S08.E19: Not to Stir the Pot, But...

[guilfoyleatpp]

1 hour ago, Christina87 said:

I brought up overthinking because that is what I do when things are wrong. When everything clicks, there is no need to do that. Chelsea and Cole remind me of how things feel, for me, when they're not right. However, I don't feel like either of them need a lot of intellectual stimulation either. I do think I can put myself in Chelsea's shoes and objectively evaluate this relationship despite my past experiences. I didn't go super deep into the story, but my point was that sometimes, agreeing with everything someone says means they're repressing their true feelings. I just don't see chemistry there, and I'm not the only one who feels that way, even though it is an unpopular opinion. A lot of other people have had abusive exes or absent co-parents and that colors the way they see certain situations, but nobody puts them on trial for projecting their past. I'm a writer, and I'm actually really good at seeing each individual for who they are. That's what I have to do when I write a novel (I am not a published, famous author or anything, but the people who have read my writing have been very impressed!). I realize my opinion is unpopular, but it's not because I look at Cole and only see my ex. I'm even sure that if I had never met that guy, I still wouldn't see the chemistry there. I don't have anything against Chelsea, but it can be frustrating when it's so hard to just express an honest assessment of how you view something, and others seem to think their relationship is so unquestionably perfect that it has to be something wrong with you not to see it. Same thing when people were implying that if you didn't like Chelsea, you just didn't like her for no reason. There is a valid reason to dislike really anybody in the world. I will also say I'm in another teen mom group where many people share that opinion. I'm not mad, just puzzled as to why it's so impossible to have a different view on Cole and Chelsea. I feel like we're adults, and we all have our opinions, and that's fine. 

I don't like Chelsea. Not because of anything that's been mentioned, really...she seems like a lot of girls to me. One in particular who makes me roll my eyes a lot. 

I would say in real life I'd probably find her really annoying and not too bright and somewhat insufferable. On the show, compared to the other hillbilly/trainwreck/wannabe she's a breath of fresh air...because she reminds me of that someone I know. 

[Brooklynista]

2 hours ago, FairyDusted said:

And wasn't it Brittany that moved out pissed off cuz Adumb moved in ? Like throwing shit mad.

Awww...that was Daddy Megan. If you ask me that was Chelsea's true love and Adam drove her away. 

[FairyDusted]

Oh yeah I forgot all about her. Thanks!  Gurl was pissed! Chelsea hid in the bathroom. Not one of her finer moments. 

[charmante]

7 hours ago, BitterApple said:

I'm sure she'd be thrilled for Adam to drop out of the picture so Superhero Cole can be the only father in Aubree's life

I think this was/is the driving motivation behind Chelsea falling so hard for Cole.  I am also in the "I don't see the chemistry"camp, but I do believe Chelsea is a good mother.  She has said many times over the years how terrible she feels for giving Aubree a terrible, drug-addicted father.  I truly believe she harshly blames herself for this (she didn't make great decisions with her relationship with Adam, but she really needs to forgive herself!) and I think she sees Cole (and the way he treats Aubree) as a way to erase the past and make it up to Aubree.  She may not even consciously realize that is what she is doing or that is why she was so strongly drawn to Cole, but that's my take on it.  It's really quite unselfish of her to abandon the pursuit of true passionate romantic love in order to give Aubree what she thinks is the perfect dad and family.  I am not saying I don't think she loves Cole - in fact, I think he is actually the answer to her prayers and makes her very happy.  But not because he gives her heart palpitations and makes her weak in the knees - but because he heals her heart when she sees him give her daughter the loving father and happy childhood she was afraid she'd robbed from her by her poor choices.

[Christina87]

11 minutes ago, charmante said:

I think this was/is the driving motivation behind Chelsea falling so hard for Cole.  I am also in the "I don't see the chemistry"camp, but I do believe Chelsea is a good mother.  She has said many times over the years how terrible she feels for giving Aubree a terrible, drug-addicted father.  I truly believe she harshly blames herself for this (she didn't make great decisions with her relationship with Adam, but she really needs to forgive herself!) and I think she sees Cole (and the way he treats Aubree) as a way to erase the past and make it up to Aubree.  She may not even consciously realize that is what she is doing or that is why she was so strongly drawn to Cole, but that's my take on it.  It's really quite unselfish of her to abandon the pursuit of true passionate romantic love in order to give Aubree what she thinks is the perfect dad and family.  I am not saying I don't think she loves Cole - in fact, I think he is actually the answer to her prayers and makes her very happy.  But not because he gives her heart palpitations and makes her weak in the knees - but because he heals her heart when she sees him give her daughter the loving father and happy childhood she was afraid she'd robbed from her by her poor choices.

THIS. And I second that she needs to forgive herself. A lot of teenagers make stupid decisions! Many of us would quite regret if we'd had a baby with our teenage boyfriend, I'm sure. I bet Randy would love to hear a "you were right!" from her...just one...and then just see her drop it forever. She and her family are good to Aubree, and she has done her best. 

[Scarlett45]

42 minutes ago, charmante said:

I think this was/is the driving motivation behind Chelsea falling so hard for Cole.  I am also in the "I don't see the chemistry"camp, but I do believe Chelsea is a good mother.  She has said many times over the years how terrible she feels for giving Aubree a terrible, drug-addicted father.  I truly believe she harshly blames herself for this (she didn't make great decisions with her relationship with Adam, but she really needs to forgive herself!) and I think she sees Cole (and the way he treats Aubree) as a way to erase the past and make it up to Aubree.  She may not even consciously realize that is what she is doing or that is why she was so strongly drawn to Cole, but that's my take on it.  It's really quite unselfish of her to abandon the pursuit of true passionate romantic love in order to give Aubree what she thinks is the perfect dad and family.  I am not saying I don't think she loves Cole - in fact, I think he is actually the answer to her prayers and makes her very happy.  But not because he gives her heart palpitations and makes her weak in the knees - but because he heals her heart when she sees him give her daughter the loving father and happy childhood she was afraid she'd robbed from her by her poor choices.

 

29 minutes ago, Christina87 said:

THIS. And I second that she needs to forgive herself. A lot of teenagers make stupid decisions! Many of us would quite regret if we'd had a baby with our teenage boyfriend, I'm sure. I bet Randy would love to hear a "you were right!" from her...just one...and then just see her drop it forever. She and her family are good to Aubree, and she has done her best. 

