7 Little Johnstons - General Discussion

[SunnyBeBe]

My parents made some mistakes as I was growing up. No doubt about that. The main reason is they were in a fundie church. Anyway, despite that, they fully supported me when I first moved out on my own.  Helped me paint, bought me carpet, moved my furniture and even filled the oil drum when heat cut off my first night!  Lol A snow storm, but I didn’t think about the furnace! Lol. They did it all with a smile and positivity!  It meant a lot and I still remember it.  AND, 6 months later when my roommate got married and I couldn’t afford it by myself, they welcome me me back home with no criticism.   I learned a lot from that experience.  Amber and Trent act like their kids shouldn’t get the chance to learn life lessons.  

[Kid]

On 6/2/2021 at 10:37 AM, Mahamid Frauded Me said:

I also cringed when both Alex and Emma were on the couch and they both said they hold their rage in.  Rage is a scary word coming from these kids about their parents

Thank you!!  I noticed that too.  Anger is one thing.  Rage is quite another and goes hand in hand with shame.  Most likely, they are being shamed on a routine basis.

 

[readheaded]

I get the sense that Amber has anger toward Anna because she and Trent “saved” her through adoption, but Anna doesn’t show her undying appreciation by doing everything Amber’s way. It’s like it’s a personal affront to Amber that Anna might have her own approach to anything. Plus, I don’t think Anna was ever a cuddly little child, which Amber probably took personally instead of just understanding that it’s just how Anna rolls.

I caught a repeat this morning from last season where they’re trying to build the pavilion. Alex said that Jonah wasn’t helping much and was probably sleeping. That, and just his general state makes me wonder if Jonah suffers from depression? 

[humbleopinion]

1 hour ago, readheaded said:

 That, and just his general state makes me wonder if Jonah suffers from depression? 

The family eats depression for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The audience hasn't seen them happy since their California road trip and LP convention.

[Teriacky]

I find it weird that Amber and Trent feel the need to “approve” any living space that Elizabeth (and Anna) want to rent. My parents never saw any of my apartments/houses until after I had moved in and invited them over. AND I WAS AN ONLY CHILD!! 

[readheaded]

My 24 year old son bought a house and my husband and I didn’t see it until he settled and we visited. 

[druzy]

22 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

My parents made some mistakes as I was growing up. No doubt about that. The main reason is they were in a fundie church. Anyway, despite that, they fully supported me when I first moved out on my own.  Helped me paint, bought me carpet, moved my furniture and even filled the oil drum when heat cut off my first night!  Lol A snow storm, but I didn’t think about the furnace! Lol. They did it all with a smile and positivity!  It meant a lot and I still remember it.  AND, 6 months later when my roommate got married and I couldn’t afford it by myself, they welcome me me back home with no criticism.   I learned a lot from that experience.  Amber and Trent act like their kids shouldn’t get the chance to learn life lessons.  

That's a beautiful memory for you @SunnyBeBe! Thanks for sharing. 

[Kid]

Poor Anna!!!   I believe she suffers from Stockholm syndrome. And I believe she has been emotional abused her entire life.  She does not need their permission or enthusiasm  to move out.  She is an adult.  I understand it because I lived with a mother who had borderline personality disorder (most likely) and was mentally and physically abusive. Yet, I went  back home after college and lived  with her till I was 24 as the only acceptable way to leave was to get married which I did and divorced him 4 years later.  I was simply incapable of getting in my car and driving away.   Anna could just pack up and leave.  

Even Liz wants out.  And Alex and Emma bury rage not anger.  Something is definitely rotten in the state of Denmark!

But I think that Anna got the worst of Amber.  She is such a lovely young woman who deserves better and I hope she gets it!

 

[Teriacky]

Trent and (especially) Amber need to think ahead to when they are elderly. The kids can put them both in a nursing home and walk away, never visiting them and certainly not sharing their lives with them. (And possibly not paying the nursing home fees).

I’ve seen this happen snd it’s heartbreaking.

