Wellfleet

Yep, I think Jen meant to say something more along the lines of "My parents have been talking about retiring on a warm, sandy beach in Florida for as long as I can remember..." and it just didn't land. Her sentence came out instead. I have heard people say "...for as long as I've known them..." about their own parents or sibs before. It's just what an English major or an editor would probably call "awkward." Doesn't quite hit the right note.

Interesting - and disappointing - news. It guarantees a tougher time socially for both Will and Zoey. At least if they tend to follow this same pattern, and it looks like they are right now. Poor little pudders...

A little bit, yeah. No aliens though...

It's possible, but I really don't think that greed and materialism are what drive Bill and Jen. At least I don't think they started out with $$ in their eyes. But I do think they've been genuinely-surprised to learn how much they really like being on TV - and all it brings them. Expensive fertility, surrogacy and adoption procedures. Heavily-comped activities and outright-freebies, including pricey parties, designer clothing for designer closets and a custom home with premium tech features, a pool, even attached income property. The additional income streams of speaking engagements, endorsements, books/merchandise and now maybe even pet store franchising? I don't imagine Bill would be Mr Mom now without TLC, because I doubt he would have sold his business or started the pet store. Maybe they wouldn't even have adopted yet, or at all. Personally I don't believe they'll willingly end the show until the deed is signed for a beach house very much like the one Jen toured last Summer. But all bets are off after that. I don't get any vibe that they'd find it painful to leave fame behind. Jen might miss it somewhat but she will still have her speaking engagements so there's that.

With a dash of Phil Hartman's SNL character "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer."

Oh, he's definitely Casper Milquetoast - IMO at least. Definitely.

I agree wholeheartedly with your first paragraph. But I don't think I can with the second - for this reason. If people are worthy of the public's admiration, praise and respect because of what a reality TV show displays about them - and we can all agree that the Kleins have definitely received these things - they must also accept criticism as well. No pendulum swings only one way - and no single public has only one universal view.

The questions I have are all centered around their everyday life. I'd like to see is a genuine, regular, garden-variety day around the house when not a single special thing occurs. Not days when they jet to another city, or throw a $5K birthday party for a 4-year old child at a 5-star hotel, or visit a pumpkin patch or a firehouse. Just a boringly-random weekday, when Jen is working a regular day at the hospital and Bill is home as we've been told is now their routine. I'm assuming Kate would be there. What does she do? Does she deal only with the kids and their needs? Or are household duties on her docket while the kids are at school or napping? Maybe Kate is not expected to do double-duty as a housekeeper. Then who does mop those gorgeous dark floors? Who does laundry? Goes to the market? Washes windows? Dusts that two-story barn of a great room? If there is outside help, who supervises? How much uninterrupted work time does Bill actually get? Does Kate transport kids back & forth to school and other appointments at times? Does she work full or part-time? How much of a Mr Mom does Bill need to be when neither Kate nor Jen is present? Let's see Will & Zoey being taken to school. Or not. It's very likely they don't attend school daily. Most pre-K programs [especially private ones] that do not involve a daycare component are not daily. Typically younger kids [2-3 years] go twice a week and older kids [4-5 years] go 3x a week. How do Will & Zoey accompany their time when home? Etc etc.

I would hate to see this happen. Being able to ensure that Person A can always voice her opinion means that Person A must be willing to hear Person B's [opposing] opinion, whatever it might be. Personally I'm not hurt by the views of people who don't agree with me. In fact, I've often gained new perspective from opposing views - because these posters are saying things that would never have crossed my mind. And sometimes I've actually changed my views because I was exposed to new and different ideas.

But I don't think Derick himself realized all the things you're saying, which are absolutely true. He could have insisted on more time, he could have insisted on dating rather than courtship etc. Yes, truly. But he's also, apparently, the least-confrontational male in human history. And he was up against Boob, who I'm sure tries to appear as intimidating as possible to most if not all of the people he meets. Derick needed parental help to ask the girl out, for pity's sake. He couldn't even do it in person. Have we ever heard a peep from anyone who dated/courted Derick in the past? Personally I haven't. I have to say I wouldn't be surprised if we were to find out Jill was Derick's first - in every respect. Crush, date, girlfriend and so on - the works.