Something we say in my Sib Group a lot is that “There is nothing in the world stronger than a mother’s guilt.” Chelsea absolutely feels horrible for choosing Adam to be Aubree’s Dad (more so because she and her Dad or so close), and that’s a lot of guilt to carry. Also as a single mom there is MORE social pressure to live a heteronormative lifestyle than if she were just on her own without Aubree in a similar life circumstance. (A child needs a father etc, never mind the practical implications)

@charmante (welcome by the way I don’t recall seeing you before!), the bolded part is mine; I think many are working from a very specific set of assumptions popular in Western culture that everyone aspires/needs/seeks etc grand romantic passion with a life partner....that’s not a given.

 

It kind of reminds me when people comment on how great it is that I don’t drink alcohol-but to me it’s not a sacrifice, I don’t desire to drink alcohol so I haven’t give up anything if that makes any sense. 

[SPLAIN]

9 hours ago, BitterApple said:

I'm sure she'd be thrilled for Adam to drop out of the picture so Superhero Cole can be the only father in Aubree's life

 

As far as I can see, Cole is the only father in Aubree's life. The same way Kristina is Leah's mother.

I wonder if Gary is seen the same way? Do people think he wishes his ex would give up her parental rights so his wife can just be the only mother to Leah?

Edited May 11, 2018 by SPLAIN

[FairyDusted]

Honestly I thought Amber had signed her rights away already on Leah. Hmmmm....  

[SPLAIN]

13 minutes ago, FairyDusted said:

Honestly I thought Amber had signed her rights away already on Leah. Hmmmm....  

She did prior to going to gel.  I think Gary had his attorney draw up a visitation order which is why Amber is supposed to have Leah on Wednesdays and every other weekend. That is why Amber threw a hissy fit when Leah chose to be with her friends instead of that slug who gave birth to her.

[FairyDusted]

Thank you for the details @SPLAIN! I think he is pretty damn fair considering who he is dealing with. 

[rafibomb]

5 hours ago, CaliforniaLove said:

I think that was Megan? Why do I know these things?! 

I hear ya @Christina87. It's kind of like Justin & Selena (shut up, just hear me out :-))...they're constantly on again/off again, he's always seemingly doing douchebaggy things, from an outsider "on paper" perspective it seems like they should just END IT ALREADY, but...there seems to be something inexplicable that always brings them back together. I can see where one would come to the conclusion that maybe Cole isn't the "Justin" to Chelsea's "Selena", but I also have never gotten the vibe that she "settled" either. I fall somewhere in the middle I guess. 

I know very little about Justin and Selena's relationship, and prefer to remain that way forever.

But the whole concept of "something inexplicable always brings us back together" drives me nuts- because it totally misses the fact that something else very *explicable* keeps breaking you up, and you're just stuck in this toxic cycle of drama masquerading as romance. Happy couples aren't "always getting back together" because they never break up to begin with. 

Part of the reason it annoys me so much is that I went through this exact situation in a college relationship, and I wish I could travel back in time and slap my former self for being so stupid and wasting so much time on that guy. 

[AmandaUnbidden]

Does anyone else think that Aubree shouldn’t have been left with the decision to change her name? I feel she’s too young, and that no matter how she really feels about it, having her make the decision puts her in a very uncomfortable place with her bio father and his family. 

 

If I was Chelsea, I would have told her we were changing her last name to Lind-Deboar because she is just as much a part of their new family as Chelsea and Watson are so she should get to share their last name too. Now if she got upset and said she didn’t want to do that, then Chelsea could have backed off and told her it was fine to keep her name the same. No problem. You’re still just as much a part of this family, etc. But if she seemed happy about it, then they could have moved forward. 

 

I also would have told Adam and his parents myself, not left all of that on a little girl’s shoulders. I feel like Aubree would have had a lot less anxiety about the whole thing if that’s how things went. I think she does want the name Lind-Deboar because she loves her dad and his family as well as Cole. I just think she’s uncomfortable with how her dad or paternal grandparents will react, and she shouldn’t have to deal with that at all. That is adult stuff Chelsea should deal with no matter how uncomfortable Chelsea might be facing Adam and his parents on the issue. (I don’t know if she really is uncomfortable to approach them about it. I just know it sure as heck shouldn’t be something Aubree has to worry about.) 

 

Now just because I don’t agree with how she handled that issue, that doesn’t mean I think she is a bad mother or that I dislike her. I just didn’t like how much anxiety this might be causing Aubree. Her mother should shield her from that when she can, but I get the feeling Chelsea leaves all the explaining and communicating with the Linds to Aubree. I may be completely wrong about that, but that’s just the feeling I get. That Chelsea is the type to avoid confrontation so avoids it whenever possible even if it means letting her little girl deal with something she shouldn’t have to. JMO

[AmandaUnbidden]

6 hours ago, SPLAIN said:

As far as I can see, Cole is the only father in Aubree's life. The same way Kristina is Leah's mother.

I wonder if Gary is seen the same way? Do people think he wishes his ex would give up her parental rights so his wife can just be the only mother to Leah?

 

I think that’s exactly what Gary would want if it somehow wouldn’t hurt Leah but he knows it would hurt her so he doesn’t.

I don’t think Chelsea is as mature as Gary though. Obviously, I think she loves Aubree to death and wants the best for her, but I think she tries to avoid thinking about the hard things. Like that Aubree may love Adam and already have a relationship with him, however weak that may be, so it would hurt her a lot if Adam just suddenly cut ties. I think she does realize that on some level, thus why she still allows Aubree to see him. I just don’t think she thinks about it too deeply.

I think she sometimes lives in a fantasy world and thinks that now that Aubree has Cole, she will be just fine if Adam walks away forever. And granted Aubree probably will be just fine in the long run but if that were to happen, I do think it would cause some hurt to Aubree. I, honestly, feel terrible for the both of them. Neither Chelsea or Aubree deserve the hurt that POS has caused them or that will continue to cause them in the future.

And this my friends is why you should always practice safe sex, and is also one of the many reasons why becoming a teen parent is such an unfortunate situation.

I do think Chelsea and Aubree will be just fine no matter what though. They are both lucky to have really good families and loved ones around them.

I truly think Chelsea’s situation has turned out so much better than the other moms because of the family she had and how she was raised. If she had been raised by one of the other grandparents on this show, I could see her continuing to make some terrible choices even now. Thank god for good parents like Randy.

And on a completely different note, does anyone else think Chelsea kind of treats Aubree like a teenager as opposed to a little girl? Almost like Aubree is her little sister or something? She doesn’t do it all the time but it does come out sometimes.

I think they could have that dynamic because Chelsea was so young when she had her. Chelsea is probably just now feeling like a “real” adult because she’s not that old. It probably is a weird dynamic to have a child that old when you are that young.

