I have followed the show "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom (1-2) since the time they started playing on MTV. I have become addicted to watching the lives and the struggles involved with the girls who are featured on these shows. They are usually between the ages of 16-19, and have are basically forced to grow up into adults they are not yet because of the consequences of having a child. They made the decision to have sex at a young age, and in result got pregnant and must deal with these hardships that are being displayed before the viewers.
I feel that I and the many people who watch are doing so because they are getting to see a dramatic display of events that we don't often see everyday in our lives. We get the see the fighting between the solo-mom and the deadbeat dad who doesn't pay child support. We get to see the irresponsible mom having to give up the custody of her child to a relative because she can't realize that she needs to become an adult. Those types of situations and story lines are embellished a bit just to keep the viewers watching. But on the other hand, in this season of Teen Mom 2, there is one couple involved who I feel has legitimate issues that are not so much mocked for our pleasure but in actuality we root for them and there daughter because we want to see the best turn out for them. Leah and Corey have twin girls, and one in particular has been having developmental difficulties and is not progressing as quick as her sister. I find this to be more of a heartfelt story and I would genuinely hope that she is okay. From watching the show, you can see the pain that her family endures and it makes that connection to you with them that you would hope everything turns out for the best. Instead in other cases, where we hope something more drastic comes about so the fight and lies and can go deeper.
I guess what I am saying is that when it comes to these reality shows, we find pleasure when people are not being harmed or there is something genuinely wrong. We love the juicy lies and gossip but realize after all of it, that they do it for the ratings and fame.
The video shown is just a few clips put together of when Leah and Corey took the daughter to hospital and just clips of there life shown of the show. No audio other than a background song.
Teen Mom is a great show to see the different types of teenagers that get pregnant and how they handle having a child. Each teenager on that show has a different personality and lifestyle, therefore affecting the way in which they raise their child.
ReplyDeleteIt does show the unseen scenes that we cannot see in our daily lives. Many teenage girls struggle with pregnancy and having a child. I think that this show can show them that they can do it. If the girls on this show can do it, then so can they. Maybe they can even learn things from some of these girls who have already been through it. Teen Mom is a good watch to see how teenage girls really handle having children at such an early age as well as how their parents react.
I feel like Teen Mom is a different type of reality show. Yeah, there is drama and clearly there has been sex, but what it truly focuses on is the fact that these are young girls forced to grow up and accept there actions. I love the fact that you bring up Corey and Leah's story because it is really different from what you would expect. Unlike Jenelle, who gave custody of her baby to her mom, Leah is raising two babies and is dealing with one that isn't going to be normal. I think its a little eye opening. I know that there are some critics out there that say its a bad example, but honestly if you ask my opinion, I think it allows teens around the country to see just how hard being a parent can be.
ReplyDeleteYeah I definitely agree with Katie and Kiran. I think you bring up a good point though yourself too: "I guess what I am saying is that when it comes to these reality shows, we find pleasure when people are not being harmed or there is something genuinely wrong. We love the juicy lies and gossip but realize after all of it, that they do it for the ratings and fame." When you look back at past two seasons of Teen Mom, how much of the show is spent viewing the actual parenting on the girls? Most there stories are about their relationship, rather than their parenting. In fact, there was a couple last season that had given their child up for adoption, so their clips on the episode were mostly all about their stuggles with family and their relationship. Sometimes I think that people watch the show for this reason (to see the drama unravel in the girls' lives) and forget about what the show is really all about; that is, being a teen MOM. Anyway, the point is that I agree with you. People love watching the stuff until something something serious, something past just the family and relationship problems happens.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I love 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom. I started watching when I was pregnant last year, so it all seemed not only entertaining, but relevant as well. While I freely admit that I am a fan of the show, I'm curious as well about the ways that we become so emotionally attached to the lives of those we will never truly "know."
ReplyDeleteI was ready to adopt Caitlynn from Teen Mom, for example, to get her away from her abusive mother.
Why do we respond so strongly to these people?
Ever since the show started I have been saying the same thing to people, "it is so sad that we have downgraded television so much that we find entertainment in watching 16 year old girls have children." The show is not only disturbing, but I feel as though we need to stop these shows, in one interview with Farrah from Teen Mom she blatantly says that the show is to show people that life as a teen mom is not glorious, but she has had girls write to her saying they wanted to be on the show. She said it bothered her that girls are not worried about being pregnant, that they are worried about getting to be on 16 and pregnant. It is noooo goood!!!
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