S11.E08: I'm Not a Baby!

[SMama]

 I think a lot of us are worried about the faulty discipline applied by the parents. As the kids get older, it will become more difficult to correct their behavior. While Will’s screeching does get on my nerves, there could be a myriad of reasons for it. I spent more time that is healthy on the special list boards and agency websites. One of the things that became immediately clear to me is that there was not such a thing as a child with one special need. Will may have multiple health issues, and some of his delays manifest in that manic running and screeching. I have no ill will towards the family. But as many here have stated, it is not fun to be out in public with an out of control child. People around you react and not in a positive manner.  Other than the discipline I have no issues. I have a feeling Will is going to be taller or reach the same height as Bill. Discipline will become more difficult the bigger he gets. I think both kids are adorable and are in a good home. 

Edited November 13, 2017 by SMama

[Jeanne222]

Everybody that watches a tv show sees thing differently.  That's what makes this forum so very interesting.  Each has their own ideas of how the show and it's participants are doing.

In addition to all of that we each come to a conclusion about what we have seen.  Some see good and some see bad.  Some see things others might wonder about.

I love reality tv shows.  I love discussing them with all of you.  I never take offense at negative responses to my post.  That's what makes the world go round.  The ying and yang of it all!

[BW Manilowe]

22 hours ago, toodles said:

No she didn't.  She retired and they sold their house in Houston. There was a rerun on just the other day where Judy and Dave had a garage sale and they talked about why they moved.

 

Judy and Dave said the family was settled and they wanted to move back to Florida and live in a beach house.  It's their dream.

Plus they made the birthday video after Judy retired.

I Googled. According to TV Guide, the ep with Bill's pre-op birthday surprise in it was aired (for the first time) on December 30th, 2014; the ep with the family's garage sale in preparation for Jen's parents to move back to Florida first aired February 2, 2016

[BW Manilowe]

17 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

She didn't retire she resigned.  They didn't sell a Houston home because they lived in an apartment over Bill and Jen's garage!

At first they lived in the garage apartment at Bill & Jen's house. They eventually got their own place in Houston. There's an ep where Bill, Jen, & Will go over there to clean it up/see if it (the garage apartment) needs cleaning; Bill teases Will he'll end up living there  after he gets out of college & can't find a job. Jen reminds Will that Nainai & Grandbaba used to live there, but they have their own house now. And then they found a plastic bowling set & started messing with that. And the garage sale for their stuff was at a different place than Bill & Jen's house.

[BizBuzz]

Just a quick note ... let's remember to snark on the show, and not snark on the posters.  Let's also remember about the reporting feature here at PTV and how it works.  Just because a post is missing, does not mean that it has been deleted.  When a particular mod is unavailable, the protocol is to hide the reported post until it can be reviewed by the assigned mod.  If your post is missing in this forum, and you have no idea why, feel free to drop me a PM.  I had a family situation to take care of over the last 24 hours so wasn't available to handle and things were handled via protocol.  Now ... let's move on with snarking the show!

[SongbirdHollow]

On November 10, 2017 at 1:00 PM, jnymph said:

So no one's mentioned;

Bill *matter of factly* "Should I toss your salad?" 
Jen *also matter of factly*" I haven't even had wine yet" 

LMAO !   Soooooooooooooo devilishly subtle.   My jaw dropped and then I LOL'd 

I missed this. Was Jen playing along or was she as clueless as I was?

This reminds me of the "banana hammock" comment a while back.

[Meredith Quill]

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[Sasha888]

3 hours ago, viewer said:

His kids are the greatest and the smartest and it was with an elitist attitude the way he let the children behave in Scotland and England.

I agree. I know that all parents, to some extent, think their children are the best, the smartest, etc. But it has been my experience that you are much better off letting people discover that on their own. Let people tell you how sweet/cute/smart your child is, don't tell them.

Reminds me of some friends of mine...their little boy, about age 4 at the time, invited me to work on a puzzle with him when I visited their home. He took me over to his puzzle, and it was a thousand piece ADULT puzzle! I thought he must be kidding but he sat there and found piece after piece! He outdid me, that's for sure! 

I guess my point is, my friends didn't mention this about their little guy as soon as I walked in...they just let me enjoy interacting with him, and when I saw what he could do, I told him and his parents how amazing and bright I thought he was.

Just my opinion, but I think it's nicer when someone gives you a spontaneous compliment. If a person says themselves how bright/special/wonderful their child is, of course a polite person will agree with you (even if they don't really think so). If you don't force it, you can trust you're getting a sincere compliment.

