S04.E09 You Have A Lot Of Nerve

[gingerella]

Kim and Micah share first-ever cocktails together (and Kim manages to look like she's chewing gum while also sipping a Margarita in a tall glass) and Kim reveals the reasoning behind her parenting choices (and we still loathe her). After years, Ethan and Barry finally make amends (and Barry seems to be gleeful that Kim isnt bogueing his game), but Ethan keeps new secrets from Olivia (Why Ethan. Why?!?). Lydia asks Kim tough questions (and for once this season I almost like her, key word: almost).

Edited July 13, 2022 by gingerella

[Gharlane]

1 hour ago, gingerella said:

Kim and Micah share first-ever cocktails together (and Kim manages to look like she's chewing gum while also sipping a Margarita in a tall glass) and Kim reveals the reasoning behind her parenting choices (and we still loathe her). After years, Ethan and Barry finally make amends (and Barry seems to be gleeful that Kim isn't bogueing his game), but Ethan keeps new secrets from Olivia (Why Ethan. Why?!?). Lydia asks Kim tough questions (and for once this season I almost like her).

TBH, I'm having trouble remembering anything that happened and found myself checking my email during this ep and went to bed at some point during Micah and Kim having adult drinks. I'm tired of Ethan's childish nonsense and the sturm und drang with Kim and Barry, two of the least sympathetic people I've seen on TV. Oh yeah, I did find Lydia's views about marrying gawd to be weird.

[QQQQ]

10 hours ago, Gharlane said:

Oh yeah, I did find Lydia's views about marrying gawd to be weird.

I didn't watch the episode yet, but I've heard of being a bride of Christ as concept related to nuns. I'm not Catholic, but I did watch the 1991 Brides of Christ miniseries. So that pretty much makes me an expert 😅

7 hours ago, QQQQ said:

I didn't watch the episode yet, but I've heard of being a bride of Christ as concept related to nuns. I'm not Catholic, but I did watch the 1991 Brides of Christ miniseries. So that pretty much makes me an expert 😅

Edited July 13, 2022 by QQQQ
Sorry - I've somehow quoted myself and can't figure out how to fix it.

[Madding crowd]

Once again we have parents telling intimate details of their marriage to their kids. Why in the world would Kim or Lydia think Lydia is qualified to give marriage advice? And I feel bad for Kim about what happened to her but punishing your children wasn’t the right answer.

[Notabug]

2 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

Once again we have parents telling intimate details of their marriage to their kids. Why in the world would Kim or Lydia think Lydia is qualified to give marriage advice? And I feel bad for Kim about what happened to her but punishing your children wasn’t the right answer.

I think that Kim's history explains why she raised her kids as she did; but it doesn't excuse it.  Therapy would've been the answer to childhood trauma, not isolating your kids from the world.

I am tired of Ethan and Olivia behaving like children in their marriage.  She doesn't like it when he makes a major purchase without consulting her, very reasonable.  So, after just getting over the previous incident, he goes out and does it again.  And she comes at him with a bunch of tired old platitudes about communication in marriage which she has done time and again to no avail.  The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Notabug

[Gharlane]

2 hours ago, QQQQ said:

I didn't watch the episode yet, but I've heard of being a bride of Christ as concept related to nuns. I'm not Catholic, but I did watch the 1991 Brides of Christ miniseries. So that pretty much makes me an expert 😅

I am pretty sure Lydia wasn't being figurative or metaphorical about being married to God. I think even Kim was like "Um, okay..." whenshe heard it. 😮

2 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

And I feel bad for Kim about what happened to her but punishing your children wasn’t the right answer.

