“Wife Swap” Teaches Life Lessons
All that glitters is not gold
By Terry Rendon, 09.30.04

Two wives from different backgrounds exchange lives and learn valuable life lessons. That’s the gist of ABC’s new reality show, “Wife Swap.”

In the first episode, Joni and Lynn, two women from different lifestyles switch families and exchange roles for a week. Joni, who is from an upper class neighborhood, relies on a nanny and a maid to care for her children and household chores. Lynn is from a rural community and works two jobs. Joni pampers herself almost everyday. Lynn’s daily schedule does not permit that kind of time.

Drama begins when Lynn and Joni have conflicts with each other’s husbands. Lynn disapproves of Joni’s husband’s late hours and lack of activity in his children’s lives. Joni encounters conflict with Lynn’s husband, when he lectures her and says, ‘You’re here to do my wife’s job!”

An unexpected surprise happens halfway through the hour-long show when the new wives change the house rules. Lynn requests that Steven, Joni’s husband eat dinner with the family every night without the luxury of the maid and nanny for a week. Joni wants Brad, Lynn’s husband, to help her with the housekeeping.

The moral of this story comes at the end of the hour. Brad learns to appreciate his wife’s hard work at home and her two jobs. Lynn realizes the importance of pampering herself. And Steven and Joni decide they need to spend more time with their children.

“Wife Swap” is a bit overdramatic. But it shows families can change for the better.