A confession:

[Bouncy Ball]

I watched something called Nanny 911 on FUX tonight (not the news channel, the other one).

I was horrified. Two kids, 8 and 6, and a mom. The dad had died a year earlier (car accident). The older one, a girl, would actually kick, punch, slap, pinch and bite her mother. She even shoved her down several stairs at one point.

The two kids fought so much and it was so physical that they would hurt each other pretty badly. Nothing my brother and I didn't do, but we never got into it that badly in FRONT of our parents or THEY would have killed us.

The mom did nothing. The oldest girl ran the house. At one point, the girl punched her mom in the breast twice. That's when I turned to my husband and said "As non-violent as I am, I'm afraid I would go drill instructor on her ass." I mean the BOOB? OUCH. Then she hit her mom with a toy light saber, spilled food all over the floor on purpose. Asked her if she "really wanted to get hurt." (This is the KID talking.)

The nanny went in and tried to help and did somewhat. Or the somewhat happy ending was just for the cameras, who knows. The mom never really got mad. Well, she did, but she'd cry. The nanny kept telling the kids the mom was the boss, but I said "Doesn't the mom have to act like the boss for them to believe it?"

It was truly sad. They had taken their grief over their dad and their anger at their mom for not being in charge and turned it into something truly ugly. And those kids needed to be in counseling, too.

Anyone else watch it? I've never seen that particular show before. The affectation of the nanny dressing in the old-style cape and all is a bit silly, in my opinion.

[Left Is Write]

1. It sounds like this family needs much more help

than a nanny television show can give them.

Those kids don't need to have their problems splashed all over national television - they and their mother need counseling and guidance.

[Bouncy Ball]

3. Exactly how I felt after the introduction to the show.

I actually said "those kids need COUNSELING, not a reality TV show."

Of course I don't know that they're not in counseling. But if they are, either they just started or it's not helping.

And I know nannies have to be part counselor-type person sometime, but I was uncomfortable with just how much she was stepping into that role.

Kids actually feel scared when they sense no one is in control and comes out as anger, mostly.

[SheilaT]

2. I've seen the show,

although not this particular episode. It's astonishing how people will let their kids run wild. I simply don't get it. I have two sons (now 18 and 22) of my own, and they never tried stuff like that. There was never any doubt in their mind who was in charge.

Anyway, this woman seems pretty good at getting the adults back in control, although it sounds as if in this case she may not have been as successful.

[Bouncy Ball]

4. I think this case was above and beyond

the means of a reality TV show. Even the nanny said she had never, in 22 years, had a family to deal with that was quite like that. I was amazed at how passive the mom was, even while being hit by her kids. She kept saying "my husband was the disciplinarian." So she had kind of given up.

There's just no way I could be that passive while my kid kicked me, etc. I'd go ballistic, sad to say. Hitting me is NOT ok. And I don't hit her, either.

[BattyDem]

8. I don't have kids but ...

there was one time when my niece was about 5 or 6 (she's 19 now) and we were sitting next to each other on the sofa. She was in a mood and she was being a bit dramatic ... and she kicked me. I didn't think it was an accident, but I wasn't 100% sure, so I gave her the benefit of the doubt and said, "Be careful, that hurt." She kicked me again. I told her to stop it. She kicked me a third time ... and I looked her straight in the eye and said, "If you kick me again, I'm going to kick you back and it's going to hurt because I'm a lot bigger than you."

To this day, she has never kicked/hit me again, LOL! :-)

[notadmblnd]

5. There's where they made their mistake..

Should have called Dr. Phil. Now there's a man who could've straightened them out. :sarcasm:

in case you haven't guessed, I can't stand Dr. Phil.

[Bouncy Ball]

6. Ooo I can't either, little charlatan.

He's such a waste. All he is is schtick. The first couple of times I saw him I thought he was ok and it was all downhill from there.

[BattyDem]

7. I've seen that show a few times ...

Every week, it's the same thing .... the kids are waaaaaaaaay out of control! I'm not saying they're a little rambunctious or hyper or occasionally test the boundaries of parental authority - the kids are absolute nightmares! They walk all over the parents, they're nasty, they're spoiled, they're rude, they hit people ... WTF is wrong with these parents?

Tonight's episode was a little different ... the kids were grieving, so there were lots of different issues to deal with. But usually, it's just a case of out-of-control children and lazy parents. I don't get it. How does a five year old end up with all the control? :shrug:


NOTE: I'm not a parent, so maybe I'm missing something. All I know is my parents NEVER would have allowed me to get away with the crap those kids get away with.

[Bouncy Ball]

9. They end up with the control because the parents allow them

to have it, period.

That's the only way. A parent who really IS in control cannot have it wrested from them by a five year old.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. Nothing like making ratings off of a families misfortune

The really do sound like they need real professional help. Maybe there's a chance they were playing it up for the cameras a bit? I don't doubt they (the TV crew) coach them to do things all in the name of ratings. :mad:

[Bouncy Ball]

11. I don't doubt it either, but I've seen kids just like this.

They're in control. The parent isn't. And it's really sad to see.

My husband said "I wonder how much the kids play it up in front of the cameras?"

But there has to be a certain level of dysfunction there to begin with because a) no kid is THAT good of an actor--they were for real and b) any kid who really WAS raised not to act that way would have a hell of a hard time kicking, punching, biting, and shoving their mother on cue.

My daughter would probably look at someone like they were insane if they asked her to do that. And to her credit, she'd refuse. But we don't hit each other.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

12. I agree there's preexisting dysfunction

I just can't stand how other people's grief is a spectator sport. A family like that could use some real help if those children are going to have a chance at a productive life. What they don't need is a bunch of people gawking and pointing at them just so we can think our lives are better. I feel for the kids and the mother to a lesser degree. She is the adult and seems to know there is a problem. She just wanted (IMO) a quick fix instead of all the hard work it's going to take to put them back together again.

What-da-ya-know! I think I just found another pet peeve of mine. :)

[Bouncy Ball]

13. No argument here. From the first time they mentioned the

dad had passed away a year before, I thought "counseling?" Then when I saw how incredibly angry the daughter was.....

I thought about writing to Fox about this, but yeah, like THEY'D care. So I know not to ever watch that show again. Don't give it ratings.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. Luckily

I'm a Nielsen's TV Ratings home this week and I didn't watch it. That'll teach 'em! :P

[Bouncy Ball]

16. Cool! I wish I could be one!

We wouldn't turn on the TV at ALL that week!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

18. I've went through and tried to pick every liberal program I can find

I set the DVR to record them all. They shall rue the day they chose THIS female from rural Texas. :evilgrin:

[Swamp Rat]

15. "FUX" is a good name for that evil corporation.

I'm gonna adopt it and use it often. :)

[Bouncy Ball]

17. Go for it! It suits them.

:hi:

[NMMNG]

19. I saw that myself

I was horrified watching what those kids did to each other and their mother. I don't believe in spanking but I can guarantee those kids, paricularly the girl, would have been physically restrained any time they pulled that BS. (For the line of work I'm in I have special training in physical restraints that are non-harmful to the person being restrained). The kids would also be in some serious counseling.

Furthermore, any toys or whatnot the kids used as weapons would be locked up or thrown away, period.