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NBC Nurses Reality ‘Baby Borrowers’

Sep 2, 2007  •  Post A Comment

While CBS’ “Kid Nation” is under scrutiny for its handling of underage performers, another broadcast reality series featuring even younger participants just wrapped production.
Like “Kid Nation,” NBC’s upcoming “The Baby Borrowers” was shot in a state with relatively lenient child-labor laws that eased shooting the series.
The show is based on a U.K. program where teen couples who are considering parenthood test their caregiving skills. In three-day increments they’re given an infant, then a toddler, a pre-teen, a teen and an elderly adult, creating a rapid simulation of parenthood.
Before the original version of “Borrowers” debuted in January, the show caused a furor in the British media, similar to the current “Nation” debate, which has CBS defending itself against claims it exploited New Mexico’s lax child-labor laws to produce its show featuring youngsters fending for themselves. Some child-care experts in the U.K. blasted the “Borrowers” concept as putting young children into physical and psychological jeopardy.
But “Borrowers” executive producer Richard McKerrow said his show is a safer production than the CBS program, which featured 40 kids being looked after by show staffers for 40 days. On “Borrowers,” the teen caregivers focus on one child at a time, for only a few days at a time. Also, proper childcare is a primary theme of “Baby Borrowers.”
“We take extreme care and caution,” said Mr. McKerrow of Love Productions, which also produced the U.K. version of the series. “It’s an incredibly safe environment. … It’s safer than [daycare].”
“Borrowers,” tentatively scheduled to premiere midseason, filmed in Idaho this summer. The state has the same labor-law exemption for entertainment productions involving kids that allowed “Nation” to film in New Mexico last spring. New Mexico passed legislation July 1 to close the loophole, limiting the hours a child can work on a production.
Idaho is considering tightening its laws as well. Those sort of limits would have made filming “Borrowers” in the state more difficult, as the kids in the show were on camera at odd hours.
With CBS under fire for “Nation” and industry insiders split on whether that show’s ratings will compensate for its pre-release controversy, the NBC series could take one of several dramatic paths: “Borrowers” could become the second big kids-home-alone reality series to resonate with viewers next season, or it could become another rallying point for critics accusing reality television of overstepping ethical bounds. Or both.
“Borrowers” shot under the code name “Neighbors” in an Idaho suburb where the producers commandeered a cul de sac. Five couples lived in a house rigged with cameras and raise the kids they are assigned. The U.K. version included underage couples, but in NBC’s they are all 18 or over.
In addition to stationary cameras in the house, a crew follows the mock family wherever they go. A nanny watches nearby with instructions to take over if something goes awry. The footage is monitored at a nearby command house manned by producers and the borrowed child’s parents.
The parents are allowed to re-claim their child if they feel the temporary caretakers are not doing an acceptable job. In the British version of the show, the parents halted the process at least once, though Mr. McKerrow said there were no injuries on either version of the show.
“The parents are the judge and jury of how the kids are doing,” Mr. McKerrow said.
Mr. McKerrow said his original “Borrowers” was inspired by Briton’s high rate of teen pregnancy. He selected teen couples longing for a baby in order to show young people how difficult parenthood can be.
“You want an adult life?” Mr. McKerrow asked rhetorically. “We’ll give it to you. But with it comes responsibility. We give them an adult life on fast-forward.”
The first big question Mr. McKerrow faced was whether anybody would be willing to lend their child — particularly an infant — to inexperienced teenagers for a television show.
“We wanted people who believed in the educational nature of the show,” he said. “We immediately found lots of parents, teachers and psychologists who were willing to help, and we worked with them to design the safety and health measures for the show.”
The production mandated that infants be at least 6 months old and have previously experienced some separation from their parents.
After the U.K. show wrapped, it received a storm of press. There were accusations that the children on the show were mistreated, while childcare experts criticized the concept as unnecessarily risky.
Mr. McKerrow said the press embraced the show after the premiere and that “Borrowers” episodes have since been shown in U.K. schools. The show was a success for BBC3, with a second season on order.
“What’s fantastic about the series is the teen couples go on these emotional journeys where they start out being quite arrogant and they find out just how hard parenting is,” he said. “Hopefully by the end of the show they’re a bit more informed about when they want to have babies — and whom they want to have babies with.”
NBC ordered five episodes of the series in March. Craig Plestis, executive VP of alternative programming at NBC, said he liked the show because of its parenting theme.
“I’m not concerned at all,” Mr. Plestis said about a possible “Nation”-style backlash. “The producers truly complied with all the state laws. We encouraged all parents to be on set at all times. And it’s a big hit in the U.K.”
Mr. McKerrow said he set the U.S. version in Idaho because a real estate developer was willing to lend a cluster of houses to the production for free. Labor laws also were a factor, he said.
“Our lawyers said, ‘Pick the best location first, because there are 50 states and we don’t want to research all of them,'” he said. “Then we looked into whether it was possible or not.”
Idaho relies solely on federal standards for child labor, which include an exemption for kids working on entertainment productions that permits long hours. Most states have supplemented the federal laws with their own regulations.
“We rely on the feds to do our child-labor law enforcement,” said Craig Soelberg, a program supervisor at the Idaho Department of Labor.
Mr. Soelberg said a committee is in the process of making recommendations to the Idaho state legislature to update child-labor laws.
The changes have nothing to do with “Borrowers,” but are simply long overdue, Mr. Soelberg said. The last time Idaho updated its child-labor laws was in 1911, he added.
“Our [entertainment labor] laws haven’t been changed since vaudeville,” said Kathleen Haase, a film industry specialist at the Idaho Film Office. “For now, they can have at it.”
Ms. Haase, who described the “Borrowers” shoot as “very hush-hush,” said she has received no complaints about the production. Mr. Soelberg said the same.
Another aspect of the “Nation” controversy involved what participants were paid. On “Borrowers,” the production did not pay participants.
Labor laws are set up to protect employees; one factor in determining if a person is employed — and therefore covered by the law — is whether he is compensated. By not paying participants, “Borrowers” can argue the show is essentially a documentary.
“We weren’t employing them. It was totally voluntary,” Mr. McKerrow said.
“Borrowers” doesn’t have an air date yet, but NBC said it likely will debut sometime in midseason.
Mr. McKerrow said he’s hopeful U.S. audiences will see past the potentially inflammatory description to embrace the show.
“What’s really exciting about it is that I don’t think there’s been a [reality] show on American network television which hasn’t gotten an elimination and where people don’t get paid,” he said. “For all those people who think, ‘Oh God, it’s another terrible reality show,’ I’d say it’s got soul to it. It’s got a real emotional journey to it.”

