Is Your Family Too Nice To Be On TV

One afternoon almost ten years ago I answered the phone to hear, “Hello, this is Debbie _______ from Lifetime TV. May I please speak to Darla Noble?”

“This is Darla Noble,” I said.

Debbie then asked me if I was familiar with the television show, “Wife Swap”.  We didn’t even have cable TV so I had to tell her, I’d never seen it, but had heard others mention it before. After she gave me a brief premise of the show she proceeded to tell me that their staff had come across our farm’s website and thought we would be perfect for the show. She asked if she could send an application that consisted of several questions about our family’s routine, opinions, values, etc..

“Sure,” I said, “but I’m not committing to anything until my husband and I discuss this.”

She assured me that was fine—that she would call back next week to set a time to visit with us on our farm, go over the application, and then take her recommendation back to the producers.

John and I weren’t quite sure how we felt, but decided it wouldn’t hurt to talk to her. Olivia and Emma were the only two still living at home and thought it would be pretty fun to be on TV, so on the appointed day, Debbie arrived at Generation 5 Farm.

She was very pleasant and easy to talk to but it was obvious she was trying to find something that would push our buttons. She wanted to find the exact polar opposite to us in order to create drama for the viewers. So when Debbie asked controversial questions, we answered honestly, but made it clear that we wouldn’t be adding any fuel to that kind of fire. That isn’t who we are and it wasn’t what we wanted our girls to be a part of. Girls have enough temptation and access to drama as it is—we weren’t about to add to it.

In the end Debbie said she’d enjoyed her day with us, but that we were, in her words, “too nice to be on the show.”

I didn’t share this with you to give my family a pat on the back or to brag. I shared this story in hopes that it will remind you that as parents you have the responsibility to raise your children to have values, integrity, a faith, and a moral compass.  I also want this story to encourage you to be those things to everyone at all times so that your children won’t be confused by mixed signals and that they’ll be able to look at your family and think, “We’re too nice to be on TV, too.”

Love,

Momma D

                               Copyright 2015 Darla Noble. No part of this can be copied or used without permission from the author.       

                                                     Noble's Generation 5 Farm 2004