Holy crap! Did I miss something interesting?  😃

6 minutes ago, Notabug said:

I am tired of Ethan and Olivia behaving like children in their marriage.  She doesn't like it when he makes a major purchase without consulting her, very reasonable.  So, after just getting over the previous incident, he goes out and does it again.  And she comes at him with a bunch of tired old platitudes about communication in marriage which she has done time and again to no avail.  The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Preach it! 🙌

Why does Ethan keep doing these things and and not telling her? What is wrong with him? 😬

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

I find myself dosing during this snorefest. Olivia needs to leave Ethan, he acts like a 5 year old. Lydia is creepy and honestly, someone should check her prayer closet

[Notabug]

47 minutes ago, Gharlane said:

I am pretty sure Lydia wasn't being figurative or metaphorical about being married to God. I think even Kim was like "Um, okay..." whenshe heard it. 😮

Holy crap! Did I miss something interesting?  😃

Kim's mother was a single parent.  When she was 4-5, her mother hired a babysitter for her- a teenaged boy.  She didn't spell it out, but it seemed obvious that he molested her.  She told Micah he hurt her or something like that. This kind of explains her need to isolate her kids, to homeschool and to not allow them access to anyone outside of the family.

47 minutes ago, Gharlane said:

Why does Ethan keep doing these things and and not telling her? What is wrong with him? 😬

I think Ethan really wants out of the marriage but doesn't want to say it; so he keeps pushing the issue, hoping she will end it for him.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Notabug

[Ziggy]

1 hour ago, Notabug said:

I think Ethan really wants out of the marriage but doesn't want to say it; so he keeps pushing the issue, hoping she will end it for him.

I do not think that's true.  I think Ethan very logically knows what he needs to do (communicate more).  He wants to work on his marriage, but it is a struggle for him.  His habit is to walk away from conflict and work on his cars, and it is a real challenge for him to face the situation and have a conversation.  He's learning that talking to Olivia works.  He's learning that it's not as painful and torturous as he fears it's going to be, but it's still going to take time and practice for him to do it consistently.  But he always comes back to her and talks to her, and he and they are better for it.

I did appreciate the fact that he said talking about his parents' separation was not something he wanted to do on camera.  Some of his coldness towards Olivia when he arrived might have had more to do with the cameras than anything else.

2 hours ago, Notabug said:

I am tired of Ethan and Olivia behaving like children in their marriage.  She doesn't like it when he makes a major purchase without consulting her, very reasonable.  So, after just getting over the previous incident, he goes out and does it again.  And she comes at him with a bunch of tired old platitudes about communication in marriage which she has done time and again to no avail.  The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Olivia still has a lot to learn, too.  She's frustrated, and understandably so.  From her perspective, he won't follow the simplistic of directions.  "Before you make a major purchase, please do me the courteously of talking to me first."  My husband used to think he was asking my permission.  I get why it probably seems like that, but really, it's just letting the other person have a chance to express any concerns about it.  Our challenges were more about him making plans without talking to me first (um, what if he forgot a previous commitment we had).  It wasn't about me giving him permission at all.

She's really, really trying to be patient.  But not answering the phone???  That just eats away at you and makes you less patient when the husband finally does arrive.  Would it have been so hard for him to text her, "Having a bad day.  Will explain when I get home.  Love you!"  It took a lot of strength for her to just listen when he told her about everything that happened.

I think Olivia knows that she's just trhing the same things over and over again, but I don't think she knows what else to do.

[maxmama]

Olivia gives more grace to Ethan than I would.  He deliberately keeps repeating the same actions, thinking if he owns up to it at some later date and acts contrite then it’s all good.  Of course we don’t see what happens behind the scenes, he could have told her about the motorcycle for all we know, and it’s a storyline.  Anyway, it underscores the slow erosion of trust and honesty between two people.  Olivia is trying to hold it together but eventually….pffft.  I actually thought Kim did pretty well trying to point out the realities of love to a human being, not just to God.  The real relationship that has to be lived every day.  Lydia has zero point of reference for any of that.  

Hold the tomatoes, but Barry is  growing on me.  He seems sincere in his desire to re-establish a relationship with Ethan, and maybe it might just work out fine without Kim in their picture.  Hopefully a new side of him will emerge.  People can change.  It seems Kim and Barry are having a re-awakening at the way they have raised their kids and I hope it benefits everybody.

[TrininisaScorp]

That was a weird episode to me.

