Watch out Jon and Kate Gosselin, "Mom and Dad + 14" are on your heels.
And to think, just after you picked up and moved to your new, multi-acre, multi level, multi bedroom home. The home that your 8 kids, or, in due respect, the sextuplets, made it possible for you to purchase. The children whose "first" everything have been exploited documented on "your" show, Jon and Kate + 8, which airs on TLC. The show has become such a hit, you quit your nursing job at the dialysis clinic, and your husband, Jon, left his software/hardware tech job, to stay home to "work". Work meaning "being filmed", on 3 out of 7 days of the week, as you have confirmed. Work that has included trips to Orlando to visit Disneyworld; to Utah, for a luxurious snow skiing trip and lodging at a beautiful, log, million dollar winter home, that was so generously "donated" to you and your family for use. And on the flight there, you broke down worse than your children because an impeding snow storm caused a flight diversion and delayed the flight. When you arrived at this magnificent home, you stayed in bed for a day and a half, while your husband took all of the children, on his own, to the bunny slopes for their ski lessons. You got "sick" in Orlando as well, didn't you?
Let's not forget the grandest "gift" of all. While on the trip to Utah, you just happened to mention, "Next time we are going to Hawaii"... surprise, Jon and Kate go to Hawaii and "renew their wedding vows". Hawaii wasn't enough though. There had to be a stop over in San Diego. I understand the entire jet lag delima, I flew several times with my children when they were younger. I understand you were going to a beautiful island with a six hour time zone change. I do not understand why it was necessary for a 5 day lay over in San Diego, just to get the children adjusted to the time difference. To explain to those who didn't catch the episode, the gang flew from Pennsylvania to San Diego, which is a 3 hour time difference. Kate's thinking was get the children used to the 3 hour difference then continue flight to Hawaii, which is another 3 hour difference from San Diego, for a total of 6 hours time difference from Pennsylvania. In other words, they left Pennsylvania at 4am for about a 5-6 hour flight to San Diego. It was actually about the same time when they arrived as when they left home, give or take an hour. If they had flown straight through to Hawaii from Pennsylvania, they would have arrived in Hawaii before they left Pennsylvania...confused? HEH... Ever think of this Kate...sleep on the plane...
The stop in San Diego was filled with fun and sun and LegoLand for the kids. (My children are dying to go to LegoLand and I have family in the area, but haven't made it..remember my "little cancer issue"?) The Gosselins had another beautiful beach home that was made available for their use, in exchange for "mention" (advertisement) on their show. The home was spectacular with its own beach, a grassy area for play, and secluded. We know how Kate wants her privacy. Not like the other massive North Carolina beach home the brood enjoyed a 2 week stay over 4th of July. They had to walk to the beach area. Although that home came furnished with an Olympic-sized pool, in which the kids were given swimming lessons from area swim trainers.
The Hawaiian wedding was beautiful, I must admit. I am not a hater. I am happy for both Jon and Kate. I do enjoy watching the show and seeing the kids and how they have progressed. I just have a problem with Kate, her attitude and how she has manipulated people in her life (from what I have read). By all appearances, the shows popularity has changed this couple, for the better, by all means, if you are speaking financially. If you are speaking in terms of morality and family dynamics, in my opinion, I would have to say that the show has done more harm than good. I do not see how these children can be living a "normal" life, as Kate continuously says she wants for them. "Normal" children are not on TV every day. We have seen from past child stars what can become of them as they mature.
It was sad to me to see that their had to be "episodes" made for Jon and Kate to partake in a one on one with each child. Kate exclaimed at the end of this "A day with.." series, "We have decided that we are going to do this every year. Set aside a day for each child to pick what they want to do and spend the day with just that child." Why would you only do that "once a year"? I can hear Kate now, 'Do you know how hard it would be to do that every month with 8 kids?' I'm sorry Kate, I do not have 8 kids. I do have 2, however, and I do not consider any day that I spend time with them "hard".
As I stated before, I only wish the best for you and your family. I am happy that you have found a niche in which you can be at home for your children. With only two children, I have found that being a stay at home mom, the most fulfilling job I have held. Like, you, I was a nurse prior to the birth of my first daughter. I returned to work when my second daughter was two, then three years later, after the death of my husband, I decided I needed to be at home with my children and that is what I did. I am not on any type of "assistance". We live a comfortable life, however we are not afforded the same luxuries as you and the trips that you are able to give your children because of a TV show.
In the beginning, your show was centered on the difficulties of having sextuplets, in addition to 4 year old twins. The show has swayed very far away from that direction. If anything, each week, we see how easy it has become for your family, in the fact that now both parents are at home, all the trips and travel, (which Kate calls "work"), and now, the move to the new home.
I do admit, I am intrigued by this new mother that just delivered octuplets, in addition to the 6 previous children, of which multiple births occurred. It is not my position to say whether it is right or wrong that this woman has this many children. I, personally, would not choose to, but to each their own. We do not know if fertility drugs were used in her pregnancy, and honestly, it is none of our business what this woman does with her body. I do agree that there is a matter of moral judgement in this story. The could haves and what ifs are numerous. All that matters at this point is that the children are healthy and continue to thrive. At posting, they were all breathing on their own.
It is reported that the mother and father of these children live modestly in a three bedroom home in California. If anyone needs help, it would be this family.
I can't help but think of all the items Kate sold at her "yard sale" that this family would have benefited from. I am aware that Kate's yard sale profits went to help fund cancer trials, and that was a wonderful gesture on the Gosselin family's behalf. It could be that the Gosselins were not aware of the family at the time of the yard sale. I find it odd, however, the yard sale happened to coincide with the move of their family.
I await the homecoming of these beautiful octuplets and pray for their health, as well as for strength for their mother and father. Hopefully, we will get a glimpse into this families life. A "real, modest, working family" who happens to now have 14children. I wonder though, if we will. That is where television is partial to what we see. The Gosselin's were and still are, by appearances, "the perfect TV family". They look beautiful on TV and the voyeurism into their lives at the time the series began was strong enough for the show to become an overnight hit. The Duggar 18 have followed suit, as well as others. The Duggar's, however, I am not going to touch in this posting.