Homeschooling on WIFE SWAP

WARNING!
Strong personal opinions to follow....


Once again another mother (And father) have chosen to allow their (Supposed) homeschool family to be seen in a false (Or sadly true) unflattering light as homeschoolers... Sigh.. here we go again...

Last night on Wife Swap, there was the mother of the Princess who gets a Christmas present everyday....

And then there was the homeschool mom who actually used the phrase, "I homeschool to INDOCTRINATE my children with my feminist views.."

I have never met (My world is small) a homeschooler who would willingly use the word INDOCTRINATE, in describing their reasons for homeschooling.

The whole thing in regards to how homeschooling was shown, on this episode hit a new low as the visiting mother of the princess was verbally abusive to the homeschooled girl by calling her a GEEK. Low, even for this show. This show that seems to go out of its way to make every homeschooler to look like the nightmare that the popular myths tend to feed.

I am not angry at the producers of Wife Swap, nor at ABC, as MUCH as I am so completely disappointed at the "Homeschool" families who allow this to happen.

And before you remind me that this is edited for effect, remember, this is NOT the first season... every homeschooler who signs up for Wife Swap KNOWS the views of the producers, ie: They know what they are getting into.

But HOW can they do that to themselves, their family or homeschooling as a whole?

People are just toooo desperate for attention.

 

Sheesh, two shows shown close together with negative views on homeschooling! It's no wonder people think homeschoolers are weird!

 

I was watching old episodes of NCIS this morning (we're still on break, btw. I'm not just a total slacker ) and there is an episode where Abby gets an assistant. Abby works alone, so she was already quite unhappy about it.

Anyhow, this guy (Chip) was talking about his regime of working out, abstaining from alcohol and tobacco, eating healthy, limiting tv, etc. The way he said it made him sound quite OCD. Abby said "Homeschooled?" and he replied, "How'd you know?"

What was funny about it was that it was meant as a slam but I actually found it a compliment about his work ethic and personal morals. Well, until Chip turned out the be the guy trying to kill Abby, but that's a different story.

 

Do people really think Wife Swap is a quality show?

Why would one form opinions on anything while watching something with a title like that?
...to me it is anti family...

Btw, I should say that I haven't ever watched it, and don't plan on it.

 

I was actually asked by one of the producers to be on the show, they found me via my website, they were going to offer us a lot of money too, but Hubby and I sat down and talked about it and weighed the pros and cons

I had also talked to another mom who was a chat buddy of mine who was on the show too. She said on one part they showed a closet that had no clothes in it and the show made it sound like she didnt buy her kids any clothes, it was the hall closet of course there was no clothes in it! They were also disapointed that her house was not that dirty because the segment was on countrylife verse city life. I guess they think country people are dirty? haha

In the end we decided not to do it, hubby said he would probably have strangled the women who came over here to take my place hahaha

I myself don't like guests even family going into my bathroom in my room so I would freak with cameras all over my house haha

Sam

 

I agree, Dawn! I have only seen the end of one episode as I was waiting for the next show to come on, and it was SO over the top! We don't watch any of the reality shows, because I am pretty sure they have little to do with reality.

 

I think she was calling a spade a spade. Many of us homeschool to provide our children with a certain worldview, for some it's a certain Christian one, for others a feminist one. Take that word out and replace the feminist talk with Christian talk and I don't think she would have seemed at all odd to many of us. Though she was a Quaker minister so there's probably lots of god talk in their house as well...Weird how the show simp[ly glossed over that.

Anyhow, I liked her. The show plays up the extreme aspects of each mom but I'm betting I could have a much better conversation with her in real life than the sparkly mom.

 

Yeah that!

I was very impressed with some of the stuff they were teaching their girls! I knew at 12 how to change the oil in a car, how to change a tire, how to flush the radiator and how to deal with jerky guys at a garage who think woman know nothing about cars. My dd will know way before 12...lol She already likes to try helping daddy with the vehicle maintainance. I so would have knocked the "sparkly" mom and her husband both on their ugly bums..lol. I feel sorry for the man who marries that girl, he better be wealthy enough to hire a nanny, a maid, a cook and shrink so he has someone to have an intelligent conversation with!

 

The "Sparkle father" kept saying that his daughter will have more doors open for her...
I kept screaming, "THEN WHAT, Dummy!"

"Ok I'm Here!"

"Yes, now you are here, and you are sooo nice to look at. Now, What can you do?"

"Do? I don't DO anything."