66 Comments

  1. …This is yet another show I/We won’t watch even once.
    If a sponser is brought to our attention, we’ll write, concerning how repugnant reality shows are, (& this so-called ‘reality’ show in particular).

  2. This is ridiculous. Do people have anything to do? Reality TV is absolute bunk. What is realistic about having a camera follow you while you know you are being taped? If families actually spent time with their kids and got them involved in everyday affairs, gave them some responsibility and taught them what reality was, we wouldn’t have a society that wants to sit and watch this stuff. The best cure for boredom is getting off the couch.
    -Me
    Mother of three
    Business Owner
    Homeschooler
    Moto-Mom, soccer-mom, martial arts-mom

  3. Well, this is whats it is coming down too…either people stand up and stop this abuse of children or the next step is the China policy..FORCED CHILD LABOR CAMPS…Is this what we want…Just look tonight at your children…Do you really want them placed in these kinds of situations…Would you really support the advertisers of Child Abuse..not me

  4. You whiners are hilarious. You have NO idea what went on in the show or what its moral and social value might be. If you had seen the BBC version maybe you would shut up and hide your head in shame. Have you spoken to a know it all teen ager hell bent on having a baby without an education or even a JOB for that matter? This is a VALUABLE documentary style show glossed up for Prime time.
    For you morons shouting “abuse” what is abusive about filming a child go about their daily routine under parental (visual) supervision with a nanny physically in the room? Millions of doting parents film every waking moment of their childrens lives and no one is accusing them of abuse.
    Gat a life and comment after you have a leg to stand on you fascists and stop trying to dictate what I can watch on TV. Change the channel and write a letter to network AFTER you know what you’re talking about if you still don’t get it.

  5. I think is great! it will make kids realize the importance to have safe sex, it is a must they graduate from college and work in the real world, and have fun first, before they start thinking about having a baby.
    I have a 15 year old and a 27 year old and I would of like at least get some trainning experience.
    I would like to think Baby Borrowers to be a great success.
    Sincerely,
    Anita Pacheco

  6. Actual reality is that when a teenage girl babysits, her boy friend sneaks in soon after the baby’s parents have departed. (We only got caught once.)
    So, I doubt that their ‘reality’ show will meet my expectations…

  7. Dear Avidwriter,
    Although I defend your right to watch what you want, as stupid as I find your reasoning, I think that you calling people with another opinion a “Fascist” is ridiculous. No one is enacting state control over your individual rights (this would be the definition of fascism). Learn the English language before you spout off. Maybe you would benefit from a course in political science. Oh, that’s right, it would take away from you watching TV… Sorry.
    My comment is more about the state of society today. You would rather watch someone’s life instead of have one with your family.

