Heck no.
Have you seen this reality TV show "The Baby Borrowers" (Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC)? It's an "experiment" that follows several teen couples as they get to experience what it is like to have babies, toddlers, pre-teens, teen-agers, and the elderly (of course).
But where do they get the babies? Several families have actually agreed to hand their children and elderly over to these teens for three days each. Can you imagine? And, it's a reality show so you know the producers picked some of the most inept, spoiled, lazy teens they could find (and they are so delusional they think they want to be parents now/soon).
One teen couple, Jordan and Sasha, deserves some credit. They worked as a team and did very well with their baby (although I haven't seen Wednesday's toddler episode yet -- that's what TiVo is for).
In the first episode that aired June 27, one half of one teen couple (Kelly) flips out because she has to wear a pregnancy vest meant to simulate what it's like to be pregnant. She has to wear it for one day. One day! Because her boyfriend made a joke about the vest, she throws a tantrum and refuses to wear it. While everyone else is at a baby class she spends the time crying in bed. Wow, that's mature.
In the second episode that aired July 2, Alicea -- one of the potential "mommies" -- is having a hard time getting "her" baby to eat. The teething baby, Karson, is fussy. He's probably in pain. After trying to get him to eat for a few minutes without success, she says, "Fine, just starve."
Luckily, the parents are watching from a remote location and can step in when they feel it's necessary. Karson's mom decides to give this teen some advice, but this girl won't have it and because "nobody talks to me like that," the potential "mommy of the year" decides she will have nothing to do with "the kid." She leaves it up to her boyfriend to take care of Karson, and she continues to refuse to help him even after he stays up all night with the baby. It actually gets worse, but I'll let you watch for yourself. The episodes are available on the Web site.
As much as I really don't care for some of these teens, I have to wonder about the parents who have willingly subjected their babies to this experience, oh excuse me, "social experiment" as NBC's calling it. The teens and the parents have chosen to participate, but these poor babies can't opt out.
I Moved!
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write write and write some more is the best advice i can give anyone who wants to be a writer. best advice ever given to me was by an english professor who said don't worry if what you write is crap. go to any bookstore and realize that 90% of what they have on the shelves is crap.
ReplyDeleteGood advice. Thanks Edward!
ReplyDeleteThere've been some good articles on the parents and why in the haitch they'd do this. Some of them were teen moms themselves, and so want to do it to help end the cycle.
ReplyDeleteIn their defense, too, the parents can step in whenever they want. (And the babies won't remember.) I have to admire them for being willing to do this. I certainly couldn't.
I was wondering the same thing! I would never subject my infant or toddle to three days with stranger, especially when the strangers have highly questionable parenting skills. I know people are different, but you wouldnt' have been able to prie Laura from my arns. When I went back to work she was 3 months old and I left her with her loving grandparents for four hours a day. I cried every time I dropped her off for weeks.
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