macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
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Jenny P
Apr 4, 2006 19:37:20 GMT -5
Post by macca on Apr 4, 2006 19:37:20 GMT -5
The labelling thing was most un-PC for those books.
It also annoyed me how the babysitters felt they had to entertain the kids 100% of the time. I never had teenage babysitters as a kid, the only people that took care of us were extended family members and there certainly wasn't much interaction, my sisters and I just did what we always did - played independently.
Also, if the girls arrive at the clients house and the kids are watching TV, why is it necessary for the babysitters to turn it off and organise structured activities? Okay, so it's not ideal for kids to watch hours of television, but it's not up to 13 yr old girls to monitor a child's TV viewing. It's also not exactly realistic.
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ktag
Junior Sitter
Posts: 694
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Jenny P
Apr 4, 2006 20:17:06 GMT -5
Post by ktag on Apr 4, 2006 20:17:06 GMT -5
I wonder whether they had babysitters who spoiled them when they were little. Or if they're just projecting what they wanted in a babysitter. Because they really go above and beyond, to the extent that Jamie is tramautized when he has a babysitter who doesn't pay attention to him (BSAgency). Seeing as how the club cuts back severely, if not disbands completely, by the end of middle school...is it really good for the kids?
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Post by aln1982 on Apr 5, 2006 7:54:02 GMT -5
Back to the topic of Jenny, she was a real brat in Aloha, Babysitters but still cute. I laughed so hard over Mallory's comment in that one that Jenny's parents should have a tunnel installed between their house and Toys R Us to save on gas for driving there. I usually don't appreciate it when people call kids who get a lot of toys "spoiled" but this comment was funny anyway. Besides, I think the "Spoiled" aspect is bribing Jenny with toys and giving her anything she wants. There is a difference in my mind between having parents who buy you things and getting anything and everything you demand.
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Jenny P
Apr 8, 2006 20:10:22 GMT -5
Post by Amalia on Apr 8, 2006 20:10:22 GMT -5
I agree with the bribing. I think it was used to distract her. She is given all of these toys so she wouldn't miss or want to do the other things kids got to do and not her, like getting messy. I forget why I had thought this but oh well.
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Jenny P
Apr 16, 2006 15:55:17 GMT -5
Post by aln1982 on Apr 16, 2006 15:55:17 GMT -5
Jenny is so bratty that she never fails to make me laugh. Actually, though, I enjoy reading about her mother just as much. I loved the description of her outfit in Kristy and the Baby Parade and was cracking up reading about her starting to sing "I've Been Working on the Railroad" in Kristy + Bart = ? Anyone else get a kick out of Mrs. P?
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macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
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Jenny P
Apr 16, 2006 20:28:54 GMT -5
Post by macca on Apr 16, 2006 20:28:54 GMT -5
^ I couldn't help loving the fact that she referred to her daughter as "our angel" ... she clearly loved her little Jenny so much, despite being, well, somewhat flakey about it.
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Jenny P
Apr 30, 2006 16:16:19 GMT -5
Post by lovelylemontree on Apr 30, 2006 16:16:19 GMT -5
I like Jenny because she's a spoiled brat. Most of the other charges are too well-behaved and precocious. Jenny's more realistic. She makes the BSC work for their money.
And I actually like that the BSC views her as a nightmare and dreads calls from her parents. I've always found it unrealistic that the BSC adores all their charges and all their charges adore them. Sometimes personalities clash, even with little kids.
Mrs. Prezzioso, however, is a total freak. The woman is whacked out. Mr. Prezzioso was an idiot to have a second kid with her. I always imagine him living in quiet desperation, socking money into an off-shore account, planning his escape to the caribbean, where it's too hot to wear an ascot and three-piece suit.
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Jenny P
May 1, 2006 12:23:20 GMT -5
Post by sotypical42483 on May 1, 2006 12:23:20 GMT -5
I always felt bad for Mr. Prezzioso. Just seemed like Mrs. P did the same thing to him as she did to little Jenny - tried to mold him into the "perfect" husband. There was one scene in a book (no clue which one) where someone (MA?) is sitting for Jenny and talking about how Mr. P looks so uncomfortable in his nice clothes and looks like he'd rather be in sweats or something. He seemed like an okay guy to me (not that we ever really heard much about him, but still), he must've been pretty cool to put up with Mrs. P all the time.
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inge
Junior Sitter
Posts: 767
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Jenny P
May 1, 2006 12:31:44 GMT -5
Post by inge on May 1, 2006 12:31:44 GMT -5
I think that scene was one from Mary Anne saves the day, when the Prezziosos were first introduced. I don't think they ever mentioned Mr Prezzioso to be 'uncomfortable' again, so they probably just forgot about that.
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Post by greer on Jun 7, 2006 1:14:41 GMT -5
Yeah, I always thought Mr. Prezzioso seemed so much fun-loving. Didn't they go to a basketball game and Mrs. P is wearing a cocktail dress and mr. P is wearing a rugby shirt?
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Post by booboobrewer on Jun 8, 2006 1:40:13 GMT -5
One thing I do like about Mrs. P is that in the book where they take the infant care course, it was her idea for them to take it and she even offers to pay for the class.
Agreed, there'd be nothing wrong with watching a short program during the time they were there (especially if it was a long job) that the sitters and/or parents approved of, like Sesame Street or Mr. Rogers or The Cosby Show (Charlotte's fave.) It seemed the only time they were allowed to watch any television (when being sat for) were when they were sick.
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Post by secondhandshoes on Jun 8, 2006 5:38:21 GMT -5
I actually liked Jenny alot. I thought she was a nice change from the oh so perfect and adorable kids they usually sat for. It was very annoying how they always referred to her as "bratty" and were always like "Omg, not Jenny!! uughhh!!" Just shut up and baby sit the kid. She was 4 years old for crying out loud! I think the real problem was in Mrs. P though, like alot of people have said before. She was extremely fussy and prim and everything, while Mr. P would go to basketball games in a polo shirt. I wonder what it was like around the Preziosso house with prissy Mrs. P and laid-back Mr. P. I wonder how they even got together? That would be an interesting story...
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Jenny P
Aug 28, 2006 6:30:08 GMT -5
Post by sugarandspicexx on Aug 28, 2006 6:30:08 GMT -5
I work in childcare, so the children in the BSC books, Jenny included don't seem to be that big a deal to me after some of the things I've seen.
I actually had a little girl the other day that was a tiny bit bratty and she made me think of Jenny. This little girl was actually very cute with a huge personality.
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Jenny P
Aug 28, 2006 12:09:24 GMT -5
Post by starrynight on Aug 28, 2006 12:09:24 GMT -5
I like Mrs. P for one reason: the way she stood up for the BSC in "Stacey and the Missing Ring." She seemed normal enough there that it makes me wonder if that was the "real" Mrs. P and all the other stuff was just...I don't know....exaggerated?
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Jenny P
Aug 28, 2006 15:46:06 GMT -5
Post by claudiascandystash on Aug 28, 2006 15:46:06 GMT -5
It's kinda funny, because Jenny reminds me of ME when I was about that age: Evidence A: Let's just say that I was the first child, and mom was really capitalizing on the fact that I was a girl. I had the matching hat/hair ribbons, and usually the matching UNDERWEAR to most of my frilly outfits. I totally rebelled in grade 2- but before then, everything was pastel, frilly, and girlie. I was also very bratty, and would be absolutely horrid to most of my babysitters (including pouring coke on one of their heads, and kicking another one in the face- much worse than Jenny P.) I wasn't particularly spoiled, and would NEVER have made fun of a kid because he was deaf- but I was definitely Jenny-ish. *amber*
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