It was all a little jarring to go from the Direct TV commercial that Ethan and Moriah were obviously doing to watching Kim and Ethan drink to listening to Kim telling her son that her abuse as a child manifested traumatically into how she chose to raise her kids.  As many of you said, it isn't an excuse or a reason to justify how she and Barry raised them into this fundy lifestyle, but I do feel like I saw some puzzles pieces come together. I don't care for Kim, but my heart hurts for the trauma she endured a young age. That's terrible. That said, I watched her and Barry be nasty, judgy assholes to ppl that weren't them and didn't believe what they believe for seasons, so my sympathy only goes so far. 

While I appreciated Ethan and Barry trying hard, what I didn't care for was the central commonality felt like "oh, those harried broads of ours". Barry and Ethan have their own part in the crazy that happened between the 4 of them, and they don't seen (outside of a small blanket "my bad") willing to take more responsibility. 

I find Lydia creepy and (LITERALLY) holy than thou "married to God" and "covenants cannot be broken" talk to be creepy AF. That said, she learned this shit from Kim and Barry. So, it is a little satisfying to watch her throw it at Kim. As always, Kim seems to have no real patience for Lydia. Considering that Lydia is raising the younger children at this point, that is some bullshit on Kim's part. 

I can see that Ethan's anger and misplaced sadness at this situation with his parents pushing him into lashing out and knowing he'll push Olivia's buttons. Misery loves company. They seemed more playful and flirty at the end after their little bike ride. I still don't really know how those two will work out. They have a lot of growing up to do. 

[Shelbie]

Kim should be dealing with all of this through therapy. She should not be unloading on her purposely sheltered children. She kept worrying that her children would judge her and yet she spent their entire lives acting as judge and jury on what they thought and did and found them wanting and unable to live as perfectly as she claimed she was living.
Lydia’s thoughts on marriage will do her no favours when she herself is living with a husband. 

[gingerella]

41 minutes ago, TrininisaScorp said:

That was a weird episode to me.

It was all a little jarring to go from the Direct TV commercial that Ethan and Moriah were obviously doing to watching Kim and Ethan drink to listening to Kim telling her son that her abuse as a child manifested traumatically into how she chose to raise her kids.  As many of you said, it isn't an excuse or a reason to justify how she and Barry raised them into this fundy lifestyle, but I do feel like I saw some puzzles pieces come together. I don't care for Kim, but my heart hurts for the trauma she endured a young age. That's terrible. That said, I watched her and Barry be nasty, judgy assholes to ppl that weren't them and didn't believe what they believe for seasons, so my sympathy only goes so far. 

Exactly! Of course no child nor adult deserves to be violated in any way, but I suspect Kim thinks this is her redemption arc. If TLC works the way I think it does, producers sat her down and showed her how loathed she is and told her to come up with a redemption arc. I don't doubt that this happened to her, not at all. But I also don't think it will redeem her. Does it help tie together why she wanted to isolate her children? Perhaps, but then she ought to have availed herself as an adult to serious therapy to work through this rather than transferring her trauma to her kids and traumatizing them in different ways.

While I appreciated Ethan and Barry trying hard, what I didn't care for was the central commonality felt like "oh, those harried broads of ours". Barry and Ethan have their own part in the crazy that happened between the 4 of them, and they don't seen (outside of a small blanket "my bad") willing to take more responsibility. 

OMG yes! I was soooo annoyed at that convo about 'those emotionally crazy wimin-folk'. THAT is probably the entire issue in a nutshell between Ethan and Olivia. He never learned to handle his feelings and he looks at men who are emotionally intelligent as 'woman-like' because they communicate their feelings to their partners. Gosh I wonder where he got that idea from? And grinn'in Barry the Creepster smirks about being able to connect with Ethan because Kim isn't there. I almost expected him to do a 'na na na na na na, I'm friends with Ethan and you're not' to Kim after that stellar pizza lunch. Barry can opine all he wants to, but he's just as bad as Kim is IMO.