Just some random thoughts I had while watching this episode. I rally don’t mean to criticize Chelsea so much as a mother. I think overall she’s doing a wonderful job. And I commend her for doing so well for a person who became a mother when she was still just a child herself. I just find her situation interesting. And I don’t mind watching and discussing her because with her I don’t have to think about the unimaginable damage she might be doing to her children. Chelsea is just someone who I can watch her story and think and discuss the different elements without having to worry about her and her children as a whole, if that makes sense. 

BTW, sorry for the novels! Insomnia has struck so here I am going on and on. lol

Edited May 11, 2018 by AmandaUnbidden

[Scarlett45]

2 hours ago, AmandaUnbidden said:

 

Does anyone else think that Aubree shouldn’t have been left with the decision to change her name? I feel she’s too young, and that no matter how she really feels about it, having her make the decision puts her in a very uncomfortable place with her bio father and his family. 

 

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Aubree is 9, and IMO that’s old enough to make the decision. As far as leaving Aubree with anxiety etc, I think you may be projecting just a little bit. Granted I am not someone who’s ever experienced anxiety so I’m coming from that perspective.

I think Aubree and Chelsea have a good sense of communication etc in their relationship (you can tell they talk about things) and if Aubree didn’t want to do it she would be super comfortable saying so, but that may also be ME projecting how I would’ve felt at 9 talking to my Mom about something. 

Edited May 11, 2018 by Scarlett45

[Scarlett45]

8 hours ago, SPLAIN said:

As far as I can see, Cole is the only father in Aubree's life. The same way Kristina is Leah's mother.

I wonder if Gary is seen the same way? Do people think he wishes his ex would give up her parental rights so his wife can just be the only mother to Leah?

 

8 hours ago, FairyDusted said:

Honestly I thought Amber had signed her rights away already on Leah. Hmmmm....  

Amber signed away custody to Gary when she went to prison but she’s still Leah’s parent- hence why she owes Gary back child support. I’m sure Gary would LOVE for Amber to disappear completely, for everyone’s sake. But I don’t think that’s seen as such a bad thing due to our perceptions of gender roles and parenting. I cannot recall someone referring to Kristina as a superhero etc because as a step mom it’s expected that she nurture and love Leah (she’s been praised for doing so but no one has criticized her for trying to replace Amber).

 

Also a BS Mom like Amber is seen as a worse human being than a BS dad like Adam. There’s also a bit of subtle misogyny- Chelsea is supposed to suffer for “choosing” Adam, while Gary is rarely criticized for “choosing” Amber, mostly praised for being a good parenting and finding a good partner to help him raise her. 

[AmandaUnbidden]

@Scarlett45 You might be right about me projecting. I do deal with anxiety and depression myself as well as having a child with anxiety so I probably was just thinking about it through my own situation. 

[Scarlett45]

45 minutes ago, AmandaUnbidden said:

@Scarlett45 You might be right about me projecting. I do deal with anxiety and depression myself as well as having a child with anxiety so I probably was just thinking about it through my own situation. 

That’s okay though. I would’ve never thought that a scenario like that would cause a child anxiety so it’s good to be aware. 

I bring a specific perspective as a Sib, when we talk about how Leah & Co deal with Ali’s muscular dystrophy and how it affects the other kids in the family; while others may not think of things I would. 

People talk about how hard babies are- in my childfree mind babies are easy! Granted they are physically demanding (and all children are financially demanding) but it’s when the kids start having complex emotional needs that’s a tail spin. That’s why I always say the thing I love best about my Tall Toddler is that she doesn’t talk back!!! While being Financally and physically demanding my Mom never had to deal with her wanting to “fit in” etc like Ali does with Gracie because she doesn’t have the cognitative functioning for that. 

Parenting is hard work yo. 

[NannyBails]

12 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

 

Also as a single mom there is MORE social pressure to live a heteronormative lifestyle than if she were just on her own without Aubree in a similar life circumstance. (A child needs a father etc, never mind the practical implications.

 

This reminded me of something that really bothers me:  daddy-daughter dances.  And yes, I'm projecting because my parents got divorced and we moved across country and my father wasn't in my life for 10 years due to various stuff I won't go into here.    And projecting again:  my brothers and I were told we had to choose which parent to live with and that ended up being a bad thing for us, especially because of the cross-country separation.  We had to make a choice and then we were stuck with it.  My oldest brother wanted to stay with my dad, but ended up going with my mom out of guilt and he has some serious regrets about that.  I didn't like the choice either, but chose my mom because I was a girl and at a certain age and all that.  But also because there was a very clear message from my mom that  "you have to pick one and if you don't pick me, I will know you don't love me."     Granted, I haven't really watched the show in ages, but it doesn't sound like Chelsea would ever give that kind of message, intentionally or not, to Aubree.

[BitterApple]

I think Aubree's old enough to make decisions about her name, but I agree Chelsea should've been the one to tell the Linds rather than put her daughter in an awkward position. I don't think the grandparents would put up a fuss anyways, considering they're just adding Cole's name and not removing Adam's, but it's definitely a topic which should've been discussed among the adults. 

3 hours ago, AmandaUnbidden said:

@Scarlett45 You might be right about me projecting. I do deal with anxiety and depression myself as well as having a child with anxiety so I probably was just thinking about it through my own situation. 

You're not projecting at all. Kids often get stressed out over issues that adults wouldn't think twice about. Especially a kid who's in a position where her parents hate each other and she's constantly trying to please both sides. I don't know if the name change caused Aubree anxiety or not, but it's not outside the realm of possibility that something like that could.

Edited May 11, 2018 by BitterApple

[Kazu]

11 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

 

Amber signed away custody to Gary when she went to prison but she’s still Leah’s parent- hence why she owes Gary back child support. I’m sure Gary would LOVE for Amber to disappear completely, for everyone’s sake. But I don’t think that’s seen as such a bad thing due to our perceptions of gender roles and parenting. I cannot recall someone referring to Kristina as a superhero etc because as a step mom it’s expected that she nurture and love Leah (she’s been praised for doing so but no one has criticized her for trying to replace Amber).

Also a BS Mom like Amber is seen as a worse human being than a BS dad like Adam. There’s also a bit of subtle misogyny- Chelsea is supposed to suffer for “choosing” Adam, while Gary is rarely criticized for “choosing” Amber, mostly praised for being a good parenting and finding a good partner to help him raise her. 

 

21 hours ago, SPLAIN said:

As far as I can see, Cole is the only father in Aubree's life. The same way Kristina is Leah's mother.

