Starting Over Talk - Peer Coaching Support Site

I've grown to love this show and this family..

Tonight is the start of some new episodes... I think it has gained in popularity..

I am cracking up right now! I can so relate to Amy the mom!

I really admire her... warts and all! She isn't organized and based on a transcript from a chat at that tlc site, her husband says that he thinks it's a rebellion of sort of how she was raised.. To agree to do this show, she was going to be real and honest and you have to respect that!

Reading the transcript is a bit of a hoot too!

Anyway, tonight's episode had in part the family celebrating mother's day and going out for a nice brunch. As most of us know how husbands can be sometime... The children gave her wonderful personal cards and then her husband gives her a gift... which winds up being a gift certificate for professional organizers to come in to 'help relieve the pressure' and to organize a storage room area... When they were showing the segment which provoked the most laughter out of me!.. it was Matt saying in voiceover, that he was hoping Amy wouldn't take it the wrong way... Then you seeing him looking everywhere but at her while she is reading the card... The table became a bit silent... I think Amy really didn't know what to say... Many moms/wives would be insulted or hurt... Amy seems to take it in stride and acknowledgees her own faults..

Anyway, I guess you had to see it to appreciate the humor... or have been on that end of such a practical gift on a special occasion.

Since organizing isn't my forte... I wouldn't mind professional services... But it just seemed that based on what I read at the chat that Amy really wanted to be true to herself... Seems this show is creating a bonanza for them... Big difference between when the show first came on and they were struggling to make ends meet and now..

If noone is familiar with the show... It's a reality show that follows a very special family who lives in Washington State.. The parents are little people, who have 4 children. 3 of normal sized with the 2 eldest being twin boys... One small in stature like his parents and the other normal.

What I find endearing about this family, is that how typical the kids are... in interacting with one another and with their parents and then again how much you really do see that they love each other and are trying to raise the kids with good values. Sure there are things that I wouldn't do... but I see so many good things in this show.

It's also nice to observe the issues related to being a little person.. and perhaps being a normal person with little parents! They all take everything in stride..and the love and caring is very apparent!

Check it out if you haven't seen it.. Or leave your feedback.. Might be a fun show to comment on....

PS: I don't know if this show would be considered exploiting or not... That would be a good discussion. I don't think I could subject my kids to this stuff (as far as if I were in their shoes and the invasion of their daily lives with the cameras)... I guess if it began to adversely affect the kids and family they could stop at any time... Right now it seems to be very profitable for them! They want the farm to become self supporting and I have no doubt their beautiful farm has rec'd free exposure and should be a popular spot now!

Post edited by: KPW1956, at: 2006/10/09 21:31<br><br>Post edited by: KPW1956, at: 2006/10/09 21:32

Oh KP...............I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this show!!!!!!!!!

I don't think it's exploitive at all.........it's such an honest look at life with these types of challenges. And, I hope, incredibly enlightening to many of us who have absolutely no idea of what life is like for them or even much knowledge about dwarfism.

I LOVE the fact that at times she's a frazzled, disorganized mom who's running crazy!!!! THANK YOU!!!! See..........doesn't matter what size, shape, color, etc...................common ground!!!!

I'm looking forward to the new shows!!!

I hope it was clear that I do love the show... I really like Amy and Matt and appreciate their differences in their basic personalities...Just like any other relationship!

Amy is a hard worke. I know for a good chunk of last season she was working 2 jobs... to help support the family while Matt indulged in his dreaming schemes... He's something else...

But the family as a whole is so loveable. Each with their own unique flaws... and strengths!

I don't begrudge them a bit from enjoying the success of their show.. Even if it only runs another season... I am sure it will help put the kids through college and maybe Amy won't have to work 2 jobs..

I think the new episodes will be from their summer.

Apparently the whole farm takes on a different personality during the summer!

That farm sure does look like alot of fun!

I also really like this show. There is sssoo many things that I can relate to Amy with.

It looks like some great show for the new season.

Let me guess, this show was all Matt's idea!!

Those kids are having their whole life shown on national television, that has got to be hard at times for them. But them seem like really great kids

I love this show. Funny how we were watching it but it didn't come up until now. I have a different take on the show though.

