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Wife swap

41 replies

hmb · 20/07/2004 21:16

Great line, 'Ooh hundreds of books, they must be realy boring'

She'd hate my house then

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Eowyn · 20/07/2004 21:28

yes, ditto, so much one could say, I just thought I wonder if she realises that by pairing her off with an intelligent, educated family they are clearly saying she is the opposite.

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katzguk · 20/07/2004 21:33

the brainy mum has got breast cnacer not that it mentioned in the programme

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hmb · 20/07/2004 21:33

I do think the 'intelectuals' are wired a bit too tight, but the others are fairly awful. The husband is a waste of space. And when does the mother think that the kids will ever learn anything if they are not encouraged to do so ( and I don't just mean in school, I mean learn how to look after themselves)

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pupuce · 20/07/2004 21:33

I find it amazing that she says kids hould be kids and have fun (OK but....) her own 15yo is far from going anywhere is she ????? Maybe her dad is a great role model ???
For once I really feel I am far more like one of the 2 families...

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hmb · 20/07/2004 21:34

Hope that the husband in the other house feels like a real arsehole for his comments about her shape then.

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katzguk · 20/07/2004 21:35

wifeswap

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katzguk · 20/07/2004 21:36

her story's quite sad, she controlling because she won't be there when her kids 18 ect

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pupuce · 20/07/2004 21:41

I don't think she is controlling.... to me controlling is far worse!

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pupuce · 20/07/2004 21:44

Levi is really badly behaved !

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hmb · 20/07/2004 21:46

That is so sad, and good on her for makinfg sure that her kids can cope with life without her. That takes real guts. That is what a real mum would do

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hmb · 20/07/2004 21:46

I teach too many kids like Levi

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katzguk · 20/07/2004 21:48

its sad nto watching the show but have read about it. Its sad that providing for and helping your kids to suceed has been badmouthed in the press, do we really want all children to trun out like levi and co

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maisystar · 20/07/2004 22:08

well sorry but i really disliked the 'intellecuals'. i thought they were smug and patronising.

the family from halifax....fair enough levi was a law unto herself but i was pretty horrific at that age and have turned out ok!

how dare the intelectual family say the halifax family were not a family. a family needs to be independant as well as have lots of time together.

those poor kids were stifled and not allowed to develop persomalitys of their own.

am riled.

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hercules · 20/07/2004 22:11

Agree hmb, teach loads of kids like Levi with unsupportive parents.

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Kaz33 · 20/07/2004 22:12

There is a happy medium, which I would imagine most of the mums of families on here are, where learning is encouraged, families support each other and you can still have lots of fun and independence.

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hercules · 20/07/2004 22:12

I think tat's the point - they didnt spend time together.

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ks · 20/07/2004 22:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

CountessDracula · 20/07/2004 22:36

I thought that the so called intellectual man was a patronising unpleasant type who used his superior intellect to try and make the poor woman look small - but fortunately he just ended up making himself look small.

If that brat Levi was in my house, Mr and Mrs Spank would be paying a sharp, short visit to Bottyland, I can tell you.

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crunchie · 20/07/2004 22:41

Gosh that changes things slightly doesn't it?? Personally I would like my kids o have some sense of independance, and did feel Anne was slightly too OTT. When they were chatting in the garden about going out Doug said something about how do you know when they are ready - or whatever. I felt that those kids had so much respect for their parents that allowing them more freeedom would be great as they are sensible enough to learn from mistakes.

I did feel more like that family than Donna and her family, but I could laso see the point about having a bit of fun, rather than purely educational family outings. I did feel in certain ways those kids were sliffled. Actually you could just see that Lorna is a goth in the making, with her choice of top and bracelet!! That would be quite amusing.

All in all I wish they had said about Annes illness even just at the end in a voice over, it would have made more sense as to how she lives.

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Pixiepod · 20/07/2004 22:48

LOL Countess Dracula!!!

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mieow · 20/07/2004 23:34

I thought the same thing, crunchie, Lorna is defo. a Goth in the making, can see her at a rock/punk concert soon!!

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hmb · 21/07/2004 06:40

I thought that it was very interesting that the first thing that Donna said about the daughter in the house was how polite she was! Well go figure, why do you think she was?? Levi behaved like a spoiled brat, whining about not wanting to do things. Didn't seem to do anything she didn't want to, as far as I could see. Definaltly didn't do any work in school.

Well, she had a good role model in the father didn't she? Never saw him without a beer in his hand, and he seemed to think that he had a god given right to do whatever he wanted. And he was so unsuportive when Ann asked for back up. Awful, no attempt to be adult in any way.

Apparantly when Ann tried to help the son, who needs SALT, the father made fun of her.....arsehole. I think that it was awful that they only ate together on Christmas day. They all seemed to use the house as a hotle and Donna as a maid of all work.

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gothicmama · 21/07/2004 07:47

Well done to Lorna another clever goth hurray- It is really sad to know her mum has cancer and puts a different spin on why she likes to eb in on everything her children do adn to know that she has taught them herself to cope and in a way live bits of their life with them now cos he may not be there when it happens. I thought Donna really did not understand how to reach out and teach her children it was all about looking good in their eyes and pleasing them rather than helping them have a decent future. Levi was portrayed with alcohol alot so maybe that is why she has problems at school etc. i thought it was telling when sh e said she liked her dad making her or compromising with her about the outing

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hmb · 21/07/2004 08:27

I think that teenages like boundaries. They would chew glass before they would admit that they do, but in the end they want to know that you will make sure that they are OK. They push the boundaries and sometimes you have to give a bit of room, but they want you to be the parent.

It seemed to me that Donna and her dh just wanted the kids to be happy, whatever the long term cost to them. Sometimes in life you have to do things that yuo don't want to. If the kids leave school without any qualifications they may well end up in a job that they don't like, and then it is so much harder to dig yourself out of the hole you have made for yourself.

My ds hates having his teeth brushed. His friend would say 'don't bother, be happy' but I'm his mother and need to think about his long term needs. Come 16 he'll want a nice smile

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misdee · 21/07/2004 08:35

I thought both families bordered on the extreme, but after reading about Anne undertand why she wants her kids to be independant. mind u, from pre-teens we were always made to help out with dinner (peeling veg, helping mix up batters for yorkshire puddings etc), and always ironed our own school uniforms (mum got fed up with us just chucking it on the floor). Some of my friends are shocked that i know how to cook a roast dinner/shepherds pie etc. its all stuff my mum taught me, and i am teaching my kids the same way. dd1 already helps me in the kitchen making cakes and batters, she is only 4.

Donnas family just needed to spend a bit of time together and for donna and john (??) to take an interest in what they were doing.

But annes family also needed to give their children just a little bit of independance outside the home. let them go out with their mates with out them trailing along a couple of times a week. as long as their homework is done then whats the problem. You can still be a family and have seperate interests.

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