[Joan of Argh]

Omg I wanted to throttle Amber,,, leave Anna alone!!

wtf is her problem?? Anna is a sweet and funny young woman who is very capable and watching Amber belittle and harass her made me so damn angry.... will Anna get every single thing right?.. probably not but that’s the same for every young person moving out and getting their own place, you learn from your mistakes and having a mother who’s just sitting there waiting for you to falter is so stressful!

I wanted to scoop Anna up and tell Amber to piss off and go find a new person to bitch at! Grrrrrrrrrr!!! 🤬

[Kid]

8 hours ago, Joan of Argh said:

Omg I wanted to throttle Amber,,, leave Anna alone!!

wtf is her problem?? Anna is a sweet and funny young woman who is very capable and watching Amber belittle and harass her made me so damn angry.... will Anna get every single thing right?.. probably not but that’s the same for every young person moving out and getting their own place, you learn from your mistakes and having a mother who’s just sitting there waiting for you to falter is so stressful!

I wanted to scoop Anna up and tell Amber to piss off and go find a new person to bitch at! Grrrrrrrrrr!!! 🤬

Amber is so much like Amy Roloff, isn’t she?!  Joyless except when engaging in sexual innuendo or wedding planning in her 50’s like a teenager.

[readheaded]

20 minutes ago, Kid said:

Amber is so much like Amy Roloff, isn’t she?!  Joyless except when engaging in sexual innuendo or wedding planning in her 50’s like a teenager.

Except Amy seems to show love and affection to her children. 

[humbleopinion]

Amber is more like that horrible Kim Plath.

Barf every time Kim mentions she was a ballerina in college...yep, like the ones in Disney's movie Fantasia....

[Chalby]

On 2/19/2021 at 11:50 AM, readheaded said:

She doesn’t seem to need their validation and approval, though, like Elizabeth does, which is awesome! 

Poor Anna puts on a tough facade but you can see it's breaking her heart that Amber's treating her so poorly. As Anna pointed out she still being judged for poor decisions from her past. I don't know why Amber feels the need to remind Anna she's less than. To me she's the one that's going to go the farthest.

[Chalby]

14 hours ago, Joan of Argh said:

Omg I wanted to throttle Amber,,, leave Anna alone!! I wanted to scoop Anna up and tell Amber to piss off and go find a new person to bitch at! Grrrrrrrrrr!!! 

I could be way off but Anna represents everything Amber once was. Difference being, Anna isn't paired up with a guy to hold her back, nor is she interested in anything outside of school and work.

It appears that Amber is furious at the progress Anna is making without her help or input. It's like Amber doubles down on pointing out every little mistake Anna might make when she moves. It's not fair to Anna that Amber has unobtained dreams from her youth.

Lastly, when Amber kept asking Anna how she was going to pay for things, I couldn't understand her doubt after Anna mentioned working part-time plus doing her jewelry business. How is that not enough especially with money from the show.?

Now I am wondering if those kids get any money from the show? Surely, they must. I assume it's put in a trust but they should be able to access it once they turn 18.

Watch Amber give everyone their money but hold out Anna's. Amber will put a condition on the $ so Anna can't get it. Or worse, there is no money for the kids.

 

[Chalby]

On 1/27/2021 at 4:05 PM, seasons said:

I also noticed a lot of Duggar-like side hugging last night, even between jonah and ashley.

I think it is a religious thing. I always felt side hugs were insulting. Who the heck is going to tell me whether I can control myself or not? By insisting on covering up inside hugs you're telling your children that you don't trust them with their own emotions. Do they view their kids as little perverts walking around, just waiting for the moment to pounce after a frontal hug?

Trust me, a side hug is not going to stop anyone from having sex if they want to.

I have to say I'm noticing more and more of these so-called reality based shows have participants who are identify as religious.

Through the tv seasons the Mormon faith has offered up a lot of 90 Day fiance couples. And Fundy churches offer up Duggars and Johnstons and those families.

Aren't there any families that are just out there and unique w/o religious ideology? 

[MakingBacon]

My understanding is that TLC usually just writes one family check. You don’t automatically get your own because you become an adult. That’s what they were doing on the Duggar show. I would bet only Trent and Amber see the check and they dole out money to the kids as they see fit. Money creates independence and I don’t think that’s what the parents really want for their kids. Amber especially seems to want to always maintain control. 