I'm sure my friends appreciated it more because they hadn't prodded me to say it.

Edited November 14, 2017 by Sasha888
Edited because I apparently can't proof-read my grammar before hitting submit! :-)

[viewer]

Perhaps the grandparents moved back to Florida because they were there to get Jen through the adoptions, get the pet store off the ground and they had a very dedicated nanny.   I have read comments saying the Arnolds financed the pet store.  I have not seen anything to support that.   By the time the store opened Jen was at Texas Children and they were building a million dollar home.  It was probably a wise time to buy a home of their own.  I wouldn't want to do all the steps.   Also, maybe they did disagree about how the kids are not disciplined and wanted to exit gracefully. 

[Bridget]

49 minutes ago, Sasha888 said:

I agree. I know that all parents, to some extent, think their children are the best, the smartest, etc. But it has been my experience that you are much better off letting people discover that on their own. Let people tell you how sweet/cute/smart your child is, don't tell them.

Reminds me of some friends of mine...their little boy, about age 4 at the time, invited me to work on a puzzle with him when I visited their home. He took me over to his puzzle, and it was a thousand piece ADULT puzzle! I thought he must be kidding but he sat there and found piece after piece! He outdid me, that's for sure! 

I guess my point is, my friends didn't mention this about their little guy as soon as I walked in...they just let me enjoy interacting with him, and when I saw what he could do, I told him and his parents how amazing and bright I thought he was.

Just my opinion, but I think it's nicer when someone gives you a spontaneous compliment. If a person says themselves how bright/special/wonderful their child is, of course a polite person will agree with you (even if they don't really think so). If you don't force it, you can trust you're getting a sincere compliment.

I'm sure my friends appreciated it more because they hadn't prodded me to say it.

When Lionel Richie was a guest advisor on  "The Voice" a few seasons ago, he said something that has stuck with me that can be applied to many situations, involving many different people of all ages!

"If you're really good, they'll tell you. Don't you ever tell them."  

[Sasha888]

11 minutes ago, viewer said:

I have read comments saying the Arnolds financed the pet store.  I have not seen anything to support that.

Interesting. I don't recall reading anything myself...I was just under the general impression that it was Bill's store, and Judy just worked there. But it was long enough ago that my memory is a bit foggy - the opening of the pet store was quite a few seasons ago, yes? 

I remember thinking the pet store business was never going to fly, but it would appear I was dead wrong! It appears to be doing well. Guess a lot of people are willing to spend more on their dogs than I am! Especially when I find an adorable sweater for my male dog, and he spends all his time rubbing against the coffee table trying to get it OFF! :-) That's a big fat bummer. My female likes her little accessories though.

[Jeanne222]

I was just thinking.  If Jen's parent's did buy a Houston home they must have planned to stay!  You lose money when you buy and sell that quickly unless you are in the real estate business.

[Sasha888]

9 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

You lose money when you buy and sell that quickly unless you are in the real estate business.

I agree. I don't recall exactly how long they stayed in their house, but I remember it seemed "quick" to me as well, and I was surprised that they were moving. Like you say, unless you can act as your own realtor, sometimes those fees can kill you, if you move around often.

My parents stayed put for over 50 years. We've lost both our parents, unfortunately, so we are settling the estate - came across some original mortgage docs. Prices were so low we just had to laugh! We should easily get 10 times what they paid for it, if not more. Of course they did put money into the home as well - keeping it up to date, etc.

Real estate is a fickle mistress! I moved back to my hometown, and a few years later a big flood hit. A large portion of the houses here were condemned. My home's value soared overnight, because it wasn't damaged in the flood. Had my move occurred after the flood, I probably could not afford to live here! I got very lucky in that regard.

[gunderda]

On 11/10/2017 at 4:22 AM, Bridget said:

 

Lastly, someone mentioned that the kids go nuts when they have visitors. It made me wonder if or why they don't have playdates with other kids from their school. I know not every parent wants their kid's face on TV, but surely there have to be some peers, such as the kids who have attended birthday parties, whose parents would be OK with filming during a play date? Regular interaction with peers, their parents and other people that one encounters in life would seem like a great way to eliminate the "new and shiny" effect that causes the kids to run around like wee banshees.

That was likely me and I was just giving my opinion based on the things I observe in my own family.  When my parents and I visit my brother's family my nephews definitely get a lot more hyper than they usually are. They act out a bit more.  I know that's not how they normally are and they very much have friends and peers outside of the house but for some reason when people come to visit they just get really excited and act kind of stupid most of the time.  

