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Quint-Essential
Common Sense says
- TLC
- Reality TV
- 2007
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this series is age appropriate for young tweens and up, but its content isn't likely to interest anyone but adults. Though the Ferrills' story of meeting the demands of five babies is compelling, there's little that sets it apart from other similar human-interest TV series. Hospital scenes do include some tense moments for the babies, and kids might be frightened by that and/or confused by the use of medical terms (C-section, apnea, heart murmur, and the like). On the up side, the Ferrills are honest about their emotions and don't sugar coat the physical and emotional strain of their unique parenthood -- but they always follow up with sincere appreciation for the blessings of their children.
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What's the story?
QUINT-ESSENTIAL follows the daily life of an Illinois family whose size more than quadrupled with the birth of quintuplets. When Jenny and Pete Ferrill learned they were having not one or two but five babies, they knew they had their work cut out for them. But nothing could prepare them for the joy -- and exhaustion -- of raising a handful of tots at the same time. This series follows the Ferrill family's emotional highs and lows from delivery to adjusting to life as a septet.
Is it any good?
Very little about this show will surprise any viewer who's either had a baby or watched one of the ubiquitous baby-related reality series already on TV, but there's still something that draws you to a heartwarming human-interest story like the Ferrills'. You can't help but worry along with them over troubling test results or watch in awe as the babies overcome the odds and develop into healthy, thriving infants.
While there's no cause for concern in sharing this series with tweens, don't expect them to feel the same emotional draw that you might, since they've never felt the awesome responsibility of caring for their own newborn (let alone five!). This touching series is best suited for adults who can appreciate the parents' emotional journey.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about raising children. How do you think the task of raising kids is complicated by having multiples? What coping techniques do you think parents of multiples use to handle the extra workload? What responsibilities does each family member have in your house? How does that help things run smoothly? Also, what do you think would be the benefits of being a twin (or triplet!)? And what do you think you might not like about it?
TV details
- Premiere date: May 21, 2007
- Network: TLC
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Book Characters
- TV rating: TV-G
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.