I wonder if Gary is seen the same way? Do people think he wishes his ex would give up her parental rights so his wife can just be the only mother to Leah?

 

Agree.

Yes, you are right. Kristina hasn't been criticized as being a "super hero" or anything remotely like what has been commented about Cole.

I appreciate you pointing out the double standards.  The double standards and subtle misogyny is irksome and troublesome. 

Kristina isn't chastised for doing exactly what Cole is doing. I am sure she would be if she and Chelsea were a couple and was the step-parent to Aubree.

It has been proclaimed many times over that Amber should step away from Leah's life for good so Gary and Kristina and just live their lives and be the parents that they are to Leah. It has also been pointed out how Amber's presence, or lack thereof, is just a detriment to Leah's life. Yet, Chelsea is seen as shoving Adam out of Aubree's life and trying to put Cole in his place as her only father due to Adam being just like Amber - he can't bother to be a parent. 

Edited May 11, 2018 by Kazu

[cheewhiz]

On 5/9/2018 at 3:57 PM, monagatuna said:

We've seen the ugly side of Chelsea, where she kept running back to Adam whenever he would call, moving him into her house, talking about him in front of Aubree, flunking out of hair school, etc.

I thought she finished hair school, or did she quit and do cosmetology instead?

[BitterApple]

1 minute ago, cheewhiz said:

I thought she finished hair school, or did she quit and do cosmetology instead?

She was missing a ton of class at the hair school, so she quit and switched to cosmetology instead. She did finish that program and got her license.

[FairyDusted]

"Hair School" is Cosmotology School. Chelsea changed to skin care and got her certification faster. When I was in Cosmotology all that stuff was included. Now you can just do nails, facials, etc.

[Kazu]

3 hours ago, NannyBails said:

This reminded me of something that really bothers me:  daddy-daughter dances.  And yes, I'm projecting because my parents got divorced and we moved across country and my father wasn't in my life for 10 years due to various stuff I won't go into here.    And projecting again:  my brothers and I were told we had to choose which parent to live with and that ended up being a bad thing for us, especially because of the cross-country separation.  We had to make a choice and then we were stuck with it.  My oldest brother wanted to stay with my dad, but ended up going with my mom out of guilt and he has some serious regrets about that.  I didn't like the choice either, but chose my mom because I was a girl and at a certain age and all that.  But also because there was a very clear message from my mom that  "you have to pick one and if you don't pick me, I will know you don't love me."     Granted, I haven't really watched the show in ages, but it doesn't sound like Chelsea would ever give that kind of message, intentionally or not, to Aubree.

Another thing that bothers me about the father-daughter dances is the fact that many children come from families where there are same-sex parents. If a child comes from a home where two women are the parents, how does that work? Is that child forbidden from taking their parent? What about children who don't have a father for whatever reason and there isn't a suitable replacement such as a grandfather or uncle?

[BravoAddict72]

8 hours ago, AmandaUnbidden said:

I think that’s exactly what Gary would want if it somehow wouldn’t hurt Leah but he knows it would hurt her so he doesn’t.

I don’t think Chelsea is as mature as Gary though. Obviously, I think she loves Aubree to death and wants the best for her, but I think she tries to avoid thinking about the hard things. Like that Aubree may love Adam and already have a relationship with him, however weak that may be, so it would hurt her a lot if Adam just suddenly cut ties. I think she does realize that on some level, thus why she still allows Aubree to see him. I just don’t think she thinks about it too deeply.

I think she sometimes lives in a fantasy world and thinks that now that Aubree has Cole, she will be just fine if Adam walks away forever. And granted Aubree probably will be just fine in the long run but if that were to happen, I do think it would cause some hurt to Aubree. I, honestly, feel terrible for the both of them. Neither Chelsea or Aubree deserve the hurt that POS has caused them or that will continue to cause them in the future.

And this my friends is why you should always practice safe sex, and is also one of the many reasons why becoming a teen parent is such an unfortunate situation.

I do think Chelsea and Aubree will be just fine no matter what though. They are both lucky to have really good families and loved ones around them.

I truly think Chelsea’s situation has turned out so much better than the other moms because of the family she had and how she was raised. If she had been raised by one of the other grandparents on this show, I could see her continuing to make some terrible choices even now. Thank god for good parents like Randy.

And on a completely different note, does anyone else think Chelsea kind of treats Aubree like a teenager as opposed to a little girl? Almost like Aubree is her little sister or something? She doesn’t do it all the time but it does come out sometimes.

I think they could have that dynamic because Chelsea was so young when she had her. Chelsea is probably just now feeling like a “real” adult because she’s not that old. It probably is a weird dynamic to have a child that old when you are that young.

Just some random thoughts I had while watching this episode. I rally don’t mean to criticize Chelsea so much as a mother. I think overall she’s doing a wonderful job. And I commend her for doing so well for a person who became a mother when she was still just a child herself. I just find her situation interesting. And I don’t mind watching and discussing her because with her I don’t have to think about the unimaginable damage she might be doing to her children. Chelsea is just someone who I can watch her story and think and discuss the different elements without having to worry about her and her children as a whole, if that makes sense. 

BTW, sorry for the novels! Insomnia has struck so here I am going on and on. lol

I am guilty of doing this sometimes. I think it's because our son is an only child and is around adults more than other kids so sometimes I forget how young he is. Aubree seems really mature for her age and I think part of that is being an only child for so long and part is spending so much time with Chelsea. My husband works weekends (he is a chef) so my son was always with me running errands and getting everything done on the weekends since I work during the week. He is my mini me, just like I think Aubree is to Chelsea. I think they are just really close, and are friends as well as mother and daughter.

[NannyBails]

17 minutes ago, Kazu said:

Another thing that bothers me about the father-daughter dances is the fact that many children come from families where there are same-sex parents. If a child comes from a home where two women are the parents, how does that work? Is that child forbidden from taking their parent? What about children who don't have a father for whatever reason and there isn't a suitable replacement such as a grandfather or uncle?

YES!  All this. 

[alexa]

3 minutes ago, BravoAddict72 said:

I am guilty of doing this sometimes. I think it's because our son is an only child and is around adults more than other kids so sometimes I forget how young he is. Aubree seems really mature for her age and I think part of that is being an only child for so long and part is spending so much time with Chelsea. My husband works weekends (he is a chef) so my son was always with me running errands and getting everything done on the weekends since I work during the week. He is my mini me, just like I think Aubree is to Chelsea. I think they are just really close, and are friends as well as mother and daughter.

