S11.E08: I'm Not a Baby!

[walnutqueen]

Quote

Bill wants a homemade birthday dinner, which turns into a complete team effort, but Will declares the final result a "disaster"; as he reads a story, Will gives some surprising news that causes the family to discuss what it means to be little.

[woodscommaelle]

“Like you.  A wonderful daddy.”  Oh my god. She’s the cutest.

[calpurnia99]

I guess their hardwood floors don't scratch? I guess it would suck to worry about them constantly with small children.  The bike and the riding cars inside the house would get on my nerves and I think would kind of wreck the place. I remember when Will was first home I said on one of these TV forums " just wait until their kids destroy the house" and I got my head bit off by a lot of posters telling me that- "Not ALL Kids wreck houses! You can teach kids to respect the home, Bill and Jen won't alloy their kids to destroy their house." Anyway, what I meant was the normal wear and tear that all children put on a home was going to take its toll on their perfect house. Any house with kids is no longer pristine no matter how strict you are in the sense of wear and tear........ But Bill and Jen really are the extreme allowing the kids to crash into walls etc.  And boy did Will yell a few times for no reason.

And neither kid had any idea what that book was about. I guess it is one they need to revisit many times.

[woodscommaelle]

Jen is very clinical in everything she says and does. Her life would stress me the fuck out.

[Sasha888]

I liked the book they read to the kids. I don't think the kids grasped it all, but probably got some understanding out of it. I imagine since Bill & Jen both stated they realized they were a little different at around this age, they decided it was time to start addressing things. Even if the kids didn't fully grasp everything, better to start too early than too late, IMO. I'm sure as they re-read it, a little more will sink in each time.

[Sasha888]

29 minutes ago, calpurnia99 said:

And boy did Will yell a few times for no reason.

I'll say! A big long scream, just because his mother walked into the room? Scream fest when Jarrod the swim instructor arrived...as I said about last week's episode, my opinion is that some events are "screamable" and some are not. These definitely were not. 

I'm not an expert on childhood behaviors so I won't speculate as to why Will seems to do a lot of screaming and Zoey seems NOT to do it. But I will say this...I would not last 5 minutes in that house. Kids screaming for no reason bugs the crap out of me. 

[keetmommy]

You could see the pain that Bill still has from the bullying...it is heartbreaking

 

[viewer]

Will is way too old to scream like that.  

It seems worse as he gets older.  I kind of feel sorry for Jen.   Will smarts off to her and doesn't act like he even likes her.   Running things into the walls has to get her too.  She works hard for a nice home.

[Jeanne222]

I'm surprised nobody hit their head on the walls of that tiny, dangerous swimming pool!

[flyingdi]

25 minutes ago, keetmommy said:

You could see the pain that Bill still has from the bullying...it is heartbreaking

 

And he very obviously, at least to me, does not like to talk about it.  He will, for awareness, but he would rather not.  You don't really ever get over bullying no matter who does it.

I was surprised they listened to Bill better at the grocery store than they did to Jen.  I was surprised because Bill just seems to want to have fun with the kids and for them to always be happy.

[Emmeline]

After we had seem Zoey at speech therapy a few episodes ago I remember thinking I was surprised we were seeing Zoey as William seemed to need more help in that department.  Consequently, I was glad to see Will at speach last week.  It was interesting to see that he had a difficult time putting sentences together and had been using only one word responses.  Perhaps some of his screeching comes from his inability to express himself like an average child his age?  

Both kids may have a natural tendency to run just because they have to in order to keep up with the average child their age.  These things may be more deep rooted than just being called out as bad parenting or behavior.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emmeline
Correction

[flyingdi]

4 hours ago, Emmeline said:

After we had seem Zoey at speech therapy a few episodes ago I remember thinking I was surprised we were seeing Zoey as William seemed to need more help in that department.  Consequently, I was glad to see Will at speach last week.  It was interesting to see that he had a difficult time putting sentences together and had been using only one word responses.  Perhaps some of his screeching comes from his inability to express himself like an average child his age?  

