in being so bloody offended that Channel 4 have aired tonight's Wife Swap

[AdelaideJo]

Please tell me i'm not the only one sick to my stomach at what the Bristol family are putting that 18 month old baby girl through on a daily basis.

The difficulty is that it's telly and it's real life. I'm sure it's been edited mercilessly(and it's very dodgy that this is entertainment) but think that there are almost certainly serious problems in the family. I actually found the most disturbing thing was the way the little girl immediately put her arms out and wanted to go to a stranger. People found her cute because she was so 'easy' and this was not healthy imo. However, I feel certain that if you looked at her mother (and probably father) there will be heartbreaking stories there too. It's not an excuse bt a reality.

I really don't know why anyone would defend her. Defend her child yes. Don't slag off her looks yes. but defend her lazy parenting SIX hours a day she is on the computer when her little girl is with her.

Thats so selfish.

good lord, i've read some things on mn, but that beats all.

How could someone walk past that litter tray every day and not clean it. Ewwwww.
I agree that one of the saddest things on the show was the little girl bouncing with excitement and reaching out to a complete stranger. That is not a normal reaction to a stranger.

My post you mean?

I felt sorry for the child and I was angry at the mum, but as the programme carried on, it struck me that, perhaps, she was extremely depressed, had no motivation and little self-worth. No, it isn't any excuse at all and I couldn't believe how they could all get by doing so little.

But the truth is that some parents just don't seem to get it.

Don't get that the baby might like a life outside the cot
Don't get hat the baby might not want to eat wotsits
Don't get that the baby might not want to watch her mum on the computer for six hours etc etc.

It's not good calling her names, as much as she sickened me, some people need guidance. Could not for the life of me understand why she went on to have baby no 2, but then who am I to judge?

Some people like the fuck and not the responsibility...

I don't think this is a case for SS in any way. I know many, many women who parent like that, and their children are happy and healthy just like her dd.

That said - there is NO QUESTION that leaving an 18mo baby in her cot until 1:30pm is neglect. It wasn't a one off, it was pretty much every day. We've all had late mornings with dc where they've had an unexpected lie in, and it's a lovely surprise.

There seemed to be nothing about her that involved herself with her child at all. It was almost as though she was a nuisance.

None of us are perfect, not one. But programmes like that are there for us to judge other people and to feel superior. That's what they do.

goes to prepare Pringles for dc breakfast

Are you going to put a splash of milk on those Pringles ?

you know i am quite glad i didnt have a computer when my dc's were little.
i wonder how much time i would have spent

Well I've complained to C4 and asked if they are going to ensure they contact the appropriate agencies to ensure the future well being of the little on and the baby that is currently on the way

I will do rookie. Soya milk. And perchance a few sunflower seeds

agree slarty

i never watch tv in day and rarely mn - only then if they are sleeping

imo screens and children dont mix

think this thread should be deleted

nasty judgy people - the show is edited...doh

as for going up to Kelly at 'Playspace' apart from it being a sure fire way to ensure Georgina never goes again - words fail me

i wonder if there will be some feedback from channel 4?

most 18 month olds are not so happy to see a stranger every morning
are they?

To me the saddest thing about the programme was that her ridiculous logic and sense of entitlement would probably be justified in her own mind.

TBH if she was to word a thread in a certain way can imagine her getting lots of support here. EG - Should I feel guilty that my DH cooks dinner when I have been at home all day - Response, heck no you have been looking after DC hardest job in the world. Am I selfish for going out 4 nights a week - of course not you have to have your own life. I find it exhausting to cook for my DD is it ok to feed her convenience foods - actually might get pulled up on that one. I spend lots of time on the internet when I should be looking after DD - Oh thats what I'm doing too.

Paula - I don't give a shit! You take part in a public show like that, then you have to take the consequences. Who was there for that little one in the beginning crying mummy in the morning before she realised there was no point as no-one was going to come in???!!

When are people going to realise that there has to be some accountability for how they treat their children??? I mean if a nurse employed in a nursing home left a patient in their own wee and to feed themselves bottles until 1pm they would be fired!!

I'm sick of all this foofy shit with regards to treating parents like her - people are saying oh she's depressed etc but she had the time to get her fake nails done, to apply for the show - but not to get off her arse and look after her child....

Come on!!!

still don't think it calls for verbal attacks in the street - isn't that an arrestible offence? Nice way to behave around your kids...

It wouldn't be in the street...would be in playspace! ha ha!!

No, seriously, I'm so angry (can't you tell). I've gone through the proper channels which is e-mailing C4 and I would hope that others do the same and something gets done

LewisFan - I think you and I may be a lot alike - I suffer from depression too, and I know that there are times when I retreat onto the pc because I don't have the energy or motivation to do anything else. I am getting better, and my dh (though he can be a proper pita at times) has helped a lot with the practical things, and still does. Some days I get a big job done, others, it's as much as I can do to get the children their tea.

I haven't see the programme (I will look to see if it is going to be repeated or if it is available online) so I can't comment directly, but it does sound from what people have said as if she could be depressed. And it is possible to be depressed, but still to be good in company. I can go out and be chatty, friendly and seem perky and happy, then when I get home, it all washes over me again like a huge black cloud.

There's another AIBU thread about judging people who don't do crafty activities with their children - well, I didn't, and looking back I think it was due to the PND I had after each one (at that point we thought it was just PND but have realised since that I have suffered depression since my teens, so not sure if this was solely PND). I managed to look after the boys, cook properly for them and do the washing. Housework - not so much, though thanks as I said to dh, the house never got too bad.

But that AIBU thread has awoken a lot of guilt inside me - I tried to get the boys to places where they would do crafty stuff, but doing it at home was beyond me - so I am clearly a bad mum.

4od watch here: www.channel4.com/programmes/wife-swap/catch-up#2924965

It's hard to believe it's 100% real TBH. These things are generally totally scripted and people are told what to say. The young mother is being exploited for TV purposes.

She does appear to be a lazy slob however.

Pussinjimmychoos
I've reported your post of22.26. Disgraceful.

Thanks, SomeGuy - I will try to find time to watch it tomorrow.

I dont quite know what to think about this tbh

There were times at the beginining where i felt the anger and the sentiment of pussinjimmychoos post

I dont know if the girl is depressed or not, im no dr she seemed lazy and lethargic, whether that is caused by depression/bad diet/ some other cause i cant tell

I did wonder if Steve applied for the wife swap prog as he came off quite well in it all, my dh would have a fit if i treated my child like that, i think that is the one circumstance where it might have been bettter for him to give up his job and go on benefits to stay home with that loely girl over working 12hr shift to support them

But then Kelly did seem to take it on board didnt she, so maybe she just was a bit well, ignorant? perhaps that too harsh naive/silly and needed some help

I dont understand how that got rehoused though, just because she was pg? You normally have to have much older children to get rehoused, unless their home was a 1 bed maisonette with a stoorage room the used as a bedroom (might explain the tight kitchen/lounge/diner setup) and they were moved to a roomier 2 bed place

So if they have been rehoused perhaps they are getting some kind of external help, maybe ss is involved

aand perhaps the pg was a reason for her laziness? if she was pg six weeks later maybe she was pg through the prog but not at the telling people stage, she would def need a mat b1 for the council wouldnt she??/