I agree.  I think it is normal for some parent/child relationships for this to happen dependent on the circumstances, and I agree that Aubree and Chelsea have this type of relationship based on being in the situation together, growing up together, spending a lot of time together, etc.  And I think it is fine as she looks out for Aubree's well being as well as being close to her.  I have a young son, and he is an only child, and I think there are many things that we talk to him about based on his maturity, being an only child, etc.  In fact I got tricked in telling him more about the birds and the bees earlier than expected because I made a comment about a tv show one time which was innocent but led to --what do you mean by that?  lol!  But it actually worked out nicely because it was nice to know we could talk about things.  

[BARISTA]

19 hours ago, charmante said:

I think this was/is the driving motivation behind Chelsea falling so hard for Cole.  I am also in the "I don't see the chemistry"camp, but I do believe Chelsea is a good mother.  She has said many times over the years how terrible she feels for giving Aubree a terrible, drug-addicted father.  I truly believe she harshly blames herself for this (she didn't make great decisions with her relationship with Adam, but she really needs to forgive herself!) and I think she sees Cole (and the way he treats Aubree) as a way to erase the past and make it up to Aubree.  She may not even consciously realize that is what she is doing or that is why she was so strongly drawn to Cole, but that's my take on it.  It's really quite unselfish of her to abandon the pursuit of true passionate romantic love in order to give Aubree what she thinks is the perfect dad and family.  I am not saying I don't think she loves Cole - in fact, I think he is actually the answer to her prayers and makes her very happy.  But not because he gives her heart palpitations and makes her weak in the knees - but because he heals her heart when she sees him give her daughter the loving father and happy childhood she was afraid she'd robbed from her by her poor choices.

YES ! I think this is possibly a better way of saying everything I've been trying to say on this topic so far ! Cole is everything she could want in a father figure /life partner / roommate . The fact that she might not be personally attracted to him and the absence of any chemistry or sexual chemistry was pushed to the side and came secondary to the benefits she saw that he would bring to her and Aubree's life. And even on writing that I am even less critical of her making that choice because it was unselfish in one sense. Possibly selfish if you look at it from Cole's perspective or from the perspective he might see it from one day in a few years time when he has helped her build up her inner strength to a place where she feels she no longer needs him and is no longer happy to use him for his good traits and leaves him for a hot cool guy with an edge. And the consequences that would have on her children. I hope to god it never comes to that but I do think there are consequences to a decision to rush into a marriage at 23/24 when she'd only known the guy a year and there was a child involved.

Again though, I often wonder is it a teen mom thing that if their relationship with their babydaddy doesn't work out, they seem to have this fascination/focus/blind ambition to find a husband and get married and have more kids and settle down even though they are soooo young  with their whole lives ahead of them for that ? I can understand them desperately wanting a stable family unit for the sake of their kids, but surely some counselling to build up their confidence, self esteem and mental strength as good single moms would help more than rushing into another marriage and having more kids with the next guy you meet ? I mean it's great to have a partner and to have that support, especially if you've been a single mom for a while, but why not have a relationship with the guy for a period long enough to really test it and be sure that it will last before committing to something as serious as marriage? IDK  it's been a theme of this show and the girls just seem to treat marriage very lightly IMO

[lexsaysso]

On 5/8/2018 at 4:20 PM, BARISTA said:

That scene with Leah and Briana in the hotel room wow you could cut the tension with a knife ! Brittany can be funny but I imagine interacting with her in real life could be pretty intense.  I will say that Briana seems to be the most demure of the coven ! Although why she's dating ANYONE new 2 months after having a baby like no, stay home mind your baby and start googling contraception. 

Similar advice goes for Kail who definitely cannot cast judgment on Briana's "mess"

It irks me that these girls make light of marriage, they treat it as if it's like dating, erm no it's supposed to be a lifelong commitment, and has legal consequences. You just met Javi Bri ! In fact by now isnt that whole thing long over?! What is so wrong with dating like normal humans smh

Janelllle - Everyone sees through David. EVERYONE. I almost feel sorry for the depth of your insecurities that prevent you from being an average 26 year old mom of 3 working and looking after your kids, taking care of yourself and enjoying your life, man or no man. The happy ending doesn't have to be NOW and is not happening now . Car crash tv at its finest

I also FF every one of Chelsea's scenes now, I realise the irony of her being boring because she's the only mom to semi have it together, I do, but we suffered through the name change storyline last season. 

This might be better placed in the Chelsea forum but is there ANYONE out there who just doesn't buy the whole Chelsea and Cole happily ever after idea ? I can't seem to shake this gut feeling that she just settled for Cole when she had those serious husband cravings. Don't get me wrong, Cole seems like a great guy, nerdy and goofy and squeaky voiced yes but cartoon character similarities aside, he has been so good to Chelsea and the kids. I just felt there was more life in Chelsea when she was passionately pining after Adam and living in that drama, she so badly wanted to turn that bad boy good. It seems like fake love with her and Cole, like she knows she doesn't passionately love this boy (I can't say man) but she is forcing this picture perfect life with him down our throats.  Every couple has issues and we're just not being shown theirs for whatever reason . She snagged him for that happy ending she so desperately wanted, he's good to her, she can't complain, he fits the bill. What gets me the MOST is when she tries to magically erase Adumb from their lives, like yes I get it, he's an idiot, but he will ALWAYS be Aubree's father no matter how many times you change her name or tell her Cole is her dad, or tell us that she thinks Cole is her dad and wants to call him her dad, like we are that dumb. It's pretty clear what's going on there and I wish Chelsea would accept the past instead of being so fixated on changing it to suit her dream world.

OMG ! THANK YOU for this comment !!! I absolutely agree w. this Chelesa crap ! I truly believe she just lucked the fudge up w. Cole ! Please believe if Cole would have never been at that gas station , she would still either A) be chasing after drug addicted Adumb or B) jumping from one dumb decision penis to the next . She was still sleeping with Adumb weeks before she met Cole . So they’re tryin to get me to believe that she magically gained all the sense in the world in between her getting out of Adumb’s bed and getting that gas ? I don’t think so. And don’t get me wrong , I like Chelsea and I loved seeing the glow up ! But why is it that they NEVER have an argument let alone a disagreement ?! Their relationship is not perfect and honestly I would rather see what’s REAL instead of the picture she WANTS to paint . Otherwise, get off the tv screen . 