Both kids may have a natural tendency to run just because they have to in order to keep up with the average child their age.  These things may be more deep rooted than just being called out as bad parenting or behavior.

Well the children did say a few times last night.  "Wait I'm not that fast!". Or anyway I thought they both said it at some point in the episode.

[SMama]

5 hours ago, Emmeline said:

After we had seem Zoey at speech therapy a few episodes ago I remember thinking I was surprised we were seeing Zoey as William seemed to need more help in that department.  Consequently, I was glad to see Will at speach last week.  It was interesting to see that he had a difficult time putting sentences together and had been using only one word responses.  Perhaps some of his screeching comes from his inability to express himself like an average child his age?  

Both kids may have a natural tendency to run just because they have to in order to keep up with the average child their age.  These things may be more deep rooted than just being called out as bad parenting or behavior.

Great observations about the screeching and running. We began teaching our daughter sign language the day we met. Her first sign was more. It really helped us all to communicate until her expressive language skillls caught on. Did the same with my first born and it was helpful in preventing tantrums. 

[Foghorn Leghorn]

They used sign language at New Day but to my knowledge it has not been used with Will since he got adopted, not sure how much he knew other than the basics.  He was such an endearing boy when they adopted him, now he is hyperactive or something and his screeching and disobedience would drive me crazy!  Zoey just doesn’t listen!  Jen trying to get them ready to go shopping with Bill and employing her tried and true method of counting to 3 was amazing as usual!!!  At one point Bill told Zoey she couldn’t go with him because of something she had just done or not done and next thing you know Jen is asking her to pick up her toys like discipline had not just been doled out by Bill.   

Jen reads lots of books about discipline but is having great difficulty applying it!  She sounded like she thought she was doing a good job with discipline in her TH.  She appears nervous and insincere about following through when she does ask, she is not believable. They listened to Bill because he used a different tone in the supermarket.  Will looked embarrassed in front of the camera I think and was wringing his shirt out with all his might!  LOL. Both kids have a listening problem especially noticed with peargate!  

The kids are way too young to understand that book but they should keep trying.  They both didn’t seem to twig to why Will was being called a baby at karate!  Like the screeching, running around and not listening while he continually removed the robe tie on purpose for attention wouldn’t give away the fact he was acting like a baby!  A lot of those kids were not much taller than Will anyway!

Edited November 8, 2017 by Foghorn Leghorn

[Libby]

Bill said that he "probably" let the kids get away with too much in the beginning and now he's paying for it. Probably? No, definately.

I think that TLC is purposely trying to make Bill and Jen look foolish. They know that Jen and Bill have no control over their kids, yet they keep bringing up discipline and making them give their expert opinions (sarcasm) on the topic in their talking heads.

[viewer]

Jen told Will if he didn't mind he would not be able to go with Bill.  Will replied Yes I am.  That was telling.  The kids are in charge. 

[Sasha888]

Getting toys put away, in preparation for going to the store - at first Will doesn't listen. Then he pushes a toy truck into Zoey. Jen tells him to pick it up, it doesn't happen right away, so she says "Pick it up please" and then "Listen. Thank you" when he finally does. Then she says that the kids know, at some point, if they aren't well behaved enough, Mom goes into discipline mode (maybe that's what she wants to believe, but the truth is they know there aren't any real consequences in "discipline mode"). Then she says "Here goes Mom into serious mode - 1, 2, 3". When Will still doesn't listen, she says "Zoey's cleaning up Will, you're over time, so you're not going to get to go with Dad". Will says "Yes I am!" 

Then Zoey stops picking up her toys and starts playing, and Will lets out a scream. She then says "Alright guys, that's it." Another totally empty threat. Then she asks them to "help Mom" and says "All I asked you to do is help pick up a few things." Will tells her he "doesn't have time". She laughs. Then she talks about teachers getting kids to listen and that she is not "trained at that skill level". 

Come on. Teachers are trained at a lot of things that parents are not, that is certainly true, but basic discipline shouldn't be one of them. Giving them a simple task and making sure they follow through isn't something only a teacher can handle. Their excuses for their kids' behavior are getting more and more flimsy.

