Queen for a Day was a show that began on radio in 1945, and jumped to TV from 1956 to 1964. It was revived in 1969-70, and had a couple of specials and a movie in between. The idea was heartwarming: to give a down-and-out woman her dream come true. But the reality was that several women competed for the worst hardship story, and the audience selected a winner, who received gifts from sponsors, such as modern appliances, money for medical care, or a vacation. It was essentially the beginning of "poverty porn."
So debasing yourself for a chance at a better life is nothing new. This show asked women, working housewives, what they would wish for in order to make their lives and those of their families better. Women would break down sobbing and go so far as to beg just to procure amenities for their family that were desperately needed while being viewed by a studio audience. Mothers and wives are usually willing to do what it takes to keep their family safe and secure, but banking on human misery seems to be pushing it too far.
But Queen for a Day was way back when. Since reality shows took over TV, there have been many reality game series that left their contestants worse off. Read about four more at TVOM.
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At the rate we're going and the luck we've had TTC, I'll be 50 before we have kids..... sigh
Of course this is a largely unconscious realization earned through a life-time of suffering ego-driven disasters.
I see no issue with having children when you are older, in fact I see it as an advantage. The parent is usually more secure in their life and know what they want and where they are at in their life. It seems that they have thought out the consequences of becoming a parent more so than a younger one might have.
Lots of funerals during my teenage years.
Of course all the old people died - as a kid, I was allowed to become attached to grandparents, great-aunts and great-uncles, and of course none of them lived to see me graduate high school.
But also there were "early" deaths - people don't expect to die in their 40s and 50s, but it happens.
A lot.
My memories are clouded by grief. I see my grandfather smiling in photographs and I simply can't remember him except as he was after he lost his wife and his sisters. I remember lots of grief. I missed all the good times - I see in the photographs that there were good times, but they waited until they were through living to have me join them.
It makes me angry because I remember having this huge family when I was a kid - I remember crowded Thanksgiving dinners, and I simply can't reconcile this with not having anyone left alive to invite to my wedding.
I'm sure you could get mostly the same study results by looking at 20 something mom's from families with old school money.
There's numerous reasons nature makes it hard to juice up a 45+ year old ovum.
My father was retired from his job by the time that I was in second grade. It seemed as though they had more time to spend with me. During most of my life, both of my parents were accessible at home to take me to sports games or other after school activities. At times, I think that they were rather overprotective.
It made some things harder. They weren't quite able to go outside and play with me much. I do remember my mom coming out and building snowmen with me and trying to play catch with me for softball.
I do remember attending a few funerals as a small child,, as there were a good number of older relatives in my family. I think that I was introduced to my first funeral before I was in kindergarten. I was only able to meet my maternal grandmother as all of my other grandparents had passed away before I came along.
I was somewhat young when I lost my parents. I was 25 when my mother (71) passed away and my father (86) passed away when I was 28. I would have loved to have had them around for a bit longer. They were at least able to see me graduate from high school, but I missed having them at my college graduation (I went to college late because I was looking after my parents for a bit) in 2007 and my wedding in 2010. Plenty of people talk of the dead "being there in spirit," but that's cold comfort and just not the same.