Teen Offering Parenting Advice

Earlier this evening I was in my office working away when I realized it was fairly quiet in the house. When you have five kids it’s never quiet. And it was raining out so I knew they weren’t playing outside. Something must be up. Had they all killed each other? Did somebody break in, tie them up and gag them? Who knew. But I knew I better investigate.

I made my way upstairs to the living room and there they were. All five of them laying on the couch or the floor watching…wait for it…Wife Swap. What?!? No Nickelodeon or Disney Channel. But Wife Swap.

I was picking my chin off the floor and about to ask, “Why are you watching this?” when the teen interrupted. The mother on TV was trying to get her new son to eat veggie nuggets (in place of his regular chicken nuggets after-school snack), but the kid refused. She asked him if he wanted some veggies instead or maybe an apple. He refused. The teen said, “I would just let him starve then. He won’t even try anything.”

I was speechless. This from the kids who I have to practically bribe to take out the kitty litter. But he can give complete TV strangers parenting advice?