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Our Little Family - General Discussion


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If the shelf collapses and anyone (the climber or an innocent bystander) is injured, the store is liable...another reason shelf climbing is frowned upon.

 

 

I will admit to the apparently "offensive" crime of offering assistance to people.  Not trying to imply they *can't* do something, just trying to be helpful. 

 

This show is kind of bland.  The kids are cute but that's not enough to make it must see TV for me.  (And Zoe Klein is just so much cuter.)

I watched my sweetheart of a mother, who is 80 years old, get bitched at by some hateful woman in a wheelchair, when she tried to offer assistance.  Mom was so upset she was close to tears.  I wanted to snatch that bitch bald.

 

/off topic

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I never ask anyone if they need help. Usually I'll just linger around for awhile to see if they'll ask me.

 

On the flip-side my teenage son is 6'5 in his bare feet. He will every now & then get asked to reach something for someone.  On Saturday, a women about 5'0 came up to him and said  "Can you please get something on a high shelf for me, it's in the next aisle"

 

He was glad to do it.  :-)

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I never ask anyone if they need help. Usually I'll just linger around for awhile to see if they'll ask me.

 

On the flip-side my teenage son is 6'5 in his bare feet. He will every now & then get asked to reach something for someone.  On Saturday, a women about 5'0 came up to him and said  "Can you please get something on a high shelf for me, it's in the next aisle"

 

He was glad to do it.  :-)

Sounds like you have a nice boy there.

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Thank you. ;-)

 

I few years ago, I asked him if it bothered him when people asked him to reach stuff because of his height. He said, "no, it only takes a minute, why would it bother me?

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(edited)

TaylorH2, sweet, but holy cow tall boy! :) My 16 year old is 5'10" and that's huge to me!

 

All this being too short reminds me of this video. Courtesy of my younger son because he's always laughing at me being too short for stuff. (Sorry, couldn't embed)

 

Back to topic, I'm not crazy about Michelle. It's only half a season in and she seems as entitled as the other TLC families. The way they get after a few seasons. She's this bad in the first season!  What's she going to be like 3 seasons in?

 

Lastly, one of the twins (I think CeCe) looks like Tori Spelling. God help the poor girl.

Edited by ShaNaeNae
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(edited)

The little girls completely annoying me.  Can't stand whining.  Hate it!

 

The mom is really starting to bother me too.  She is pissed because people think they're different.  Sorry lady, but you are different.  Some people have never seen a little person, let alone a whole family of them.  Get over it, before you freak out your kids.

Edited by Honey
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While staring is common, that doesn't really make it OK. It's rude and someone looking different doesn't give anyone free range to treat them as a circus attraction. It's very uncomfortable for the person being stared at. But those people weren't just staring...they were snapping photos of the kids. Like the dad said, what purpose to take pictures of the kids if not to show them to someone in the spirit of, "looks at these freaks I saw!" Plus, there's no telling where those photos might end up! I know many people with average kids that are very careful of where photos of them go, so it's not fair to expect these parents to not be every bit as protective of their kids.

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(edited)

I'm trying my hardest to maintain my interest in this show, but it's difficult.  Between Bill and Jen, the Roloffs, and even the Johnstons, I really feel like we're covering old ground with the Hamill family.  The only somewhat interesting thing I got from this episode was Michelle's understandable anger at people taking pictures of her family in D.C.  My only concern is the fact that TLC is known to toy with viewers and make things look a certain way to amp up the drama.  At no point did any of the people surrounding them appear to be taking pictures of the family.  They're in D.C.; of course tourists are going to take pictures of the sights.  Each time Michelle bellowed, "No pictures!" the cameras cut abruptly to a scene of tourists with cell phones pointing in another direction.  If anyone took pictures of them, of course it's wrong, but I'm inclined to view that scene as classic TLC bait-and-switch.

