Worthwhile Reality TV - Wife Swap, Trading Spouses, Nanny 911, and Supernanny

I am not a reality TV junkie by any measure.  I've given up on Survivor, and I get tired of American Idol, and The Apprentice, but there are two types of reality television shows that always reel me in.  These are the wife exchange shows, Wife Swap and Trading Spaces, as well as the nanny shows, Nanny 911, and Super Nanny.  The wife exchange shows are set up to create conflict that pleases viewers since they match up families with opposing lifestyles and morals.  And it is interesting yet frustrating to watch.  I find myself wishing the two mother of one family could compromise with the adopted family and meet somewhere in the middle.  And then while watching, I remember my childhood and my parents and how normal they were.  And it's not just a biased me who is thinking this.  My parents weren't/aren't extreme in any way considering they emigrated here 40+ years ago from a country with a completely different culture.  They have adapted well and my siblings and I are the benefactors.  Wife Swap and Trading Spouses makes me really appreciate my upbringing.  I wasn't forced to do things like become a personal assistant to my brother for a future dirt-biking career, nor did I ever have to deal with a materialistic and status hungry set of parents.  They weren't overly protective like the parents on one of the shows who didn't let their kids play any sports.   One way they may have been out of the ordinary is that my parents had a silent expectation of working hard to get good grades in school, but they didn't punish us or criticize us for not getting 'A's' like some parents.

Speaking of parents, thanks to Nanny 911 and Supernanny, I also now realize that my nephews and nieces are generally pretty good kids.  (So were I and my siblings, and that's without ever having gotten spanked or beaten).  I can't believe what some of these little kids on the show have turned into.  Damien?  Is that you?  You can blame the parents as well as genetics to a degree, but I always wonder how it gets so out of hand to begin with.  I have learned much about childrearing from Jo, the superest nanny of them all, (and I don't even have any kids), but the show pulls at my heartstrings when I see families getting closer as a result of Super Nanny's advice.  I suppose the wife exchange programs make each family appreciate their own family more and that tends to draw them closer.  Plus, they learn that some of their practices are extreme and learn to adjust based on the differing viewpoint of a mother from a completely different household.  This also makes me feel good because beneficial things are happening for people, (although I understand that it's still a Hollywood production).

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that all these nanny and wife exchange shows fulfill many roles.  They actually help families that participate with more than instant cash and prizes.  That in itself is touching, but they also make us viewers feel better about ourselves and become more appreciative of  what we have.  Most people don't realize that reality TV can have this effect.  I never expected it until I really thought about it.

+ Atul

Comments

[chancelucky]

I actually like Wife Swap. A lot of the shows wind up being very gentle with both families learning a bit from the other..Of course, there's the small matter that some of those people are crazy....

[Atul]

Yes, some of the families are crazy or at least extreme in some aspect of their lives. Perhaps as our society becomes less mainstream, the fringes get further and further from the norm.

[chancelucky]

Have they ever had an Indian family on the show? that actually might be very interesting with a fundamentialist Christian family say.

[Atul]

They had a S. Asian Muslim family, not sure what nationality. They traded with a normal lower middle class white family that didn't believe in education. The S. Asian family was completely materialistic and status-driven though. It was a decent episode, but not one of the best.

[Payday Loans]

I have a friend with a strange crush on her...

[erika]

Jo I need your help with my daughter who is 7 years old she ha adhd and a few months ago her dad kicked me out of the house so now I have my own place also I have also put her into a program but still hasn't work so I'm asking for help please

[Jordan Hunt]

I love Wife Swap and Nanny 911. It seriously makes me so grateful i had a normal childhood with normal parents and even normal neighbors. I seriously can't stand seeing those little brat kids running around but it always ends on a good note and a family seeking help is a loving family in my opinion. They want their kids to grow up the best way and if that way is getting cameras and having a professional nanny come into their home then so be it. Help is help. I also love Wife Swap as well. I can't believe how they can find the complete opposites and extreme parenting styles and people it boggles my mind what kind of American citizens we have out there. It really opens my mind and realize that some people don't like and appreciate normal.

[UH2L]

Jordan, It's great that you agree. It's nice to feel normal isn't it? And yes, these shows, unlike most reality shows, are actually providing a service to people who need it. Hopefully these shows stay on the air but I have to admit that I don't watch them as much as I used to.