What do you guys think about the new reality show called Kid Nation?

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 06:40 pm:

I think it is appalling. And the producers are probably going to be in major trouble over it for various violations of New Mexico laws. Here's an article in Reuters: Kid Nation

Here's a paragraph from the article:
"People will want to know why the parents of the "Kid Nation" participants had to sign a 22-page, single-spaced contract that effectively gags them from speaking about the program or risk a $5 million penalty. People will ask why parents would sign a contract that essentially absolves the producers from any responsibility for their child's well-being. (Others, however, might take to task the parents themselves for being overly eager to turn their children into potential celebrities.)"

That's what I want to know - what were those parents thinking??? !!!

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 06:55 pm:

Good grief. I wouldn't have let my kids do that.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 07:18 pm:

By Nicki on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 08:55 pm:

So basically these "parents" are risking their child's welfare for money. I definitely think CBS should cancel it, and instead do a reality show on what kind of parent would do such a thing. Oh, and bring the kids home and send the parents out to the desert for forty days, first.

By Vicki on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 07:23 am:

I guess I don't know enough about it to give an opinion. In theory, I think it is a great idea. I just don't know enough of the specifics. Was there not enough supervision or what? Did something happen? I guess I am out of the loop on this one. LOL

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 08:55 am:

Vicki, did you read the article at the link above? This excerpt says enough for me, but that's just the beginning.

"Kid Nation," scheduled to premiere September 19, features 40 children ages 8-15 who try to form a community without adults in a deserted town in the New Mexico desert.

By Colette on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 09:11 am:

Any parent signing that agreement should be investigated by social services. It's absolutely ridiculous. I also would not be surprised if the waiver was leaked for publicity.

By Colette on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 09:13 am:

Here is a link to the document the parents had to sign.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0823071kidnation1.html

By Mrsheidi on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 10:41 pm:

Whoever thought of it obviously doesn't have kids or doesn't care about their own.
I can't believe anyone would think about sending their kids to do something like that. This saddens me...how is our nation *really* like this? ALways trying to push the envelope. It's bad enough that adults put themselves through pain on camera...but a kid accidentally drinking bleach? I'm disgusted with TV nowadays...argh!

By Vicki on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 07:36 am:

No, at the time I didn't have time to read it. That is why I said I was out of the loop. I did go back and read it and am amazed! I think in theory I think the show is a great idea. I think kids can do way more than we ever give them credit for. I think it could have been a fantastic experience for them. I am just amazed that there wasn't more adult supervision. I also can't believe that any parent signed that contract.

By Dandjmom on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 08:39 am:

There is really no words. I mean except for the fact that I agree with everything that has been said, I can't comprehend what a person is/was thinking. I mean everyone wants to there child/children to be famous I guess but at what degree are you willing to go/put your child through to obtain that noarity.

And yes I agree, whom/what ever part(s) signed this really do need to have child services look into there life. Had this been am parent signing or giving permission for there child(ren) to do something like this for other then a tv reality show , I'm sure they would be hears from CPS. I couldn't believe what I was reading when I was reading the contract, weather it was released for publicity or not it's still sickening. I was trying to wrap my mind around how a parent ( adult) could let a child do this? I was thinking of some of the waivers, accidents, death, sexually transmitted diease, etc. and I could not believe that anyone would waive that. When (I know I do anyway) I won't even allow my child to go on certain field trips at school that involves certain activities because of a waiver to release responsibility.

I'm sorry don't mean to keep going on and on, but yes I agree with Vicki that kids can do way more than we ever give them credit for.

But at the same time we have to understand and remember that they are just kids and they still have to have proper supervision.

If the show makes it through it's first season I hope it doesn't return for a second.

I have debated all summer long if I wanted to watch it or not, and I think my mind was finally made up last Friday, looking at Entertainment Tonight. A little girl she was crying to go home and she was saying that it was hard (I don't know if that was scripted or not but I don't want to watch children suffering, in pai,or any thing else negative).

By Mrsheidi on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 11:25 am:

I bet they did it for some sort of compensation, which is sad. Greed, greed, greed...

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 12:44 pm:

Kid Nation Contract

There is no way I would have signed this! On the page I'm on now, it says they can't guarantee the safety of the minor participants. Yikes.

Also, I found a typo. LOL! (and I'm just skimming!)
Paragrah #14

Repelling is what like poles of magnets do, or it's an icky smell!

Rappelling is (in mountaineering), the act or method of moving down a steep incline or past an overhang by means of a double rope secured above and placed around the body, usually under the left thigh and over the right shoulder, and paid out gradually in the descent.

They also talk about eating exotic foods. Have they given any thought to kids with food allergies! I know Trina would never do this, but that thought alone would scare me to death.

By Colette on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 01:03 pm:

They were paid between $5000 and $20,000 for letting their kids do this.

By Nicki on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 02:43 pm:

The more I learn about this the angrier I get...what is wrong with these people? (I won't call them parents.)
I'm with Heidi. Disgusted by T.V. and the entertainment (movie) industry in general. I had someone tell me recently, when I stated I wasn't comfortable with Lara seeing a certain movie, (supposed to be a "G" movie but I felt otherwise as for scenes of violence against animals and much attention on drinking alcohol and drunkeness) that I needed to "lighten up", this is "life". I contained my anger and responded, "It doesn't have to be." We don't have to expose ourselves or our kids to the garbage their producing and selling. I sincerely hope no one will tune in if this stupid show is broadcasted. If money talks, it's our only way of fighting this kind of stuff.