I find Lydia creepy and (LITERALLY) holy than thou "married to God" and "covenants cannot be broken" talk to be creepy AF. That said, she learned this shit from Kim and Barry. So, it is a little satisfying to watch her throw it at Kim. As always, Kim seems to have no real patience for Lydia. Considering that Lydia is raising the younger children at this point, that is some bullshit on Kim's part. 

Lydia is truly batshit crazy BUT, I did enjoy watching her throw a lifetime of Kim's rhetoric and 'teachings' back in her face and watch Kim whine about wanting to be loved. Did anyone notice the older guy in the bar scene with Micah, who was making comments about the shots? It felt like Kim was ignoring him, but I imagine someone like him hitting on Kim and she wouldn't know what to do. I don't believe she wants a new man in her life. I think honestly, this is just some story line plot to reinvigorate this family that has grown stale quickly and as usual, TLC is trying to revive the show's corpse by foisting this divorce on us. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a miraculous reuniting in a season or two. TLC = The Lying Channel.

I can see that Ethan's anger and misplaced sadness at this situation with his parents pushing him into lashing out and knowing he'll push Olivia's buttons. Misery loves company. They seemed more playful and flirty at the end after their little bike ride. I still don't really know how those two will work out. They have a lot of growing up to do. 

I like how you put that, Ethan's anger and misplaced sadness. That's a great description of where his head is at. When we first met Ethan and Olivia they seemed equally matched in dysfunction, but I gotta give Olivia credit for growing her emotional intelligence a lot. When she talks about how she cannot change Ethan, he has to change himself, but she can change how she reacts to his antics, that's growth to me. I would like to think they will be able to find their way as a couple, but I think she's just a naturally more open person and would probably thrive better on her own and with a more normal person, sad as it is to say that.

[Dibs]

Anyone casting a skeptical eye at Kim's victim story?  Reminds me of when Amy Roloff tried to blame her bad temper on being bullied as a child.  Notice Kim didn't come right out and accuse anyone of anything specific, but just vaguely hinted at it.  Poor Kim was forced into fundamentalism.  Also, who hired MALE teenage babysitters for little girls back in the day (or even now)?  But it scored pity points with her drinking buddy...  In other words, I wouldn't put it past Kim to bend the truth to come out on top here.

I agree that Ethan realizes they're hopelessly mismatched and on some subconscious level hopes it will end so he can find a nice cornfed girl who will not endlessly criticize him and will let him work on his cars in peace, and Olivia is no longer that girl and probably never was.  He may even be unconsciously sabotaging it with his antics, but he's also a 23 year old guy in lust with his wife, so he's conflicted.  Olivia is still young enough to believe that she can change a man if she just tries hard enough and gets off on being "the worldly one."

Lydia may actually be suffering from a psychiatric symptom known as "religiosity" or she may be a bona fide mystic.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Dibs

[Ziggy]

1 hour ago, Shelbie said:

Kim should be dealing with all of this through therapy. She should not be unloading on her purposely sheltered children. She kept worrying that her children would judge her and yet she spent their entire lives acting as judge and jury on what they thought and did and found them wanting and unable to live as perfectly as she claimed she was living.

This!  I feel like this perfectly explains so much about Kim.  When I heard her talking to Micah about the babysitter, I was shocked, not shocked, because it's just exactly what I kind of expected all along ... or at least that there was trauma that she thought she was protecting her kids from.

So much of what Kim said in the first couple of seasons about her parenting style just screamed that she knew what was best and it didn't matter what her kids said or wanted.  She was super defensive.

The biggest reason she didn't want Ethan and Olivia to be around the younger children without her present was so that they didn't say anything bad about her!  It's so sad to see how she lacks the confidence to allow her children to see anything other than what she shows them.

My kids question me on things.  They see different ways at their friends houses, at school, from tv, etc.  Sometimes I explain and they understand.  Sometimes I just have to be ok with, "Well, that's what other parents do, but that's not what we do."  Even when it's followed by, "But, Mom ... !"  That's part of parenting.