After all this, she says she reads books but you have to be able to modify it for your own kids, because each kid is different. I don't disagree with that - every child is different, very true. BUT, one thing that holds true for each child is that they are never going to learn to listen to you when you make empty threats, and don't follow through.

So she states that she's going into serious mode, counts to 3, tells Will he doesn't get to go to the store, tells them "Alright, that's it" and after all of that, of course, he does get to go to the store with Dad. 

It really should not be that difficult to get a simple task - pick up your toys - accomplished. They know no one has ever followed through with consequences before, so why listen now? Zoey is complying pretty well, but she certainly sees that if Will doesn't listen, he still gets no consequence, he still gets to go to the store with Dad, etc. At some point she's going to think "why should I be the schmuck who follows the rules when clearly there's no downside for my brother if he doesn't follow the rules?"

Zoey had to be reminded to stay on task one time...Will had to be told multiple times and argued with Jen (you're not going to get to go to the store, YES I AM). That could have been a very teachable moment for both kids. Zoey should have gotten to go to the store with Daddy, but not Will. Then they BOTH would have learned here's what happens when you listen to Mom, and here's what happens when you don't.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Sasha888

[SMama]

I’m surprised Will was permitted to go. That yes I am would have done it for me. I really like Jen and Bill, but there is no consistency. Once you say you are not going you must enforce the decision. It made me sad to watch.

Edited November 8, 2017 by SMama

[humbleopinion]

Zooey is in charge.

She is now the star of the show.

Bill is the exasperated dad.

Jen is the mom no one listens to.

Will's behaviors make you wince.

[Libby]

I think that for now, Jen shouldn't try to modify whatever she is reading in the parenting books. Maybe if she trys following them to the letter, she will have better results. Obviously, her modifications are not working.

[Sasha888]

30 minutes ago, Sasha888 said:

 

Edited November 8, 2017 by Sasha888
tried to remove my duplicate post! :-)

[alegtostandon]

I can understand Will screaming a couple of years ago from excitement because he did not know the words to express himself, but he does now. The screaming is probably habit for him. He needs to be taught that this is not acceptable.

It's heartbreaking to watch the total disrespect Will shows towards Jen. When she was trying to get the kids to pick up their toys & one of her empty threats was "you can't go with your dad", Will knew she was bluffing & Bill would let him do what he wanted. Then as Bill & the kids were walking out the door, he refused to say goodbye to her or give her a kiss.  

Bill is his playmate & Jen is the disciplinarian who, in Will's eyes, ruins the fun. 

[humbleopinion]

Jen drones on and on trying to get Will and Zooey to do as she says...short directives have more impact...the bow fiasco was a good example.

Will's disobedience is becoming unpleasant to watch.

Edited November 8, 2017 by humbleopinion

[Sasha888]

I was fairly impressed with Bill's parenting at the store. Took a little too long to stop "peargate", IMO, but he did put his foot down and stick to it.

What I REALLY loved seeing was when they were leaving and were walking to the car, he insisted that the kids either hold his hand or hold onto the cart. And they did it. No running ahead on their own. I was so happy to see that. Hope it continues.

I'll admit to being pretty darn surprised that on this episode, Bill seemed to have much better control of the kids than Jen did. I would've thought it would be the other way around.

I think Jen's way of talking to them is coming back to bite her. When Zoey wanted to draw, Jen wanted her to do it at the table, IMO she got way too verbal. She said "Guys, I really want you to play in the living room for Mom please", then "I need you to do this at the table, can you sit at the table? In the chair? OK? Because we're not going to mark up the walls please, OK?"

That is a lot of blah blah blah for a little kid to take in. And enough with all the "please" and "thank you" business! It's a whole paragraph of words she's speaking to them, when she could just say "If you want to draw, sit at the table." Period.

I think Bill had more success with them at the store because he said "stop it" and "behave" and didn't follow it up with a long explanation.