Also, this doesn’t seem like a popular opinion but I have to say this: I don’t think Aubree is old enough to make the decision of changing her last name ! But what do I know *shrugs shoulder* and I think she should just drop the damn child support . He’s a drug addict AND on top of that he’s hasn’t been paying any damn way . In other words , you’re not getting a dime out of him ! What's the point of keeping him on ? You don’t want nothing to do w. him anyway , so here’s BOTH of your way out !

[BARISTA]

8 minutes ago, lexsaysso said:

 But why is it that they NEVER have an argument let alone a disagreement ?! Their relationship is not perfect and honestly I would rather see what’s REAL instead of the picture she WANTS to paint . Otherwise, get off the tv screen .

Exactly, there have been posts on here making valid arguments acknowledging that yes they do probably argue or bicker now and then but choose not to show it. I mean, if they have that choice then it's just not reality tv. I think it defeats the purpose of the show tbh. All of the other girls get flack for the various disagreements etc that arise in the course of their relationships and in the course of navigating life having been a teen mom, but I say kudos to them for allowing that to be shown. It's not just entertainment for us, it's also their job and an important part of the show that this is real life, I mean real life with MTV editing, but real life nonetheless. When we get an insight into Chelsea and Cole's life, it's a hugely filtered insight IMO, and I think if they are that private they should not be on this show. Maybe a special in 5 years time to check in on them. Or even if they salvaged it now by just showing more of Chelsea's friends, of what Chelsea does day-to-day, more Randy, more of an insight into Chelsea's family dynamics if her extended family were comfortable with that, hell even more South Dakota scenery ! Anything but the stale staged scenes of her moaning to CG or Cole about Adumb

[ghoulina]

In regards to Chelsea and Cole not fighting - I don't think it defeats the purpose of the show. Chelsea signed on for this show years before Cole came along. I don't think Cole has ever been thrilled about being a big part of the show, and she respects that. She keeps his scenes to a minimum and keeps them light and fun. She let's the focus of her segments be "mom" related, which makes sense - given the title of the show. 

IMO, it's on MTV. They choose to film these girls, with no discernable rules. Kail, Jenelle, etc. have all stomped off and refused to film during reunions. They all hide shit from filming. David's abuse, Kail's boyfriends. Chelsea keeping her marital disagreements off screen is so minor compared to the other chicanery that goes on. If MTV ever feels she's being "fake" they're more than welcome to fire her. But they don't. 

[BARISTA]

28 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

In regards to Chelsea and Cole not fighting - I don't think it defeats the purpose of the show. Chelsea signed on for this show years before Cole came along. I don't think Cole has ever been thrilled about being a big part of the show, and she respects that. She keeps his scenes to a minimum and keeps them light and fun. She let's the focus of her segments be "mom" related, which makes sense - given the title of the show. 

IMO, it's on MTV. They choose to film these girls, with no discernable rules. Kail, Jenelle, etc. have all stomped off and refused to film during reunions. They all hide shit from filming. David's abuse, Kail's boyfriends. Chelsea keeping her marital disagreements off screen is so minor compared to the other chicanery that goes on. If MTV ever feels she's being "fake" they're more than welcome to fire her. But they don't. 

Fair points, I just wish they would explore more of Chelsea's life, her scenes are very stale/boring/repetitive. 

[SPLAIN]

10 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

 I’m sure Gary would LOVE for Amber to disappear completely, for everyone’s sake. But I don’t think that’s seen as such a bad thing due to our perceptions of gender roles and parenting. I cannot recall someone referring to Kristina as a superhero etc because as a step mom it’s expected that she nurture and love Leah (she’s been praised for doing so but no one has criticized her for trying to replace Amber).

Also a BS Mom like Amber is seen as a worse human being than a BS dad like Adam. There’s also a bit of subtle misogyny- Chelsea is supposed to suffer for “choosing” Adam, while Gary is rarely criticized for “choosing” Amber, mostly praised for being a good parenting and finding a good partner to help him raise her. 

I really like this assessment. Well put. However, I want to give the benefit of the doubt. I don't think there is any misogynist views or any bias or skewed perceptions based on gender roles. I think there is a simple explanation - Chelsea is held to a different standard.

@ghoulina absolutely. I agree.

1 hour ago, BARISTA said:

Anything but the stale staged scenes of her moaning to CG or Cole about Adumb

We see the same scenes featuring Gary and Kristina as they sit there and moan about Amber. Every scene with G&K featured them discussing the issues they face about Amber. The producers bring up Amber to them. Only once have we had the pleasure of watching G&K and Leah as a family where it didn't involve Amber somehow. That scene featured Gary's father and whether he was his bio dad. As an adopted child, I always view it as blood doesn't make a parent. It is all the things that person does that makes them a parent. That is why I see Cole as the only father to Aubree and Kristina as the only mother to Leah.

 

4 hours ago, Kazu said:

Another thing that bothers me about the father-daughter dances is the fact that many children come from families where there are same-sex parents. If a child comes from a home where two women are the parents, how does that work? Is that child forbidden from taking their parent? What about children who don't have a father for whatever reason and there isn't a suitable replacement such as a grandfather or uncle?

Preach!

I think it has to do with the area they live in. I am not familiar with the area, but I have an inkling that plays a part in it. Some states and cities are still about the traditional family. Pretty sad because it is becoming more and more common for children to grow up in homes with same-sex parents. I have a sibling who is gay and I look forward to the day when my sibling has a child and can go to such events that don't have such traditions. Living in Southern California, I think our world here is a lot more open than in the Dakotas.

Edited May 11, 2018 by SPLAIN

[FairyDusted]

41 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

In regards to Chelsea and Cole not fighting - I don't think it defeats the purpose of the show. Chelsea signed on for this show years before Cole came along. I don't think Cole has ever been thrilled about being a big part of the show, and she respects that. She keeps his scenes to a minimum and keeps them light and fun. She let's the focus of her segments be "mom" related, which makes sense - given the title of the show. 

IMO, it's on MTV. They choose to film these girls, with no discernable rules. Kail, Jenelle, etc. have all stomped off and refused to film during reunions. They all hide shit from filming. David's abuse, Kail's boyfriends. Chelsea keeping her marital disagreements off screen is so minor compared to the other chicanery that goes on. If MTV ever feels she's being "fake" they're more than welcome to fire her. But they don't. 

Oh and she shut Cole down on camera when Aubree threw a fit about going up to brush her teeth. She told him to let her handle it.  She also shut him up over a yard thing too. So she's not all sunshine and roses. Still top dog in this heap.

Edited May 11, 2018 by FairyDusted
Finished my thought

[AirQuotes]

Since Jen-yell's face was all nasty and scabby and she looked all meth'ed up...I'm linking this blindgossip.com article that I think is about her and her Neanderthal.

http://blindgossip.com/?p=91633#more-91633

[FairyDusted]

Someone pointed at Amber and NEWMATT! Actually believable as well.