I adore Matt. Remember that romantic candlelight dinner he took Amy on last season? He was telling her how much he loved and appreciated her and all she could do is criticize him. It seems that she does that most of the time. The man's legs are so deteriorated that he can barely walk, but she nagged and nagged until he went back to to his sales job which requires traveling around the world. I can't believe this is good for his health.

I know she says she had two jobs, but, last season when she was describing what she did, she said she was an assistant pre-school teacher and she didn't work everyday. Her other job was coaching her son's soccer team. I think they were 8 year olds. It wasn't as if she was working 2 full time jobs for many hours per week. THis new episode showed her at the pre-school graduation as if she was THE teacher. I don't recall it that way from last season. Looks like extreme editing to me.

Last season I also recall Matt sending Amy and their daughter on a hot air balloon ride, taking Amy on a cruise to the carribean, remodeling their house to make the kitchen more accessible for Amy and buying her a new car with a remote hatchback to make it easier for her to use. He is a thoughtful man.

This season's first show after Matt read aloud the poem written by one of their son's, Amy says sarcastically, that he read it badly. Matt apologizes and sits there looking shamed....for nothing. She is just mean. THis was before he gave her the organizer as a gift so she couldn't use that as an excuse.

I think a nicer mother's day gift would have been flowers, jewelry, or such, but she would just criticize whatever he chose.

As far as the house goes, it is a sight, but, I don't judge people based on how tidy their house is. My standards are high, but I know some great people who live in a mess. I don't blame Amy for that.

There is really no excuse for their house to be so disorganized though. Three of those children are old enough to keep it very clean as a part of their chores. When I was growing up a part of my job in the family was to clean most of the house. I didn't like it, but, we did have a clean and tidy home. I learned how to clean and that came in handy for me later in life.

I think the show is doing a great job exposing what little people are like. I know I now feel comfortable with them and would welcome them into my social circle without hesitation. I don't even really see their height as a major part of the show. It's just so darn entertaining to see them interact as a family. I look forward to the rest of the season and I will try to keep my cool when it comes to Amy...but just take notice of what I say. I really don't think I could live with someone who criticized me that much.

I love this show. Funny how we were watching it but it didn't come up until now. I have a different take on the show though.

I adore Matt. Remember that romantic candlelight dinner he took Amy on last season? He was telling her how much he loved and appreciated her and all she could do is criticize him. It seems that she does that most of the time. The man's legs are so deteriorated that he can barely walk, but she nagged and nagged until he went back to to his sales job which requires traveling around the world. I can't believe this is good for his health.

I know she says she had two jobs, but, last season when she was describing what she did, she said she was an assistant pre-school teacher and she didn't work everyday. Her other job was coaching her son's soccer team. I think they were 8 year olds. It wasn't as if she was working 2 full time jobs for many hours per week. THis new episode showed her at the pre-school graduation as if she was THE teacher. I don't recall it that way from last season. Looks like extreme editing to me.

Last season I also recall Matt sending Amy and their daughter on a hot air balloon ride, taking Amy on a cruise to the carribean, remodeling their house to make the kitchen more accessible for Amy and buying her a new car with a remote hatchback to make it easier for her to use. He is a thoughtful man.

This season's first show after Matt read aloud the poem written by one of their son's, Amy says sarcastically, that he read it badly. Matt apologizes and sits there looking shamed....for nothing. She is just mean. THis was before he gave her the organizer as a gift so she couldn't use that as an excuse.

I think a nicer mother's day gift would have been flowers, jewelry, or such, but she would just criticize whatever he chose.

As far as the house goes, it is a sight, but, I don't judge people based on how tidy their house is. My standards are high, but I know some great people who live in a mess. I don't blame Amy for that.

There is really no excuse for their house to be so disorganized though. Three of those children are old enough to keep it very clean as a part of their chores. When I was growing up a part of my job in the family was to clean most of the house. I didn't like it, but, we did have a clean and tidy home. I learned how to clean and that came in handy for me later in life.

I think the show is doing a great job exposing what little people are like. I know I now feel comfortable with them and would welcome them into my social circle without hesitation. I don't even really see their height as a major part of the show. It's just so darn entertaining to see them interact as a family. I look forward to the rest of the season and I will try to keep my cool when it comes to Amy...but just take notice of what I say. I really don't think I could live with someone who criticized me that much.