the baby borrowers

have you seen this show???

(click here for a link to a two-minute glimpse of the show!)
for those of you who have missed this prime-time reality tv show...let me summarize...

five couples from around the country who are ranging in age between 18-20 (and have been dating for more than a year) agree to move in to a house together to experience the different stages of parenthood by...ta-da...borrowing other people's children for a set period of time. the first two episodes have so far focused on borrowing infants, between 6-9 mos old, for three days. BUT the parents of the children are in a house nearby, watching every move...as is a nanny who is on site all the time to make sure the child is never in danger. AND the parents left manuals for their children.

these couples all have different reasons for agreeing to participate, including
-prove not all young people are irresponsible
-see if they are "compatible" for being a family
-to prove to the other partner having children isn't all that hard....or its way too hard...
-to see if they can do this before deciding to marry and/or procreate at such a young age.


huh.

so i watched. in fact, much like a bad haircut...i found it hard to look away. some couples did well. one of the guys really rose to the challenge when his sig. other crapped out on him. others proved just how irresponsible and selfish kids this age tend to be...and were poster children for passing out condoms in college. (sorry, but its true!!)

but on the other hand....i guess if kids (25 and younger...hahaha) see this, and identify strongly with someone, and realize that parenting is really difficult, and there is so much more involved than anyone could ever tell you about...and that life as you know basically ends....and they decide..."hey, maybe i am not ready for this. maybe i should wait...or use a (insert favorite contraceptive here!)" maybe? seems a long shot to me. i don't think many kids will want to see themselves in the more selfish and immature kids on the show. nobody thinks they are that guy.

on the other hand, i no longer feel so guilty when i tell my kids to quit acting like an advertisement for birth control!!! (yes, i have really said this. judge me after you have two kids that are 18 mos apart!)

what do you think?


oh, and one last thing...i was thinking about how this was obviously very unrealistic. BUT also, i think that for all the selfishness displayed (especially by some of the young ladies) they aren't given the "pregnancy curve". you know, quitting most of your vices, slowly losing control of your body....your figure and sometimes, your hormones (and emotions), and of course, just the slowing down of life in general as you become roughly the size of a vw bug, and can no longer manuver and enjoy alot of the things you used to do. just a thought. and of course, the husband/s.o. suffers these things....too.