 

As for the climbing on the grocery store shelves from last week, Michelle is unwise to teach her kids to do that.  I don't see what the issue is with asking for help.  It's not as if someone would tease her for being short or demean her for needing some basic assistance.  I live in an area with a significant senior demographic.  Almost every time I go to the grocery store, I see a short person or someone in a wheelchair struggling to reach an item on the shelf.  I casually reach over, grab it, and hand it to them.  They say 'thank you' and I smile and we're both on our way.  I'm 5'11" and it's no big deal at all.  

Edited by SuzyLee
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I agree that I wouldn't want strangers taking pics of my kids.  I was commenting on the mom saying she couldn't believe that people saw them as different. Of course people see them as different, because they are.  There is nothing wrong with that, and that's what she should be telling her kids.

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Yes, TLC loves to try to fool us and create fake drama where none exists and it's just as likely that no one was taking pictures.  The other thing is if she's going to fly off the handle about photos then why are they on TV?  Isn't that worse?  Of course, my skeptical mind says they are being paid for being on TV.  It could have been the film crew that attracted people's attention too.  People might want proof that they saw filming.

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The little girls completely annoying me.  Can't stand whining.  Hate it!

 

The mom is really starting to bother me too.  She is pissed because people think they're different.  Sorry lady, but you are different.  Some people have never seen a little person, let alone a whole family of them.  Get over it, before you freak out your kids.

I caught the preview several times. What they should do in situations like that is hold the kids with their heads pointed back and stand so no one can snap Jack either.

 I agree the picture taking is extremely rude and wrong, but they are different and people are going to look at them.   All this ridiculous mom did was make it worse.

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(edited)

My father was disabled from the time I was about 9, in a wheelchair by time I was 13. I understand the abilities and disabilities he had. If I see someone in the grocery store (or any store) that looks like they may not be able to reach anything I always casually ask if they'd like my help.  I'm only 5'3" but when you are in a chair, etc. that few inches or easier mobility I have seems to be appreciated. 

 

So far, I don't mind this couple. She always seems a bit cranky (trying to be nice here) when he says he's going to do something but always praises him when it's done. If he did make those beds then dang, he's good. I really liked them and wish I had them for my kids. Oh well IKEA will have to do for us. But, my father did wood working and I know he would have built anything I wanted if he were still alive. BTW he didn't take up woodworking until he was already in his wheelchair. 

 

This couple is a refreshing change from the Roloffs but I still want that average size couple from NJ who was too smart for TLC to come back. They truly loved each other and the love in their family shone through in every situation.

Edited by Mom2twoNonna2one
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All i know is I'm surely going to hell cus the opener shows them all hiding behind trees and hopping out and i damn near choked watching it.

Every time the beginning starts and they do that, I always think of this post and giggle a little to myself. Them doing it, along with your post is just classic.

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(edited)

OMG, this show is night and day to the Kleins!  

  • Michelle took 3 kids out on her own and handled navigation and meltdowns all without goldfish, ice cream or bribery!
  • The kids are polite, I heard please and thank you a few times without being asked.  
  • The kids speak full sentences and do a TH all on their own including the twins who just turned 3!  
  • Jen had a 14 page document outlining Zoey's 3rd birthday party.  Michelle handed the reins over to a local business and relinquished control.  The party appeared far less stressful and a lot more fun.  Dan having a tea party with one of the girls was adorable, 
  • And Dan made those awesome beds.  I also loved Dan's shoutout to Canada!  And he has a dwarf friend. 
  • The twins are dwarfs yet the kids at the birthday party were fairly similar in size, they knew the other kids and played together and you could hear the kids chattering away in the background.   

 

They gave me food for thought about whether or not it is ok to have pictures taken by strangers.  Michelle's point was don't take pictures without my permission and Dan's was why are you taking them and what are you doing with them?  And it looked to me like the cameras were directed at the kids including the lady who asked how old they were.  Yet their faces were blurred out??   

 

I found this link about them.  http://www.capitalgazette.com/lifestyle/ph-ac-cn-our-little-family-0128-20150129,0,1875143.story

Edited by Foghorn Leghorn
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Ratings are in:  10:01: 1.212 M viewers and a .4 rating.  10:31 - not in the top 100 cable shows of the day.  My guess based on the 90th to 100th place shows is less than 1 million viewers and a .2 rating.  That means it's in cancellation range.  Next week could be definitive on the show's chances.  