8 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

I was just thinking.  If Jen's parent's did buy a Houston home they must have planned to stay!  You lose money when you buy and sell that quickly unless you are in the real estate business.

Some people would rather just buy than rent.  My brother works for a company and while he planned to stay in one spot longer than he actually did, he knew he would be moving eventually and he bought a house.  Sometimes the option to rent a decent house just isnt there. Or people just don't want to be tied to a landlord. A lot of people view renting as waisting away your money. 

[Libby]

I think that it was Dave who prompted Jen's parents move back to Florida.

There was an episode where the kids were getting ready to spend the night at Judy and Dave's. Dave was in the driver's seat of the car. He looked totally over it. Bill noticed it too. He asked Dave if everything was ok. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Judy and Dave were moving. I remember thinking that I wasn't surprised based on Dave's demeanor.

[Jeanne222]

22 minutes ago, gunderda said:

That was likely me and I was just giving my opinion based on the things I observe in my own family.  When my parents and I visit my brother's family my nephews definitely get a lot more hyper than they usually are. They act out a bit more.  I know that's not how they normally are and they very much have friends and peers outside of the house but for some reason when people come to visit they just get really excited and act kind of stupid most of the time.  

Some people would rather just buy than rent.  My brother works for a company and while he planned to stay in one spot longer than he actually did, he knew he would be moving eventually and he bought a house.  Sometimes the option to rent a decent house just isnt there. Or people just don't want to be tied to a landlord. A lot of people view renting as waisting away your money. 

Buying for a short term can be super expensive.  Realtors in my area receive 6% of the sale.  Then there are title fees, a few more misc fees and of course property taxes.  Seems to me unless you are in the business, and can find a little jewel, short term owning would be super expensive.

7 minutes ago, Libby said:

I think that it was Dave who prompted Jen's parents move back to Florida.

There was an episode where the kids were getting ready to spend the night at Judy and Dave's. Dave was in the driver's seat of the car. He looked totally over it. Bill noticed it too. He asked Dave if everything was ok. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Judy and Dave were moving. I remember thinking that I wasn't surprised based on Dave's demeanor.

I can see him wanting to go.  Maybe he didn't find his niche in Houston.  He seems like a nice man but a little laid back to Judy's more vibrant personality.

[jnymph]

14 hours ago, SongbirdHollow said:

I missed this. Was Jen playing along or was she as clueless as I was?

This reminds me of the "banana hammock" comment a while back.

Jen was most definitely playing along.   : )    Bill kept a straight face thru the whole thing.     So dang funny 

 

I missed the banana hammock comment ! 

[Sasha888]

1 hour ago, gunderda said:

Sometimes the option to rent a decent house just isnt there. Or people just don't want to be tied to a landlord. A lot of people view renting as waisting away your money. 

Yes...when my brother moved to pursue his Phd, he had his wife and kids in tow, so an apartment wasn't a great option, but they did try renting a house. It was kind of a disaster. So they decided to buy instead. After he graduated, he got a job in an area where the real estate market was in bad shape - they knew they were only going to stay there until he got a job in a more desirable location, so they rented a house. That one worked out a lot better. For their next move, the market was less volatile so they bought right away. Things can be so different depending on the area.

I have no idea what the real estate market is like in Houston, so I don't know what Dave & Judy's options were at that time. Also I couldn't really tell from what they said on the show how long they had planned to stay in Houston. Maybe they had planned to stay long term and just weren't very happy there, or maybe they had never planned to stay long term in the first place.

[SongbirdHollow]

14 minutes ago, jnymph said:

Jen was most definitely playing along.   : )    Bill kept a straight face thru the whole thing.     So dang funny 

 

I missed the banana hammock comment ! 

Bill called that gadget you hang bananas on, a banana hammock and Jen was like, I don’t think that’s right... or maybe it was the other way around but it was cute. It was a while ago. 

[gonecrackers]

Took a couple of seconds for Jen to get his "whoever smelt it dealt it" in the car when they first had Will. When she did get it her horrified reaction was so funny.

[CousinAmy]

Jen's parents moved back to Florida, then Jen and Bill did. It's possible this was the plan for a long time. She didn't just get a new job by accident. Either she was recruited, or she really wanted to move back to the State where she grew up and looked for a possibility. . Her parents were in on the decision long before the audience was, I assume. 

I'm kind of curious about the timeline.

[Sasha888]

23 minutes ago, CousinAmy said:

Jen's parents moved back to Florida, then Jen and Bill did. It's possible this was the plan for a long time. She didn't just get a new job by accident. Either she was recruited, or she really wanted to move back to the State where she grew up and looked for a possibility. . Her parents were in on the decision long before the audience was, I assume. 