By Crystal915 on Friday, August 31, 2007 - 02:02 am:

I wouldn't sign that for myself as an adult, let alone for my children. What sensible person forfeits all claims to liability, safety, privacy, etc, and agrees to foot the bill if something happens while in the process? They cannot hold the producers responsible for the safety of the children, and then, God forbid, something happens, and the parents are responsible for the medical bills. They are allowing the kids to be filmed 24/7, but the producers are not responsible for any "effects" of an "intimate relationship" that occurs.
Sadly, my first thought when reading this was it sounds a lot like the "camps" for troubled teens from years back. I used to read a blog (63 Days) about one, and this sounds like the same kind of hell.

By Cat on Friday, August 31, 2007 - 03:10 pm:

You've got to be freaking kidding!?! I guess I'm out of the loop, too because this is the first I've heard of this. Any parent that signs that contract should have their head examined, along with possibly having their children removed from their home! This is just absolutely insane. I'd never, ever even consider this for my child. Like Crystal, I wouldn't even sign a contract like that for myself. Insane.

By Cocoabutter on Saturday, September 1, 2007 - 07:54 pm:

It kind of reminds me of the Jimmy Neutron movie where he got mad at his parents and they all ended up being captured by aliens and wiped off the planet. It was fun for all the kids for a while. No school, eat whatever they want, etc. But then they got hungry and started missing their parents.

But all CBS seems to care about is the entertainment value and not the value of these children's well being. Kids got hurt for the purpose of a reality show. Not good.

By Nicki on Sunday, September 2, 2007 - 02:04 pm:

"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding comes to mind, for me. It was required reading in my eighth grade class. I would have never chosen to read it otherwise.

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - 10:15 am:

Nicki- When DH and I saw the ad for this show, that's exactly what we both said in unison, "Lord of the Flies!!" Agree with everyone above - appalling, crazy, complete lack of responsibility on the part of everyone involved. All parents willing to do this should be investigated by child welfare services (although in my experience they can do little) but it should be!

By Luckyduck on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 07:52 pm:

Did any of you guys watch the premiere last night?

By Annie2 on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 10:18 pm:

I didn't watch the premiere and read the debate board about this show. I also watched the View this morning. They showed a 10 year old crying that he thought he was too young to be there and wanted to go home. They also showed how another girl went up to him to help him feel comfortable. The boy ended up going home.

One woman on the View stated that some kids really excelled at the challenge and became leaders of the pack while other kids were having troubles.

I felt bad for the little kid that wanted to go home. That would be my ds. On the other hand, two of my dds' would be the ones to raise up to to the challenge and round up support of the entire group.

I do disagree with all of the waivers the parents had to sign and that it was basically a way to get their kids on tv but I don't think that what they were expected to do was anything less than some summer camps' programs.

My neice just went one a 14 day canoe trip with her camp. The counselors were there but the girls had to do everything themselves. She came home with such a thrill that she was able to come together with her peers and were self-sufficient.

Maybe Kid Nation was not a great forum for some kids but I'm sure some of them walked away with more confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

By Kaye on Monday, September 24, 2007 - 08:33 am:

I will say I have mixed feelings on this..LOL. We as a family watch a lot of reality shows, My dd age 13 especially loves them.(top chef and project runway are her favs). Anyway she has expressed interest in doing this. She really really wants to. It is not something we have looked into, but if timing and such worked out and she had been more aggressive, we certainly would have talked.

Also, these kids are far from supervised. There are a minimum of probably 4-6 adults there on cameras. Kind of like a montesori camp, there are great activities provided, they just have to figure it out.

As for the waiver. I would sign it without any hesitation, but those things never stand up in a court of law. If things are done improper and unsafe, no matter what you signed and something bad happens, you will win at court. Really those papers are to cover true accidents and minor stuff. And honestly we have to sign stupid waivers like that everytime my child participates in a school function.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, September 27, 2007 - 09:52 am:

Here's Ellen Goodman's opinion. She is a columnist I greatly respect.

KidNation

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, September 27, 2007 - 11:04 pm:

I agree that it is probably more scripted and more manipulated, than we probably want to know.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Friday, September 28, 2007 - 10:14 am:

"It's not a kid nation. It's our nation." I am sure they are manipulated and trained on what to do off camera, for ratings. The thing I have noticed about shows such as these is that they pick the best of the best and focus on their success and they take the worst of the worst and focus on their failures and these are the only clips we see. Twist to plots and anything that will shock us into watching again is what they air. People are recorded at minimum of 14 hours a day (figuring in 10 hours of sleep) and they jam that into an hour long program. The other 23 hours aren't rating worthy, thus until the people come out of contract (as long as the show is airing, even if recording is complete, these people are under a contract to the production company, meaning the truths won't be heard until years down the line) we don't hear or see the truths as to what has gone on behind the scenes of these shows. It is supposed to be reality but editing takes the reality out of it all.. It makes it the reality of the producers not the people actually living in front of the camera.

They keep saying that the kids are in charge but there is an all adult camera crew and at least one producer there. Thus there are adults there 24 hours a day. Misleading advertising? I am sure.

By Bellajoe on Friday, September 28, 2007 - 08:00 pm:

I have not read any of the responses here, just skimmed. I also skimmed the contract.

I just want you to remember that it's not like the kids are really out there on their own. There are probably at least 50 adults there running the cameras, producing and directing, etc. Each person has their own cameraman. At least that is how Survivor is taped, (my brother knows a guy who was a cameraman for Survivor and Amazing Race). I'm also sure that there is some sort of first aid person or crew close by as well.

That being said, i wouldn't let my kids on the show either.