Jon and Kate + 8...Are they exploiting their 8 kids they were blessed with?

Are they exploiting their 8 beautiful kids they have been blessed with? This is a huge discussion right now.

Here is a website that is questioning this very topic, alot of it is negative, BUT if you really read and think about what those little kids lives have been put through to earn all the stuff they have been *given*. They now live in a $1.3 million house. Is that a stuggling family of 10 that they say they are? I dont know very many middle class working families that can go on 4+ huge vacations in one year plus buy a million dollar house.

Here is the link to the blog that addresses this HUGE issue..... http://gosselinswithoutpity.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2009-01...

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Permalink Reply by Rea_Ball on February 5, 2009 at 11:36am

I love the show. Yeah Kate can be rude and jerky to her husband, but I am too at times and we only have one child! To me I can identify with that.
And not all their money comes from TLC and the show. She's published a book and is making money from that. Plus they do public speaking events and appearances too.
They've doing the best they can and the kids are thriving from what I see. She may not be a true stay-at-home mom, but even with the "fame" they've got now, they haven't hired a tribe of nannies. They are both very hands-on parents and its refreshing to see them bicker and argue like we all do.
That's just me though....

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Permalink Reply by Janice on February 6, 2009 at 10:16am

I believe that she is very rude to her husband, but those kids are very well behaved
and very smart. and the most recent episodes have them trying to take every kid out
for their 'own day' which I think that is wonderful. I also know that they don't work, and maybe
she got a lot from that book, but that can't necessarily support a family of 10 for that long.
TLC has A LOT to do with paying them, and right along with all the promotions they do they get a lot of things for free, such as the vacations.

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Permalink Reply by jan on February 8, 2009 at 11:05am

I just love the show. I think it is fresh and fun. I don't fool myself into thinking that this is totally natural. We see bits of regular life peeking through every once in a while. I think they live this part of their lives with as much grace and dignity as you can, when dealing with 8 young, energetic children and two tired parents. The parents are both charming and cranky, but the balance is pure entertainment for the audience. I "get" Kate and she, unselfishly puts herself out there as the "bad guy".
I don't feel as though anyone is exploited, especially not the kids. I trust that the parents and anyone else who loves and has influence over this family, will keep a close watch over the situation to help keep negative exploitation from ever happening. It takes very strong people to handle celebrity status, because with that glamour also comes loss of privacy, rudness and nasty gossip. I hope they never let the media machine poison their happiness. I'm sure that this show will have to come to a close soon because as the two girls get older, having a camera around may not be the best thing for their development of self and family, but for now, it just looks like fun for all. Family first and boy what a wonderful family they have. I'd love to see them again after they're all grown and settled and parenting their own families. Bravo Gosselins. Much love to you all.

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Permalink Reply by Irene Melice on February 8, 2009 at 12:37pm

Wait... they STILL say they're struggling?! Ya know, I don't so much have an issue with the show, except that those parents scare me just a little. John doesn't work anymore, which I understand needing with 10 young children, but they are by no means struggling in that HUGE house (they move on average of about once every 18 months into something bigger and better), with nannies in and out, donating things to kids at St. Jude's, etc. Just be honest about how you're living.

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Permalink Reply by TheScrappyMama on February 8, 2009 at 8:05pm

I say live and let live. They seem to really love and care for their kids and if they want to do it in front of the cameras, go for it. When you have 10 mouths to feed, you need something besides a regular day job! (At least, I would think you would.)

As far as Kate being jerky to her husband, so what? Like Rea said, I can be jerky to mine too. We all have bad moments. Thank God there are just no cameras around to catch it when I'm jerky to my husband!

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Permalink Reply by Chris C on February 11, 2009 at 9:13am

What I can't help wondering is. . . have they made enough to afford that house once the show is off the air! I'm guessing they bought it outright. . .I just wonder what a shock it will be for the kids if/when the cameras go away and they really do have to live like a 'normal' family. I like the show but it is getting more and more commercial. My husband can't stand it for that reason. The other thing that I'm wondering is how will they ever get out for dates now that they've moved away from the people that have always helped them with childcare and laundry. I suppose now they can afford to pay for those "favors."

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Permalink Reply by Kate on May 28, 2009 at 3:33pm

How very sad for the kids when they realize ALL of their childhood memories.....the birthday parties, the trips to museums and baseball games, the family vacations and even their preschool time, have only been for tv ratings.......
Jon and Kate are delusional if they continue to use the arguement that the show is "only for the children..to provide for their future"....they are selfish, self-absorbed and greedy parents who are padding their pockets and risking their precious children's emotional well-being...

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Permalink Reply by Ileana Reyes on June 28, 2009 at 7:22am

I dont know too much of the nitty gritties, but I know that reality shows have become our Mission in life on TV...LOL. But the truth is, for even us, who struggle with a couple + kids, juggle work, our childrens activitires, a home, a spouse and or significant other...that crap is hard. We today as parents have such HUGE balls to juggle. It's not like in past generations that there have been a lineage of generations helping you raise your children. I look at myself I have 3 kids, and my youngest is in the spectrum. And I work a full time job, and my partner has to be told exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. You would think he would get it. And eventhough I am SOMEWHAT level headed if confronted with an opportunity to raise my kids, and be there with them, and secure SOMEWHAT of a future for them (economically)...bc lets be for real...kids dont come with a checkbook, dont come with instructions, dont come with health insurance and dont come with pre-paid college plans (trust me, I have checked) LOL. I can see where when handed this "platter" they went for it. But its still pressure. And we as mothers and fathers with children in the spectrum we can understand the pressures in a relationship. And I have always said children can either help a relationship or KILL it. I think this is what has brought this all to light - its thier relationship - bc of the pressure it fell apart. And it also proofs that MONEY doesnt solve the problem.