I only watch because of Anna. I want so bad for her to succeed in life and reach all her dreams because it just feels like her parents are against her. Something has changed since the last season because Elizabeth really seems to be over Amber and living in that house when she always seemed to be Amber’s perfect child. 

[ShaNaeNae]

When Anna went and picked up her dog while crying broke my heart. Amber reminds me of my own mom who often criticized which left me in tears. 

[Ms.Lulu]

Lowlights:

• Emma flipping off Amber
• Amber telling Trent it would cost him a lot to walk away
• Leaf blowing the lanterns

And who only eats frozen Chinese food?

Edited June 9, 2021 by PDXlulu

[suev3333]

I will say that I've been liking Trent so much more as a person than Amber.   Yes, his sex jokes and innuendos do get out of hand...lol.  I just find him much more likeable, and funny at times.    I also noticed Amber didn't pay ANY attention to poor Anna. Just disregarded her through the whole episode.  Very uncomfortable.   I hope Anna makes it out of there and on her own,  because her parents say she won't be able to do it without them.   And Liz is soooo over putting up with the BS in that house.    

[RedDelicious]

11 hours ago, ShaNaeNae said:

When Anna went and picked up her dog while crying broke my heart. Amber reminds me of my own mom who often criticized which left me in tears. 

Oh lord me too. I was really proud of Anna in that moment. She handled herself with maturity and coped in a healthy way. She is light years ahead of Amber in her emotional development. Amber, who pulled off her mic and left the house. Great example Amber 🤦🏼‍♀️

[Emkat]

So.....Trent was so drunk last July 4th that he almost blew his face off with a firework?!

There is a lot going on behind the scenes here.

[Joan of Argh]

On 6/7/2021 at 6:21 AM, Kid said:

Amber is so much like Amy Roloff, isn’t she?!  Joyless except when engaging in sexual innuendo or wedding planning in her 50’s like a teenager.

Omg yes!

I knew she reminded me of someone, you nailed it!

A sour, pissy, self centered know-it-all who’s always right.

 

[Kid]

On 6/7/2021 at 10:08 PM, MakingBacon said:

Something has changed since the last season because Elizabeth really seems to be over Amber and living in that house when she always seemed to be Amber’s perfect child. 

I think being the perfect child was her coping strategy. In dysfunctional families, everybody plays a certain role. One acts out and is the scapegoat, one tries to disappear into the woodwork, one tries to please everybody and be perfect, etc.

Edited June 9, 2021 by Kid

[SunnyBeBe]

I missed most of last night’s episode.  I did see the fireworks display.....omg. I have a huge issue  with nonprofessionals handling fireworks. The type they had were of a strength that they would be illegal in my state (NC).  Of course, people get them from SC anyway.  They maim a lot of people every year. Even handled carefully, they can explode improperly.  It’s insane to have them around children, imo.  That was a huge disappointment.  
 

I’m not sure what faith Amber and Trent are, but I doubt it’s fundie, because fundies are very anti alcohol and they would never openly drink or serve alcohol.  That is a huge Nono with them.  Southern Baptists, which is an actual denomination, are much more liberal than fundies, but also frown on alcohol use.  Well, in the south, anyway. I was a little surprised at the 21st birthday celebration for Jonah. 

[bichonblitz]

The only interesting part of this episode was learning how Emma and Alex came to be adopted. Emma had a rough start. If I recall Anna's story she had a rough start, too. Not that Amber cares. 

[linthia]

When Amber was bad mouthing Anna to Trent and he decided to tell Anna, "Mom and Dad ain't gonna help you because you didn't care to listen or take our advice to prepare yourself", I wanted to slap that smug satisfied look off Amber's face. And the way she gave him a kiss of thanks for taking her side against their daughter infuriated me. I don't necessarily think Trent is as mean and nasty as Amber, I think he is just kind of dumb and easily manipulated. Amber really knows how to play him like a fiddle.