[Tikichick]

17 minutes ago, alegtostandon said:

I can understand Will screaming a couple of years ago from excitement because he did not know the words to express himself, but he does now. The screaming is probably habit for him. He needs to be taught that this is not acceptable.

It's heartbreaking to watch the total disrespect Will shows towards Jen. When she was trying to get the kids to pick up their toys & one of her empty threats was "you can't go with your dad", Will knew she was bluffing & Bill would let him do what he wanted. Then as Bill & the kids were walking out the door, he refused to say goodbye to her or give her a kiss.  

Bill is his playmate & Jen is the disciplinarian who, in Will's eyes, ruins the fun. 

Speech and language pathology isn't merely about knowing the words to express yourself.  We know from Will's session with his speech pathologist that one of the main things they are working on is his difficulty in stringing his sentences together properly.  He knows the words, but getting them to come out is a challenge.    His scream in this episode when Jen simply walked in the room really drove home the point that the behavior isn't rooted in a lack of discipline.  I think we may be seeing a kid with auditory and sensory processing disorders in addition to other issues that may not be all clearly diagnosed yet, let alone something his parents feel should be shared with the audience.   

10 minutes ago, Sasha888 said:

I was fairly impressed with Bill's parenting at the store. Took a little too long to stop "peargate", IMO, but he did put his foot down and stick to it.

What I REALLY loved seeing was when they were leaving and were walking to the car, he insisted that the kids either hold his hand or hold onto the cart. And they did it. No running ahead on their own. I was so happy to see that. Hope it continues.

I'll admit to being pretty darn surprised that on this episode, Bill seemed to have much better control of the kids than Jen did. I would've thought it would be the other way around.

I think Jen's way of talking to them is coming back to bite her. When Zoey wanted to draw, Jen wanted her to do it at the table, IMO she got way too verbal. She said "Guys, I really want you to play in the living room for Mom please", then "I need you to do this at the table, can you sit at the table? In the chair? OK? Because we're not going to mark up the walls please, OK?"

That is a lot of blah blah blah for a little kid to take in. And enough with all the "please" and "thank you" business! It's a whole paragraph of words she's speaking to them, when she could just say "If you want to draw, sit at the table." Period.

I think Bill had more success with them at the store because he said "stop it" and "behave" and didn't follow it up with a long explanation.

I was thrilled with the compliance of both kids holding the shopping cart, particularly coming from the parent so many want to stone as an ineffectual buffoon.  Clearly that is not the case.  I think it helped Bill to have a defined "role" to play in the shopping excursion portion of the episode and gave him a chance to do something other than fumble for ways to make what they were filming interesting enough for an audience the way I think it often is when they're touring different places and his role is touring bystander parent.  

It's entirely possible you're correct about Jen's communication with the kids sailing over their heads.  We saw Will struggling to take in his speech therapist's instructions in a one on one session with no other distractions -- beyond whichever activities Will favors and wanted to get a chance to do again.  She gave him a specific sentence to repeat back and he did not, and then seemingly could not do it properly, until at least the third repetition of instructions from her.  The moment he actually "heard" her he was able to respond to her instruction without noticeable difficulty.   It's been a while since this family has been on TV.  I'd imagine his speech therapist may tune in at least for the episodes where she appears.  If she does it may well be that see makes a point of emphasizing effective styles of communication the parents should model for the kids and some guidelines for how they should directly engage the kids.  I wouldn't doubt for a single minute that if Jen got instructions for how they should speak to and give instruction to the children she would absolutely not only comply, but overachieve in that area like she does with everything.

I also noted that during the storytime Will was instructed not to suck his thumb and he complied immediately -- and did not put it back in his mouth, even though it hovered there with his obvious temptation for the rest of the story.  His reaction to that instruction showed that is something they have been really working on.  His temptation must have been almost overwhelming if it was indeed their bedtime storytime, as I'm sure when tired and ready to wind down at night is a common time for him to have sucked his thumb.  

[ginger90]

Ending a direction given to a child with, “ok?”, kills it for me.

