John and Kate plus 8... what happened??

[Stacey42]

I willing to bet when they were approached with the idea of a TV show they didn't think about becoming famous or getting a big house or going to Disney. With 8 infants or toddlers undderfoot you are probably only thinking "oh thank you god for paying for the diapers and maybe we can afford to pay someone to come in and help." You don't think about the downside much when you are that sleep deprived and that harried. Someone throws you what looks like a lifeline you grab it and consider the cost later. Of course, they have had plenty of time since then to see what the cost is and walk away and I really gave up on the show thhis year because they are so out of touch now with living 'real lives' it's not interesting to me any more.

I'm also willing to bet John wanted out last season and Kate bullied him into staying. I think she's reveling in being "john & kate plus 8" and he isn't, but she won't let him out of it.

 

[newfiemountiewife]

wow this post got huge lol

Kate has changed a lot. I missed seeing her hair messed up and not so much into her looks all the time. There was one episode, a long time ago, back when the kids were still in diapers that John took her shopping and it was such a treat for her because she got to finally get new clothes..
now she is always in new clothes and the store new her by name! seriously?! Her hair is always perfect, her makeup never smudged or anything else.
don't get me wrong, id want to look nice too.. but yeah...
also when they first starting filming Kate was working weekends because they needed the money.. and i liked watching them, not struggle, but be normal because i don't have tons of money or anything and it was nice to see someone on TV that had to deal with that too..

I do think they knew to an extent of what they were getting into, but i don't know if they knew, or if you could even predict how you would, feel about camera's always there and being exposed and everything.. so i do understand John's feelings about it all...

i cant remember who asked, but yes his Mom re-married. His dad died a while ago, maddy and cara were only 1.

I agree with this, I used to LOVE the show, but they don't look like "normal" people any more, they just look rich with 8 kids. They don't struggle or worry about things like normal people, and they aren't as interesting to me any more. I haven't watched much this season, and hadn't figured out why, but I think this is probably it.

It was more appealing to me when they were just normal people, living lives like the rest of us do.

 

[Jennifer]

It was more appealing to me when they were just normal people, living lives like the rest of us do.

That is exactly how I feel.

 

[laura mcgee]

i kinda hope they don't do a 5th season and they take time to figure out what life is really all about and that family is the most important.. and get back to the important real things in life.
i do wish them the best in life.

 

[alansrock]

I willing to bet when they were approached with the idea of a TV show they didn't think about becoming famous or getting a big house or going to Disney.

See, now I disagree. Why else would they put themselves out there unless they knew they'd get a payoff for it. I mean several higher sets of multiples have been featured on TV before Jon & kate plus 8 and they all declared how gracious people were/are after seeing them on TV with free things, donations, etc. So I think they were happy to get the TV offer as it was obvious from the first several episodes that aired that they were having a hard time making ends meet, etc. And pretty early on it was obvious they would get lots of offers for free stuff. Kate got the tummy tuck and later Jon got the hairplugs. Not to mention the toys, clothes and trips they have received for free.

 

[DogwoodMama]

See, I have a problem with Maddy. Well, thats not true. I don't have a problem with Maddy. She's a kid. I have a problem with how Jon and Kate parent her. Everytime that child does something ugly like hit one of her siblings, throw a screaming fit in public (she's almost NINE for the love of pete) or talk back to her parents, they just shrug their shoulders, looking knowingly into the camera, sigh and say "thats just Maddy".

Thats bull!! Yes, children have different personalities. Some are "easy" and some are NOT. I'm not arguing with that. But allowing your child to have atrocious behavior simply because its "just who they are" is NOT doing that child any favors.

Now, perhaps they discipline Maddy off-camera. I'm sure we don't see the whole picture of how they parent her. But her behavior ON camera is downright ugly and I can tell you right now that my child would NOT be allowed to get away with that behavior. On OR off camera. Period.

I see what you are saying. But I really don't put the blame with MADDY. She is a CHILD. See what I'm getting at? I don't think she has any business being on TV. She is not an adult who is fully-formed and responsible for her own actions, and should not be judged harshly for how she is now. I really feel so bad for her that she has been type-cast as "the brat" and even when not on the show, others might tend to view her that way. Of course kids will try to get away with what their parents let them. But I do think that her behavior is an indicator that she really needs her parents to shut down production, so to speak.

But I personally think that Maddy has a lot of potential to be a really bright, driven, engaged child. She just needs to not be on TV. I don't really think that kids being disciplined should be on TV at all. As matter of fact, when I need to speak to my own 5 yo when we are around other people I actually need to do it in a really quiet way, otherwise her embarrassment is so great that she literally can't process what I'm telling her.