Reality Television and True Facts

Reality TV seems to be everywhere these days. On every channel you turn, commercial you see and even on magazines stands at every grocery store checkout. There are multiple so called “reality” television shows that have made teen moms, extreme party goers, alcoholics and even drug addict’s huge, rich reality super stars. The main demographic viewers of these types of show range from preteens to young adults. In my opinion these so called “reality” television shows are giving their viewers a false sense of what reality and success really is.

As a father to a preteen and toddler I am always doing my best to monitor what my children are viewing on their televisions. Before I had children I never thought twice about what type of shows were on the television and the impact they could have on their viewers. It is hard to explain to any 12 year old that they are not allowed to watch certain shows that a lot of their friends are. There are times when I am not able to watch the shows I enjoy or the news while they are in the room with me as they have graphic language, pictures and/or behavior that children should not be subjected to at such a young and influential time in their lives.

At one time my daughter would come home every afternoon and talk about this new awesome show everyone was watching and talking about at school. After weeks of bugging me to find this show for her I decided sit down one afternoon and view it with her. I was in total shock and upset after watching this show that other parents allowed their 11 & 12 year old girls to watch called “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.” Much to my surprise this popular middle school show was a reality based show that showcased young teen girls who dropped out of school to find husbands to marry and have children all before the age of eighteen. This type of show gave girls the idea that it was ok to not get an education but to marry and have children at a very young age. After having a long talk with my child about the difference between reality and television you can be sure we never watched this show again.

Another popular reality show that has made young mothers into famous rich reality stars is Teen Mom. Teen Mom is a show that follows young teens that become pregnant and end up famous reality stars. In my opinion it does not show the true struggles and challenges a teen mother faces. It gives young girls the idea that it is ok to get pregnant at a young age and if you’re lucky you may become a famous, rich reality show star. Even while standing at the grocery store checkout it seems every magazine is showcasing these young woman and their new found fame.

As an adult it is easy for us to separate reality from reality TV. We can understand and know that not everything you see on TV is true even when you are being told otherwise. As a young teen it is not so easy to separate the two. Therefore, as a parent it is our responsibility to monitor and explain to our children that not everything including reality TV is true or real. It is important to make sure your child is not getting the wrong messages from the many inappropriate and misleading shows all over televisions today.

Questions:

What is your story about?
My story is about reality TV and its influences on teens and young adults.

How do you relate to your essay?
I have two young children and have to monitor what they watch and explain to my twelve year old daughter that not everything on TV is real including reality television shows.

Who are the people in your essay?
Myself, my daughter and son

What time does your essay take place?
Current time

Is your essay based on true facts or fiction?
My story is based on my opinion and what I would say are very true and valid facts.

As a child many of my most memorable memories were running around and playing with our family pets. I can remember when we brought each pet home for the first time to the day we lost some of my best friends. My parents always ensured we did the proper research before choosing a pet. Owning a pet was a much bigger responsibility than most would think. There are many key factors that take part including vet visits, proper diet, living conditions, etc.

Before any responsible owner just goes out and purchases a new family pet there are many things that need to be done prior to this big purchase. I recommend that you do the proper research to figure out what the best pet for your family will be. You have to take in consideration the living conditions meaning if you live in an apartment a dog is probably not the best pet for you. Always make sure if you have small children or other animals you get a breed of animal that is known for getting along with other animals and gentle with children. One of the most important factors to take in consideration is the expense it is going to cost to own each pet. If you are looking for a low maintenance and inexpensive pet, fish are just the pet for you. The last thing you want to happen is to get a pet you soon have to get rid of because you cannot afford to feed them or take them to the vet.

Once you have done the proper research and choose the perfect pet to add to your family, next is to properly prepare and care for them. Before you bring the new pet home you must make sure you have the essentials need to make your pet comfy and welcome. If you chose a puppy you will want to make sure all things that are dangerous, poisons, harmful or expensive are put out of reach. When puppies are teething they enjoy chewing anything and everything in sight. If you have brought home a reptile then you will want to pick up a cage that is proper size for them and have researched what their diet may consist of. After your pet is settled in at home the next step is to contact your local vet especially if your new pet is a dog or cat. Every cat and dog will need a series of shots and tests. It is also important to either neuter or spade your animal since they can get pregnant easily and you can go from having one pet to multiple pets overnight. A healthy pet is a happy pet!

