The main point of education is to lock you onto the birth-school-work-death grind.
Those kids have been living and loving life since the moment they were born.
So, yes, it's a shame that Felix may never work in a call centre so he can afford his mortgage and the latest smartphone.
I agree. I do not feel sorry for the kids in any way.
They get to have the most idyllic childhood and at 13 are given the freedom to go to boarding school if they want. Then they have the best of both worlds. School life and friends and then back to desert island for holidays.
I liked the premise of the programme. But (there's always a but:-D ) these folks had money behind them. How about showing how your "average Joe" left civilisation for a new life in the back of beyond? If we sold our house, gave up our jobs tomorrow we'd be lucky to have the travel fares to reach Vana'U
Think people are getting too wrapped up with the money side of it and how they're not totally isolated.
They're on a beautiful island with a lovely home overlooking amazing views and they are still pretty away from civilization. What they've achieved is pretty impressive and I'm sure a lot of hard work. I'd love to live on an island away from the stress of modern life, but I wouldn't want to be completely isolated from the world.
I'm in awe of the couple, but agree with what people are saying about the impact on the children. Living in isolation is the opposite of 'natural' in any human culture I can think of.
It was telling that the parents kept talking about 'extending their kids' childhood' and 'innocence'. Are the horrors of the Home Counties so great that they're better off in the remotest part of the planet? Alternative options include two weeks on a farm in the West Country, or a caravan in Wales, you'd think.
Protecting your kids' innocence doesn't have to mean making sure they only people they see is their nuclear family. Or that the only female they know is their mum. Not sure how that helps with the old emotional development.
Bravo to the oldest kid - aged 16? - who chose to go to boarding school. Kids have a way of knowing what's good for them, even if it does upset the family. On a purely practical level there'll be less muscle power available, and the two younger ones will be without their play leader/deputy parent. I imagine that would change the dynamics of how things work on the island.
More flippantly - how amazing was the mum - she looked like she'd stepped out of Boden catalogue, or just come back from the school run in a particularly good summer. I wish I looked half as sleek with all my artificial enhancements
On the one hand there are people saying they aren't as isolated as made out. On the other it's they are too isolated for their boys' own good.
The first complaint doesn't matter, this isn't some reality show competition. They aren't doing a Swiss Family Robinson but somehow cheating. Clearly they need the local community and so there will be social interaction with them too. They need the income from the boat because they aren't 100% self sufficient.
As for the children, they don't seem to have come to any harm. They clearly enjoyed the freedom. No doubt there is social contact with Tongan children. The eldest son wasn't being sent away to boarding school against his will, it was his choice to go.
Kevin McCloud was a bit sniffy on some things, but he was clearly impressed at the same time. It was a bit "Grand Designs" in that he was critical throughout yet fully supportive at the end. His worries about the health issues of bat guano seem rather OTT, but he had a point that collecting it is not green, nor does it appear sustainable. It didn't feel right that they were disturbing a delicate wildlife system for the sake of fertilising their trees and garden. Still, no one seems to be monitoring them accessing the cave. In less isolated places such a cave would be protected and access strictly restricted.
On the one hand there are people saying they aren't as isolated as made out. On the other it's they are too isolated for their boys' own good.
The first complaint doesn't matter, this isn't some reality show competition. They aren't doing a Swiss Family Robinson but somehow cheating. Clearly they need the local community and so there will be social interaction with them too. They need the income from the boat because they aren't 100% self sufficient.
As for the children, they don't seem to have come to any harm. They clearly enjoyed the freedom. No doubt there is social contact with Tongan children. The eldest son wasn't being sent away to boarding school against his will, it was his choice to go.
Kevin McCloud was a bit sniffy on some things, but he was clearly impressed at the same time. It was a bit "Grand Designs" in that he was critical throughout yet fully supportive at the end. His worries about the health issues of bat guano seem rather OTT, but he had a point that collecting it is not green, nor does it appear sustainable. It didn't feel right that they were disturbing a delicate wildlife system for the sake of fertilising their trees and garden. Still, no one seems to be monitoring them accessing the cave. In less isolated places such a cave would be protected and access strictly restricted.
You say the children haven't come to any harm. Correct, physically, they're fine, and in the early years, the island was all they knew, so of course they had no complaints. It's only going to be when they reach adolescence, I guess, that they start to have an awareness of what they're missing from the outside world. Friends of both sexes, a proper education that their mum admits she can't provide.
Yes, they got to mess about on an island with their parents for the first years of their lives. But they missed out on relationships with other people, education that they will need when they go out into the real world.
Not only that, but in order to get the education and the contact with their peer group, they are forced to leave home at an early age. So when you say the eldest son wasn't forced to go away to boarding school against his will, I don't really think he had a choice, do you? I mean, was it really a viable option for him to stay there forever?
I would have loved to been a kid living on an island, something different to tell people when you're older than your normal childhood. I see no harm in it.
However I think this weeks family were a bit silly to settle down on active volcano and risking their kids life's. Nice scenery but not somewhere I would want to live.
There were things about the Chilean one that annoyed me a lot.
1. Why does Kevin switch to a horse to reach their house when it's obvious there's vehichular access.
2. The whole hunting thing was irrelevant rubbish. Maybe they do go hunting in those parts but all you need is a gun.
3. The endless talk about the volcano. It was blatanly obvious that not only was it a long way away and also there was a great big valley between them. There was no serious threat whatsoever.
I wouldn't be happy about the children. Surely going to school with all of the other children is the most important part of growing up, and they're missing it.
