, that they had discovered a cruel, masochistic life form. This is so bad that we won't be blogging about it - we can't bear to watch it - you have to draw the line somewhere!
The premise, for those of you clever enough to avoid such drivel, is that five teenage couples who have never before lived together, not only get a house in which to co-habit, but they get an infant to care for (and we use the term loosely). At least for a few days. We know what you're thinking - WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND GIVES OVER THEIR INFANT TO TEENAGE STRANGERS?!?!?!?!?!? Yes, well, this show requires that you suspend all intelligent impulses and questions, which is why we won't be blogging about it. We raised children. It's hard enough when YOU ARE the parents and YOU ARE adults and YOU DO live together.
Here's the good news: we can still be shocked and disgusted. We have not been so conditioned to reality television that we can accept anything thrown at us by the networks. Fortunately, we are not alone. Here's a paragraph from The New York Times:
One ad actually promotes this show as "birth control."
When did we as parents abdicate our responsibilities and leave it to reality television to teach our children right from wrong? Why would anyone let their teenagers learn life lessons from an entirely manipulated, revenue-driven load of crap like Baby Borrowers? Are parents that disinterested in their children? And if they are, perhaps they should have exercised birth control themselves.
(c) Photo Courtesy NBC Universal.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: Baby Borrowers, reality tv, parenting
The premise, for those of you clever enough to avoid such drivel, is that five teenage couples who have never before lived together, not only get a house in which to co-habit, but they get an infant to care for (and we use the term loosely). At least for a few days. We know what you're thinking - WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND GIVES OVER THEIR INFANT TO TEENAGE STRANGERS?!?!?!?!?!? Yes, well, this show requires that you suspend all intelligent impulses and questions, which is why we won't be blogging about it. We raised children. It's hard enough when YOU ARE the parents and YOU ARE adults and YOU DO live together.Here's the good news: we can still be shocked and disgusted. We have not been so conditioned to reality television that we can accept anything thrown at us by the networks. Fortunately, we are not alone. Here's a paragraph from The New York Times:
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry said that NBC should end The Baby Borrowers, a reality television show that separates babies and toddlers from their parents and places them temporarily with teenage strangers. "A child's sense of security should not be gambled with," said Robert Hendren, the president of the academy. NBC has said that the Baby Borrowers is a social experiment that can educate teenagers on the responsibilities of parenting. The parents are able to monitor their children through video cameras.
One ad actually promotes this show as "birth control."
When did we as parents abdicate our responsibilities and leave it to reality television to teach our children right from wrong? Why would anyone let their teenagers learn life lessons from an entirely manipulated, revenue-driven load of crap like Baby Borrowers? Are parents that disinterested in their children? And if they are, perhaps they should have exercised birth control themselves.
(c) Photo Courtesy NBC Universal.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: Baby Borrowers, reality tv, parenting
5 Comments:
I was horrified when I heard about this show and refused to watch. My husband, amused by my anger over it, decided he would watch it just to tick me off.
He came away thinking it wasn't as bad as I thought, which just made me that much madder. Men. grrr.
Then I asked him if he would let his daughter do that show. Suddenly his perspective changed, drastically.
Seriously, not only would I not let my teen daughter participate in such nonsense, I would certainly not let my infant be cared for by a bunch of teens looking for fame on a reality show.
NBC knows no lows. They only understand ratings. Don't watch it.
If you go onto the website for the show it states there are nannies in the house with the couples at all times. The teenagers are never actually alone with the children. I think it is just a way to get ratings, the way the make you think they are all on their own. The parents of the children are also watching from a TV at all times. They can intervene and take their children from the show at anytime. The parents are also staying in a house on the same street as the teens with their children, they could be to their children in minutes. I did not say it was the brightest idea but in the parents defense their children are in more danger in the car then with these teens. If you would not let your teen do it than thats up to you. Obviously some people would...... like a pp said don't watch if it bothers you. I think it will make some of these teens that wanted children immediately wait. It might also help teens watching it realize how much work and dedication it takes to have a child. I myself would not participate in this show, but it is tempting thinking they are paying them enough to pay for their children's college education......
I personally find the show amusing and I think its a good idea. If 1 teeanger learns to hit the condom isle from that show than it has done something. The kids are never alone with the teenagers, ie last night the nanny intervened. The teenagers are 18-20 yr olds so its not like they are 15 or 16. These are kids that will hopefully be heading off to college to get an education after the show is over. And for the parents that "donate" their kids, you go! These kids are getting adjusted to being in different situations from the start. That way they aren't 20 yrs old and crying cause they are apart from their mother for 2 week.s
I personally love the show. They do have 24 hour nannies following the children everywhere. (At one point a nanny actually had to step in.) The parents are also watching 24/7, and are allowed to step in whenever they feel it is necessary. The parents VOLUNTEERED to participate themselves and their children on the show.
I've watched the show since day one. One girl on there came onto the show talking about how she is just absolutely ready to have kids with her boyfriend, and she can't wait. Well, then reality sunk in and now she doesn't even want to think about such a thing!
With all the teen pregnancies these days (some even as young as 9 years old!) I think that this is just one of the ways to smack these kids on the head and say, look, this aint all its cracked up to be!
I think that this show is a sickening example of how people will do anything for money. It is deplorable that someone would risk the well-being of their own child for a stupid reality show. NBC should be ashamed, and the parents involved should be prosecuted for emotional neglect. Those children did not get a vote...and they are the ones paying the price. Shame on you, NBC.
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