"Oh. Ok, well thanks but we need to get some work done, so go apply at the deli.."

"My mom will fill out the applicta-cation-thingy for me!"


What I liked is that the homschooled mom tried to show the girl that although she obviously is good at what she does, that it is not the end all be all to her and that she CAN be good at other things. I think she honestly planted a confidence seed in that girl and she will eventually have an independence streak in her that will make her want to seek more from herself. Which is of course a good thing.

 

I didn't see this episode, but I have seen previous episodes of the show. They manage to put together the two most extremely opposite families for the shows to make the episode "interesting". I find it incredibly unsettling that a family would put their children through this!

 

Unfortunately there are a lot of people who do just that, form their opinion based on something so transparent and biased. Sometimes it is easier for someone to absorb something negative than it is to absorb something positive. Kinda like when people gossip, they don't talk about the kind thing someone did for someone else, they talk about something ugly. KWIM?

I think some people go on these shows because they think they can make a difference but don't realize that don't have the power to change minds if the producers take things out of context.

 

That's what I wonder. Even the families I tend to lie have me wondering about why on earth they'd subject their kids to this, especially families with younger kids.

 

A friend of mine was thinking about applying to Wife Swap. She thought it would be a hoot! I think my comments made her realize it would not be a very good idea. I told her that she would be entrusting her kids to a complete stranger who would have a complete opposite belief system from her. And that person would get to inflict her belief system on her kids, sounds a bit dangerous to me.

I have seen where some of the women have been really cruel to the children, that is situation that I would not put my kids in to be mistreated.

At the end of the show when everyone talks, that sometimes is not a good thing. I've seen people get really ugly and take the opportunity to be very hurtful. The endings where everyone is kind and gets along is a much better ending.

 

Gosh I didnt even think about someone being cruel to my kids like that even for a day, now I am ashamed to even think we were thinking of it when they asked us.

Glad we didnt but its the money that probably got everyone else on it. As much as we would have loved to have the money to help pay for some of our debt having someone invade our private life was not an option for us.

Sam

 

Ditto here too. I think everyone could use the money. But...............I would never allow a stranger to come into my home and make my family live by their rules for a week. The producers deliberately put two opposite families together to make it interesting. I wouldnt want a complete stranger to even be in my home.

I had family come to visit and that family member brought his demonic girlfriend to visit. She was a vicious, hateful woman that made us all feel uneasy. She did things that I never thought anyone could/would do. I have severe asthma and my cousin let his girlfriend know that any kind of frangrances, etc. were not allowed in my house due to the fact they would trigger asthma attacks. Keep in mind that my cousin and his girlfriend are in their 70's. Anyway, she did things to deliberately harm me like spray on perfume, the use of nail polish and such. When confronted kindly, she would laugh and deny it. I think we all know what perfume smells like and I saw her do it. She would sit there and polish her nails and remove the polish and do it again and just laugh. Needless to say, they were asked to leave. I had been free of asthma attacks for nearly 3 months and when they came I became really ill.

So, a stranger in my house is not something I would like.

 

I couldn't live that long without my kids. I would shrivel up and die to be without them for 2 weeks and not be able to talk to them. It would be awful!

Not to mention not seeing my husband and haveing another women live in my house with him. Nope. couldn't do it.

 

Don't be! So I say I wouldn't do it but honestly if I were confronted with the situation I would think about it too. The money would pay off debt, a chunk of our mortgage, get a the vacation we have never taken...

I'd probably end up saying no anyway but the money could do a lot of good so don't be ashamed about considering it.

 

I did not see this show. Usually this show disgusts me. I can't imagine leaving my kids for two weeks for such stupidity. How can you leave your kids in the hands of someone you know nothing about? Oh...other than she is completely and totally different than you and most likely nuts. UGH.

Now...I do agree the money is tempting. However, after seeing some of those shows I know I would not last two days! Some of those kids treat the visiting mom terrible.

 

Oh...Ranchermom or anyone else thinking of being on the show....I just read that after I posted my above post. I don't mean to sound like you ladies are insane. I thought the concept was kinda cute. However, my harsh opinion was only formed after seeing some of the nutty things and people on the show. Those shows like extremes and like to show shocking footage...it is not a documentary type thing. If it were two normal people that switch roles like the country mouse and city mouse I think it would be a blast.

 

THAT is exactly what I always wished it would have been.... Too bad they chose the Jerry Springer route...

1800 House is a blast ... on PBS if you have ever heard of that one...