Not seeing the appeal of living where they are in this episode, no particularity good views, all hard work and no time to relax. Seem more hard work than living in the UK.
Seems the biggest danger is other people - ironic that they moved to Belize to escape the crowds!
Don't understand how or why they built that recycled house that they don't really know what to do with, when it appears all their time and energy is used just to scrape by
So he needs help to put a roof on a shed but built that big house all by himself. Sorry C4 we are seeing through the lies here.
If there is a school building near by then it is not exactly a jungle. Yes the garden is a jungle but it means there are machines, mechanics, cement trucks, knacyers yards, car dealers etc etc around. Just a little bit further than with us but they are around.
When most couples can't agree completely on the colour of a new sofa I wonder which of the spouses "dream" it is, and which one is less keen and goes along with it just to keep the peace ?
It's easy to judge, on the face of it this guy seemed hostile and a bit weird but its just an edited snapshot, the kids seemed absolutely wonderful especially the girls but who knows? We didn't see as much of the wife's view or her character - she - might be the prime mover here.
But, I could not live there, too remote and I'd be in constant fear for my kids from gun toting bandits or snakes/spiders/scorpions.
Comments
I agree. I do not feel sorry for the kids in any way.
They get to have the most idyllic childhood and at 13 are given the freedom to go to boarding school if they want. Then they have the best of both worlds. School life and friends and then back to desert island for holidays.
I've heard of children having worse childhoods
They're on a beautiful island with a lovely home overlooking amazing views and they are still pretty away from civilization. What they've achieved is pretty impressive and I'm sure a lot of hard work. I'd love to live on an island away from the stress of modern life, but I wouldn't want to be completely isolated from the world.
It was telling that the parents kept talking about 'extending their kids' childhood' and 'innocence'. Are the horrors of the Home Counties so great that they're better off in the remotest part of the planet? Alternative options include two weeks on a farm in the West Country, or a caravan in Wales, you'd think.
Protecting your kids' innocence doesn't have to mean making sure they only people they see is their nuclear family. Or that the only female they know is their mum. Not sure how that helps with the old emotional development.
Bravo to the oldest kid - aged 16? - who chose to go to boarding school. Kids have a way of knowing what's good for them, even if it does upset the family. On a purely practical level there'll be less muscle power available, and the two younger ones will be without their play leader/deputy parent. I imagine that would change the dynamics of how things work on the island.
More flippantly - how amazing was the mum - she looked like she'd stepped out of Boden catalogue, or just come back from the school run in a particularly good summer. I wish I looked half as sleek with all my artificial enhancements
The first complaint doesn't matter, this isn't some reality show competition. They aren't doing a Swiss Family Robinson but somehow cheating. Clearly they need the local community and so there will be social interaction with them too. They need the income from the boat because they aren't 100% self sufficient.
As for the children, they don't seem to have come to any harm. They clearly enjoyed the freedom. No doubt there is social contact with Tongan children. The eldest son wasn't being sent away to boarding school against his will, it was his choice to go.
Kevin McCloud was a bit sniffy on some things, but he was clearly impressed at the same time. It was a bit "Grand Designs" in that he was critical throughout yet fully supportive at the end. His worries about the health issues of bat guano seem rather OTT, but he had a point that collecting it is not green, nor does it appear sustainable. It didn't feel right that they were disturbing a delicate wildlife system for the sake of fertilising their trees and garden. Still, no one seems to be monitoring them accessing the cave. In less isolated places such a cave would be protected and access strictly restricted.
http://tongabeachhouse.com
There are three cottages they let out on the island, including a personal chef provided. No wonder they can afford bosrding school.
Anyone else wachng this evening?
Indeed.
I am not too sure about living that close to an active volcano either.
I can understand wanting to escape the rat race though.
You say the children haven't come to any harm. Correct, physically, they're fine, and in the early years, the island was all they knew, so of course they had no complaints. It's only going to be when they reach adolescence, I guess, that they start to have an awareness of what they're missing from the outside world. Friends of both sexes, a proper education that their mum admits she can't provide.
Yes, they got to mess about on an island with their parents for the first years of their lives. But they missed out on relationships with other people, education that they will need when they go out into the real world.
Not only that, but in order to get the education and the contact with their peer group, they are forced to leave home at an early age. So when you say the eldest son wasn't forced to go away to boarding school against his will, I don't really think he had a choice, do you? I mean, was it really a viable option for him to stay there forever?
However I think this weeks family were a bit silly to settle down on active volcano and risking their kids life's. Nice scenery but not somewhere I would want to live.
1. Why does Kevin switch to a horse to reach their house when it's obvious there's vehichular access.
2. The whole hunting thing was irrelevant rubbish. Maybe they do go hunting in those parts but all you need is a gun.
3. The endless talk about the volcano. It was blatanly obvious that not only was it a long way away and also there was a great big valley between them. There was no serious threat whatsoever.
I wouldn't be happy about the children. Surely going to school with all of the other children is the most important part of growing up, and they're missing it.
The kids are great.
As usual it's not THAT wild, with schools, 4x4s and shops nearby.
Don't understand how or why they built that recycled house that they don't really know what to do with, when it appears all their time and energy is used just to scrape by
If there is a school building near by then it is not exactly a jungle. Yes the garden is a jungle but it means there are machines, mechanics, cement trucks, knacyers yards, car dealers etc etc around. Just a little bit further than with us but they are around.
But, I could not live there, too remote and I'd be in constant fear for my kids from gun toting bandits or snakes/spiders/scorpions.