The Gosselin family of Jon & Kate Plus 8 fame grace the cover of Ladies Home Journal magazine’s May 2009 issue. Their popular reality television show on TLC has had the internet buzzing for months when it became apparent that the couple was experiences marital problems. The latest edition hits newsstands on April 14.
The busy family of ten, including almost 5 year old sextuplets and 8 year old twins, have charmed and aggravated viewers over the course of four seasons. Kate Gosselin has probably made the biggest transformation of the group, going from harried mother and housewife to traveling spokesperson and author. Now that her brood is old enough to be semi self-sufficient, she has engaged in a good deal of media promotion that has been a mixed blessings for the once tight family unit. Thought it has undoubtedly allowed the family to move into an upscale new home, it has taken its toll in other ways.
Kate’s blossoming transformation has had the opposite effect on poor Jon Gosselin. He is shouldering more of the hearth and home duties while his diva bride is suddenly into spa treatments, shopping and being away for days at a time. Kate has also taken on an aura of superiority and seizes many opportunities to ‘lord it over’ her husband of nearly 10 years. If she brow beats him in front of the camera, what must it be like when the film crew goes home?
The season four finale spoke of Jon’s growing displeasure with being in the limelight, including his gut feeling that he had lost his own personal identity. He shared the fact that he was conflicted about entering into a fifth season on the show. Jon has apparently come to grips with the rumors of his infidelity, including the controversial photo that surfaced, because season five is currently being filmed, with the first new episodes airing at the end of May.
For those who need a ‘fix’ sooner, the family has filmed a TLC one-hour ‘going green’ special that will air on April 19. They have teamed up with Steve Thomas, the host of Planet Green’s Renovation Nation. See photos and details here.