Don't get me wrong.  Sometimes I listen and think, whoa, I'm really off base on this one.  I need to make some changes.  That's part of parenting, too, accepting the fact that you're not perfect without being defensive and judgy.

Kim was so threatened by Olivia, that she didn't even listen or bother getting to know her.  When you really listen to what Olivia is saying, there's a decent amount of humility there.  She's excited about what she's learned and trying knew things, but she's also pretty self aware and knows she has a lot to learn.

[camom]

Ethan acts like a little kid who thinks his “cuteness” will keep him from getting in trouble. He’s a perfect example of thinking “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.”  Not that he necessarily needs Olivia’s permission, but when you’re married you don’t make large purchases without at least consulting your spouse. Especially since she is apparently the only one working a real job (sorry, but I don’t consider being on a reality show to be a real job).  

[Jeanne222]

Did Olivia and Ethan ever sell their home in Cairo?

 I remember Ethan was so sad leaving that home and city. He was all set there. 

Ethan doesn’t have big dreams like Olivia has. He just wants to be small town and peaceful. 

[Salacious Kitty]

I don't see Ethan as having much, if any, ambition. He's content playing video games and puttering around on his cars/motorcycles. He doesn't seem to have an outside job. 

Once the show money dries up, will they be able to live on Olivia's wedding photographer business? 

[SunnyBeBe]

I agree about Ethan.  Does he realize that when you whittle down the love….eventually you can kill it.  The other person then has no qualms walking away, because it’s gone.  It seems he’s doing that.  And, his wife’s constant sarcasm….she should realize that by now, that doesn’t work. It’s not effective, so let it go.  She might be better served by figuring out if Ethan has the maturity to be in a marriage.  It doesn’t appear so. It seems they are just putting in their time.  

[lightninggirl]

7 hours ago, Dibs said:

Anyone casting a skeptical eye at Kim's victim story?  Reminds me of when Amy Roloff tried to blame her bad temper on being bullied as a child.  Notice Kim didn't come right out and accuse anyone of anything specific, but just vaguely hinted at it.  Poor Kim was forced into fundamentalism.  Also, who hired MALE teenage babysitters for little girls back in the day (or even now)?  But it scored pity points with her drinking buddy...  In other words, I wouldn't put it past Kim to bend the truth to come out on top here.

/raises hand

My children were molested and we didn't expect it, so I get it. I'm Kim's age and my parents & my friends parents didn't hire teenaged male babysitters, either. If that happened to Kim I truly feel for her as my family has gone through a lot, but all we've heard about in past seasons was how her mother was an alcoholic and she didn't want her kids to be exposed to what she was exposed to, as well as Kim drinking and (I think?) possibly experimenting with drugs. Nothing about being distrustful of anyone outside of the family and that's why they were so cloistered. I think it WAS 100% religion as Kim and Barry were Quiverfull. I think they broke off with the other Quiverfull families that they were close to, and they just decided to isolate the kids in order to keep control over them. 

Kim is acting like Barry's the one who was responsible for her stifling herself, and that not doing the things that she wanted to do is a direct result of her trying to please her husband. But unless Barry took a hard line with the kids not being around anyone else and isolating them was HIS idea? Nuh, uh, Kim. That's all on you. Now you're seeing that your kids are enjoying life and navigating their existence on their own terms AND you're probably horrified by bible-thumping Aunt Lydia (and knowing that YOU MADE THAT), it's a rude awakening!

[TwirlyGirly]

16 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

Once again we have parents telling intimate details of their marriage to their kids. Why in the world would Kim or Lydia think Lydia is qualified to give marriage advice? And I feel bad for Kim about what happened to her but punishing your children wasn’t the right answer.

I don't think Kim's intent in talking to Lydia was to get marital advice. However, Lydia was raised to believe the answers to all of life's questions are in the Bible, so in her mind, she wasn't advising her mother; she was simply telling her mother what the Bible (which to her is the literal word of God) says.

Frankly, I'm surprised Lydia didn't inform her mother the Bible prohibits divorce unless there's been adultery, or if a believer is married to a non-believer, and the non-believer asks for the divorce.

