Parenting Lessons from Momma June

As we discussed the "exploitation" of lower class citizens via a critical analysis of Honey Boo Boo, I was curious as to why this show is so popular. A couple of people in class compared the show (and other programs similar) to a train wreck. I could not agree more after watching clips from the show. Having said that, I began to also wonder "Is this really exploitation?". For some reason, middle America loves to see depictions of families like those on Duck Dynasty, Honey Boo Boo, and Porter Ridge because they are the polar opposite of what our day-to-day lives are really like. Should we really feel bad for Momma June and her family for being "exploited" by the capitalist mongers TLC? Granted, this family comes from a low-income background and, if anybody has grown up in an area like this (I can say I did and know families just like the one depicted) you probably know that this is how life is for some people. Momma June, however, is different. She puts all of the money earned from the show in trusts for her children. I wonder, though, does all of that $15,000-$20,000 an episode really ALL go to their children? Or is it used to supplement her children with Mountain Dew and "sgetti"? The point I am getting to is just because Momma June saves money for her children does not mean that she is a good parent. The families in the aforementioned shows are basically exploiting themselves for a paycheck. TLC, A&E, and Discovery did not force these families to sign contracts. The reason these shows are utilized by so many networks is because they are easily/cheaply produced and people continue to watch them.

 Any mother who not only gives into the "princess culture" we discussed earlier in the semester, but also gives their child a concoction of Red Bull and Mountain Dew to perform better at pageants isn't the archetype for parenting in my opinion. If these families want to stop being portrayed in this light, then they need to stop reinforcing the stereotypes that plague this demographic. I am not overgeneralizing and saying that all low-income families are like this. I am saying that if this family, or families like this one, want to stop being portrayed so negatively, then they should stop reinforcing the negative perception that they have created for themselves.