  8. I myself am a 19yr old parent of a 8 month old son. i think this show really needs to be seen but instead of borrowing other peoples kids they should try filming more people like me. being a teen parent is more than just parenthood try going out in society when people look at you like your nothing.

  9. Dear Amy E.
    I wholeheartedly defend your right to misunderstand my post and single out one word to hang your hat on without reading the rest of the sentence.
    I also enjoy and defend your right to personally attack and question my education as well as make random judgements about my TV watching habits while delighting us with your astute social commentary.
    I look forward to what your comments may be after you see the show. That is if you allow yourself the luxury of knowing what you’re talking about.
    cheers!

  10. By your own admission, it is the parents filming their children’s “every waking moment”. That is how it should be. Justin is correct. Reality is when it is yours. I have three children. I raise them, play with them, teach them. I won’t be watching the show. I have no interest. I have a life. Why would I take time from them to watch borrowers of children. There have been enough daytime movies and after school specials on this topic. You have referred to people not subscribing to your point of view “morons”, “fascists” and told us to “gat (spelled incorrectly on purpose)a life”. That is what I have. I did not misunderstand your quote at all. Best of luck in your TV viewing. I hope your pejorative outlook takes you far.

  11. I’ve seen the BBC version of the show and it is GREAT!I think every teenager should see this show. It proves to them how hard it is to be a parent in a safe controlled environment (the parents watch every move their kid makes from a monitor and can intervene whenever they want – In addition, there is a nanny there 24/7). The child has supervision at all times…
    it is weird for people to comment on this unless they have seen it –

  12. I’ve seen the BBC version of the show and it is GREAT!I think every teenager should see this show. It proves to them how hard it is to be a parent in a safe controlled environment (the parents watch every move their kid makes from a monitor and can intervene whenever they want – In addition, there is a nanny there 24/7). The child has supervision at all times…
    it is weird for people to comment on this unless they have seen it –

  13. this is going to be a great show, everyone is going to love and be able to relate some how to this show. Just watch and see how interesting this is going to turn out. This is a reality show that is going to reflect on people all OVER THE WORLD. MARK MY WORD! This is not some reality show just following people around and everyone just needs to give it a chance and see how great of an outcome it will be!

  14. I was a nanny on this show and urge everyone to watch before they judge, especially teens should watch. Unlike everyone else on this post I was right there in one of the houses with the teens and so I know first hand what went on. This is NOT just a reality show, it has a very important message to send and it has changed the teen’s lives that were involved. I believe it will make some teens out there who think they’re ready to have a baby think twice. Teen girls think that since they’ve babysat before they can handle it, they don’t realize how much really goes into caring for a child around the clock while you still have other pressures like work and the house to attend to. The teens are not children, and the parents of these kids were in a house next door watching what was going on. The most important thing to all the staff was safety of these children. These teens were NEVER out of sight with the children to ensure they’re safety. I’ve worked in day care for years and guarantee you that your children are not even close to as safe there as these kids were on this show.
    So I’m very confused how people think these kids were abused?

  15. I dont really call this child abuse. They obviously wouldnt make this tv show if it was harming the kids in anyway. There are paramedics and whatnot on standby. The parents know what kind of situations their kids are being put in and obviously dont see a problem with it. All in all this just makes for an interesting reality show.
    That is all.

  16. The parents who lent their children to this show did it because they felt it would make a difference in teens lives and may save some of them from starting a family before they are ready.

  17. HAHAHA….. just wait for the show and you’ll see what really goes down.

  18. What’s funny is the kids will probably get better treatment on the show than in “real” life. With all those people watching the “parents”, how much “bad” can happen? It will help some young “adults” in the long run, even though it’s not real. I’d bet there would be some serious consequences if there was nobody to oversea the situation. That would be “reality” once it hit the news media.

  19. My daughter happened to be a part of this show and it was a great experience for her. Teens think life should be handed to them. this experience showed my daughter that responsiblity is a part of life.

  20. My nephew is one of the babies on this show and he is just fine. My brother and sister-in-law are also very responsible parents and would never put their son in any danger. This show is meant to show teens and young adults that having a baby isn’t always giggles and smiles. There’s alot of crying, dirty diapers and no more 8 hours of sleep a night. I don’t think there is anything abusive about it and I hope everyone just gives it a chance.

