Jon & Kate plus 8

My kids watch this show. I don't make a point to watch it but I do slow down sometimes when I see them watching the show similar to a gawker at the scene of a serious car wreck.

The kids on the show are mildly entertaining I guess but what really draws my attention is Kate's monstrous behavior towards her husband who frankly seems to be a very good father and husband.

In the last few weeks, I have mentioned to a few people that I had just recently been exposed to this show and both responded something to the effect of "Isn't she horrible?" before I said anything further. Yes, I have to agree that she is horrible. Watching it is really a bit stomach-turning at times and you do feel a deep sense of sympathy and even pity for Jon's plight.

I guess I should summarize the premise of this reality show but frankly it might take too long but suffice it to say that this couple has 8 kids which include 6, 4 year olds (at the time of the last season anyway) and Kate is deeply unappreciative of her husband's family contributions or fathering skills and not shy about caustically letting him (and by extension a national audience) know about it. It is really quite hard to understand this considering that Jon, while a little laid back, seems to be a wonderful father and husband who's only fault that I can see is that he made a poor choice of a spouse. It is a bit hard to describe the dynamic frankly because it is just so weird and I know that I am not doing this much justice with my brief explanation. The show is on The Learning Channel (TLC). You have to check it out.

I do wonder if Kate, either consciously or subconsciously, knows that Jon is stuck here because he just can't divorce her as he can't possibly pay child support for 8 kids on his salary so with that knowledge, Kate knows that she is free and safe in keeping up the near constant barrage against him. I mean if they only had the 2 older children, I have to believe that Jon would have had her in his rear-view mirror quite some time ago with no feelings of guilt.

There is no greater point here other than I think the moral of the story is to be careful who you procreate with. Also if you think you may be in a rough situation in your relationship with your wife or significant other, just think of Jon.