To think you shouldn't go on Big Brother if you have children

[Garcia10]

Watching the final show tonight and have just found out that the winner, Helen, has a son. Firstly, I've been watching it reasonably regularly and she hasn't mentioned him once!

Secondly, how can she leave him for ten weeks to go on a reality show?! Admittedly, I work away sometimes but never more than one week at a time. It is difficult and we (husband and daughter) find it hard but it is a necessity. Going on Big Brother isn't!

Finally, her behaviour on the show has been awful. The way she spoken to and treated other people is appalling. How could you let your child see this? Which undoubtedly he either has already or will do in the future.

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

Get over yourself having kids does not stop you doing stuff you want to do.

Assuming her child has been cared for appropriately.

Would you even blink about a dad going away for 10 weeks and acting like a tit?

[MrsWinnibago]

I suppose she went to make a shit load of money. Which she now will.

Some people don't have good upbringings. Better not to judge them. I don't watch that show...it eats brain cells. I advise you to avoid it too. Unless you find it somehow comforting to see people that you can look down on?

[SoonToBeSix]

Yanbu she shouldn't have left her child. Yabu to watch BB though it is utter trash.

[Garcia10]

I don't think I distinguished between mothers or fathers. Did I?

I just can't understand how you could leave your child/ren for 10 weeks to go on a reality show. And actually there are a number of things that you should probably stop doing if you have children. Taking drugs for instance?

[TeaAndALemonTart]

Apparently Katie Price is going to be on the celebrity one, her new baby is tiny.

[MrsWinnibago]

Some people don't see leaving their children as an issue. Just because you can't understand it, does not mean other people must do as you see fit.

[Iffy2014]

I don't think you would think twice about a man leaving his child or not mentioning him (on a heavily edited programme) for ten weeks.

Maybe you shouldn't watch Big Brother if you have children. Unfulfilling and irresponsible waste of good parenting time. You should read the actual works of Orwell with them instead.

[MrsWinnibago]

I bet Katie Price has it written into her contract that she sees the kids daily in a secret room. They could do anything they wanted re the outside world. It's all edited to fuck anyway.

[MrsWinnibago]

Iffy good bloody point! Watching it could be seen as being as bad as being IN it. It's all participating.

[SolidGoldBrass]

For a lot of people, the prize money (and subsequent earnings while you are briefly famous even if you don't win) make it worthwhile. If you have no job, or a low-paid job, no rich parents to lend you the deposit on a house, no well-connected friends or family to get you into a well-paid job, appearing on a TV show that is likely to bring you a fair chunk of change in paid-for interviews, advertising deals, possibly even a gig presenting some or other panel show, etc is a life-changing thing and worth doing. I haven't watched this series (haven't watched it for years) but it seems entirely reasonable that a parent might decide that the money is worth doing it for. If her child is small then s/he will have no idea what's going on in terms of media coverage and by the time s/he is old enough to care, it will be the next BB winner having his/her five minutes in the spotlight.

Though if someone has DC around the tween/teen age I would imagine it could be a bit grim for said DC at school, with all their little mates going oh your mum/dad is such a prat on BB...

[MrsWinnibago]

Solid that's right. And if people are stupid enough to watch it then they can't really judge can they?

[revealall]

Well people do go away for work and children do cope.

However from what I saw ( and it wasn't on a regular basis) Helen really didn't t do herself or her family any favours. Male or female I'd say her appearance was a lesson in how not to be a role model.

Some poor child has to watch their parent swearing, being mean spirited, rude and self absorbed. Not even backed up with a talent which you could use as an excuse. So YANBU.

[RJnomore]

YAbu. No reason a parent of either gender cannot go on it as long they are sure their child(den) are well cared for.

YANBU so say they shouldn't go on it and behave like a twat though.

[Iffy2014]

Winnibago, essentially, this is all thought policing on a national scale!

Honestly, my dad left on a naval deployment for ten months when I was two weeks old... should be not have gone because he was a parent or something?!

[theeternalstudent]

Well, I watched . Maybe that does make me as bad as those who takes part. And as for judging a man leaving his child for 10 weeks, yes I would judge him just as I would judge a woman.

Helen has spoken about her son and he is 12, so perfectly aware of what is going on with his mum.

[lemonfolly]

Get off your high horse, yabu! At least she's earning some money to support her child. 100k would take 5 years to earn in an average wage job with tax. How many hours at a child minder over 5 years vs 10 weeks?!

Caveat - It's not my bag, I don't watch it.

[Salmotrutta]

I think your AIBU isn't broad enough.

It should be "AIBU to think that you shouldn't go on Big Brother"

Disclaimer: I haven't watched it for about 10 years.

And even 10 years ago I probably watched about 2 episodes.

An example of the type of programme that sucks in the deluded people who think that five minutes of "fame" is the ultimate goal in life.

[musicalendorphins2]

They receive 100k to be on BB? I don't watch, but thought there was a winner at the end, one winner?
It won't kill a 12 year old, it is like going away to school or camp. Assume he isn't alone, but in the care of someone suitable.

[ADHDNoodles]

I highly doubt she was cut contact from her child for 10 weeks. She probably got time between shots to call him, and I'm sure he was allowed to pop by to say hi for a moment or two. That crap is cut, scripted, and edited to make any situation dramatic anyway.

She's an actress. Not saying she's the same caliber, but you don't judge celebrities for making movies while they have children do you?

Your life doesn't suddenly stand still once you have kids. You still have your own career and interests. Children don't change that. Children should be part of your life, not your entire life. Parenting shouldn't be about sacrificing, it should be about including. Though yes, you should put your child's needs first, but at that point it shouldn't be looked at as a sacrifice, just a decision that needs to be made. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming a martyr.

[thereturnofshoesy]

was going to post

EatShitDerek Fri 15-Aug-14 23:37:36
Having children doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything

BB is a pile of shite and should be made illegal


said it too well

[MrsWinnibago]

Iffy what's Thought Policing? Big Brother? Please expand.

[Whiskwarrior]

A friend of my DD has gone to Poland for the whole six weeks of the school summer holiday. Another friend of DD (at primary school) used to do the same thing every summer from about the age of 6.

I think (from other Polish/Eastern European people I've spoken to) that it's quite common for Eastern European people who move here to have their children go home to grandparents for the longer school holidays and that it benefits everyone involved.

My own DS (9) has literally spent one weekend of the summer holiday with me so far. He'll be back next weekend for the final week but has otherwise been with his cousin back in Birmingham/Wales. He's happy, with one of his best friends in the world, having a whale of a time. We miss him, but it's not forever.

Having children does not freeze you/them in a bubble forever, never to be separated!