 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Downsized
- WE
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Large blended family faces financial challenges as a team.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this series features a large upper class blended family that has suddenly gone broke thanks to the economic recession. It contains some salty language (“bitch,” “crap,” “piss”), but overall offers positive messages about family and living more with less. Parents may want to watch with their kids to initiate discussions about the importance of monitoring spending, saving, and to address any anxieties about their family’s financial situation.
What's the story?
DOWNSIZED chronicles the journey of a large blended family suddenly coping with economic hardship. It stars Laura and Todd Bruce, a first-grade teacher and a general contractor in Phoenix, Arizona, who are struggling to support their seven children after the collapse of Todd’s construction business. The family must adjust to the loss of their lavish upper-class lifestyle, the bank foreclosure on their two homes, and living on food stamps. While they struggle to pay the bills, they also face the typical challenges that come when two families combine. It isn’t easy, but together they look for ways to cut their expenses and make money while learning to appreciate what they have, and each other.
Is it any good?
The reality doc features the Bruces as an example of how easily a family can go from financial wealth to financial ruin from one day to the next during difficult economic times. It also highlights some of the strong emotions that people who are suddenly facing poverty experience, including embarrassment, resentment, and fear.
It isn’t easy to watch children selling off their prized possessions or rummaging through dumpsters for recyclables to make enough money to keep a roof over their heads. But these folks show us that it is possible to live with less, and to have a positive attitude while doing it.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about ways that they can cut back spending and be financially healthy. Should people be inspired by a bad economy to save money? Kids: What are some of your concerns when it comes to money and your family’s economic situation? Parents: How will you address these concerns?
How does the media contribute to our spending habits?
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | WE |
| Cast: | Laura Bruce, Todd Bruce |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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