[bichonblitz]

Will is rude and hurtful to Jen. When the kids were walking out the door with Bill to go to the grocery store and Jen asked Will for a kiss (or hug)? goodbye and he completely and deliberately ignored her it just broke my heart a little. What the hell with that kid?

I did have to laugh at Jen admitting she's not a good cook. Her food looked yuk! She's a good sport about it. 

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, humbleopinion said:

Zooey is in charge.

She is now the star of the show.

Bill is the exasperated dad.

Jen is the mom no one listens to.

Will's behaviors make you wince.

That pretty much sums it up. Watching Jen with the kids is painful. She has no idea what she's doing. Will is very defiant towards her and when he told her "Yes, I am" and walked off after she threatened not allowing him to go to the store, that was the perfect moment to enforce a consequence. Of course, Will gets to go anyways. 

Zoe is very cute, but she's figuring things out quickly. She's starting to play up to the cameras and is going to become quite the diva if her parents continue to cater to her mood swings. 

Also, are the kids not able to play on their own upstairs? If toys in the living room are a constant distraction, then why not haul that crap out of there? I just wanted to jump through the screen with a Hefty bag and start tossing.

[viewer]

It's hard to tell with editing, but, Will did understand Jen when she said he couldn't go with his dad.  She only said it once and he had a nasty reply immediately.   Bill did good at the store.   However,  Will should not have been there.   Jen probably didn't want to stay at home with him and who could blame her.

[Libby]

Will shows a real desire to please Bill. It was very clear in last night's episode that for the most part, Will does what Bill tells him to do. It's a shame, Bill could make huge improvements in Will's behavior if he would discipline him more often. The first thing that Bill should insist that Will do is listen to his mother. I bet that Will would do it if he knew that it was important to Bill.

[Madtown]

58 minutes ago, Sasha888 said:

I think Jen's way of talking to them is coming back to bite her. When Zoey wanted to draw, Jen wanted her to do it at the table, IMO she got way too verbal. She said "Guys, I really want you to play in the living room for Mom please", then "I need you to do this at the table, can you sit at the table? In the chair? OK? Because we're not going to mark up the walls please, OK?"

That is a lot of blah blah blah for a little kid to take in. And enough with all the "please" and "thank you" business! It's a whole paragraph of words she's speaking to them, when she could just say "If you want to draw, sit at the table." Period.

I think Bill had more success with them at the store because he said "stop it" and "behave" and didn't follow it up with a long explanation.

YES! I know parents like this and drives me nuts! I've always noticed this with Jen, way way too many words. Also, why in the hell are Will and Zoey being told not to color on the walls???? They are 6 and 5, it shouldn't even be a discussion! Their lack of discipline has caught up with them and it's only going to get worse. I think it's going to be Will that it will continue to backfire on the most, especially after the "Yes I am" moment. I can hear him saying just those words when he's told he can't take the car out when he's driving.

I think Jen tries way too hard and I picture her reading all these books and thinking, "I'll try this and that" and then as we say, she uses a billion words and it just doesn't work. One shouldn't need a book to learn how to discipline their kids. Don't get me started on Will's screaming either, it happens way too often and should be put under control. Bill just said something like, "Whoa, what is that?" Anyone else catch Bill saying to Will, "thumb" when Will started sucking his thumb at one point? I wonder if they are ever going to get that under control too?

[BitterApple]

46 minutes ago, bichonblitz said:

What the hell with that kid?

I don't know, but I have noticed that any time Will is affectionate towards Jen she makes a huge deal about it, which leads me to believe it isn't something that happens very often. 

[AZChristian]

26 minutes ago, Madtown said:

Also, why in the hell are Will and Zoey being told not to color on the walls???? They are 6 and 5, it shouldn't even be a discussion!

And why would you give kids an idea to do something they might not have been thinking of doing?

[Sasha888]

38 minutes ago, Madtown said:

Their lack of discipline has caught up with them and it's only going to get worse. I think it's going to be Will that it will continue to backfire on the most, especially after the "Yes I am" moment. I can hear him saying just those words when he's told he can't take the car out when he's driving.