  21. Anybody know when this is actually going to air? We were told it would be October. I can’t wait!

  22. Everybody, first of all.. calm down. I worked on this show. There were 18 filming days.. NOBODY was ever in danger, ever, There was a nanny in each household every hour of every day that a child was with the teens… There were paramedics as well as an ambulance on staff, security guards.. these houses were completly child proofed, the homes were brand new and very clean… There was absolutely nothign wrong with the production of this show. No kids were forced to work.. it was all volunteer and they didnt work.. the kids played the entire time and participated in activities fit for their age group. Quit being so closed minded you people… You think a company as huge as NBC is going to put their compnay on the line? Nope.. of course everything was safe..

  23. I just found out it airs on February 18th.

  24. my little grandson was used for the show.these kids were treated Great.never was there a time that you questioned their safety or well being.very professional.check out the previews!wonderful concept.Reality show-well,yes it is.any one of us that has raised kids will find themselves relating at some point during the show.put on some popcorn-put your feet up,& give the show a chance! someone’s grandma

  25. I watched the UK version of this programme last year and am watching this year’s “Baby Borrowers on Holiday” which is currently transmitting on BBCThree. When I first heard of the concept last year, before actually seeing the programme, I thought the idea was terrible. Perhaps it would open the eyes of some teens out there who thought they were ready for parenthood, but what of the children involved? My opinion of the programme was as negative as any of the commentors above, not to mention I really detest any sort of reality show. I decided to watch an episode to see how these children could justifiably be put in this sort of situation and was surprised to find just how high the standards were for the safety of the children involved. (I should mention that, as a mother of three, I have no time more time for telly than any of the other commenters here. The show was broadcast well after my children’s bedtime, else I’d not have had a chance to watch it.) The fact is, these children were actually safer than children who are placed in the care of teen-aged babysitters or nannies. As mentioned, the homes (and holiday homes in the latest series) were completely child-proofed, nannies were in the room at all times with the teen “parents” and the real parents monitored the situation on in a nearby location. The parents were free to step in at any time, for any reason, to intervene, offer advice, comfort their child if needed or to simply remove their child from the teens. And they did on several occasions. This situation was safer for the children involved than when children are left with nannies or sitters, put in daycare or even sent to school. Children “in real life” rarely live in such a closely monitored situation. Having satisfied myself that the children’s well-being was in no way at risk, I could focus on the point of the programme, which the programme manage to drive home very, very well: teens have no idea how hard parenting is. And trust me, these teens came away with a whole new respect for a job they thought they were more than ready for–parenting. This programme can’t help but open the eyes of many arrogant teens who think they know what adulthood and parenting is all about. Watching the teens on this programme start out confidently believing they had it all figured out and seeing them struggle to cope with caring for the children they were loaned really illustrated, like nothing else could, the reality of parenthood. As someone who has no tolerance for how small children and babies are often used in films and television (I consider making a baby cry or allowing it to cry uncomforted for television or film scene cruel and abusive), I am quite surprised that I can support this programme and it’s concept. I would encourage anyone who condems this programme to give it a chance (after the kiddies are in bed, of course! 😉 ). I completely understand your negativity, but you might be as surprised as I have been.

  26. i think that this reality tv series is am extremely effective way of teaching teenagers what life is all about. i am a teenager my self i am 17 years old and this programme has made me realise how hard it actually is for my parents to bring me up and make sure that i have everything. these teenagers have a child for three days but thats long enough to teach them that it hard and they learn a lesson from this experience so it opening teenagers eyes to think wel they had a child for three day some could cope some couldnt but they all said it was hard. now i have a small insight to what it could possibly be like to have a child and to have to run your own home and i no its very hard and after realiseing this i have started to have a lot more respect for my parents.
    theres alot of people who think that this programme isnt teaching anyone anything and can very quickly insult it. but do ou actually no what this programe is doing and whether its helping teenagers and others?

