I may be in the minority on this one but, I do like this show. I get a kick out of some of the cute things some of the youngest kids say and do. I love to see the glowing maturity of some of them as well. Michael is one of my favorites. He is 14, which makes him one of the older kids. But, what really strikes me about him is the very diplomatic way in which he has handled issues. He is always a voice of reason. Some adults could look to him as an example of what a cool head looks like. I was very happy when the Counsel Members awarded/rewarded him with a Gold Star.
Mallory, who was 8 when she first became a resident of Bonanza City and had her 9th birthday during the course of her stay there, was extremely imaginative in one episode where she and another pioneer put together a "Pet Daycare" for all of the Pioneer's stuffed animals. It was so precious and showed so much imagination. And, she was given a Gold Star because she works very hard at all tasks that she is given.
Taylor, 10, is proving herself to be a diva and I feel sorry for her parents and the issues that they will have with her in the future unless she can learn that being a "Beauty Pageant Queen" does not afford her a work free, responsibility free lifestyle. Someone needs to lay down the law with that little princess before it is too late and the world has another 20 something that feels entitled to everything.
Greg, 15, has been abrasive. While he is working hard, he is only doing it because he wants a Gold Star which is an award worth $20,000, given at the end of each week to the person that the Counsel deems most deserving. He was the source of a lot of trouble in the first few days and, I am glad to see that the Counsel Members can see past his efforts to the root of his motives and know that they aren't really pure. He doesn't really show emotional support. He has thrown around a lot of attitude. And, while washing dishes and performing other tasks is great...that stuff is all a necessary part of life and shouldn't be done purely for monetary gain. He might go a long way towards showing personal growth by connecting with the other Pioneers and being a shoulder when others are feeling low. I haven't seen any sign of emotional connections between him and the others. I hope the Counsel Members continue to see his efforts for what they are. Greed.
On the opposite side of the spectrum is Morgan, 12, who is a sweetheart. She was given the Gold Star last week both because of her nurturing nature and her hard work. To say that she was truly touched by the Counsels' decision to give her the star, is an understatement.
Zach, 10, is a part of the "Yellow District" led by Taylor, whom I mentioned earlier. He disagrees with Taylor's lack of a work ethic and is vocal about it every week. But, instead of being led by example, he moves to action and gets things done. This week's episode should be fun as it is re-election time in Bonanza City and I hope to see Zach take over Taylor's seat as Counsel Member for the Yellow District.
And, since I mentioned the "Yellow District" allow me to explain. In Bonanza City, all of the kids are separated into 4 groups. There is the Red, Blue, Yellow and Green District. Each District is led by one of the 4 Counsel Members. Then, the 4 Districts are challenged each week. The first District to complete the challenge becomes the Upper Class. They pretty much get to relax and are not assigned any chores.
The Merchant class runs the stores and saloon.
The cooks make all of their meals and are responsible for cleaning the dishes.
And, the Laborers do all of the dirty work including cleaning the port-o-potties.
For each class, the "Pioneers" are paid a set amount per task completed. The Upper Class gets $1.00 per job completed. If memory serves, the Merchant Class gets .50 cents, the Cooks get .25 cents and the Laborers get .5 or .10 cents.
I love to see each little personality of all of the kids. Some are very playful, some are very nurturing. Some are very bossy while others tend to be followers. I never really realized how early on kids develop their work ethics and their attitudes. Watching Kid Nation has definitely opened my eyes to how immature or how grown up 2 children of the same age can be, and how immature a 14 year old can be while the 8 year old standing next to him or her shows great strength as a leader and future role model.
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