[SunnyBeBe]

I lost respect for Trent when he treated Elizabeth so horribly during a purported driving lesson a couple of seasons ago.   I shudder when I think about how he picked fights with her, baited her, put her down, made her cry.....and THEN had the nerve to blame her!  Infuriating.  I can’t let that go. It was cruel and tells me that there is something wrong with him too, even though he does play the good guy at times.  

[TwirlyGirly]

On 6/2/2021 at 9:25 PM, suev3333 said:

Oh, and why the hell do trent and Amber have to "OK" the apartments the girls are looking at.  Wtf?  Let them be adults.  If they're over 18, the parents should stay out of it.

They don't, and that's why I said they micromanage their kids.

If Anna doesn't meet the income guidelines to rent, she'll find out when she submits an application. Neither Trent nor Amber need to say a thing - and they shouldn't.

Amber said something in one of the THs about Jonah, Elizabeth, and Anna not knowing how to do adulting (paraphrasing), and that may be true. But they won't learn how to do it right unless both Trent and Amber step aside and let them learn - not from their parents telling them what to do and how to do it, but through their own life experiences. 

As long as Jonah, Elizabeth, or Anna don't ask for any help from their parents (financial/co-signing/moving/etc.) Trent and Amber have exactly zero say if they choose to move out, when they move out, and where they move to.

I actually laughed out loud when Amber said to Anna something to the effect of if Anna doesn't have a full time job and wants to move out, Trent will say no.

Well, if Anna doesn't have a full time job but can find a place to move to that she can afford at whatever salary she's making - even if it's not full time work - she can move out regardless if Trent says no, and Trent can't do a damn thing to stop her.

 

[seasons]

Thanks for the updates, guys. I'm kind of out now with all the family dysfunction - seems very real to me. Can't stand to see those kids in this sad situation. Poor Alex and Emma having to deal with things alone if three older siblings leave. They are all so fragile I think.

Same with that Derrico gaggle - just no, watched most of season 1 but they piss me off too much. Also why I pretty much cut out mean girl Whitney and her barnacle "friends".

[humbleopinion]

Liz is misguided by not prioritizing getting her BS in Nursing so she can have a 4 year college degree and a job that will pay the bills.

If she had stayed on track she should have her prerequisites completed by now and applying for BS Nursing Schools.

Seems she is spinning her wheels by working very long hours in the nursing care facility to make money to save for rent on a house and not taking of herself by exercising, eating well, and cashing in on her lucrative art business.

 Jonah can use community college to rehab his failed college gpa and get him back on track to earn a college degree. He didn't torpedo it too much...just retake the failed courses....

He is far too lazy, arrogant, entitled to do a manual labor job like Trent or any job he feels is beneath him...

Anna seems to be the only one on track to complete her degree hopefully she will transfer to a college with a 4 year terminal teaching degree, getting the hours needed for a teaching certificate now by substituting and then a full time position with the benefits of having a college degree so she can advance on to a master's if she wants in the future...

Amber and Trent are fails at guiding their children to adults... 3 Fail...2 more to ruin...

Emma seems to have taken an attitude of pissed off and annoyed...

Alex has lost all of his happy go lucky ways and is seething, angry and waiting to blow...

 

[SunnyBeBe]

They are good points about education.  I’m not sure what Liz is doing at the nursing home, but a CNA position will offer limited pay.  A facility nursing position is much better as far as hours and salary.  My former neighbor was an ED nurse at a major trauma center. She had a unique schedule of long hours for a few days then a long break.  She loved it and it paid a very nice salary, plus benefits. (Over $100,000.)Tough job though. I haven’t seen her since covid.  

[ShortyMac]

On 6/8/2021 at 9:15 PM, PDXlulu said:

Lowlights:

• Emma flipping off Amber
• Amber telling Trent it would cost him a lot to walk away
• Leaf blowing the lanterns

And who only eats frozen Chinese food?

I’d like to see me try flipping off my parents at 15. I'd have been knocked into the next week. It shows how they really are off-camera. 

All that trouble celebrating Lunar New Year, only to eat frozen Chinese food?? Gross. They couldn’t at least get takeout?

Of course Trent and Amber are oh so supportive of Jonah’s little podcast. It takes real work to build a following from scratch, and to get real sponsors to make $$$. It has to be sleek and professional to gain traction. While he’s dragging his feet to get a FT job and move out, Anna at least has two jobs that make real money. 