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Why are people saying that he made the beds? At the end she said "you bought the beds right?" and he laughed, and the boy said he saw the boxes in the garage.

That was the plan B he was talking about.

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People who feel strongly that children should not be on reality shows often cite concerns with exploitation as well as lack of privacy. I would think that talking heads segments where they are staring directly into the camera would be more intrusive for young children than simply being filmed participating in activities, staged or not. And this would hold true no matter how articulate or adorable the children are or what color hair they have.

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Why are people saying that he made the beds? At the end she said "you bought the beds right?" and he laughed, and the boy said he saw the boxes in the garage. That was the plan B he was talking about.

 

ohhhhh good catch!!! I totally missed that. 

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I finally finished the episode this morning and was wondering about the beds, everyone commenting that he made them. I thought I missed a joke in there somewhere. I wonder if they just scrapped what they had already started? I'd hate for beds to be half way done and they go and purchase beds because it needed to fit in Michelle's timeline.

 

I do like this family more than what the Arnold-Kleins have turned into.  This is what I'm thinking often while watching.

 

 

OMG, this show is night and day to the Kleins!  

  • Michelle took 3 kids out on her own and handled navigation and meltdowns all without goldfish, ice cream or bribery!
  • The kids are polite, I heard please and thank you a few times without being asked.  
  • The kids speak full sentences and do a TH all on their own including the twins who just turned 3!  
  • Jen had a 14 page document outlining Zoey's 3rd birthday party.  Michelle handed the reins over to a local business and relinquished control.  The party appeared far less stressful and a lot more fun.  Dan having a tea party with one of the girls was adorable, 
  • And Dan made those awesome beds.  I also loved Dan's shoutout to Canada!  And he has a dwarf friend. 
  • The twins are dwarfs yet the kids at the birthday party were fairly similar in size, they knew the other kids and played together and you could hear the kids chattering away in the background.   

 

Lastly, when they were showing newborn photos of the twins, how come they had a bruised looking strip over their eyes? Anyone know?

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I did wonder about the beds and maybe he did use plan B and buy them.  The only reason I am not 100% sure is because of his acumen with building things according to the link I posted about them.  TLC found him on FB advertising his woodworking business and were originally going to do a show about a dwarf being successful doing that or something then they met the family and it blossomed into 10 episodes.  

 

It would have been a shame to buy all that wood, have the resources to help you and then squash it for a timeline.  

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(edited)

I think I understand Michelle's point when she was wondering why it's still such a shock for the public to see little people out and about in this day and age. While people will always notice and be curious about people who are "different", I don't know that it's actually rare these days to encounter someone who is a little person, or using a wheelchair, or has another physical difference. I live in a fairly small town and see little people on a somewhat regular basis. They, like myself, are independent, productive members of society these days, thanks in large part to things like advances in medicine, technology, disability legislation, etc. It's like seeing someone with a wild color of hair... it's different, and it may be the first thing you notice, but it's probably not really something you haven't seen before (at least by the time you're an adult- and it looked to me like the people snapping the photos were adults).

Of course, it hasn't always been that way. Historically speaking, it really hasn't been that long ago that it was common for people with disabilities to be abandoned by their families, sent to live in hospitals/orphanages, or sold as "entertainment" for people to pay to gawk at their differences. I know this particular family doesn't like to use accessible accommodations, but in general the laws that now require those accommodations have made it possible for people to live and contribute to society in a manner that older generations did not enjoy. So it probably shouldn't come as a shock that a huge percentage of the negative interactions I have with the public involve people who are from generations where people with disabilities were not integrated into society as we are today. I'm only in my 30's, so I've grown up enjoying the benefits of the work of the advocates who came before me. So like Michelle, my first thought is along the lines of, "Why WOULDN'T I be out enjoying life, working, etc.?"