[Christina87]

2 hours ago, BARISTA said:

Exactly, there have been posts on here making valid arguments acknowledging that yes they do probably argue or bicker now and then but choose not to show it. I mean, if they have that choice then it's just not reality tv. I think it defeats the purpose of the show tbh. All of the other girls get flack for the various disagreements etc that arise in the course of their relationships and in the course of navigating life having been a teen mom, but I say kudos to them for allowing that to be shown. It's not just entertainment for us, it's also their job and an important part of the show that this is real life, I mean real life with MTV editing, but real life nonetheless. When we get an insight into Chelsea and Cole's life, it's a hugely filtered insight IMO, and I think if they are that private they should not be on this show. Maybe a special in 5 years time to check in on them. Or even if they salvaged it now by just showing more of Chelsea's friends, of what Chelsea does day-to-day, more Randy, more of an insight into Chelsea's family dynamics if her extended family were comfortable with that, hell even more South Dakota scenery ! Anything but the stale staged scenes of her moaning to CG or Cole about Adumb

I agree with this...if they want to leave Cole in the role of prince, then he should be a more minor character (which he would probably prefer anyway), and most of Chelsea's scenes could revolve around her friends and family. And I'm not saying this disparagingly; if they don't want to show their real life together, for valid reasons, that's fine. It's just hard to fill her whole segment with people who don't want to show much of their relationship, and limiting his screen time would allow him to be shown in a very positive light, and be believable. Cole may very well prefer that and might even act more natural if he felt the pressure to be a "leading man" on the show was off. 

In regards to disagreements, nobody wants to see them yell and scream and throw things. I just don't see why we can't have a conversation like this;

"hey Cole! Did you have a good day at work?"

"yes! How was your day?"

"awesome! I was thinking, maybe we could go get pizza tonight if you wanted."

"ahhhh, I had pizza yesterday during my lunch break. I was kind of craving a burger, for some reason."

"oh really? I just said that because Aubree kind of wanted pizza."

"well, why don't we go to (insert SD restaurant with both things on the menu) instead so we can both get what we want. Is there anything there that you would want?"

"sure! That sounds good. They have veggie burgers there, which are in my meal plan."

Now, that's not what I would exactly call a fight, or even a real disagreement. I would maybe call it a difference of opinion or minor disagreement. Even couples in very harmonious relationships have discussions like this all the time! You don't have to be nasty and hateful to disagree with your spouse for a perfectly good reason and find a compromise, and something like this would not make their relationship high drama. I feel like the other couples on the show are more relatable because they do converse like this. Instead, how things are now on the show, we would get this:

"hey, Cole! Did you have a good day at work?"

"yes! How was your day?"

"awesome! I was thinking, maybe, we could get pizza tonight if we wanted."

(Cole looks uncomfortable and kind of constipated for a second, and then grins.)

(ten octaves higher): "of course I would! What a wonderful idea!!!"

Edited May 11, 2018 by Christina87

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, SPLAIN said:

I don't think there is any misogynist views or any bias or skewed perceptions based on gender roles. I think there is a simple explanation - Chelsea is held to a different standard.

I think Chelsea is held to a different standard (at least in part) due to gender roles. 

I also think it’s because Chelsea has nothing much else going on. (Which is more allowed due to gender roles. Gary would get a lot more flack if he hadn’t been doing much investment/career wise and waiting for Kristina to come along) Had she parented Aubree, and started a rental property business like Gary (or any other type of non TM related business) and was managing that people may be less critical.

Of course there is nothing wrong with being critical as long as you are fair. 

 

@Christina87 you make me laugh so hard. I CANNOT make fun of Cole’s voice because I still sound like a 12year old girl at 32. Yeah I wouldn’t call what you described above a disagreement, I’d call that a discussion on what to have for dinner. I want pizza now this is awful. ?

Edited May 11, 2018 by Scarlett45

[Kazu]

Chelsea is a SAHM. There is plenty going on in her life.

Nothing against your comment Scarlett. I know you are referring to how her life plays out on the show.

We don't see or hear much about Gary's business or his work life. His scenes are pretty mundane. After all, it is all about Amber.  But no flak about the need to see more of his life, his day-to-day business, more family dynamics, less screen time for Kristina since all she does is talk about Amber. If Cole talked about Adumb...oy vey. Heads would explode.

Chelsea has the same job as Kristina, but Kristina gets no flak.

1 hour ago, AirQuotes said:

Since Jen-yell's face was all nasty and scabby and she looked all meth'ed up...I'm linking this blindgossip.com article that I think is about her and her Neanderthal.

http://blindgossip.com/?p=91633#more-91633

It might be another couple. It reads that this couple's relationship is what got them on tv. UBT was not around when Jenelle started on TM.

[ReadMeLattice]

On 5/10/2018 at 4:06 PM, guilfoyleatpp said:

I don't like Chelsea. Not because of anything that's been mentioned, really...she seems like a lot of girls to me. One in particular who makes me roll my eyes a lot. 

I would say in real life I'd probably find her really annoying and not too bright and somewhat insufferable. On the show, compared to the other hillbilly/trainwreck/wannabe she's a breath of fresh air...because she reminds me of that someone I know. 

Yep, this completely! In real life, like if we were coworkers or something, I'd definitely find her annoying. Just not my type of person/friend. She's fine and everything, just not my cup of tea. I actually really like Cole, though. But I still hold my breath waiting for her scenes because the show is now like:

Abuser #1 (Jenelle)

Abuser #2 (Kailyn)

Slightly Less Intense Abuser #3 (Leah)

Normal Person (Chelsea)

I wonder if MTV did that on purpose? Do they always try to pick a "normal" teen mom who stands a chance of a decent life alongside three total train wrecks? I think Maci was supposed to be that in the other cast. Are they supposed to provide the sigh of relief after the relentless abuse and neglect? What a weird premise for a show.

Personally, I do wish we saw Chelsea doing more, and all the teen moms and dads, not because of anything about gender roles or being a jellus hater towards Chelsea or whatever the heck, I just think the show is so boring at this point. It's just watching a horror show of absolutely terrible parents and then a few minutes of producers asking Chelsea about Adam. I WANT to see Gary working on houses, I WANT to see anybody have a job or a hobby or an interest or a discussion about anything interesting that isn't an ex, an upcoming charge or a toxic dating relationship. ANYTHING!!!! I want to see what kinds of things Vee does on the weekends, I want to see Cole doing a project, I want to see anybody have a conversation about politics or playdates or daycare or a book or anyythinggg that isn't jail or how trashy they are. Even if it's just for 30 seconds to remind me they are human beings. For such a popular network, MTV is really uncreative with the storylines. "K let's talk about Barb or somebody's baby mama/daddy and how much they suck for the 27th season."

