EM002: Emergency Meeting - Kristy in Quarantine!

Explicit content warning

04/14/20 • 22 min

Generation BSC: A Baby-Sitters Club Podcast

Kate and Lauryn are going a little stir-crazy in self-isolation and have called another emergency meeting to discuss how we think Kristy is doing in quarantine (with the intent being to discuss each of the girls and beyond as this continues). Kristy is definitely being pragmatic about the situation and doing what she can to make the best of the situation and help however she can. Regarding the BSC, Kristy is, of course, being Kristy and coming up with all kinds of ideas about how the BSC can continue to help their charges and families (while keeping the Club going generally). In particular, we think she’s using technology to coordinate specific Zoom (or otherwise) meetings between individual babysitters and families while also doing something akin to their day camp arrangement, with daily appointments where kids can drop in (or not). (The technology will likely become an integrated part of the BSC’s repertoire, particularly for connections with kids (or babysitters) who have moved away.) In the physical world, we think Karen and Andrew (rather than David Michael as mistakenly referenced in the episode) are likely staying with the Thomas-Brewer house (and maybe their mom is there too à la the Bruce Willis/Demi Moore quarantine situation) and Kristy is keeping them and David Michael busy and engaged to allow Watson and Edie to continue working. Kristy is probably coordinating walk times with human Shannon and their respective dogs along with group hopscotch trails and scavenger and bear hunts in her neighborhood and the old neighborhood where the rest of the BSC lives to get kids outside and moving. We end with a check-in on how we’re feeling and getting through self-isolation this week.

Stay safe and healthy everyone!!

Generation BSC logo created by Jordyn Hunter.

Stay safe and healthy everyone!!

Generation BSC logo created by Jordyn Hunter.

Previous Episode

Episode 014: Hello, Mallory

We’ve long been anticipating (or dreading) this day, but Mallory (and Jessi) has officially joined the BSC! Despite the end of the last book with Stacey’s invitation to Mallory to join, the BSC decides to put Mallory through increasingly unreasonable tests and trials before she quits. This one also includes Jessi moving to Stoneybrook, Mallory deciding they would be best friends (and making it happen), Jessi’s family being subjected to some straight-up bullshit racism, and the formation of a BSC copycat, Kids Incorporated (which yes, results in us singing the theme song of the show with the same name). As always, the BSC, old and new, come together by the end, learning in the process and taking the maybe too easy way out in combatting racism. In addressing the racism storylines in this book, we acknowledge our own privilege in examining and addressing the stories of minority and marginalized groups and appreciate the limited inclusion and attempts at addressing major issues while also examining the difficulty of separating problematic art from its historical perspective and (although not applicable here) the artists later revealed to be human garbage and discussing how this type of story might be better approached by an author writing today. On lighter, but still on-topic, notes, we spend a long time reeling in the discovery that Mallory describes herself (and her entire family) as having dark brown hair, questioning whether Claudia is left-handed, and taking a deep dive into what it is about horses and pre-teen girls. In a shocking twist, we have very few random tangents, particularly of note as you’d expect us to want to change the topic from Mallory as quickly as possible, given our past feelings on her.

Generation BSC logo created by Jordyn Hunter.

Next Episode

Episode 015: Little Miss Stoneybrook...and Dawn!

It’s our first regular episode recorded remotely post-quarantine and we’re discussing what we’ve agreed to be one of the best BSC books to-date in the series. This one tackles two potentially difficult topics – child pageants generally and Jeff’s long-imminent return to California – with nuance and consideration and we’re here for it. Dawn gets dramatic about the induction ceremony for Jessi and Mallory and uses an invitation by Mrs. Pike to help Claire and Margo prepare for the Little Miss Stoneybrook pageant to distract from Club-related jealousies and the difficult situation at home with the Schafer parents working out an arrangement for Jeff’s temporary return to California to see how it goes. The rest of the BSC (aside from Mallory and Jessi, who are opposed to pageants) gets into the competitive aspect and each get their own girl to help prepare. As always, the girls learn from their mistakes and realize they don’t need to compete or be jealous of each other. We discuss the “best” talent at the pageant (Margo’s poem recitation while opening and eating a banana with her feet), our past and current feelings on pageants in general (and how the book presents a balanced take), Dawn’s dramatic nature, Mrs. Schafer’s shockingly (to Lauryn) on-point advice and knowledge drops to Dawn, Mrs. Perkins thoughtful commentary on competition generally, and the world of big cat owners. We also touch on the significant number of instances where the BSC members take their charges to other locations, frequently without any kind of note or other notice for the parents, and again note how rich the people in Stoneybrook seem to be.

Generation BSC logo created by Jordyn Hunter.