La La Land Mommy: For Better Or Worse Could Have Sent A Different Message
I am a huge Tyler Perry fan. I watch every show that is has on the OWN network. I never miss an episode of The Haves and Have Nots, If Loving You Is Wrong, or Love Thy Neighbor. I even watched Meet The Browns and House of Payne when they were on the air. So it’s no surprise that every Friday night since they switched from Wednesday to Friday that I am sitting down watching For Better or Worse. I love the antics of the cast and their chemistry. I am usually giggling and laughing my butt off. However that didn’t happen this Friday. I was completely unhappy with the episode.
I’m not going to give too many spoilers. However if you are fans of the show then you know the history of Richard and Keisha. These two’s relationship has not been the best since they divorced. Okay let me not even lie. Their relationship is horrible. I can’t stand Keisha because of the way that she treats not only Richard but also Joseph and Marcus. Now she works at the TV station with the guys since she manipulated her way into part ownership by switching Richard’s phone with another phone so that he missed his court date. Keisha has been treating Richard like dirt for a long time. So much so that he snapped one time and he choked her. I was not happy with this turn of events. He was absolutely wrong for what he did. He should not have let her push him to that point. So I thought that, that would be the end of the abuse scenario but nope it showed up again Friday night. It was the same scenario that you see on television all the time. The abusive man. I thought that they would show that Richard had learned his lesson and learned how to walk away because I feel that would be a great scenario for young people to see. I watch the show with my kids. No I don’t expect television to raise my kids but I would like for them to see something different rather than men hitting women all the time or women hitting men. I would’ve like for my kids to see other options. Cause lets be real Keisha is an abuser. She is constantly verbally abusing Richard. Every episode we see her belittle him and she is constantly in his face. I feel if we are going to talk about abuse we should talk about the different types and even to the fact that women can be abusive too. But nope. Once again we got to see Richard be the monster. He of course without saying was wrong for putting his hands on her yet again. No matter what she did he should not have done it. However a different scenario could’ve been someone standing up for Richard and calling Keisha out on her abusive ways. Especially when she placed her hands on him by getting in his face and pushing him on the forehead. To many that isn’t a big deal but to others that is a move that is saying lets fight. We could have seen Richard not let her get to him knowing that she likes to push his buttons and doing something like walking away or even calling the police on her. I mean did he have to hit her yet again. I strongly believe the message should be not to put your hands on anyone.
Although I was not happy with this episode I used it as a teaching moment for my kids. I first and foremost let them know that no matter what Keisha did that Richard was wrong for putting his hands on her. However I pointed out that Keisha was not exactly squeaky clean herself. I let them know that abuse is not just limited to physical abuse. I told them verbal abuse is just as harmful as physical. I let them know that no matter how angry you are at someone that if they ask for space that you should give it to them. I told them that both men and women can be abusers. That’s why I tell my kids you don’t hit anyone. I especially let my daughter know that she is to never to trap a man. If he is trying to leave let him and he asks you to leave him alone then you leave him alone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a man trying to walk away from an argument with a girl/woman and the girl/woman just kept coming. You do not run around with that men shouldn’t hit women run around in her head. Not all men are taught that. She is just as wrong if she hits a man. Because all men aren’t taught that she will never know who will hit her back. Her hitting him makes her just as wrong as him hitting her. My son is taught that no matter what a young lady does that he is to try his best to walk away cause even if he is defending himself when the police roll up he is the one who most likely will be arrested because she is a female. I just want my kids to be educated. I really think this was a missed moment for this show. I wish they had done something like that. Abuse is wrong no matter what and that should be taught. I wish the other end was shown more on television. As a mother I feel it is my job to be honest with my kids and teach them what they should know. I still love Mr. Perry though. Did you see the episode? What did you think?
