"The Baby Borrowers" Shows How Children Affect Marriagesby Courtney Mroch | More from this Blogger 29 Jul 2008 01:49 PM As I wrote about in another article discussing reality TV shows, I'm nuts for a lot of them. Another show I've been watching with some interest this summer is "The Baby Borrowers". "It's not just television, it's birth control." I may not have that tagline exactly correct, but it's close. A quick synopsis in case you haven't been watching: five sets of teenagers who are ready to become parents have agreed to become guinea pigs. Every three days they're given a new batch of kids to "parent." It started out with babies, went to toddlers, then pre-teens, then teens, and will end with senior citizens. It's supposed to enlighten teenagers and show them babies aren't all glamour and glory. That having babies means work. That their time is no longer their own. That the freedoms they currently enjoy will be replaced by responsibility. Major ones. And that it's going to impact their relationship and maybe in a bad way. Are they really ready for all that? A Funny Thing Happened During This Experiment But the message transcends just the teenage audience. Any couple thinking of conceiving could learn from watching the struggles the teens endure. Because they're dealing with issues all relationships struggle with from time to time. Some of the couples are questioning whether they're even with the right partner. Others see their partner's work ethic isn't very high and they're going to have to pick up a lot of the slack --not just with raising the kids, but on the job front and housework too. They've been confronted with differences from parenting styles to their ways of handling the stress after a long day dealing with unruly kids. As well as other issues, like who's going to be the breadwinner? Both of them? If not, who's going to stay home with the kids? (Some of the girls have made their boyfriends stay home with the kids to try and give them a taste of how easy it isn't.) And then there's the biggest problem: how do they sneak in couple time? Kids Can Make or Break a Relationship This show has transcended cliched teens-facing-parenthood issues. It's revealing all aspects of the parental process, from the stresses and frustrations to the joys and triumphs...and also the impact kids have on relationships. Lessons any couple, no matter their age, can learn from. Related Articles Talking to Teens About Marriage Did He Forget to Do the Dishes? Differences in Decision Making Why Does Life Have To Be So Complicated? Is Your Marriage All About the Children? Your Children and Your Marriage Undermining Your Spouse with the Kids Learn more about Courtney Mroch  Courtney Mroch is a wife, a proud pet parent, and a writer. She's been with her husband, high school sweetheart Wayne Pryor, over 20 years, married 11 of those. She's "mom" to Mr. Meow, a.k. Relevantmarriage tags User Comments  Jade Walker (964) 29 Jul 2008 06:04 PMI have the same reaction while watching "Jon and Kate Plus 8" on TLC (http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/jon-and-kate/jon-and-kate.html). For those who've never seen the show, Jon and Kate had a set of twin girls. They decided to have one more kid, and opted for IVF. Instead of one, they ended up having six kids, three girls and three boys. Picture that for a moment. Eight children, two sets of multiples. It boggles the mind. I really think every couple in America ought to watch this show. For people like me, who are blessedly child-free, "Jon and Kate" reminds us EXACTLY why we don't want to have kids. For couples who are thinking of becoming breeders, the show reminds them that having one baby is a helluva lot easier than having six.  Courtney Mroch (9169) 30 Jul 2008 07:43 AMI think I caught part of this show and was like, "What the heck?" I'm afraid to have 1 and they've got a gaggle. YIKES! Thanks for the comment. Community Tags babies, children, marriage, The Baby Borrowers Discuss this article
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