Every animal needs tender love and care. You want to make sure that you are making time to play with your pets and that they are getting the required amount of exercise recommended by vets. Many pets that have been labeled as “bad pets” are pets that are locked away and ignored by owners. Pets will rebel like a child and do things to get your attention. Believe it or not pets need the love and attention a child needs. You should also spend time training and teaching your pet the do’s and don’ts. The last thing you want is a giant Great Dane innocently jumping and climbing over all your guests.

A pet or animal that has properly been taken care of and trained is one of the most amazing additions you will add to your family. Each and every animal has their own unique and loving personality. It is amazing the bond and relationship that you and your family will develop and have with your pets. Just like the memories I have you too can enjoy. Just remember do the proper research, give unconditional love and care and you too can enjoy the love and happiness a pet brings into your life.

Questions

What is your story about?
The responsibility it takes owning and choosing a family pet.

How do you relate to your essay?
This is all about my personal experiences of owning and growing up with pets.

Who are the people in your essay?
Myself

What time does your essay take place?
There is no specific time my essay takes.

Is your essay based on true facts or fiction?
My story is defiantly based on true facts.

Every year when Christmas comes around it reminds me of the holidays as a child. One of my favorite holidays as a child was a Christmas when my parents surprised us with the most amazing Christmas we could ever imagine. Every year for Christmas we always asked our parents for the same thing. We always asked for animals and a trip to Disney World which of course we knew was probably not going to happen. Little did we know one year we were going to get everything and more than we ever asked for that Christmas! Christmas was coming near, well at least to me and my brother. We were only 4 months always from our favorite holiday of the year. Almost every day we told our parents for Christmas all we wanted was to go to Disney World. Just like every other year our parents told us that we needed to give them a more realistic Christmas gift lists.

Of course we did not stop asking and promising we would clean our rooms for the rest of our lives or get straight A’s if we could go. I can remember every minute of Christmas when I was 8 and my brother was 9. We stayed up all night super excited and ready to open gifts as soon as the sun was up. My father began yelling from downstairs that Santa was here and to come quick. We both jumped with excitement and ran downstairs. Much to our surprise there was only two small presents under the tree. We didn’t want to show it but we both looked at one another in disappointment. We sat down and both opened the boxes, after ripping the paper open and open the boxes all we saw was a brochure. We were so upset and looked at our parents and said “What Santa just gave us a paper?.” My mom took the paper from me and yelled with excitement, “Were going to Disney World!!!!!!” We yelled and jumped and screamed and hugged we were so happy. Our dream our wish had finally come true.

The next morning we were on a plane to the magical Disney World. We checked into an amazing hotel with Arcades, Disney Characters and awesome stores with toys we could only dream of owning. Our second night there we woke up and my parents had told us Santa had come to Disney World to surprise us! In the living room of our hotel there were piles upon piles of Disney World clothes, stuffed animals, candy, hats and everything we could ever ask for. We were so happy we thought we were living a dream. We stayed there for a whole week and got to see amazing shows at Universal Studios.

We rode awesome rides and swam at some of the greatest pools and beaches we had ever seen. We were so thankful for this trip and so sad when it had to come to an end and we had to go back home. That Christmas was every child’s dream. To this day I have never enjoyed another Christmas the way we enjoyed that one. I can only hope to one day I can make my children’s Christmas wishes come true the way my parents did ours. Every year I can remember that week like it was yesterday, the feeling I had, the excitement and even the sadness the day we had to fly back home and our trip was over. Our life is made up of memories so it’s nice to have wonderful memories like this one to hold onto and share.

Questions

How do you relate to your essay?
This story is about my favorite Christmas memory.

Who are the people in your essay?
Myself, my brother, my mom and father.

What time does your essay take place?
Christmas time when I was 8 years old.

Is your essay based on true facts or fiction?
The essay is based on true facts.

What is your story about?
My story is about one of my favorite memories of when we went to Disney World for Christmas.