Yep. Yikes...I hope they can turn things around, or this will be a likely future scenario. As many have said, if you can't control a 6 yr old, how are you going to control a 16 yr old? 

No kid likes boundaries (hey, that's in our nature, when we're kids, to push the limits a little, see what we can get away with) but it seems to me he especially resents any boundaries Jen tries to impose. He gets very mouthy and disrespectful to her, more so than he does if Bill sets a limit. IMO it's more than just a kid who doesn't want to listen, he actually really resents her.

And flip-flopping on the "you're not going to the store" thing is only going to make that worse. Once Jen said it, it should have been enforced. We didn't see who changed that consequence, but someone did, and that's not good.  

[bichonblitz]

1 hour ago, bichonblitz said:

Will is rude and hurtful to Jen. When the kids were walking out the door with Bill to go to the grocery store and Jen asked Will for a kiss (or hug)? goodbye and he completely and deliberately ignored her it just broke my heart a little. What the hell with that kid?

Ha! First time I have quoted myself, lol. I did just want to add that when I was a kid, my dad would have said, hey, your mom is talking to you, go give her a kiss goodbye. My husband would have done the same with our son. "Don't ignore your mom,  go give her a kiss goodbye." Don't make a huge deal about it, just make it clear it's not ok to disrespect and ignore mom like that. What does Bill do? Nothing. Nada. I'm really losing my patience with him. 

Edited November 8, 2017 by bichonblitz

[sharwoods]

Did anyone else notice that Will pretended not to know how to spell "Dad" when he and Zoey were working on the birthday card for Bill?  He said it so fast that I knew it was an automatic response because he wanted Jen to do the work for him.  Will is very manipulative, especially with Jen, but I don't know how she can get him to cooperate with her at this point when his bad behavior has been going on for years.  I agree with the prior posts that Jen always uses too many words and the kids really have stopped listening to her.  

[Lesia]

I had to roll my eyes:

Hey kids, it's National Dwarf Awareness Month!

kids: what that? 

Like they would have any idea.  I agree that the book went over like a lead balloon. But they have to start somewhere.

Swim instructor is cute, no?

[lookeyloo]

Yes to all of the above.  My parenting and grandparenting rules are very simple.  Say what you mean and mean what you say - there are sure consequences for the kiddos.  And - never say No if you are ever going to get to Yes - otherwise you will be subjected to whining, begging, etc.  And modern parents use Too Many Words!!!!

[Sasha888]

22 minutes ago, Lesia said:

Swim instructor is cute, no?

Now THAT is a statement that I bet EVERYONE can agree on! :-)

[flyingdi]

Hasn't it been said on the show that Will has some deafness?  That may be why he skips words and needs things such as the speech therapy words repeated 3 times.

Not to be mean, but Jen has a slightly high pitched voice.   That may be harder if Will has hearing problems.  I have hearing problems and will fully admit I'm just guessing here.

[Sasha888]

1 minute ago, flyingdi said:

Hasn't it been said on the show that Will has some deafness?

When they first brought Will home, they had his hearing checked and it was decided that he needed the ear tubes. I believe how Jen described it was that before the ear tubes were put in, what Will heard was likely kind of muffled. I haven't heard that there's any hearing problems since the ear tubes, but I could have missed something.

[flyingdi]

Thanks, Sasha888!  

Another I think is that Jen and Bill are far to concerned that their kids are happy.  It may be because of their own childhoods.  But at some point everyone experiences some form of pain and they shouldn't be shielded from it.  They need to learn how to handle disappointment.  I think they especially want Will and Zoey to have the pain free childhoods they never had and that is not going to prepare them for the future.  As in everything, I may be wrong.

[Newberry]

Did it drive anyone else crazy, that Jen tried to remove the broccolini from the pan with a flat bamboo spatula? I get she's not a cook, nor does she like to cook, but for goodness' sake you are a smart woman, a doctor-you couldn't think to grab tongs????

