As a mother of multiples, I often get asked the question, "Do you watch Jon and Kate plus 8?" My answer, yes and no.
When I was pregnant with my triplets, I discovered this show. It was what I really needed at the time. I was struggling with how in the world I was going to care for 3 infants and 1 highly active toddler. I just didn't know how I was going to do. Then I stumbled on this show. I was given hope, if they could manage with double as many kids, then I could surely do it.
But as time went on and my kids got older, the show lost its appeal to me. First it was because I was in a house full of kids all day and I watch TV to escape reality not to hear screaming kids again. Second, I began blogging more and met many, many other mom's with the same number of kids I had or more. I was able to talk with them. Thirdly, I think that the show changed. To me, it seemed like Jon and Kate sold out. They began to be way to commercial.
OK, let me stop here. I am in no way trying to judge this family. They made decision and choices that were right for them. If you are a fan of the show, then I hope that you do not take offense. But people change and that is what happened with me and the show.
Lastly, they seem to live a fantasy life. Now this may just be what TV makes them out to be but it seems like every other day, they are jetting of on one fantasy vacation or another. It is not REAL. If I am going to watch a show about a large family, then I want it to be real. Show me REAL life. It is reality TV after all.
Well, I have discovered a new family that I love! I am still not going to watch them on a regular basis but it was fun getting to know them. I am talking about the Hayes family. They have twins, twins and sextuplets. Thats right, 10 kids!
What I love best about this show was besides the fact that they had 10 kids, they were more like my family. They seem REAL. They let their kids eat candy, eat at McDonalds, they yelled, worked as a team, their kids did not wear new matchy match clothes, and there were no fancy pants vacations.
The biggest reason that I loved this show was because of the mom. The mother of this family is amazing! She is a REAL mom. First, she looks like a mom who had 3 sets of multiples aka 10 kids (no plastic surgery here). She is not obsessed with cleaning and germs. She did her own laundry. She did not obsessively clean her kitchen She lets her kids play and get dirty. She was stressed but didn't focus on it. She took things in stride. She was just so down to earth and put together. She respected her husband and valued what he had to say. She was not a dictator over everything, she knew that she and her husband needed to work together.
I just liked her. She didn't make my skin crawl or make me want to slap her. Maybe it was because she was not a drama queen and did not need to be the center of attention.
I don't know if this show was a special or an on going series because I only saw it once. There is not much information out there about it. But I really liked it. Honestly, I don't think there is enough drama for them to overtake 'Jon and Kate' but good for them for trying.
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33 comments:
so cute...i want to see this show! i sometimes like JK8, but i get the same, "i look terrible after only 4 kids" feel...and i know i only birthed 2, but i still have 4 kids...anyway, whole other story!
my kids never look all put together...and clean and perfect all the time...surely kate has help doing that. i do love that they are living their faith out loud...i hate that they get to take free vacations that we can't ever afford on just a fam of 6. i just saw them skiing...we can't even afford the plane tix for us! et alone slope and housing!
I'm a single mom of only one daughter and I'm frazzled with just that. I'm a licensed foster mom too, so I've had a houseful from time to time ... I admire any mom that has more than one .. permanently .. and manages to keep it together even on an intermittent basis :) Those moms just .. amaze me.
I love the Hayes family! I agree with you. The are "real".
The organization these families have. I just want to know where they hide their stuff. I have school papers, work papers, mail, toys, clothes and now hats, gloves, winter coats and boots ALL OVER! I never see this on these shows. How do they do it! I need the extra house just for STUFF. I also look at these shows and try to remember my childhood, I am one of ten kids, no multiples. My mom did it over 18 years! Let me tell you we had stuff all over our house! Love watching these shows to try and pick up tips. Great post!
I will have to watch out for this show, I think anyone who gives birth and then takes good care of any number of multiples is a freakin ROCK STAR!!!