So things are getting better, and we will probably become less and less of a public "attraction" as time goes on and more people become used to being around people who are physically different from them because they are included as members of their schools, work places, social activities, etc. But as with any other "ism" in our society, there are going to be some that are slow (and sometimes stubbornly resistent) to catch up with the times.

Edited by Katydid
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It seems like the mom speaks out of both sides of her mouth. On one hand she's saying she doesn't want her son to be any different from the kids at school and on the other hand she says they are unique and special. That kind of bugs because he is different and they are showing us how they deal with it.

 

And yes, I wondered also why the mom was on the verge of tears in her talking heads.

This. Yes, they are different. Not bad. Not good. But at the same time she is saying don't treat us differently. We are adapting to the world. All fine and good, until I see her climbing the grocery shelves and saying she has had shelves crash down on her. So please don't sue the store when your child who is climbing in the refrigerator section with his dirty shoes and tumbles down. She made it seem like using a grabber was insulting but climbing through our food is not???

 

And the whole picture thing and wagging her finger....Most likely people are taking pics because you have a film crew in tow. LP's aren't that interesting.

 

She is rude and insulting to her husband. Her children don't seem well mannered. I see a LP Kate Gosselin in the making.

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That little boy has quite the mouth on him when he's playing soccer.... lol   how many times did he call everyone "suckas"??? 

 

I imagine the store employee maybe knows the family or was told by the film crew to let them film it. Or they're the average person and don't like confrontation or reprimanding a kid.  I don't understand why the mom is so against the grabby things to get stuff down from a high self. I imagine they are MUCH SAFER. yes, let's teach your kids to climb all over flimsy shelves. 

If I saw a tiny child climbing through the yogurts and no mom nearby, I would instinctively reach out and stabilize the child and lift him down!!! Mostly because he is in a dangerous situation and secondly because, gross.

 

It is not cute that Jack had such a mouth on him. Very poor sportsmanship and no different in my opinion then another kid yelling, "shorty"....parent's have an uppity attitude and reverse entitlement thing going on.

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Now we have the contrast/other side of the "making adjustments" coin - on one side, the Arnolds have a house that is adapted to their needs. This family rejects adapting, as if it's a sign of weakness, and wants to show that they're just regular folks. 

 

I come down on the side of adaption. Better to make your living environment as safe and as comfortable as possible, then to live in an environment that's not suited to your needs. I wonder if, in the second or third or fourth season, they will also build a house that's customized? Thanks to the TLC Gravy Train. 

 

(I'm short, not a little person, but I reached my height of 5 feet tall at age 10, and never grew another inch. Sometimes I have to go around my well-stocked supermarket aisle by aisle, asking someone taller than me to reach an item on a shelf. If an employee isn't around, I'll ask another shopper. No big deal.)

I am thinking this. They have a 3 story townhome. All those stairs with regular sized children is a nightmare, but for this family the physical toll??? I remember Bill Arnold saying stairs were the worst thing for LP, but it could be because of their hip problems. I doubt the show will make it, but if it does, I see a rambler being built for them "using" his construction abilities.

 

I dunno. If she continues as catty and unlikeable, the show may continue. :)

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I agree that I wouldn't want strangers taking pics of my kids.  I was commenting on the mom saying she couldn't believe that people saw them as different. Of course people see them as different, because they are.  There is nothing wrong with that, and that's what she should be telling her kids.

Because in what breath she says we are unique and special, in fact that is in the show open, but in the next breath she doesn't want to be treated differently. I bet this woman is hard to get along with IRL.

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I am not holding my breath on a renewal.  The viewership was halved by the fourth episode and hasn't been on the top 100 cable shows of the day since episode 3.  That is cancellation range for TLC in my experience.  I won't miss them.

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I am not holding my breath on a renewal.  The viewership was halved by the fourth episode and hasn't been on the top 100 cable shows of the day since episode 3.  That is cancellation range for TLC in my experience.  I won't miss them.

I hope they didnt get their teeth whitened for nothing. :)       Buh bye   

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My guess is the other tourists in DC saw the family with the TLC camera crew, boom mikes and production people and wondered if they were seeing celebs, therefore they snapped pictures. Michelle is offended yet she is on a reality TV program focusing on her kids and family life. You cannot have it both ways. I highly doubt tourists would be taking their pictures if they were casually touring on their own.