Personally I believe the Kleins are in no way as calculating, exploitative and driven as some posters think they may be. But by the same token, they're not the glowing paragons of virtue that some believe either. Bill & Jen are not better than other people because they're short-statured. Many people have physical conditions that they have managed to rise above in their lives. They're not more worthy of their success, financial or otherwise, just because they've endured multiple surgeries either. Many people contend with medical or physical issues on a daily basis, some with less support and many with fewer resources than the Kleins. And most importantly, in a forum such as this one, they shouldn't be considered exempt from criticism just because they've been bullied or rejected in the past. My guess is that everyone here can honestly describe themselves as people who've worked hard for what they have, and yes, even as children who were teased, rejected and/or bullied, albeit for different reasons. It's quite simple. Bill & Jen are no different than the vast majority of us. And personally I think this is what Bill & Jen would most want people to know about them. That they're basically good, honest, hard-working, well-intentioned people, but certainly with their own flaws. Flaws that obviously become more apparent after how-many-now years of TV? You don't notice X or Y about a friend right away. It sometimes takes years for certain things to become apparent. And it must be said, they CHOSE to put their lives on TV, so it is as fair to criticize them as it is to praise them. Posters here often talk about how educational The Little Couple either is or isn't. I'll tell you the #1 take-away I've gained from this program. Everyone has a story worth telling...

This is what I think as well. While I don't believe Jen is much of a money-grubbing publicity hound, I don't think she waived or donated any part of her speaking fee for the New Orleans event either. Which I checked out online - and which sounded like it was quite swanky. That organization could afford the $30K from the sound of it. And both Bill & Jen know that fame is fleeting, and that they would be wise to "make hay while the sun shines..." I also believe they know now how much longer they'll continue to do the series, barring any unforeseen circumstances. PS - their website, thelittlecouple.com, was an interesting read. I recommend it to everyone here. The topics they feel comfortable speaking about, both separately and together, was wide-ranging and IMO, actually eye-opening. It very much sounds like they both hope to continue this kind of work long term. They even have a manager, though I give them serious pointage for not promoting themselves as blatantly as certain other TLC families have. PS - Just a guess of course, but I bet the second book - due out soon - is probably a compilation of some of the talks they give on the lecture circuit. Again, both individually and as a couple.

On the other hand, Me-chelle appears to have inflated somewhat. She definitely looks like she has gained weight.

Agree! Personally I think Bill & Jen would be receiving just as much criticism as any average-statured couple if they were - indeed - average-statured. I think they get an enormous amount of slack cut for them by many viewers, specifically because they are little people. A part of human nature tells us that it's mean and unfair to "pick on" those smaller than ourselves. But even the folks who bristle at any criticism of the Kleins would probably agree that Bill and Jen want to be treated like everyone else. And for better or worse, everyone else is subject to criticism when they put themselves and their family on TV. They're educated and successful adults, and evidently quite competitive as well or they wouldn't be as successful as they are. My guess is that they can take it, despite their size - and we do them a disservice when we think otherwise.

This has been what I've been thinking will happen as well. Once Josh is sprung from whatever the hell he's doing now, he'll be joining Ben on the toilet-cleaning, grass-cutting crew, 100%-dependent on his old man for every last dime. Pathetic.

Completely agree. Jen is obviously not required to disclose financial details of any kind to viewers, but the whole thing could have been handled discreetly, and honestly, with a little careful thought. Something along the lines of - Now that Jen no longer sees patients, she's able to accept a few more of the many speaking requests she receives. She's chosen this cancer hospital in New Orleans and will attend their big gala event with Bill, bringing the kids and their Arnold grandparents along for a fun family weekend." Without saying it outright, the implication is clear that she is being paid, but it's also clear that she chose the New Orleans offer because of her cancer connection and wish to help.

