Saturday, April 26, 2008

Life lessons on Racheal Ray

I was watching Racheal Ray the other day (see what I did there?) and she had Leah Remini on from King of Queens on. It was interesting because she wasn't interviewing her so much as sharing her story about her daughter.

See, her daughter is 3 1/2 and is STILL ON THE BOTTLE!!

She made many self-deprecating remarks about how she and her husband are horrible parents and they do everything wrong. For instance, her daughter has THREE rooms, yet where does she sleep? Right between Mommy & Daddy in their bed.

Not only that, but she goes through SIX bottles filled with water every night. Six bottles every hour or two - all night long.

Leah made the comment that she's very consistent; she gives in all the time. She seemed proud of the fact that her daughter ruled the house.

She kept saying that she had to "follow her heart" and having her daughter cry because she wanted the bottle seemed wrong. "After all", she said, "what could it hurt?"

She talked to her pediatrician who only addressed the fact that most children are off of the bottle by 12-18 months. (Remini was aghast at that and didn't seem to believe it.) She even let a 'regular' mom come in and give her some pointers about taking the nipple off of the bottle and giving it to her daughter that way.

It didn't work. Remini couldn't bear to listen to her daughter cry. She was happy at least that they went through 2 less bottles that night. Nobody informed her that the daughter still won.

What struck me through the whole show - and what nobody else was saying - was the real issue wasn't bottles; it was who was in charge. The daughter is indeed ruling the house and her parents seem oblivious that this shouldn't be the case. She has figured out how to get her way and she has become a master manipulator in the process.

Don't get me wrong - I don't blame the child one bit. She's figured out how to get her own way and her parents are reinforcing this message every minute of the day.

I see a burgeoning Paris Hilton in our midst.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of my pet peaves is the mother who, when she goes shopping,heads straight to the toy department to pick out a toy for their child to play with all through the store while she does her shopping.She gets to checkout and then tells the cashier that she doesn't want the toy.The child then starts SCREAMING,HITTING,and BITING the mother.She just stands there and everyone behind her in line has listen to this and watch her do nothing.Then there is the mother who goes to the domestic department and gets a pillow and blanket for their baby to lie on in the buggy while she shops.Don't these people realize that these items can't be sold after their child has been laying on it.Are they just that IGNORANT or just plain don't care?There is absolutely nothing wrong with a little spanking now and then, and the sooner some of these parents reatlize this,the better children they will raise,and they will grow up to be a better person.

brickmomma said...

Hmmmm.........very interesting. Did Leah mention Scientology? I think she and the Cruises are buds....

Laura Brittain said...

So sad. They have taught their daughter that the world revolves around her, and we all know that soon she is sure to find out in a very unpleasant way that it doesn't. Leah has not done her daughter any favors ... and yes, brickmomma, she is a big scientologist with the Cruises and sadly now the Smiths! :o(