  27. I agree with Justin. I am a 23 year old mom of a 4 yr old little boy. If I knew how hard it was to raise a baby on my own I woud have definilty waited. I believe instead of filming kids who want kids they should be filming people like us who are going threw the situation. Its hard and stressful. I have lots of advice for teens who want babies. I was one of those teens who wanteda baby. Like I said If I knew I would of waited. I lost out on my childhood and am struggling everyday just to give my baby boy the ife he deserves. I do belive though if Parents watch this show with their kids it might be well lessons taught.
    Stephanie

  28. I CAN’T WAIT TO WATCH THIS- I NANNIED FOR MY SISTER AT 17 WITH HER TWO KIDS, AT 3YRS & 9 MOS.(TEETHING) WHILE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL-SHE WENT TO SCHOOL & WORKED TWO JOBS- 85% OF THE TIME IT WAS JUST ME 24/7 & THAT IS STILL WORKING AS MY BIRTH CONTROL AT 30 & MARRIED. (PLUS I SEEN LIVE BIRTH AT 14 IN THE DELIVERY ROOM!) TEENAGERS CAN’T FATHOM THE SACRIFICE OF BEING A PARENT- IT SURE DOES OPEN YOUR EYES WHEN YOU GET PUKED ON, CRYING AT 3AM OR WET THE BED AT 4AM -YOU NEVER SLEEP IN, AND STILL HAVE TO CLEAN & GO TO WORK OR SCHOOL. I WANT TO BE A MOM BUT I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE & I’M GLAD I GET TO CHOOSE WHEN I’M READY BECAUSE LIFE IS NEVER THE SAME AGAIN & YOU CAN’T TAKE IT BACK.

  29. It may be great for the teens to learn but it must be hard on the babies to suddenly lose their parents and stay with strangers.
    from a An Open letter to NBC
    …Sudden removal from their parents and placement with strangers for long periods of time is from a baby’s point of view no different than a kidnapping. It has been well-established that babies who suddenly lose their primary caregiver can quickly go into mourning and emotional depression. They have no sense of time and no way to know that they will ever be returned to the only family they have known. …

  30. There is more to a child than their body – physical danger isn’t everything…one person said there was a lot of crying on the set – maybe it is because the child misses it’s parents!
    As a mom of a 3 year old and 3 month old, I would never submit my child to the care of anyone for 2 days who they did not already know, love, and trust. But I suppose other parents have other standards of care, such as just physical safety.

  31. R.C. wrote:
    > No kids were forced to work.. it was all volunteer and they didnt work.. R.C. wrote:
    > No kids were forced to work.. it was all volunteer and they didnt work..

  32. I am appalled at the idea of this show.
    However laudable the stated goal of the show – to help children realise the responsibility of parenting – the ends do not justify the means used in this show: using real babes and children as tools. In reality, this teaches that children are things to be used, rather than precious human beings with needs and rights.
    Parenting is about respect and love for children as well as responsibility for caring for them. The responsibility for caring for children well arises from love and respect for them as people of intrinsic value.

  33. I am horrified that our entertainment community has been lured by a project like this. While there are many positive endorsements claiming its life-like lesson in sex education, is anyone thinking about the experience for the babies? I work as an advocate for mother/baby attachment in the first months & years of life, so this show goes beyond everything I find healthy for a newborn. No one in my family will be watching this terrible reality show.

  34. And by taking away babies from their mothers for whole days at a time, they are teaching teens that…it’s okay to take babies from their mothers? What kind of reality is that? Putting a baby in a stranger’s care does great harm to the attachment relationship and deeply disturbs a baby’s trust in his or her environment. Another example of the cost children are required to pay in our culture for the benefit of adults. Disgusting.

  35. I completely agree with the above people (Kammie,Linsey,NanJolly,granny,and Erika Carlson). Children, toddlers, and infants can not give consent, they were “used” against their will, and none of the people who think this idea is great, have any concept of the EMOTIONAL damage that is done to babies, toddlers, and children when they are put in strange situations. When they have to go to sleep, they will be so stressed because parents aren’t there and the surroundings are not right. Any parent who could put their child through that torment is beyond help. I work in a home for pregnant and parenting teens and I agree that some of these girls would love to tell their story in order to keep others from going through having children too young. Shame on NBC and the GREED that motivates very stupid shows like this!!

  36. does anyone know when it’s going to air? someone just told me about this show saying they saw previews about it but we have no idea when it will be on…??
    it looks interesting

  37. People are acting like this is so crazy, as if this was the movie the Truman Show, but people aren’t giving their kids away to NBC, they are just watching them from the other room for 3 days and stepping in if they need care. It’s really not dangerous at all, and an informative social experiment.

  38. Personally I’m not worried about the babies on this show. NBC is too smart and cautious to let anything awful happen. I’ve been watching clips on NBC’s website, i posted the link in my url space, and it’s going to be one of those shows i watch just to see what happens. should be quite entertaining.