That's it. 

Kim's not happy in the marriage? Well, she can go to (Christian) counseling, and pray about it. But according to the Bible, divorce is out of the question.

Her only other option is to separate - but not divorce. 

If she divorces Barry, she cannot remarry. Because she's not divorcing due to one of the two "approved" reasons, she'll still be married in the eyes of God. So remarrying, or even having a relationship with another man, would be adultery - according to the Bible. 

And in the Bible, adultery is a capital (death penalty) crime.

These are the things she's claimed to believe at least since she married Barry, and they are also things she taught her kids.

But as soon as these beliefs stand in the way of her happiness, she discards them without a second thought.

I'd so much like to ask Kim: "Over the past 24 years, how willing have you been to discard what you believe the Bible says about homosexuality and gay marriage? Things that have stood in the way of the happiness of hundreds of thousands of people?"

I'd love to hear her answer. 

[Madding crowd]

13 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I don't see Ethan as having much, if any, ambition. He's content playing video games and puttering around on his cars/motorcycles. He doesn't seem to have an outside job. 

Once the show money dries up, will they be able to live on Olivia's wedding photographer business? 

Ethan did have a full time job in Cairo, he quit it because Olivia wanted to move. I don’t think Micah or Moriah have jobs either. They all appear to be living off the show but that won’t last .

[charmed1]

What’s glaring to me is Kim’s lack of accountability in how she hurt the very children she thought she was protecting. I’m very sorry that she was victimized. It was brave of her to share that with her son when he asked for an explanation of her parenting methods. She claimed that was one of the reasons why she was so overprotective. What should have followed was, “And I realize now that, that was not the best way to raise you and I’m sorry.” When Aunt Lydia was droning on about being married to god, I could see the light bulb go on above Kim’s head like Dr. Frankenstein finally realizing what he had created.

I think the scene with Micah and Kim was filmed before Ethan went to the farm house to talk to Barry. I think that was why Micah was so defensive of her when Ethan referred to her as “that lady.” Whatever trauma Kim experienced, she clearly self-medicated in her youth with drugs and alcohol, but she doesn’t realize she only replaced the drugs and alcohol with a fundamentalist lifestyle that was damaging to the nearly dozen children she bore.

And speaking of Aunt Lydia, if marriage is a covenant blah, blah, blah, then that other lady your daddy was married to should’ve been your mother.

Edited July 14, 2022 by charmed1

[drafan]

4 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

 I don’t think Micah or Moriah have jobs either. They all appear to be living off the show but that won’t last .

I think Micah is employed by a top modeling agency. Not that I looked him up or anything......

Moriah looked cute with her hair pulled up/back....she needs a make-under STAT.

I think Ethan and Olivia's nonsense is just that...nonsense to spice up a boring show.

These TLC families seem to make more money than anybody ever admits to..... there must be perks. They all get new, very large homes. Outdaughtered. Little Couple. Little People. Jon and Kate. Duggars. Bateses. Plaths. Sister Wives. Oh yeah, and then some of the marriages fall apart...there's that too.....

[BAForever]

Calling total shenanigans on Kim saying she didn't drink alcohol because Barry didn't/wouldn't approve. I watched this sh**show since Day 1, Kim has worn the pants in this relationship since the show began. In an early episode,  Kim was speaking about Olivia and Ethan's wedding. She said something like "if you serve alcohol at the wedding, many from our side of the family won't attend". She was the driving force in making Olivia feel uncomfortable. She made most family decisions- she's "the neck that turns the head." Is this all a plot device? Olivia makes up with Barry, and Kim hangs (and drinks) with Micah, more drama ensues. And the term "process" is way overused in the show. 

Kim is a manipulative, mean-spirited, hateful person. But she has great hair. 