I don't think the show will be renewed.

Regarding the family living in a three story home, it is in a row of townhouses and is probably what they could afford as a young family. I doubt they could afford a one story home with much square footage, a much more expensive option on a square foot basis. Townhouse living is very common in he greater DC area which is a mega expensive place to live. I don't know much about Annapolis and its housing market.

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I noticed their house, too, and at my age I don't even want to think about climbing all those stairs. It looks like you enter on ground level, then the living room/dining/kitchen is over the garage, and the bedrooms must be on the third floor. She said that they don't have any health issues so they probably are not bothered by the stairs much at this point. But think of lugging all those groceries up a full flight! 

 

Speaking of which, Michelle made a point of stopping to pick up prepared baked ziti instead of cooking dinner (and I realize that this was the "excuse" for her deciding to leave her humdrum bubble, which led to the trip to D.C.) but Jen Arnold is criticized for feeding her children take-out - and she's a working mother who, if anything, has even less time to cook dinner. Michelle has time to go to the gym, stop off for coffee, etc. But all's well that ends well, because dang if she wasn't inspired to fry up some chicken for her family, as if that's the first time she ever cooked a meal. 

 

The relentlessly princess-y party for the girls with the boys dressed as knights was grating on my feminist nerve, but that's a post for another day. 

 

And "yankee"? Some of us are Mets fans, you know! 

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I think, the ultimate fault for putting kids on reality tv falls on the parents, not the viewers.

 

I prefer to think that the ultimate decision to put kids on reality TV falls on the parents, not the viewers. 

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I noticed their house, too, and at my age I don't even want to think about climbing all those stairs. It looks like you enter on ground level, then the living room/dining/kitchen is over the garage, and the bedrooms must be on the third floor. She said that they don't have any health issues so they probably are not bothered by the stairs much at this point. But think of lugging all those groceries up a full flight! 

 

Speaking of which, Michelle made a point of stopping to pick up prepared baked ziti instead of cooking dinner (and I realize that this was the "excuse" for her deciding to leave her humdrum bubble, which led to the trip to D.C.) but Jen Arnold is criticized for feeding her children take-out - and she's a working mother who, if anything, has even less time to cook dinner. Michelle has time to go to the gym, stop off for coffee, etc. But all's well that ends well, because dang if she wasn't inspired to fry up some chicken for her family, as if that's the first time she ever cooked a meal. 

 

The relentlessly princess-y party for the girls with the boys dressed as knights was grating on my feminist nerve, but that's a post for another day. 

 

And "yankee"? Some of us are Mets fans, you know! 

Some of us "Yankees" are even :gasp: Red Sox fans.  ;)

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I thought the birthday party for 3 year old girls was just fine. Even boys that age don't really mind that. It was nice to see the boys their were decorating shields and crowns while the girls were making tiaras.

 

I myself like the townhome layout. I live in one. But I am not a LP. Have often thought what the heck I would do if I injured my ankle or something...I guess I would camp out in the main level for a time.

 

I do realize this type of home is very normal in this area. It probably is at least a 300K home, whereas in my area a mere 180K would buy newer, more modern. But that's just a cost of living issue.

 

I am paying 1.99 a gallon for gas in the Midwest. I have not paid that since college. What are the rest of you paying? Curious.

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I myself like the townhome layout. I live in one. But I am not a LP. Have often thought what the heck I would do if I injured my ankle or something...I guess I would camp out in the main level for a time.

My mom bought her home in Florida when she was 55 - she chose the second floor, thinking it was probably more secure. By the time she was 88, she could barely make it up and down the stairs more than a few times a week. (No elevator!) I'm glad I live in a garden apartment on the first floor - because I have had some mobility issues and it's so much more convenient. 

 

I live on Long Island and the lowest I paid for gas about a month ago was $2.29 a gallon. It's gone up to around $2.59 a gallon but still so much better than it was a year ago. 