  39. i am really supporting the idea of preventing kids from getting pregnant too early. that is so good that they are sending a message to young kids to be wise and first build a proper foundation and actualyl GROW up before raising another human being. i am SO gonna TiVo next wednesday

  40. I was against the idea of the show but after reading more about it and seeing the clips on NBC’s site, I think this show is a good idea. We need to help curb teenage pregnancy. And I think this show might be a step in the right direction. I think all parents should watch this show with the kids, especially sexually active teenagers.

  41. This show wont help teen pregnancy for the masses in America but it will prevent the dummies on the show from having kids, every little bit helps! It looks like its gonna be hilarious! Check the link below if you wanna see clips.
    http://www.nbc.com/The_Baby_Borrowers/video/#mea=257634

  42. I am a mother and a professional in Early Childhood Development and Education.
    The individuals who posted about the negative affect of this show’s scenario on the attachment of the infants to their caregivers are absolutely right.
    Even though the parents are in another house watching, their infant is still experiencing a great amount of stress from being with unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar environment. This not only disrupts the security of the infant’s attachment with their primary caregiver (the infant can no longer trust that his/her needs will be met) it can also cause feeding and sleep disturbances.
    The real reason this show is being aired is because it was so popular in the UK and NBC wants to make a lot of money. Trying to disguise this motive as a public service is just appalling to me. I am against this show because it exploits children and at the very least harms their social-emotional development. I will not watch this show and would like to see it fail so the NBC execs are not tempted to make more episodes.
    Elizabeth
    MS in Early Childhood Education

  43. I got a sneak peak of that show and I would recommend all the mom’s have their teens watch that show and I promise that teens will not be getting pregnant anytime soon…!!!

  44. Baby Borrowers? Wow! Ok! This sounds fresh! I like that NBC is spreading a good message about not getting pregnant to teens. I will have my brothers and sisters watch this show. I think it starts on June 25th at 9pm!

  45. I have never seem so many closed-minded grown people in my life. The ones who is saying all the negative stuff about the show are the ones who have that 15 year old daughter who will have or already had several abortions. You are the ones who will send your 13 or 14 year old daughter away for 9 months until she have had her baby and give it to another family member or claim it as your own child. You know who you are! So instead of talking about this TV show kick back and pour yourself and your children a glass of wine or two (you’ll do this all the time anyway) and watch the show. You all know who I am talking about, this happens all the time in a certain race family.

  46. I don’t really get all the controversy for the show. It’s like leaving your kids if you go on vacation or something, but even better because they are right there watching.
    Ironic thing is, all the controversy will make more people watch.

  47. I agree. This show is a good idea and people need to watch it before they try and condemn it.

  48. Yes, let’s give the show a chance before we criticize it. I am looking forward to June 25th.
    http://www.nbc.com/The_Baby_Borrowers/video/#mea=262978

  49. It seems like all the venom spiters have left this thread. If you feel so strongly about this issue why aren’t you trying to make your point still.

  50. I haven’t seen the BBC version, but I do have concerns about the children’s emotional well-being. I get that the children will be supervised by other adults, but I wasn’t clear on how long they would be away from their primary caregivers. not to sound technical, but there is a lot of research on attachment regarding the detriment of extended separation from a primary caregiver. although I definitely see value in the teenagers having this experience, I do believe it raises some ethical questions on the rights of those babies to be removed from their attachment figure. as a parent, I would definitely not be volunteering my children.

  51. This show is GREAT! I wish every teen in the world could experience the reality of a spending time with a baby. It is the crying, and the daily routine, the diapers, the not knowing what to do…. I thought when I first saw the preview I would not watch but I did and I hope you make your teen watch it too!

  52. My name is priscilla zorn and my boyfriend and i think that we can handle it. no prblem he is great with kids and so am i plus they love me. i would really like to find out how to apply for next season. can anyone help me out???here is my email butifuleyes_16@yahoo.com. thanks
    -Priscilla and Wade

  53. I actually like this show. I agree with Justin M. I myself am 22 with 2 daughters I have a 4 1/2 year old and a 3 year old! My oldest was born 2 months before my 18th birthday. My parents taught me everything there was to know about do’s and dont’s and the outcome of having sex. It still happened and yes it is very hard! They should record us young parents and we can show how hard it is for real not just have a child for 3 days and expect to see how hard a baby really is! It still is a really great show because even for those 3 days it’s tearing these young couples apart. For myself it brought myself and my husband much closer. I give credit to any young parent who had a child young and is managing. I wish more young people would watch this show and see how hard it is. Too many girls are getting pregnant at 13 and 14 and that is very young. I hope this show is a great success.

