A Nation Full of Kids...

There is a tremendous line-up of new reality shows this fall including a plethora of new model shows, game shows, dating shows, and even new seasons of the 'reality regulars' (American Idol, The Bachelor, Biggest Loser, Dancing with The Stars, Beauty & The Geek, America's Next Top Model, ET AL).

However, one new show is really causing quite a stir of anticipation. Earlier this week, CBS announced the participants of a new reality show called, Kid Nation. The show, set to debut in about 4 weeks (Wednesday, Sept. 19), will feature 40 lovable children (to be seen) between the ages of 8-15 years.

According to CBS: KID NATION features 40 kids, (aka "Pioneers") who will have 40 days to form a new society in a ghost town from the 19Th Century. These kids, will spend more than a month without their parents or modern comforts in Bonanza City, N.M. (An old abandoned mining town), attempting to do what their forefathers could not - build a town that works.

Enter Lord of the Flies...With A Twist
Remember the novel by William Golding (Nobel Prize winning author)?

Similar to the ideas and activities of the children within the infamous novel Lord of the Flies, in the reality show Kid Nation, the children will cook their own meals, clean their own outhouses, haul their own water and even run their own businesses. Further, the children will also attempt to create a real government - passing laws and setting bedtimes.

Eureka! Well if all it takes to make a town/ government work is to pass laws and bedtimes, then we adults have been doing something wrong...

For the Kid In All Of Us
The children will be living and working under 'said' conditions without parental or adult supervision.

When I had first heard about the show last year, my first thought, "Where was this show when I was a kid?" - would a show like this even have made it to air, let alone on a prominent national network? Lucky kids!

You're Not The Boss of Me.
In my youth, my parents were completely unaware of the fact that there were several occasions when I thought about what it would be like to live on my own island nation, without my parents, teachers, or anyone else that could tell me what to do...None of them had any idea of my dubious, youthful and naively fantastic plans.

Do Not Attempt This At Home...I even thought about building make shift raft and sailing to another island with my friends, where I could build my own mansion and eat ice cream (not sure where or how the ice cream would come about, but I was prepared to make it happen). So you see, even back then I was creating ways to make the impossible, possible.

Ah, We Have Come A Long Way...
In the end, fellow producers at CBS say, these kids will prove to adults everywhere - and their own parents - that they have the vision to create a better world. Of course, this will be subject to interpretation, but sounds great in theory.

Perhaps just as important, will the kids come together as a cohesive unit, or will they abandon all responsibility and succumb to the childhood temptations that lead to round-the-clock chaos?

Kid Power!
The children will run their tiny nation all while coping with regular childhood emotions and situations: homesickness, peer pressure and the urge to break every rule they know -welcome to being an adult!

At the end of each episode, all 40 kids will gather for a Town Hall meeting where they will debate the issues facing Bonanza City, and decide which worthy resident will be awarded the coveted Gold Star (worth $20,000).

There are no eliminations on the show and the kids may voluntarily decide to go home if they choose to leave.

Let's see computer, video games, dvd collection, Internet, email, cell phone, cable TV, refrigerator, takeout, clothes, hot shower - gee I don't know, what do you think?

Okay, so I would not last an hour in that town...