WTF? Strangers Making Babies TV show

[Doyoumind]

Just read about this programme which starts on Channel 4 tonight where single people wanting children are matched with a stranger they could coparent with without a romantic relationship.

I don't even know where to start.

[GreyhoundG1rl]

I don’t know what the programme contains, but it’s concept is perfectly clear. And I find it abhorrent.

[ConsuelaHammock]

What a dreadful idea for a tv show. I think babies should ideally be created by two parents who love each other. No child would only want one parent if they could have had two good parents. Very selfish of the adults involved .

[LAgeDeRaisin]

This is hideous. It's a human being not 2 neighbours agreeing to share a dog

[spaceghetto]

@ConsuelaHammock but then every relationship has the possibility of breaking down, leaving the child with separate parents. I think "selfish" is quite harsh. I don't know anything about the people involved or their back story but i'm guessing it's something they have put a lot of thought into.

[MrsGogolsGumbo]

Children and babies aren't entertainments to be paraded on TV as part of a badly thought out "reality" show.

Families come in all shapes and sizes but FFS those poor potential kids being brought into the world for a bit of drama and entertainment for the folks sitting on couches at home?

Surely that cannot be a healthy way for a child to be brought into and up in the world, like the Truman show almost

[firstimemamma]

Had to turn it off after 2 mins, terrible idea for a tv show.

[BigFatLiar]

Rubbish idea for a TV show (but they'll make a show about anything these days).

As for the topic, not much different to all the single people who want to have babies but not a partner. Big difference seems to be you meet the donor and share parenting.

[RevolvingPivot]

Wow. Just finished episode 1. It's all a bit mad. Won't they have to live within 15/20 minutes of each other for the kid to get to school? Who gets them on their birthdays/ Christmas?

I know separated parents have these issues but usually they are together at least when they conceive.

[FightingTheFoo]

@MorganKitten Your reply, and the rage behind it, makes me think of the Judgement of Solomon in terms of who is fit to be a parent.

Being a parent means it's no longer about you and your desires but about providing the best for your child. People who don't see that shouldn't be parents imo.

Children need stability. Where there is a lack of stability through tragedy is one thing, where there is a lack of stability through deliberate choices people are making is something completely different.

[lmao88]

Supposedly there are FB groups and Apps with the premising of hooking up "strangers" to conceive a child with. I did watch the show on CH4 but the arrangement is an odd one, why not just go down the sperm donor route? Or same sex couples using a surrogate, the whole show and concept was depressingly sad and cringey, I'd hate to be in such an extreme position

[MabelPines]

Modern life - slavery is abhorrent.
Also modern life - let’s make a programme about 2 strangers having a baby together!

The increasing commodification of children is absolutely terrifying! How can anyone think this is ok ?

[Bettysnow]

Making babies purely for entertainment purposes absolutely disgusting! Plus if they don't get the ratings the programme including child will be dropped like hot potato.

[Countrygirl2021]

I'll be watching. It's just about people who want to co-parent with someone they're not in a relationship with. I don't see what's wrong with that, it's just a different type of family.

I'm not sure we should normalise different types of families. I think this is the root cause of a lot of issues e.g. how many parents separate and remarry and have a few more kids. Babies should only be knowingly concieved in happy stable long term relationships. It should be the sad exception when this breaks down. It's not ok for children to have two homes and be passed about and parented differently at weekends to week days. Its terrible when this happens from a relationship breakdown but one would hope that if those parents had once been happy and close they would have a baseline of ideals for how to parent more often than not. Just choosing to have a child in a relationship that might not last or not in a relationship at all where "pass the baby" is a planned Activity from the off is abhorrent.

I say this as someone that is pro same sex parents and single adopters. I'm not only in favour of heterosexual nuclear family but I have a huge problem with an intentional game of pass the child.