  54. I am getting so tired of seeing alicea who is a selfish spoiled brat take a vacation she wants a baby and signed up for this.All these other kids on this show may seem to be doing ok now but this is not 24/7 reality this is just 2 days here with this one and then the next kid comes along and they can go home. This isn’t really teaching them anything by giving them a house and a provided job and etc. not saying they shouldn’t get anything at all but what kind of responsibility are we teaching them by handing everything to them. If they leave this show thinking they still want a child. Then what.. they will probably get a dead end minimum wage job and barely afford the essentials to take a care of a child let alone themselves. Its great to want to have children. I am fortunate to have 2 beautiful children and I am thankful everyday. Yes its hard and I am married to a wonderful man who is a great father and we are fortunate to have decent jobs and a roof over our heads butmy suggestion is to say OK we will show you what its like then explain to them they need to finish school get an education get a good job then talk about children once they have there life a little more in order. Times are getting hard especially the way the economy is getting. I’m just saying they think this small amount of time is hard just wait until the bills come along with it

  55. What teenage couple would have the money to live in a brand new house with all brand new appliances and baby equipment?? This is the worst reality show I have ever seen. Why don’t they show a 1 bedroom apt in a seedy area where most likely a lot of these teens with babies are forced to live.

  56. how do you become one of the teen parents on the show?

  57. You guys really need to try to understand that this isnt some game show it is those kids taking time out of their REAL lives to test themselves on parenthood . Note : The children they take care of their parents let their kids be in that situation so it cant be that bad . If this show wasnt there some of those teens from the show could be pregnant right now . Many people wish they had that oppotunity to “try before you buy”. You should all be greatful that anyone was smart enough to come up with anything like this . Look at your kids and decide for yourself would they be better off knowing about being parents or would you rather them grow up not knowing the risks of having children . If you want that second one … You sure as hell are going to ruin your kids’ life .

  58. I agree with Kamme, Linsey, Nan Jolly, granny, Erika Carlson, and Elizabeth above. The goal of the show can be more safely accomplished in other ways,ways that do not place infants and toddlers for 72 hours with total strangers in totally strange surroundings. All the participants traveled to Idaho and back. That provided yet another disruption in the infant/toddlers routine. They shot in Idaho to avoid the more appropriate child labor laws of most other states, not because a developer allowed the use of new homes on a cul de sac. I am confident of the adequate physical safety of all involved. What is not known and is more destructive than most of the above commentators will understand, much less appreciate, is the impact on the psychological development on these very young children. Evaluating the after-effects of such early separations requires careful and objective testing. Scientific references regarding the effect of early separation on developing young minds have been readily available for more than two decades. These references note that infants attach to their mothers earlier and earlier, at least by five days old!
    When NBC furnishes us with the names of the teachers and early childhood professionals who supported this production, I may discontinue my protest. Until then I urge all viewers to suspect that the truth of the presence of those consultants is similar to the explanation of why Baby Borrowers was filmed in Idaho!
    Larry

  59. Ok know what? All of you people who haven’t watched the show can’t be talking about it.. it was a great show, (I watched all of the episodes), and I’m sad that it’s over. And if you don’t like the show, why the hell are you reading a page about it? Get a life.

