Jimmy: "Kid Nation" Was Really Cold

The Show's Youngest Contestant Said He Was Too Young, And Too Homesick To Continue

(CBS)  Anyone who watched the first episode of the controversial new show "Kid Nation" couldn't forget the scene where an 8-year-old tearfully confesses that he misses his parents and thinks he is too young to be on his own.

Jimmy, the show's youngest contestant, decided he had enough after just four days.

"I got really home sick," he told The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm "And a whole bunch of stuff wouldn't stop getting in my eyes. It was really, really cold that night. I missed my own bed and I hated sleeping on those little, little mattresses."

He raised his hand at the meeting and told all the children that he wanted to go home, which was hard because he said all the other kids wanted him to stay.

Jimmy thought "Kid Nation" would be like camp, but it wasn't. The 40 kids that range in age from 8 to 15 are working, making their own food and doing physical labor.

Jimmy's mother, Brenda (whose last name is being withheld for privacy purposes), said she had some reservations about sending her son away from home without adult supervision for such a long time.

"He ended up making the decision pretty much on his own," she said. "After we met everyone that was involved, all the support staff and everything, I was -- I was pretty comfortable. They were definitely competent. I was pretty happy with them."

Although Brenda felt secure about the situation at "Kid Nation", a psychologist wrote in USA Today that the children on the show are manipulated and shown some of the worst parts of society such as class, inequality and the fight for resources. Brenda doesn't agree.

"I don't think it's like anything different than what they do," she said. "I mean, like, if you're at school and you get on teams, you get picked for teams, somebody has to be the leader. I would say it's pretty close to the same thing as regular day life."

But Jimmy isn't sure what he has taken away from the experience.

"I don't really remember learning anything," he said.

But he was disappointed that that he didn't win a gold star which is made from real gold and is worth $20,000. His mom gave his a gold star-shaped paper weight to make him feel better.

A brand new episode of "Kid Nation" airs tonight at 8 p.m., 7 p.m. central on CBS.

[daniellejak]

I don''t know why that posted three times... Sorry! :o)

[daniellejak]

I think that this show is a wonderful way to disrupt our preconceived notions of childhood. We have all been taught that adults are more powerful because they know better, they just do, no reason,it just is... this show disrupts those ideas. These are rules that are implicitly built into society to keep order and control over children. Because, oh man, what would happen if we did not have the all mighty power over children and youth!? This scares people, leaders etc. The concept of this show gives children the power to show that they are capable and that children do not need to be kept docile by the all encompassing rules of society. It is a wonderful and risky concept, as this show attempts to show that many children are wonderfully capable and that we as adults are not better or more powerful then them. We are different in ways, but these differences should be recognized and supported.
All you criticizers out there are just criticizing this show because you are afraid; afraid because this show attempts to disrupt the social order and the belief we maintain, that adults hold the power over kids.
I think Kid Nation is simply wonderful! These children are not being %u2018exploited%u2019 nor are they performing %u2018a social experiment%u2019 (as I have read being stated in the articles that are bashing the show) to humor us adults. This show gives kids a voice, and it gives THEM power for a change%u2026 something that so very few of us can accept and be comfortable with.

[daniellejak]

I think that this show is a wonderful way to disrupt our preconceived notions of childhood. We have all been taught that adults are more powerful because they know better, they just do, no reason,it just is... this show disrupts those ideas. These are rules that are implicitly built into society to keep order and control over children. Because, oh man, what would happen if we did not have the all mighty power over children and youth!? This scares people, leaders etc. The concept of this show gives children the power to show that they are capable and that children do not need to be kept docile by the all encompassing rules of society. It is a wonderful and risky concept, as this show attempts to show that many children are wonderfully capable and that we as adults are not better or more powerful then them. We are different in ways, but these differences should be recognized and supported.
All you criticizers out there are just criticizing this show because you are afraid; afraid because this show attempts to disrupt the social order and the belief we maintain, that adults hold the power over kids.
I think Kid Nation is simply wonderful! These children are not being %u2018exploited%u2019 nor are they performing %u2018a social experiment%u2019 (as I have read being stated in the articles that are bashing the show) to humor us adults. This show gives kids a voice, and it gives THEM power for a change%u2026 something that so very few of us can accept and be comfortable with.

[daniellejak]

I think that this show is a wonderful way to disrupt our preconceived notions of childhood. We have all been taught that adults are more powerful because they know better, they just do, no reason,it just is... this show disrupts those ideas. These are rules that are implicitly built into society to keep order and control over children. Because, oh man, what would happen if we did not have the all mighty power over children and youth!? This scares people, leaders etc. The concept of this show gives children the power to show that they are capable and that children do not need to be kept docile by the all encompassing rules of society. It is a wonderful and risky concept, as this show attempts to show that many children are wonderfully capable and that we as adults are not better or more powerful then them. We are different in ways, but these differences should be recognized and supported.
All you criticizers out there are just criticizing this show because you are afraid; afraid because this show attempts to disrupt the social order and the belief we maintain, that adults hold the power over kids.
I think Kid Nation is simply wonderful! These children are not being %u2018exploited%u2019 nor are they performing %u2018a social experiment%u2019 (as I have read being stated in the articles that are bashing the show) to humor us adults. This show gives kids a voice, and it gives THEM power for a change%u2026 something that so very few of us can accept and be comfortable with.

[Jan1968]

Nordick what is your idea of "reality" TV. A scripted routine where everything turns out peachy keen and everyone leaves happy? What would be the point? We already have sitcoms. Maybe it''s your opinion society isn''t ready for reality or could it just be that you''re not?

The premise of "Kid Nation" is a good one. Maybe the preshow advertising should have been a tad sugar-coated so people like you aren''t equating it with "lord of the Flies" before they''ve seen a single episode.

It was my preconceived notion this was to be a "Survivor" for kids. If everything is handed to them on a silver platter how hard is "survival" going to be. Duh, what would be the point?

[nordeck52]

horrificat, shut the hell up. It''s people like you who ruin people''s lives, bullying and picking on people due to their perceived weakness. You make me sick.

As to the article, I really think this show is a bad idea. Not for all the reasons involved in the controversies, but because it just seems like a dumb idea. Reality TV is losing its charm.

[horrificat]

So, little Jimmy wusses out and is a quitter and his mom gives him a gold star paperweight "to make him feel better"? How''s that for a real life lesson? No wonder he couldn''t cut it.