[calpurnia99]

"Getting toys put away, in preparation for going to the store - at first Will doesn't listen. Then he pushes a toy truck into Zoey. Jen tells him to pick it up, it doesn't happen right away, so she says "Pick it up please" and then "Listen. Thank you" when he finally does. Then she says that the kids know, at some point, if they aren't well behaved enough, Mom goes into discipline mode (maybe that's what she wants to believe, but the truth is they know there aren't any real consequences in "discipline mode"). Then she says "Here goes Mom into serious mode - 1, 2, 3". When Will still doesn't listen, she says "Zoey's cleaning up Will, you're over time, so you're not going to get to go with Dad". Will says "Yes I am!" 

Then Zoey stops picking up her toys and starts playing, and Will lets out a scream. She then says "Alright guys, that's it." Another totally empty threat. Then she asks them to "help Mom" and says "All I asked you to do is help pick up a few things." Will tells her he "doesn't have time". She laughs. Then she talks about teachers getting kids to listen and that she is not "trained at that skill level". "

Very good summary of that section of the show. The only thing is in real discipline mode you have to sound a little "mean" You need bit of anger in your voice that lets them know you mean business. Sure the books say use a "firm tone" but the firm tone needs some spunk behind it.   You don't have to  actually be mean, but you have to sound forceful. Like holy hell is going to come down if they don't do what you said RIGHT NOW! I used this with my kids a few times, I went completely ballistic once or twice, and then after every time I got a tiny bit mad, they did exactly what I said. I wonder if Jen won't use the "mean voice" on TV? 

3 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Ending a direction given to a child with, “ok?”, kills it for me.

she said OK 50 times in that episode!

Edited November 8, 2017 by calpurnia99

[Foghorn Leghorn]

12 minutes ago, Newberry said:

Did it drive anyone else crazy, that Jen tried to remove the broccolini from the pan with a flat bamboo spatula? I get she's not a cook, nor does she like to cook, but for goodness' sake you are a smart woman, a doctor-you couldn't think to grab tongs????

Makes you wonder how she knows what instruments to use as a doctor, does she have no common sense!?  

[Latenites]

Not that matters, but it really hurts my heart to hear Jen criticized. I think she's an amazing person. I do, however, agree with some of the postings. Just saying.

[calpurnia99]

Also, you would think by this age they would have noticed that their mother is much smaller than other adult ladies.  She could start with herself and explain that she is a dwarf. I I would think they would have asked her about it by now. I mean she is WAY smaller than any other adult. I mean it is heartbreaking to say to them: you will also never get tall! You will always be tiny like me. Of course they don't understand this. But Bill was great when he explained that he is happy he is the way he is, and wants his kids to know its fine to have dwarfism, you can lead a great life. 

[Kid]

48 minutes ago, flyingdi said:

Hasn't it been said on the show that Will has some deafness?  That may be why he skips words and needs things such as the speech therapy words repeated 3 times.

Not to be mean, but Jen has a slightly high pitched voice.   That may be harder if Will has hearing problems.  I have hearing problems and will fully admit I'm just guessing here.

I believe Will hears her fine.  He is defiant because he is given no reason not to be.  Empty threats and counting does not a well behaved kid make.

[humbleopinion]

Time to bring Super Nanny Jo Frost out of mothballs to help the Arnold-Kleins.

She would set Mr Will straight....and Jen, too.

Seriously, Doctor...cut the broccolini into half or better thirds for ease of sauteing and eating.

The flame was too close to the level of Jen's face, she should be on a step to be above the pan.

Thought she was going to spoon the too long hot veg onto herself.

[Absolom]

19 minutes ago, Latenites said:

Not that matters, but it really hurts my heart to hear Jen criticized. I think she's an amazing person. I do, however, agree with some of the postings. Just saying.

It probably won't make you feel any better, but it pretty much happens to all the family reality show participants if they stay on the air long enough.  Eventually the comfort level with the production team, the getting so used to being filmed, plus the inability to keep up an "act" and the warts begin to show and the novelty begins to wear off with viewers.  The tide begins to turn from isn't he/she so great and wonderful to how on earth can they do THAT?