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I thought the birthday party for 3 year old girls was just fine. Even boys that age don't really mind that. It was nice to see the boys their were decorating shields and crowns while the girls were making tiaras.

 

I myself like the townhome layout. I live in one. But I am not a LP. Have often thought what the heck I would do if I injured my ankle or something...I guess I would camp out in the main level for a time.

 

I do realize this type of home is very normal in this area. It probably is at least a 300K home, whereas in my area a mere 180K would buy newer, more modern. But that's just a cost of living issue.

 

I am paying 1.99 a gallon for gas in the Midwest. I have not paid that since college. What are the rest of you paying? Curious.

I'm in Iowa and we were below $2.00 for the longest time but then it went up over $2.00 and last week our government raised the gas tax 10 cents, which oddly raised the gas MORE than 10 cents on the day it went into effect so that's whatever lol  But now we're about 2.38.  Still can't complain. My gas guzzling truck is loving it!

I think that the dwarf family hook isn't there. I feel like dwarves really are just like everyone else, and a family of dwarves isn't going to make for good tv because it's like watching any other family. The Roloffs at least had the amusement park/pumpkin farm and the clashing between the parents. Yeah, mom, you're different, but you really are like everyone else. Show us something different. I'm interested in seeing his job, esp. since jobs like woodworking are so undervalued in our society and I feel like I could actually learn something new. Watching a little person shop in a grocery store isn't new or interesting to me.

 

I agree - they have nothing special going for them.  They're an average family - which there is nothing wrong with that.  I would also be more interested in seeing the Dad at his job making stuff if that's what he does. TLC should have went with their gut instinct and not changed it to a show mainly about their family!

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I had to laugh when the info for this episode was how they were going to look for a new house.  and THEN during the episode they discussed that it would be so nice if they could customize a house to their needs, lower cabinets in the kitchen, etc..... 

In the end... they can't afford it YET. 

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I had to laugh when the info for this episode was how they were going to look for a new house.  and THEN during the episode they discussed that it would be so nice if they could customize a house to their needs, lower cabinets in the kitchen, etc..... 

In the end... they can't afford it YET. 

 

Too bad they couldn't buy the house they are in instead of renting.  I think when they do customize Dan will do the work.  It was nice hearing his ideas of glasses and plates and everyday items being placed at chest height and there was no real need for upper cabinets.  

 

Michelle is a power house!  I loved the team work of the kids helping her get that bird prepped.

 

I noticed the kids were very aware of the cameras last night and often talked or looked at them when saying something.  It was quite interesting how Michelle thought the twins behavior improved when not dressed the same.  Loved how during Cate's timeout we heard her crying the whole time yet life continued for the rest of the family, discussion between the parents and Jack and Cece playing.  Michelle looking after 3 kids all by herself is great to see and something the Kleins don't seem to want us to know.  No nanny, no parents.        

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Does anyone know if TLC picked this show up for a second season? Ugh, I do not care for them or her snotty extended family. Kids are not understandable, and they are so aware of the cameras.

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I agree the Klein's do not want us to see Zoe and Will's tantrums. However, I saw no help from the kids with the turkey, just a 6 year LP, standing on the kitchen counter.

 

Well after she put the turkey into the can one of the twins helped her push the lid down, then the other helped her with the cooler and then they all put bags of ice over everything and put the empty ice bags into the garbage!  They wanted to help.   

 

Does anyone know if TLC picked this show up for a second season? Ugh, I do not care for them or her snotty extended family. Kids are not understandable, and they are so aware of the cameras.

 

I didn't see a snotty extended family?  The twins can talk and Jack is missing his top four teeth which might explain his lisp and I don't find them any harder to understand than other kids their age.  No one could understand my baby sister yet my brother and I understood every word!      

Edited by Foghorn Leghorn
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I'm not expecting a renewal on this one.  They quit hitting the cable top 100 of the day beginning around episode 3 or 4.  Their viewership had dropped by half already at that point.  I find them very dull and it seems most of the beginning audience did also.  My neighbor said she lasted about 10 minutes of the first episode. 

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