I'm kind of curious about the timeline.

I've wondered about this possibility as well. I believe her parents moved to Pensacola...from the map it looks like a drive to visit her parents would be about the same from either Houston or St Petersburg; but if Bill & Jen moved to St Pete and her parents had stayed in Houston, then that's quite a haul. Also I think in the episode with Jen's nephew's christening, he lived in Charlotte, NC. So if Dave & Judy knew Jen was thinking of taking the job in Florida, them moving to Pensacola would put them closer to both of their children.

[Runnergrl37]

On 11/10/2017 at 0:00 PM, jnymph said:

So no one's mentioned;

Bill *matter of factly* "Should I toss your salad?" 
Jen *also matter of factly*" I haven't even had wine yet" 

LMAO !   Soooooooooooooo devilishly subtle.   My jaw dropped and then I LOL'd 

Best line ever in this sugar coated show. 

[woodscommaelle]

12 hours ago, Libby said:

There was an episode where the kids were getting ready to spend the night at Judy and Dave's. Dave was in the driver's seat of the car. He looked totally over it. Bill noticed it too. He asked Dave if everything was ok. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Judy and Dave were moving. I remember thinking that I wasn't surprised based on Dave's demeanor.

I want to see this scene. I don’t remember it.

[Awfarmington]

On 11/10/2017 at 1:00 PM, jnymph said:

So no one's mentioned;

Bill *matter of factly* "Should I toss your salad?" 
Jen *also matter of factly*" I haven't even had wine yet" 

LMAO !   Soooooooooooooo devilishly subtle.   My jaw dropped and then I LOL'd 

I noticed that, too, and was surprised. Not by Bill but that Jen played into it. I'm way less proper than she is, but would be mortified to joke around about my 'salad being tossed' on national TV ?

[ButterQueen]

On 11/11/2017 at 10:19 AM, Jeanne222 said:

On still waiting for a tell all from Jen's mother.  She can hardly look at Bill!

I haven't noticed that at all.  They seem to have a very nice relationship.

[sATL]

did anyone catch the prayer song Zoey sang at Bill's birthday dinner at home?  And I guess that means they go to private school b/c will said they sing the same song in his class.   I guess I was thinking for a minute they went to public school b/c Jen mentioned teachers have lot of kids in a class and that there would be more special needs curriculum/specialist (if they still need special educational services) available in public school.

I thought kiddies could write their first name, in some fashion, unassisted, by age 5. 

[AZChristian]

I just had an opportunity to watch part of the grocery shopping trip last night.  What a nice change of pace.  Bill admitted that he needs to be better at discipline, so we know that he knows where the problem lies.  And at the store, the kids were kids, but no screaming or running away like we've been seeing a lot of lately.  It was refreshing.  I found myself at the beginning of that scene sitting with my shoulders tightened up, waiting for Will to start screaming and/or yelling, and/or running around.  The only thing he did that caught my eye was continuing to grab pears after Bill said, "That's enough."  And that was not a big deal, because Bill stopped him and corrected him.  No big deal.

I don't find it boring when they do mundane things.  I thought it was interesting to watch them trying to maneuver around a grocery store with their height challenges.  Bill CAN'T put the kids in the cart, because he couldn't reach the seat, even if he could lift Will.  (And I've seen kids a lot older than Will in carts.)  I wonder why he doesn't take one of those grabber tools with him to the store.  We have a couple of them at our house so I don't have to climb on stools all the time to reach high spaces.  Admittedly, I often ask tall people to help me reach things on the top shelves at the store, but I'm a foot taller than Bill, so he'd have to be asking for a lot more help.  (And if a tall person has helped me, I always smile and say, "Thank you.  Now, can I reach something on one of these low shelves for you?")

[ButterQueen]

7 hours ago, sATL said:

did anyone catch the prayer song Zoey sang at Bill's birthday dinner at home?  And I guess that means they go to private school b/c will said they sing the same song in his class.   I guess I was thinking for a minute they went to public school b/c Jen mentioned teachers have lot of kids in a class and that there would be more special needs curriculum/specialist (if they still need special educational services) available in public school.

I thought kiddies could write their first name, in some fashion, unassisted, by age 5. 

My grandson goes to a private preschool and sings prayer songs.  Nothing wrong with that.

I believe Will and Zoey both have emotional and physical delays, so I think it's unfair to compare them to other children....in fact, I dislike comparing children at all.  They all have their strengths and weaknesses.  

I think Bill and Jen are wonderful parents.