[bichonblitz]

15 hours ago, lightninggirl said:

Kim is acting like Barry's the one who was responsible for her stifling herself, and that not doing the things that she wanted to do is a direct result of her trying to please her husband. But unless Barry took a hard line with the kids not being around anyone else and isolating them was HIS idea? Nuh, uh, Kim. That's all on you

Kim is such a hypocrite. She wanted to shield the kids from the big, bad world and Barry went along with it. Now she bitching about how he never gave her enough love and attention. Well, maybe she was too busy being the controlling shrew that messed up her kids and Barry was the one being ignored. 

That said, it was nice to finally see Barry laughing and Ethan smiling. Their meeting at the pizza place was nice and now I'm craving pizza. 

Micah wanting to be drinking buddies was cringey. He did ask her some good questions, though. 

Lydia needs to get on a good skincare regimen. She has pimples all over her face covered up with heavy foundation. Didn't mama Kim teach her anything? 

[QQQQ]

Kim and Barry (perhaps to a lesser extent) seem to always be looking for 'the next thing' to fulfill an emptiness or need, but don't stick with anything long before they are on to the next thing. Religious ideology, simplistic living, structured homeschooling, a family band, ballroom dancing, a tv show, a dance studio... Reminds me of women who get into home party pyramid schemes -- whatever they are selling that month promises to cure what ails you... until the next product comes along. Which is fine unless you're dragging 9 children along for the ride or subjecting them to your whims.

Edited July 15, 2022 by QQQQ

[Dibs]

1 hour ago, QQQQ said:

Kim and Barry (perhaps to a lesser extent) seem to always be looking for 'the next thing' to fulfill an emptiness or need, but don't stick with anything long before they are on to the next thing. Religious ideology, simplistic living, structured homeschooling, a family band, ballroom dancing, a tv show, a dance studio... Reminds me of women who get into home party pyramid schemes -- whatever they are selling that month promises to cure what ails you... until the next product comes along. Which is fine unless you're dragging 9 children along for the ride or subjecting them to your whims.

I would agree with that if you deleted "and Barry."  Flitting from one thing to the other in search of filling a personal void is all Kim...

She was even the one pushing for the show that proved to be the family's undoing as she slowly developed TLC Big Head Syndrome.

Poor Barry was probably just trying to make enough money to keep body and soul together and nine kids fed and also commuting!

[QQQQ]

Unless Barry sustained severe head trauma as a youth and/or doesn't know how babies are made, he's equally culpable in this shitshow. 

[Back Atcha]

On 7/15/2022 at 12:29 PM, Dibs said:

I would agree with that if you deleted "and Barry."  Flitting from one thing to the other in search of filling a personal void is all Kim...

She was even the one pushing for the show that proved to be the family's undoing as she slowly developed TLC Big Head Syndrome.

Poor Barry was probably just trying to make enough money to keep body and soul together and nine kids fed and also commuting!

And most of us agreed with Ethan who answered Kim when she told him that ever seeing his siblings was Barry's call (I may not have this word for word), "You're the neck that turns his head, and that's how it always has been."  Kim is a FORCE and she found the perfect quiet acquiescent man to fall in love with her.  Seems like he still is.  Poor dumb Barry.

AND...poor naive Plath children who continue to believe her blather.  Even Micah is getting sucked in again.  Give Kim her own show so we don't have to see her again.  It can be about a poor, overworked, overlooked mother of ten (now nine) who's trying to find her way in a new land.

[geej]

Maybe have Kim stay with or travel with Meri from Sister Wives. I could not watch that.

[charmed1]

33 minutes ago, geej said:

Maybe have Kim stay with or travel with Meri from Sister Wives. I could not watch that.

Throw in Kate Gosselin, Amy from Little People Big World, and 90 Day Danielle and then you got me. The Real Divorcées of TLC all decked out in capri pants and fisherman sandals. 

[Kiss my mutt]

I think Kim saying she was molested as a child as the reason she raised her kids that way is just to cast her in a more sympathetic light. If may have had something to do with it, but it’s more likely she is a control freak and likes having minions.

Now, it’s all “psych”, never mind, I’m not following those rules anymore. I believe that’s called a hypocrite.  They must be very confused and feeling insecure by the upheaval of everything they’ve known. I really hate that selfish bitch.