I would literally rather just watch Lincoln make faces into the camera for forty minutes straight than most of the stuff that's on now.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Lm2162

[Scarlett45]

@Lm2162 as a city girl I’d love to see more about Gary’s farm and Chelsea’s animals. Country life is so fascinating to me!

 

Yes how often can we watch them bitch about their exes? Even the footage of their vacations aren’t really capturing the beauty of these places. 

[alexa]

I guess I give up on helping anyone to understand that doesn’t believe this that it is very possible to have a relationship that you really don’t have many issues or disagreements. I know we have already been over it but I don’t think Cole and Chelsea are hiding anything. They simply like each other and have a nice dynamic. If I was being filmed at home you would find me boring too and think I that I was hiding exciting fights and disagreements from the cameras, but that wouldn’t be the case. I guess I find them believable because I have lived that same life. I feel blessed for it.  I guess I just think if the only way for the show to be viable is if there are disagreements and drama then it is time for it to end. I like to see the moms that have grown up and moved past that. 

[geauxaway]

This whole last name change hits close to home, as I am about to adopt my foster son who is about the same age as Aubree.  So we have been having discussions about his name change and he is most worried about the kids at school wondering why he has a different last name.  Bottom line, I said do you know ANY of your classmates last names?  No one is going to notice, baby.  But he still has very valid worries over it.  Our therapist (angel that walks this earth) and I have been working with him on it.   It’s hard for kids in that age to understand all the dynamics on top of scrutiny from their classmates.  I can’t imagine it’s any easier for Aubree who is on TV.  I do like Chelsea and think she is a great mom and runs a great house, but she needs to step up and be strong for Aubree.  I wish for any of these kids to have the therapy we (in our hous) have.  It would make a lot of difference in the long run.  No matter how great a home life, these kids all come from mixed parental households (which is great, that’s life).  But a little help never hurts!

[Mothra]

About that photo allegedly of Kailyn sitting, naked, on the edge of the bathtub--how in hell does she have such a tiny waist from a rear view and yet from the front look like a damn Sherman tank?  Is that what liposuction does?  If so, why on earth would you want your body to look like that?  And how could you get clothing to fit a linebacker's body with Scarlett O'Hara's waist?  Maybe that's why she wears such baggy clothes?  But then what's the point of the tiny waist?

[Kazu]

48 minutes ago, Mothra said:

About that photo allegedly of Kailyn sitting, naked, on the edge of the bathtub--how in hell does she have such a tiny waist from a rear view and yet from the front look like a damn Sherman tank?  Is that what liposuction does?  If so, why on earth would you want your body to look like that?  And how could you get clothing to fit a linebacker's body with Scarlett O'Hara's waist?  Maybe that's why she wears such baggy clothes?  But then what's the point of the tiny waist?

Filters. She is notorious for using them.

[rafibomb]

5 hours ago, Christina87 said:

 Instead, how things are now on the show, we would get this:

"hey, Cole! Did you have a good day at work?"

"yes! How was your day?"

"awesome! I was thinking, maybe, we could get pizza tonight if we wanted."

(Cole looks uncomfortable and kind of constipated for a second, and then grins.)

(ten octaves higher): "of course I would! What a wonderful idea!!!"

To me, that just speaks to Cole not being comfortable in front of the cameras. It sounds like me leaving someone a voicemail- fake, awkward, my voice goes up in pitch and I talk too fast and basically, a situation best avoided. 

All of the moms and kids are completely accustomed to being on camera by this point, and people like Javi and David are fame whores or sociopaths or both, so they're relatively unaffected. But I can see a normal, kind of dorky guy being very self-conscious about it. 

[Maharincess]

4 hours ago, alexa said:

I guess I give up on helping anyone to understand that doesn’t believe this that it is very possible to have a relationship that you really don’t have many issues or disagreements. I know we have already been over it but I don’t think Cole and Chelsea are hiding anything. They simply like each other and have a nice dynamic. If I was being filmed at home you would find me boring too and think I that I was hiding exciting fights and disagreements from the cameras, but that wouldn’t be the case. I guess I find them believable because I have lived that same life. I feel blessed for it.  I guess I just think if the only way for the show to be viable is if there are disagreements and drama then it is time for it to end. I like to see the moms that have grown up and moved past that. 

I've been in a relationship for 29 years this Tuesday and we never fight. The biggest "arguments"  we have are over what we're having for dinner. Maybe once or twice a year we might say "fuck you" but we're over it very quickly. I wouldn't be in a relationship that was full or drama and fighting, I've had that and will NEVER go back. He and I are both really laid back and easy going and we just don't argue. It doesn't mean we agree on everything but we simply don't fight.  

My thing is that if I start to feel myself get angry with him I ask myself if what I'm mad about is going to matter in a week, month or year and it never does. 

[ReadMeLattice]

I don't really care about Chelsea and Cole fighting or not fighting. The show overall is just really boring now, even with the fake drama they try to inject into it.

They either really need to start showing the nitty-gritty, like the stuff we all have to find out from social media (Jenelle and David's actual knock down drag outs, for example, or the millions of court dates), or at least show more of their actual everyday lives (I think once we saw Aubree cookie baking and we've seen Lincoln at soccer--things like that, just normal), instead of the ONE thing they've decided that each teen mom will be presented as "thinking about" this season. 

Edited May 12, 2018 by Lm2162

[druzy]

MTV needs to have someone who watches the show host the after shows and reunions. There needs to be a clause in their contracts that if they walk off the stage they are fined. If they shut down production they are fined. Fine them for everything. These girls don't have bargaining power. They need the 300k to maintain their lifestyles. 

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, druzy said:

MTV needs to have someone who watches the show host the after shows and reunions. There needs to be a clause in their contracts that if they walk off the stage they are fined. If they shut down production they are fined. Fine them for everything. These girls don't have bargaining power. They need the 300k to maintain their lifestyles. 

Right? Most of these girls would be screwed three ways to Wednesday if they didn't have the income from this show. They blow money like there's no tomorrow. They've barely worked real jobs. They have little to no education or marketable skills. End this shit today and Kail's luxury SUV's would be getting repo'd within two months. Why the hell do the producers feel the need to constantly put up with their shit?