  60. I was (am?) a teen mom. I am not your typical teen mom, but I was 16 when I found out that I was 12 weeks pregnant. What made me not typical? For starters, I didn’t want children. Ever. I was scared to be a mother. Why? Because I suffered every form of abuse possible on a child and I was afraid of the statistics that said I would in turn abuse my children. That being said, I was also an emancipated foster child at the age of 14. I had to work F/T 7am to 4pm and then rush home, eat dinner and go to night school from 6:30pm to 10pm M-F. I had to pay my bills, clean my apartment, study, find time for my boyfriend, etc.
    The day we celebrated our 3 year anniversary is when I got a phone call from my doctor telling me that I was not anemic but rather I was pregnant. He had failed to mention 3 months earlier that the antibiotics I was prescribed for a UTI would cause my birth control pills to not protect me from pregnancy. Surprise!
    My boyfriend and I were already planning our wedding, so when we found out about our baby on the way we ditched the wedding, reception and honeymoon and instead opted to be wed at the courthouse…so we could put our savings to better use (doctor costs and baby supplies). I was 8 months pregnant when we said our vows, and we are still married (happily) to this day. We ended up adding 2 additional children to our family so we now have an 11 y/o son, a 9 y/o daughter and a 6 y/o son. Our children are well mannered, polite, and are good children. I read to them from the time I found out that they were in my womb. We take them on our own field trips, exposing them to history, art, science…you name it.
    We had to work so hard to get here and what hurts is as soon as people find out how old I was when I got pregnant…I am treated like a bad person most of the time. We were not nor are we on any government assistance. I did not have mom or dad to bail me out every time we needed something. We have earned everything we own, everything! My husband and I go out once a year without the children…to celebrate our anniversary. Other than that…they have only been cared for by myself or my husband. When money gets tight, I work nights while he works days. I am ALWAYS here when the children come home from school. I AM A GOOD MOM.
    I just wish that NBC would show real teen parents. I’m happy, but it hasn’t been a walk in the park and I know 99% of other teens would NOT have made it this far given our experiences (I have MS and have a wheelchair I use now, our youngest was born with a genetic birth defect of the colon requiring 11 surgeries in his first year and then other things but this is getting long!). Did this show do good? I sure do hope so. Now we just need to work on the teens that DO get pregnant and want to keep their baby. The looks I get for being 16 when I got pregnant with our first child is NOT FAIR.
    That being said…spend time with the teens in your life and encourage them to set goals. Set them up to volunteer at a teenaged mother home in your city (call information) so they can see the bad side to the situation. A friend or family member just had a baby? Volunteer your teen to be live in help for a week or so. There are things that can be done to prevent teen pregnancy, and most of them don’t involve a TV show (although I recommend this one!). Most of all, I ask that you not look down at a teen mom just because she is a teen mom. Talk to her, find out what she is all about because you could be missing out on a great friend!

  61. I think this is wonderful! I have a 15 month old that will be a challange for someone. If you are gonna do another season of this please contact me!

  62. I just saw the last episode of this show on WE and thought is was absolutely wonderful. I have to congradulate the teens for their expirement and the wisdom that came along with it. But I also have to say thank you to the producers and directors of this show, it was absolutely amazing,I enjoyed it very much, and hope to see more intelligent reality shows like this one. I am not a reality freak but this one really amazed me, it was well thought out, introspective and a learning experience regardless of age. It was great!!!!

  63. i really liked this show it did show alot of goods n bads of being a teen mom
    im 17:ive always wanted a baby i took care of 7 kids all ages everyday when i was only 10 years old so i know i would be a very good mom n i pretty much rasied myself since i was 5 but i did alot of thinking befor i even thought about haveing a baby
    but some teens do need to relize that babys are alot more then they think
    teens: dont just go out n get pregent just cuz u think ur cool or babys r cute or thats what everyone else is doing babys r alot more then u think u have to beable to aford them n they aint cheap at all so one thing i ask is get on birth control or at least think about what ur getting yourself into befor u have unprotected sex

  64. I am divided about this. On one hand, I think the experience was life changing for these teens in a positive way. You could see them growing in maturity. I can almost guarantee that showing the life of a teen mom would not be as effective, because the teens would still believe it would be different for them. On the other hand, infants don’t have a way to express their fear and emotional pain except by crying. Some children can deal with separations better than others due to personality differences, so some of the situations in which the children could not be soothed was probably the shock of being in a completely strange house with strange people for three days straight. Therefore, the demonizing of a teen like Alecia was unfair, especially because she was so good with the older children. Of course, the parents were defensive of their choices, but a daycare situation is completely different because at the end of each day, Mommy or Daddy is coming back. Also, you can’t compare it to a weekend with Grandma and Grandpa either, because they are familiar family members. In the end, Dr. Drew made the statement that’s supposed to excuse everything:Kids are resilient. I think parents tell themselves that so they don’t have to feel guilty about making questionable choices. So yes, there were some benefits to this whole experience, but at what cost?

  65. okay.I love this show and my whole family does.I think its a good way to keep kids from having children.Once they watch it they dont want to have kids anymore.IM thirteen and i love this show and i dont want kids till im 25 or older.So i think this is a great show and cant wait for them to air the second season!!!
    so if you dont like it to bad!

  66. I do not know what to say about this show. Personally i just stumbled upon these comments looking for a reality tv show i could apply for. By the way do any of you know any? I am female and 14. But to get on with this i agree with some other people that say we should film real teenage parents, sadly no one waits til marraige to have sex anymore( i am going to ) at my school there are plenty of young pregnant moms. REALITY is what is going on in the real world and this show sets up teens cushioned in a new house ect….. They will get a lick from the bottom of the bowl but what about the teens who get the whole batch?

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