[Absolom]

8 hours ago, sATL said:

I thought kiddies could write their first name, in some fashion, unassisted, by age 5. 

They should be able to by the second month of kindergarten (if not before) unless there are issues.  I think it's safe to say Will has some issues.  I've read and can't remember where that they placed Will in a class by his developmental/achievement level and not by his age.  That is more common in private school than public school in our area. 

It seems to be that the kids are in Catholic parochial school which is probably not a bad place for them with the TV exposure and all.

Edited November 18, 2017 by Absolom

[gonecrackers]

3 hours ago, AZChristian said:

I don't find it boring when they do mundane things.  I thought it was interesting to watch them trying to maneuver around a grocery store with their height challenges. 

Actually I really do like seeing this - them navigate their lives & what they have to do differently, etc. And I agree the control he had during the food shopping was a nice change of pace from what we've seen.

What bored me this epi was all the holiday stuff; decor, cooking, etc. (yawn)  But that's just me. I do like the daily grind stuff, & prefer it to the trips.

ETA: I was actually talking about the santa epi - sorry

Edited November 18, 2017 by gonecrackers

[CousinAmy]

5 hours ago, Absolom said:

They should be able to by the second month of kindergarten (if not before) unless there are issues.  I think it's safe to say Will has some issues.  I've read and can't remember where that they placed Will in a class by his developmental/achievement level and not by his age.  That is more common in private school than public school in our area. 

It seems to be that the kids are in Catholic parochial school which is probably not a bad place for them with the TV exposure and all.

I think it's a bad practice to exclude him from mainstream classes. Usually they put the child in classes with his age group and give him support services. I doubt he is the first 7-year-old who can't contain his outbursts. As I said in a previous episode thread, my brother was the class clown and sometimes startled himself when he shouted something out. I don't think Will is that far behind that he needs to be separated from his peers.

[Absolom]

Placement by age or placement by achievement/development/ability is one question that's been around for awhile and I used to think only had one "correct" answer.  However, as frequently happens life has brought me examples of both working and both not working.  One example:  we had friends with a daughter with Down Syndrome who was being mainstreamed.  The classwork was so far beyond her that even with an aid, she wasn't learning.  Her mother took her out of public school and moved her to a small Christian school where they placed her three years below her age.  She was short and still fit it height-wise.  She then became a child who showed off and bragged about her school work instead of being withdrawn.  It can sometimes be the answer.  Only Will and Zoey's parents and teachers are close enough to their situation to know the answer of if their current placement is working for them or not.  I found that there are positives and negatives on both sides. I can't say if this the "right or wrong" decision for these kids as I've never seen them in person off camera. 

Edited November 19, 2017 by Absolom

[Sew Sumi]

Zoey seems to have an extensive vocabulary. I imagine she can do age-appropriate work at school. Will? He might be able to do 1st grade work, but as has been noted, we really don't know his off-camera temperament to assess behavioral issues with any accuracy. Maybe he IS able to settle down in a "regular" classroom. 

It seems as if they were attending a Catholic school in Houston. Maybe smaller class sizes helped. I assume that the kids are enrolled at a Catholic school in FL. The only disruption would be making new friends, but little kids adapt easily, assuming that Will is more just rambunctious rather than overtly disruptive at school.

[Jeanne222]

I was really Impressed with Will chosing the book for himself.

I also notice both kids really get wound up with the sugar!

On wondering if that happens when they are filming and not given so freely during down time.

Jen would surely be quite familiar with 'sugar high' being a doctor!

[ButterQueen]

1 minute ago, Jeanne222 said:

I was really Impressed with Will chosing the book for himself.

I also notice both kids really get wound up with the sugar!

On wondering if that happens when they are filming and not given so freely during down time.

Jen would surely be quite familiar with 'sugar high' being a doctor!

Jen specifically said they aren't allowed much sugar, but it's ok on a special occasion.

[JocelynCavanaugh]

As a pediatrician, hopefully Jen is aware that the "sugar high" is a myth.

[winsomeone]

"As a pediatrician, hopefully Jen is aware that the "sugar high" is a myth."  So glad you brought that up...carbs are carbs are carbs! Does anyone get high from too much pasta?

[Rap541]

I get high from too much pasta :(

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, winsomeone said:

"As a pediatrician, hopefully Jen is aware that the "sugar high" is a myth."  So glad you brought that up...carbs are carbs are carbs! Does anyone get high from too much pasta?

 

50 minutes ago, Rap541 said:

I get high from too much pasta :(

Moi aussie.  Then I crash - HARD.    Or maybe I'm just using the wrong herb in my sauce?   ;-)