I do watch John and Kate plus 8 and that woman makes me CRINGE sometimes. I too try not to judge the way that they live but you are right, it isn't reality. They have gotten to the place that they get all of those vacations and stuff to make the show more interesting and give them something to do. We don't have kids yet, but I pray that I NEVER speak to my husband the way she speaks to John. Some episodes I want to yell at the TV! Now I'm probably offending people so I will stop. haha
ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, that show looks great. i want a big family like you folks have!!!! *so jealous* i always laugh when people tell me i have my hands full with two. don't get me wrong - any amount of kids is a lot of work, but come on! LOL
When it seems like the whole world is starting to have 1.25736 kids you find out that there are people who are having 12.5736 kids. I always liked big familys, we plan some where between 4-6 kids (not sure yet)
I don't know enough about these shows or the behind the scenes but I would think that with Jon & Kate, their earlier times were more real. But then they get famous (and they do get paid right?) and the show itself is the very reason they're not "real" anymore. Yet it's a reality show. No?
I have watched J&K plus 8 a fe times--but not enough to notice the changes that have taken place. It does seem like in the episodes I see they are always either on a trip or out taking one kid on some kind of one on one adventure. I would like it better if they were just at home doing their normal family stuff!
The thing that does stand out to me is the way Kate talks to Jon--I don't like it!!
I will check out that other show--I've never heard of it.
I THINK the hayes are part of the new Monday Night lineup on TLC... and i agree completely with you on all points. Now... from a parental standpoint, if someone was constantly giving me opportunities to take my kids places, I can't honestly say I would say no. I wouldn't let them miss school for it though... Getting to take them to hawaii & skiing and Disney all expenses paid? yeah... i can't say i would say no...
I DO think at this point J&K+8 is sort of running out of steam... the problem with reality shows is that in the end life just goes along... and you either have to set up the spectacular stuff or ... watch people fingerpaint... again.
I have to say I love Kate, only because she is a lot like me. I do love the show, getting inspired that with her 8, and me with only two, I can do it.
But me and my friends talk, and all the trips are getting to be a bit much. I know if I was in there shoes, hell yeah, we would be going on all those trips. But we normal familys, with 1,2 or 10, we don't really want to watch you drag all of your children to amazing places we won't be gong to.
The new show looks cute!
thanks for stopping by yesterday! I appreciate all the kind comments.
I've only watched J&K+8 a couple of times and I was just too annoyed with Kate to keep watching it. I know that with 8 kids you need to be super organized, but give it a break, lady. Relax! I'll have to check out this new one. At this point, I can't imagine living with two kids, let along 10!
I haven't seen this show, but don't you just love TLC's commercials to promote all of their reality family shows? I do.
I won't watch the Duggar family. I don't know what it is about them, but they seem too much like stepford kids in prairie dresses.
Well, I think that when J&K started, they were less commercial but have naturally become that way now. I watched one episode where she needed some blinds hung. So guess who hung them? THE PRODUCTION CREW! And she didn't like them so SHE MADE THEM REDO THEM. Now, in my house, either hubs or I do the hanging, or (more likely) it usually doesn't get done for like 6 months more.
But, I would like to know how in the hell they can afford to live with 8 kids, when he is the only one working? And sending their twin girls to private school? And buy all organic? And own a house? Maybe THEY need a bailout.
Oh, and I don't like how Kate treats Jon. She acts like a ....
TURD.
I don't know how any of you do it. I struggle with my two. I bow down to the master.
I totally agree with you! I used to love J&K but jet setting off on a Hawaiian vacation to renew their vow, I mean what family of 10 can really afford to do that?! I love that you have multiples. I can only imagine how hard that must be, but I've always wanted twins. I'll be stopping by again!
i feel the same way about jk8. the first season/few episodes were okay, but it is getting worse - more commercialized and such. all in all, though, it's hard to find a real to life reality show. i think that, over time, any family would change with all that publicity and tv time.