[TMI]

9 hours ago, humbleopinion said:

 

 Jonah ---

He is far too lazy, arrogant, entitled to do a manual labor job like Trent or any job he feels is beneath him...

Anna seems to be the only one on track to complete her degree hopefully she will transfer to a college with a 4 year terminal teaching degree, getting the hours needed for a teaching certificate now by substituting and then a full time position with the benefits of having a college degree so she can advance on to a master's if she wants in the future...

 

I think that Jonah is just TOO LAZY to do any work...and his arrogance is beyond limits...a very surly fellow!

Poor Anna is always trying to compete for the respect and love that the parents give to Elizabeth and Jonah..".the real children."  She has a hard shell but craves understanding and encouragement...not getting it at home...she knows that she needs to escape the insanity.

 

[Xena]

20 hours ago, ShortyMac said:

Of course Trent and Amber are oh so supportive of Jonah’s little podcast. It takes real work to build a following from scratch, and to get real sponsors to make $$$. It has to be sleek and professional to gain traction. While he’s dragging his feet to get a FT job and move out, Anna at least has two jobs that make real money. 

I wish I could like this twice.  It was INFURIATING to see them fall all over themselves to praise his idea for a podcast (Amber\Trent - he is waffling.  He doesn't want to work.  He doesn't want to go to school.  He doesn't want a job.  This is a stalling tactic.  Omg how can you not see this). 

There is a lack of high-quality sports podcasts out there, so they have that market all to themselves, he and his friends should be rolling in the dough in no time.  Podcasts are so easy, all you have to do is put it out there, listeners and advertisers will be smashing down your door to give you money.

But Anna - ANNA is the one who doesn't have good plans or know what she's doing???  Argh.  The disconnect with reality hurts.  It burns.   

[druzy]

3 hours ago, Xena said:

I wish I could like this twice.  It was INFURIATING to see them fall all over themselves to praise his idea for a podcast (Amber\Trent - he is waffling.  He doesn't want to work.  He doesn't want to go to school.  He doesn't want a job.  This is a stalling tactic.  Omg how can you not see this). 

There is a lack of high-quality sports podcasts out there, so they have that market all to themselves, he and his friends should be rolling in the dough in no time.  Podcasts are so easy, all you have to do is put it out there, listeners and advertisers will be smashing down your door to give you money.

But Anna - ANNA is the one who doesn't have good plans or know what she's doing???  Argh.  The disconnect with reality hurts.  It burns.   

If Anna decided to purchase all the top of the line equipment that no talent, no experience, no personality Jonah purchased (most likely with his parent's credit card) Amber and Trent would call the cops, the ambulance and have hard working compassionate Anna committed. 

Locker Room Round Table has 4 episodes: February 6, 18, 20 and March 2. Looks like he quit already. 

Edited June 11, 2021 by druzy

[humbleopinion]

21 hours ago, druzy said:

 Looks like he quit already. 

Can't wait to hear Amber's excuses for Jonah's failure....

If Anna had shot Amber the finger like Emma, Amber and Trent would have  called the police and have Anna arrested.

Edited June 12, 2021 by humbleopinion

[Ms.Lulu]

I just saw Amber on Little People Big World, Season 2, Episode 15:  A Whole Lotta Little.  It aired on December 2006 and 7 Little Johnstons premiered 9 years later. 

Edited June 13, 2021 by PDXlulu

[druzy]

2 hours ago, PDXlulu said:

I just saw Amber on Little People Big World, Season 2, Episode 15:  I Whole Lotta Little.  It aired on December 2006 premiered 9 years later. 

What was Amber doing there?

[Ms.Lulu]

22 minutes ago, druzy said:

What was Amber doing there?

It was an LPA convention.  And Amber and another woman were chatting with Matt.  They were talking adoption (would have been when they were planning to adopt Alex) and she was talking about how expensive adoption is.

[SunnyBeBe]

That quiz of Amber and Trent about how they are in the marriage shows just how clueless and unaware they are.  Just pathetic.  They are so selfish that they can’t even be honest about their own qualities.   And Amber saying that she can’t get off work to check her cancer spots.....ok.  Whatever.  I would think the doctor would have noticed it if she was there 3 months previously.  
 

