Jon and Kate plus 8

[princess07]

I think this is the point where the show started to go downhill for me. As much as I've enjoyed watching the sextuplets grow up, they're all so adorable, I really disliked the tone of that "Who am I to deny them?" response from Kate. Who indeed. They have a web site and they could have easily posted a message thanking people for their offers of gifts and asking them to donate instead to a charity because not all children are as fortunate as the Gosselins' to receive so much. I hope for the kids' sake that the gifts they accepted were not sent to the house but perhaps to the production company address so the packages could be checked for safety purposes before they went to the kids. Giving strangers your home address so your kids can receive presents from them is just creepy to me.

I'm also concerned about using the kids as income generators for the family. In recent episodes Jon has said he's working for a family friend so he can be with the kids more hours during the day. He apparently has lots of flexibiity since he was able to take time off to go on the Utah trip. How can someone with 8 children work an essentially part-time job and support his family when his wife is a SAHM, and apparently look for a bigger home than the one they just purchased.

The constant stress of having cameras and production staff filming daily life has to have an impact on the kids, and while some of Mady's behavior can be explained away as typical for her age, I'm not sure that's true for all of it. I also think little ones often copy what they see their older siblings do, so when Mady has a tantrum or shoves or slaps one of the little ones, her behavior becomes a model for the littles ones to copy, and we have seen them scream, cry, push and shove each other. Although in the last episode, Leah says after being pushed (I don't remember by whom), "we don't push!" So cute. I certainly don't have any professional credentials to determine cause and effect as far as what the filming may be contributing to this behavior, but I do wonder about it.

I would be satisfied with a yearly update special to see how the kids are doing and know that most of the time they are just living normal family life rather than being subjected to so much filming for a series.

Because of editing, we really don't know if John and Kate donated some of the gifts to charity. We only saw a portion of what they received.

I love this show. And my family and I look forward to watching it every Monday night. I have so much respect for John and Kate. Because I know it's not easy raising eight. Heck it's not easy raising one kid. And a lot of us would jump on the chance to have a network crew pay to have our day to day lives shown on TV. This is a sweet decent (no, violence, booty shaken, and cussing) TV show that a family can watch. I hate to see people tear it down. As far and Maddie and Cara and the hitting. I come from a family of eight (five girls, three boys) so I can really relate to the pushing, fighting, hitting with your siblings. It happens and we love each other even more. Of course all of this took place out of the eyes and ears shot of our parents.

[MizDaisy]

Because of editing, we really don't know if John and Kate donated some of the gifts to charity. We only saw a portion of what they received.

I suspect if they had accepted gifts on behalf of their children and then turned around and donated them to charity, they would have had the courtesy to let people know they did that rather than allow them to assume the kids received their gifts. Especially since the show includes Kate saying on camera, "Who are we to deny them," (regarding viewers' request to send gifts) which implies whatever presents were sent were given to the kids. If some gifts were given away, I would expect they would have also shown Kate saying they did that.

a lot of us would jump on the chance to have a network crew pay to have our day to day lives shown on TV.

And a lot of us wouldn't cash in on exploiting our children's lives for entertainment value to TV viewers. But different strokes for different folks.

I hate to see people tear it down.

The flip side of accepting money to display your personal life on TV is that the audience will be comprised of a variety of people, which means there will be a variety of opinions as well. Some will be positive, some won't. That's what comes with the price of "fame."

As far and Maddie and Cara and the hitting. I come from a family of eight (five girls, three boys) so I can really relate to the pushing, fighting, hitting with your siblings. It happens and we love each other even more.

I come from a family of 5 and sure, there were occassions when things got physical. But it was rare because our parents enforced the no fighting rule, which made you think twice before instigating anything. As for loving my siblings more when it did happen? Not so much.

[holly71]

Geez sometimes the most outwardly Christians practice Christianity the least! "Love offerings" give me a break!!!! Me Me Me it's all about me! Give me more more more! That's the Gosselin motto!

I agree & it makes me sick.

[PugMum]

Who is Kate to deny someone the opportunity to give of their time and heart in the way of gifts? And why she have to have it aired as to what is done with the gifts once received?
Maybe Jon and Kate are teaching their children to give to others as they have been given to.
Maybe J and K are teaching their children to give to others without the praise of the cameras following their every move.