It is the summer of 2012 which means it’s the summer of the Olympics. During this time of the year you see amazing stories of athletes all over the television and in newspapers everywhere. You hear inspiring stories of triumph and dedication of athletes and the hard work they put in to accomplish their dreams. It’s amazing how hard these athletes work and the things they sacrifice to reach their goals. In order to become the athlete they have become it took much time and practice that started at an early age. There are many children who are young and amazing athletes. It’s very inspiring when you see how hard these young children work and play even at such young ages. To be a great athlete it has to start at a young age. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work. A child can learn discipline from sports and practice. They learn to take direction from their coaches and team work from their team mates. They learn how to win and lose gracefully. They learn how to get along and work well with others.

They learn to respect their elders and to respect their team mates and coaches. When an athlete decides they want to be competitive it takes even more work and dedication. It takes not only time and dedication from the child but also their parent. They have to attend their classes or practice multiple times a week. The parent must make sure they also have the dedication and put forth the effort to taking their children to practice and competitions. A parent must also encourage them to work hard and encourage them to grow as an athlete. The young athlete learns lifelong skills that they can use in the future and pass along to their child. When a kid gets to high school, it gets much more competitive. In high school is when the athlete that works harder and dedicates more time to their sport and practice will prevail.

The young adult who Sacrifices their time with their friends or to have fun is the one who will excel in their sport. Most of the stories you hear about Olympic athletes they are about how many hour a day they worked at their sport. Day and night these athletes work to achieve their goals of one day being an Olympic athlete. It’s so inspirational to hear how hard these Olympic athletes work to become an Olympic athlete. Their parents spend a lot of money and time to get their children the best instruction and training to give them the chance to reach their goals. As a parent I can only hope that I can give my child the tools and guidance to achieve their goals. It’s a joy and very inspirational hearing the different stories and struggles of these athletes during the year of the Olympics.

Questions

1. How do you relate to your essay?
This story relates to me as I was a young athlete, so I know how hard you
have to work and what it takes to be a great athlete.

2. Who are the people in your essay?
No one in specific, it is a general essay on athletes.

3. What time does your essay take place?
Summer Olympics.

4. Is your essay based on true facts or fiction?
The essay is based on true facts.

5. What is your story about?
My story is about the dedication and sacrifices it takes to be a great athlete.

Life is a long journey, thorough it you have many chapters of life. It’s amazing how fast time flies and the many stages of life you go through. I can remember the fun of being a child and the carefree life and attitude I had as a young boy. I can remember graduating high school then meeting my wife and starting my family. Most of all I can remember in each stage of life what I thought my future would turn out to be or what I wanted my life to be in the future. I can remember being in grade school and the only worry I had in life was what to eat for lunch or what I wanted to watch on the television. I didn’t even think of the future when I was so young, all I knew was the present. One of my fondest memories in life was when I met my wife and the day we started our family.

Our son is now one in a half and this is the greatest time of my life, watching him grow and so happy just warms my heart. Now that I have this beautiful family and child, I think of nothing more than our future especially his. I plan on finishing my education so I can better my job and income for my family. I want to enjoy our life and let him have a gifted and happy life. There are many memories that are made in life. The past, present and future are what memories and life is made of. I enjoyed my life as a child and now I get to watch a part of me, my son grow and enjoy his life. I plan in the future to better our life as a family and give him the opportunity to excel in life and make happy memories he can share with his children one day.

Derran Long
Short Story: Lesson 1

Questions
Past: Why did you not finish high school?
I did not complete high school because I started working at a young age to support my mother and family.

Present: What led you to Marque High School?
A friend told me he graduated from here all while having a child to care after and working a full time job. It was the only place that I could work at my own pace and complete my education.

Future: What do you plan to do once you graduate?
Apply for better jobs or go to Community College.

Derran Long
Bible Teaching

James Chapter 1 Verses 19-20

This verse in the bible is very true. It is explaining how important it is to listen. In order to listen you must not be in a hurry to speak when someone else is speaking. It is also telling you to be aware of your temper. Do not be so quick or get upset and say something in anger. Anger is not the answer or solution.