Who asks their kids to help pay for the Valentine gift?  Omg....what nerve.  The kids are much nicer than I’d be if I had to live with her. 😂

Just half way through this episode.  It would be nice if Anna got a date, but she doesn’t seem to be all that interested.  She has a lot of good qualities that I would think would be appealing if she were on a campus and socializing more.  

 

[Emkat]

Omg now it's Anna's fault Amber had to sell the ring?!  Because of course it is!  And making the kids pay for it?! Good lord!!! 

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m not sure I would use my skin  diagnosis as a plot device to lure viewers to come back next week in order to see if I have cancer......idk...that seems too serious to play around with. 

[bichonblitz]

On 6/10/2021 at 9:11 PM, TMI said:

Poor Anna is always trying to compete for the respect and love that the parents give to Elizabeth and Jonah..".the real children."

I don't see that they give any love to Jonah. He is kind of hard to love, though. They were probably excited about the podcast thinking that finally they may get him out of the house if he earns enough money. 

As expected, Amber shows little excitement for her Valentines gift. At least she mustered the courtesy to go around and hug everyone. 

I must have missed what Eliz is doing with her nursing degree. Did she stop going to school? Settle for a certificate? I get the feeling she wants to marry her boyfriend and start a family above having a successful career, then a family. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by bichonblitz

[TipseyGirl]

So ... Are they seriously telling their ADULT child (Elizabeth) that she is not allowed to have her boyfriend sleep over when she moves out and has her own place? Did I understand that correctly? If so, wtf??

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

Sure seems like Amber and Trent spend most of their day doing tic tok videos, aren't they a little old ? And like mentioned above it was all Anna's fault she had to sell the ring, poor kid, can't catch a break. I can't believe Trent asked the kids to chip in to buy the ring. My dad used to buy my mom gifts and give us kids the credit without having to chip in, what a tool.

Amber is ungrateful, selfish and an all around shitty parent, IMO. Trent isn't too far behind

[SunnyBeBe]

2 hours ago, TipseyGirl said:

So ... Are they seriously telling their ADULT child (Elizabeth) that she is not allowed to have her boyfriend sleep over when she moves out and has her own place? Did I understand that correctly? If so, wtf??

I missed that part. When I finally paid attention there was a discussion on farts and I lost interest.  

[humbleopinion]

5 hours ago, TipseyGirl said:

So ... Are they seriously telling their ADULT child (Elizabeth) that she is not allowed to have her boyfriend sleep over when she moves out and has her own place? Did I understand that correctly? If so, wtf??

Hahaha...what are they going to do put a game camera pointed on Liz's bed...then she and Brice can have sex on the couch, in the laundry room, in the garage...quickies if they want...who sez sex only happens at night when Brice sleeps over.

Liz will just promise no f*cking Brice to stupid Amber and dopey Trent to just shut them up but realistically can't do anything to stop them, it is her house.

Brice will be turning a new shade of red during their sexy time....lucky boy.

[SunnyBeBe]

17 minutes ago, humbleopinion said:

Hahaha...what are they going to do put a game camera pointed on Liz's bed...then she and Brice can have sex on the couch, in the laundry room, in the garage...quickies if they want...who sez sex only happens at night when Brice sleeps over.

Liz will just promise no f*cking Brice to stupid Amber and dopey Trent to just shut them up but realistically can't do anything to stop them, it is her house.

Brice will be turning a new shade of red during their sexy time....lucky boy.

So what did they say to Elizabeth and Bryce?

[all4mom2]

6 hours ago, Mahamid Frauded Me said:

Amber is ungrateful, selfish and an all around shitty parent, IMO. Trent isn't too far behind

I think Trent is basically a good man and loving father, even to scapegoat Anna, but he naively leaves the parenting to Amber and gullibly takes her word for everything.  And wants to stay on her good side to preserve his sexy time.  And not the brightest.  And weak.  And did I mention whipped?  But not a malignant narcissist with sadistic tendencies like Amber.