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Original poster

I notice no-one is discussing last night's Wife Swap...

58 replies

Tinker · 28/07/2004 09:39

...are we all too shocked at how that nasty man could spend so much time on the computer neglecting that poor child?

OP posts:
noddy5 · 28/07/2004 09:44

I thought both families were over the top in their own ways.The mother from the big family was an arrogant cow too!

Twiglett · 28/07/2004 09:45

message withdrawn

Northerner · 28/07/2004 09:47

How fit was the fitness fanatic Dad?! Phwoarrr is all I can say about him. He was lush lush lush.

I thought they were a lovely family. 2 beautiful daughters.

Sonnet · 28/07/2004 09:49

missed it.....
fill me in please..........

Blackduck · 28/07/2004 09:49

I thought the father from the Devon family was manipulative and domineering...
Think the mother of Alice probably came out best...at least she learnt something...

marialuisa · 28/07/2004 09:57

Felt so sorry for Alice, (any little girl with specs reminds me of DD), but it did seem as if things have changed a bit for her.

TBH was slightly taken aback by the filth in Devon and wondered when they did homework, but the kids seemed happy enough.

Fio2 · 28/07/2004 10:00

pmsl Tinker

how dare he 'use' his computer. I quite like the idea of sending my kids to their rooms to play the trumpet

Fio2 · 28/07/2004 10:01

and having had a sister with cystic fibrosis I was quite apalled at the state of that house! Surely that was no good for hios chest and his health. I mean if he caught food poisining it would be awful for him

Original poster
Tinker · 28/07/2004 10:02

Blackduck - I agree. Thought father was a control freak. Also, thought it rather unfair to put Alice's mum in a situation where one of the kids needed a lot of exercise so that she could not do anything about that. Devon family just didn't seem to get the point of the programme - you have to do the other rules in the 2nd week.

Thought Alice's mum also came out of it better, thought Devon mum was very nasty at the end - basically used the 'I'm a better mother than you' card. Plus, she looked like an owl but that's not at all relevant.

Alice reminded me of my daughter as well.

OP posts:
Fio2 · 28/07/2004 10:04

she looked like an owl, lol

I thought devon family were abit 'we are right you are wrong >fingers in the ears we're not listening, lalalalalalalala

Northerner · 28/07/2004 10:05

I didn't think he was a control freak at all. I think the other Mum was out of line saying they did too much exercise. How can anyone do too much? It was ovbiously a way of life to them and that should be applauded not criticised. There was not one obese, unhealthy person in that household. And yes the house may have been a bit of a tip, but is that really important. Is that waht your kids remember when they grow up? I don't think so.

Fio2 · 28/07/2004 10:05

and an 18yr old who acts like that?! what planet was I brought up on? I had left home and was struuggling for myself at 18

Fio2 · 28/07/2004 10:09

I actually think it IS important when the one child had CF that they DID keep the house relatively clean. Untidy is not a problem, dirty is.

Fio2 · 28/07/2004 10:10

I also think they should be applauded though (the devon family) because they had obviously done the program to raise awareness of CF and raise money for CF research trust because every shot of fit dad he had 'the' t-shirt on

shouldnt slag them off really, i am just a bitch

strangerthanfiction · 28/07/2004 10:16

My favourite moment was the couch potato dad's face when the Devon mum said he'd have to cycle to work. 'It's 10 miles ... up and down hill' he said and went decidedly pale. I deeply disliked that man and felt very sorry for that little girl.

Weird how the unfit mum was keen on cleaning but fed her child such utter crap all the time. A Macdonalds wedding meal?!

All very interesting though seeing how different families have such different priorities.

strangerthanfiction · 28/07/2004 10:16

My favourite moment was the couch potato dad's face when the Devon mum said he'd have to cycle to work. 'It's 10 miles ... up and down hill' he said and went decidedly pale. I deeply disliked that man and felt very sorry for that little girl.

Weird how the unfit mum was keen on cleaning but fed her child such utter crap all the time. A Macdonalds wedding meal?!

All very interesting though seeing how different families have such different priorities.

Original poster
Tinker · 28/07/2004 10:39

McDonalds wedding was bizarre. The Devon family -to call your daughter Calamity??? I take it she was unplanned.

OP posts:
MeanBean · 28/07/2004 11:57

What came across very strongly was that the Devon family was really happy and united. Even the arguments where the Dad shouted down Calamity (Calamity?!!) appeared to be just a normal family row. And I just didn't understand why the other mother felt that they spent too much time together as a family. How odd. Agree that the daughters were charming as well - Calamity was quite funny at the bootsale when she said she was trying not to smile and enjoy herself - she did acknowledge that she was being a sulky teenager. I feel that the Halifax mum learnt more because tbh, she had more to learn.

Lupe · 28/07/2004 12:27

ebay dad was creepy and scary!

Lupe · 28/07/2004 12:27

sorry, I meant ebay "dad"

Beccarollover · 28/07/2004 12:43

whats this about mcdonalds wedding meal??!?

unicorn · 28/07/2004 12:51

was the e-bay misery the natural dad of that poor little Alice ?
They looked alike but he was so cold and awful towards her I thought he must be a reluctant stepfather.

Blackduck · 28/07/2004 12:55

He was her stepfather...
McDonalds wedding meal - they had big mac, fries and banana milkshake x25 for their wedding breakfast

MeanBean · 28/07/2004 12:57

he was her stepfather, Unicorn.

And I agree, he certainly didn't seem an enthusiastic one. Not that he disliked her or anything, just didn't seem to be very interested in or engaged with her. Poor kid. Although at the end, the mother had obviously realised that they needed to spend more time as a family, and they were doing, so there was hope...

posyhairdresser · 28/07/2004 13:03

I agree that both families were at extremes of the spectrum, and although the active family seemed happier and healthier than the other family, their lifestyle was certainly eccentric.

Alice's mum did come out the best IMO - the other family seemed to think they had nothing to learn.

Nothing much was made of whether Alice & family were aiming to reduce their junk food intake (which was quite shocking)!!!