[Greenrubber]

I won't be watching this! But to the poster that said they would rather go down the sperm doner route and do it alone what about the man in this that also wants to be a parent? They don't have that choice
Although I don't agree with this I do think that having 2 loving parents who are together or not is definitely a positive!
Many people have babies from one night stands! Some woman who accidentally fall pregnant keep the baby even if the man doent want to and some people are meeting sperm diners off the Internet who go around getting loads of people pregnant so although I don't agree I don't think it's the worst way to have a baby if your set on it

[Mummadeze]

It makes me feel equally annoyed to read so many judgmental views re other people’s lives. The gay men on this programme have dreamt of being fathers but have not had the opportunity because of their sexuality. Not everyone has a friend who is willing to co-parent with them. This programme has made them an introduction to a woman who also wants to be a mother but hasn’t met a suitable Male partner. From what I could see, a combination of these people as parents would be a great way to be brought up as they came across as responsible, kind, loving, intelligent, head screwed on people. There would be no risk of an acrimonious break up, all arrangements would be decided from the start and the child would feel very loved and wanted by both. That is probably better than a very high percentage of other children’s upbringings. I really don’t agree with people’s narrow minded views of what makes an ideal home. So many traditional families are dysfunctional that this arrangement almost feels better to me.

[2021mumma]

I think if you have two consenting adults who want the same thing in life and it hasn’t happened traditionally - why not?!

[merrymouse]

@WonkyCactus

I'll be watching. It's just about people who want to co-parent with someone they're not in a relationship with. I don't see what's wrong with that, it's just a different type of family.

The problem would be making these decisions for the benefit of a TV show.

[merrymouse]

And it will be for the benefit of a TV show. There are few rules and regulations that govern how participants are treated. The goal is to make television, not to help the people involved.

[MabelPines]

Having a child is not a human right.

No one is “owed” the opportunity to be a parent.

[LudoBear]

The only way for me to be able to have a child is to use sperm donor. I watched this programme but found it very cringe. I have actually considered co parenting with a gay single man or gay couple, I wouldn't with a straight man as they can have the opportunity to have a child the more conventional way. However for me personally I think going it alone is more suited to my personality.

[Nanny0gg]

@WonkyCactus

I'll be watching. It's just about people who want to co-parent with someone they're not in a relationship with. I don't see what's wrong with that, it's just a different type of family.

Total strangers you know nothing about? Nothing to do with 'family' at all

[Nanny0gg]

@Mummadeze

It makes me feel equally annoyed to read so many judgmental views re other people’s lives. The gay men on this programme have dreamt of being fathers but have not had the opportunity because of their sexuality. Not everyone has a friend who is willing to co-parent with them. This programme has made them an introduction to a woman who also wants to be a mother but hasn’t met a suitable Male partner. From what I could see, a combination of these people as parents would be a great way to be brought up as they came across as responsible, kind, loving, intelligent, head screwed on people. There would be no risk of an acrimonious break up, all arrangements would be decided from the start and the child would feel very loved and wanted by both. That is probably better than a very high percentage of other children’s upbringings. I really don’t agree with people’s narrow minded views of what makes an ideal home. So many traditional families are dysfunctional that this arrangement almost feels better to me.

You have no idea how these people will be once a baby is born. It has the potential to be very, very messy.

And where children are concerned, maybe we should be a bit judgemmetal

[Greenrubber]

The need for some people to have a child can really warp their minds and they will pretty much do anything to have one
There has been cases of babies stolen from the mothers womb
Women lying about contraception
Alot of people need help to conceive with IVF for example and spend their life savings to do so
Some use friends as sperm/egg doners or strangers

This show has consenting adults making a baby
It may or may not be beneficial that they are not in a relationship that would of course totally depend on the people, but at least they know where they stand from day one

[MrsGogolsGumbo]

@FightingTheFoo That's pretty homophobic comparing gay men who want to be fathers (nothing wrong or dangerous inherent there) with blind peoplewho want to pilot and people with Parkinson's wanting to be surgeons which are both dangerous for obvious reasons!