[Bunny555]

Who is Kate to deny someone the opportunity to give of their time and heart in the way of gifts? And why she have to have it aired as to what is done with the gifts once received?
Maybe Jon and Kate are teaching their children to give to others as they have been given to.
Maybe J and K are teaching their children to give to others without the praise of the cameras following their every move.

Who is she? She is the mother of these children who are being sent gifts by total strangers. The children aren't wanting for anything. Look at all those "little gifts" on last night's Valentine's Day episode. All those "little gifts" x 8 is a lot of money. Kate was the one who announced that she welcomes gifts from viewers. If they were being redirected to a charity, she would have said so.

[PugMum]

Who is she? She is the mother of these children who are being sent gifts by total strangers. The children aren't wanting for anything. Look at all those "little gifts" on last night's Valentine's Day episode. All those "little gifts" x 8 is a lot of money. Kate was the one who announced that she welcomes gifts from viewers. If they were being redirected to a charity, she would have said so.

Not necessarily. Maybe she does not want to hurt the viewers feelings. And it IS okay to donate to charities WITHOUT announcing it on national TV.
Cuz you SO know that if she did that she would then be made out to be the bad guy for "announcing it".

[MsDiva2007]

I am trying to understand exactly why it is anyone's business what she gets and what she does with it?

[MizDaisy]

And it IS okay to donate to charities WITHOUT announcing it on national TV.

I disagree. Kate announced on national TV about the offer of Christmas gifts to the kids from total strangers who watch the show and e-mailed her about sending them. If she really did give some or all of those donated gifts to charity instead of to the kids, it would have been just as appropriate to say that on national TV as well. Otherwise they would be misrepresenting what happened to the gifts, leaving the impression the kids received all the donated gifts when they really didn't.

I am trying to understand exactly why it is anyone's business what she gets and what she does with it?

The Gosselins put their lives on display for everyone to see. In fact, Kate has said on the show that they wanted the show to be a way for people to "peek in their windows" to see how they live because so many had expressed interest in how they were doing with the kids. In the episode where they answer e-mailed questions from viewers, Kate said the show accurately represents who they are and what they do, that they don't try to change anything just for the cameras. So no one forced them to do a TV show about their daily lives, they willingly signed a contract with TLC and were compensated. If Kate wants to tell the audience what they do is none of their business, then don't put it on TV.

[luvsginger]

I disagree. Kate announced on national TV about the offer of Christmas gifts to the kids from total strangers who watch the show and e-mailed her about sending them. If she really did give some or all of those donated gifts to charity instead of to the kids, it would have been just as appropriate to say that on national TV as well. Otherwise they would be misrepresenting what happened to the gifts, leaving the impression the kids received all the donated gifts when they really didn't.



The Gosselins put their lives on display for everyone to see. In fact, Kate has said on the show that they wanted the show to be a way for people to "peek in their windows" to see how they live because so many had expressed interest in how they were doing with the kids. In the episode where they answer e-mailed questions from viewers, Kate said the show accurately represents who they are and what they do, that they don't try to change anything just for the cameras. So no one forced them to do a TV show about their daily lives, they willingly signed a contract with TLC and were compensated. If Kate wants to tell the audience what they do is none of their business, then don't put it on TV.

Well said Miz Daisy! I agree!!

[Duxxy]

I LOVE peeking in their windows. I'm thrilled to see their day to day lives,their coping mechanisims and the family interaction. It's exactly why I watch the show.

I don't see Kate or Jon complaining about the cameras or saying I wish they would go away, or I wish people would stop bothering us. She's just like the rest of us, she knows that she'd want to peek in the windows, it's the exact reason that she showed us her 'after baby' belly.
I don't begrudge them anything they have or anything they earn through the tv show or their speaking engagements.
These are not the 'fame whores' we are used to seeing on reality tv. I'm not trying to say that their motives are altruistic. They are using their family as a source of income. That's pretty resourceful.
They have managed to turn their family situation into an opportunity. The children are home, being raised by at least one parent, they live comfortably and on top of all of that they get their 15 minutes of fame. Isn't that the new American Dream?
Why are those of you who feel the children are being put on display like a zoo exhibit watching?
no viewers = no tv show = 'normal life' for the Gosselins.