Child of our time?

[theschoolonthehill]

I searched but can’t find a thread about this. I missed it and can’t seem to watch on iPlayer. Does anyone know why? Do I have to wait fir the three episodes to air first?

And finally, the ‘children’ are now 20? Is it good?

Oh mum said something about dad going to bed alone, or not alone next door to her room and I thought that would be hard. I didn't realise it was with men.

Nathan was at such pains to insist it hadn't affected him, I wonder?

I think Nathan is either a really tough soul or he's putting on a front - very few people would say their parent's divorce had no impact on them, let alone your dad then coming out as gay and bringing men home. That's a lot to digest growing up. Kudos to his mum for minimizing the impact.

I feel really conflicted about this. I thought it was a brilliant piece of social research originally. We may not view the group as diverse nowadays, but in the 2000s it was brilliantly advanced compared to Seven Up. I have found it fascinating and would have loved to have see more. I loved the experiments they used to do too.

Unfortunately I think we now know so much more about the risks that being televised like this can bring to the individuals. So, no matter how carefully and respectfully it's done (and I think it was), I don't think we can justify programmes like this any longer.

Just watched this, I thought the whole thing was rather sad. Lovely kids, or young adults really, but a lot of them have had a tough time. Amazed that 12 couples have split and 3 had babies!

Mine are a year behind them so I've always followed it with great interest.

Hard to hear Robert Winston at the start of the series saying what wonderful opportunities lie ahead for these youngsters, a time of exciting change etc …. and look where we are now 20 years later.

There is a few of the old episodes of child of our time on YouTube. Was watching last night and One of them who always stuck with me was James. I felt for his mother, she seems so vulnerable..

Hard to hear Robert Winston at the start of the series saying what wonderful opportunities lie ahead for these youngsters, a time of exciting change etc …. and look where we are now 20 years later.

Yes, the 90s were such an optimistic time, Girl Power, "Cool Britannia" and all that. I agree with the poster who said that the news montages were very "Years and Years" in tone.

Hard to hear Robert Winston at the start of the series saying what wonderful opportunities lie ahead for these youngsters, a time of exciting change etc …. and look where we are now 20 years later.

Yes!

We all look at our newborns with so much hope, dreams and promises for their future . Then families, relationships, health and wealth, circumstances change both in and out of our control. It is often depressing and sad to look at lives in a snapshot and compare the hopes and dreams at birth v the reality.

Eve was so wise and articulate. Seeing her as a midwife made me well up, seemed like the perfect role for her

I found it an emotional watch too. Mainly at the passage of time; how fast it’s gone and yes, all that turn of the millennium optimism!

Totally understand what you mean about feeling conflicted @Luc1nda. Ultimately, none of these kids gave permission for their entire childhoods to be documented on camera, and I think it’s fair to say that the ones who dropped out simply didn’t want any more intrusion. On the other hand, oh my goodness I have loved watching them all grow up and genuinely feel so fond of them and their parents. Now, I reckon they might find that a little... creepy? So yes, I feel conflicted too. But I hope all the kids and families at least appreciate that the viewers wish them well and are grateful for their participation in a one of a kind project. I hope the kids are given copies of all the episodes to watch later if they want to.

What happened to the boy that was going off to choir school, the mum was an opera singer.

Im so shocked if that was the Charlie who's mum went off to train with the police, how did that happen all those years in care not even a foster family?😟

I don't know her story was awful

Going to go back on this thread when I've got more time to look at all the links cos I'm really interested

@EachandEveryone

The boy with the choir scholarship was Rubin. This mum wasn’t an opera singer, that was Matthew (I think).

Charlie did say she spent time in many foster families as well as children’s homes. 14 in all. I was genuinely shocked that children in care are still treated so badly.

Charlie's tale of how she was going to keep her child away from gangs and drugs was very familiar to me. I doubt there are any children who've been through the care system who haven't experience that

This is why it's never as simple as "take them away". It has to be incredibly bad for them to be better off in care.

Its shocking really.awful I never got that impression at all.

Rubin hasn't been in any of the series for a while, certainly not as a teenager. I guess at some point, he, or a member of his family, decided to opt out.

Charlie with the baby spoke so articulately and movingly about her situation - I really wish her and Elijah well.

The look on her face when she looked at Elijah after he fell asleep moved me to tears.

The last we saw of Rubin was when he was at his school. I’m guessing he was 9 or 10?

Rubin dropped out of the choir school and i often think of him and wonder how he is.
Is that old episode featuring him available anywhere? Or the 16 year old eps? i can't seem to find them.

V moving programmes. Great kids.

Bonnesvacances - I know, she looked besotted by him, so moving. Also so sad about her saying she has had to become her own mum, as she realised no-one else was going to do that for her. But hopefully that insight that she has will stand her in good stead.

I didn’t get to see the whole episode, but Eve and her mum moved me to tears. Life is so unfair.

Taliesin was such a character, I wonder what he’s doing now? I also wonder about resourceful Megan, and the triplets, Mabel, Phoebe and Alice. The triplets’ family seemed refreshingly laidback - not pushy at all.

Cattenberg, if you look on the OU website (linked to earlier in the thread), there are interviews with the triplets, Megan and Taliesin.

Thanks, thereplycamefromanchorage, I will do.

Thank you for posting, I didnt know it was back on, DS was born in year 2000 so I love watching the series