If this is the case and Jen was indeed paid $30K for this speech, then I have to agree. Jen should have just said that she was invited to speak at the XX event, whatever it was. It is really poor to insinuate that she did the speech to help the hospital if she was invited and paid a [stiff] fee. Of course it might very well be true that she actually wanted to help. But if it ultimately cost the hospital $30K to actually get her there, that's a different kettle of fish entirely. And by the way, $30K? OMG. At this rate, they should be ensconced in that Galveston beach house in no time.

Spot-on right. Little Will from The Little Couple - who I think turns 6 this month - is in better shape. Much better. And he [1] was severely-malnourished as a newborn - weight at 3 months old - 6 lbs!! [2] partially-deaf for nearly 3 years until tubes were put in [3] has been learning a whole new language. Josie's situation was avoidable to some extent, and that's what makes it so sad. I'm not a fan, but I doesn't prevent me from feeling sorry for her. She can't help who her parents are.

So true. With Me-chelle, it always comes back to her narcissism. And she gets no strokes if she just interacts on a normal, daily basis with her kids, doing normal daily household stuff. I used to keep my mother company in the kitchen in the afternoons while my little siblings were napping . Mom was always baking or getting supper started or ironing maybe. And I'd be asking endless questions about when she was a little girl or whatever etc. I loved that time, just the two of us. I doubt any of the Duggar kids ever see much of Me-chelle at all on an ordinary day at home. I see her as all holed-up in her own little office with her Starbucks, scheduling or whatever it was she described as her main responsibility now. Not that that probably takes up much of her time anymore. I do think the most the children ever saw of Me-chelle, and could speak to her, was when the cameras were rolling. Maybe even the oldest kids.

100% agree. Since she first began appearing on 19Kids, she's been a giddy, endlessly-grinning opportunist. The only time I had any sympathy for her was when the Duggars got a clown on stilts for her birthday party, knowing that she's always been nervous of clowns. Insensitivity is a primary character trait DEEP in the DNA of this family.

Amen to this. Without accredited training, Amy is nothing more than your garden-variety babysitter. The only advantage she has is her age - she's about 10 years older than the average sitter and likely has more experience. But of course these days most women refer to babysitters as "nannies" - it just sounds so much more high-end, upscale. Good grief...

Completely agree. And it is so clear when you compare Duggars v Bates. I'd love to know how the Duggars first came to TLC's attention. The very first nod - did some producer see a newspaper article or something? It's clear they didn't vet them thoroughly or even for very long. And now I'm really beginning to wonder - very seriously - about both Boob's and Me-chelle's childhoods. Because when those two found each other, it was the start of a perfect storm of weird.

Gosh, I was really surprised to hear about another book so soon. I thought their first was just launched Spring of 2015. Or was it 2014? Even so, that was fast. I wonder if there's a ghost writer for this one? Was there on the first? I didn't read it. PS - quite honestly I always lose a little respect for anyone that "writes" a book with a ghost. IMO, anyone who can read & write - and has a good-enough story or idea to share - should be able to write a book. At least to the point where a professional editor steps in. God bless the editors. Now let me be clear. I'm not saying writing a book is easy by any means, and it would obviously take a lot of time. But not every book needs to be a contender for the Nobel Prize. It just needs to be clear, readable & mostly importantly, understandable. And every story worthy of being told should be told in the "voice" of the person who lived it, or created it. This cannot be done by even the most-skilled ghost writer. Needless to say, this is an issue about which I have a very strong opinion. Climbing down off soapbox now... :>)

It's definitely not too soon to begin teaching Zoey please, thank you etc. But I can vouch for the fact that virtually all four-year olds point and say "I want that" - every time they see anything they want. The hard part is being the adult that has to pretend they don't hear the child - LOL.

Wow, I didn't realize James was 14. Yikes, he really does look to be 8 or 9 tops. Poor kid was "lucky" enough to inherit this from Boob. I do hope he gets the same final-year-of-high-school growth spurt too.