The Baby Borrowers: Episode Two

I missed the second episode of The Baby Borrowers when it aired and I got caught up in July 4th festivities, but how I do love my DVR. I just finished watching, and I have to say I'm really liking this show. It really touched me to see the parents and the way they communicated with the teens about needing to take time to grow up and how they remember what it was like to be going through times like these.

And like I said before, I suspected that there would be some teens that would shine through this part of it and I'm glad all those moments didn't land on the cutting room floor. I do believe there is some foreshadowing at play, though. I don't think it's going to be smooth sailing all the way through for Kelly (if her pregnant days say anything about how she handles herself emotionally) and as much as I hate to admit it, I think Alicea might find her time to shine, too. Some parents may enjoy every moment of every age that their kids go through, but I think there are more than a few of us who can admit that certain ages were not as fun as others. (There's a reason some call them the terrible twos, even though that's my favorite age. The Fours, on the other hand, were quite trying times for this mama!) So perhaps Alicea will get along better with toddlers or teens or maybe the pep talk from her mom will give her a boost.

In my last post about the show, I got comments that have both approved and disapproved of the parents allowing their babies to be borrowed, including this very strong comment from Laura Markham:

"Producers of this show may justify it by claiming they’re teaching birth control, but let’s be clear: NBC is after ratings. Having teens work in a daycare center for two weeks would have accomplished the same agenda.

And the parents of these babies and toddlers? They should be prosecuted."

Women's Issues Guide Linda Lowen also reacted to the borrowing aspect, saying on her blog:

"One mom looks at the camera and explains that she's participating because she was a teen mother herself, and she knows she missed out on life opportunities and wants to help other teens not make that mistake.

Give this woman a gold star. She's a bigger person than I am, because there's no way that I'd ever loan my child out to this show."

But then she got a chance to interview Julie Sullivan, one of the moms from the show and she admitted that she was wrong about her first impressions of the parents leaving their kids after hearing what Julie had to say. I found that hearing what she had to say about the behind-the-scenes workings of the show shed some light on the situation:

"My son had been psychologically tested before being included....He was very capable of being away from mom and dad for a time, and it in no way was distressing for him or we would have stepped in immediately. There was a psychologist on set watching all the babies, and we did talk to him to ask questions when needed."

There's always two sides to a story and of course, with all the editing that goes on in reality shows, what we see isn't ever the full story. Makes you wonder why they ever started calling them reality shows.

Read more of Linda's interview with Baby Borrowers mom Julie Sullivan...