I just saw this show when we were @ my parent's over Thanksgiving....I think it was then....maybe not but I just found it recently too @ my mom's - we don't have cable :-( so I have to take in as much as I can there :-) Anywho - this is the one where the dad is a police officer and one of the sextuplets has CP right? I LOVED it too! I wanted someone to give THEM a big huge vacation, not even because they have so many kids - but just the pure fact that from the show they just seem like good and real people - it was refreshing!
I didn't get a chance to watch this whole show, but I think it's a new series. I'm glad to hear that the family is normal.
I totally agree with you about J&K becoming unreal. I want to watch I mom I can relate to--not feel envious of her free crap and tummy tucked bod.
I have my fingers crossed that the Jon and Kate crazies don't find your post and descend on you. They are some freaky people, honey.
The first thing that ran through my mind as I read the title of your post - some happy news of impending baby on the way.
But doggin' on Jon and Kate is even better. That chick! I'll just leave it at that.
I don't need the extra wrath.
I watched Jon and Kate some...but Kate bothered me.
I'll have to try the show you menttioned.
Interesting post. I like your take on it and the "reality" of the shows. Have you ever seen the shows with the Duggars -- the ones that have about 17 kids? Now that is a freaky show!
I've only watched 1 or 2 episodes of JK8 (even tho I totally stole my blog name from them--I know, the originality POURS out of me!!), but the new show looks interesting. I'll have to put it on the DVR list.
Yes, I also saw and loved this family. I have FOUR, YES FOUR newborns at one time and NEVER had the help Kate had-AND my husband was gone 2 weeks at a time :) SO, I do watch Jon and Kate but know that that is NOT REAL LIFE WITH multiple babies-someone doing your laundry, putting it away, free vacations LOL!
I've never heard of this family, but how awesome!
I feel the same way about Jon & Kate. I used to love watching them, but it got to where they just aren't real anymore. they get way too many freebies that no one else with that many kids is privy to (trust me)
I just love that this other mom seems so much more like me :)
I've never heard about either show. I probably would like both. I love reality TV. :-) My husband hates it.
We have only limited basic cable, though, so I miss a lot of the good stuff (and a lot of the bad, which is why we don't have it. Ha!)
I have watched JandK Plus 8 since close to the beginning and I'm happy for them that they have money and trips now. I don't understand a lot of the comments here, I admit. It's awesome for them that they are making so much money off the show that Kate can now stay at home and they can have such a nice life. Their first two years with those babies was HELLISH. I have such respect for both of them that they even survived, with the guilt over not paying enough attention to the twin girls (that anyone would feel) and the complete sleep deprivation and the health problems and Jon's dad dying and etc. Kate is much more of a control freak than I am or would like to be but I respect her dedication toward her family in the way that she can express it. She's nothing like me- I'm much more emotionally expressive- but she has done a good job of raising happy kids.
Perhaps watching people struggle with financial problems and a large family is better television, but I'm happy for them as a family that they can finally take a deep breath and not worry about money. That would be great.
I like the other show you mentioned, too. I agree the mom is very good at her job!
I also like the Duggars. They are unreal. Their natural good tempers and obviously mentally healthy parents (they are so calm) is inspiring to watch.
I like that new show too. I am getting kinds sick of watching the other family go on vacation on EVERY episode.
Amen to that post! I loved J&K when they first appeared. Now I'm getting a bit tired of organic everything, vacations, and K's freat-outs! By the time I'm finished watching an episode I'm tense just listening to her! I'm waiting for J&K the teen years. You know, when the kids start yelling back! This new show looks great and very real!
I never watched Jon & Kate - well I did once but she was so mean and rude to her husband I didn't want to ever watch it again. The new show looks intriguing!
They are awesome and I just recently found them too... I think the are more like the rest of us and while both families seem to have good values.. I can totally relate to having to go to the store everyday, feeling burned out.. and hey did ya see the mom of the 10 kids.. she looks "real" to me!
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