‘I Am Shauna Rae’: Shauna Rae Moves Toward Independence
TLC’s I Am Shauna Rae returns for season 2. The episode picks up with Shauna’s blind date and dives deeper into her pursuit for independence. She’s trying to figure out her next steps and establish herself as a young adult. Here’s what happened during the premiere of the reality TV show.
Shauna Rae is ready to move out
Shauna wants to move out of her parents’ house and become independent. However, her parents are not ready for that happen. They worry about her safety. They also feel she needs to slow down and decide on school and her career first.
Shauna’s mother, Patty, spoke to her eldest daughter, Tara, about her reservations. She doesn’t feel her daughters are ready to move out. She would prefer to purchase a new home and have an addition where Shauna and Rylee can live. This way, the family can keep an eye on them.
“I’m not sure if they’re ready to live on their own,” says Patty during the show. “They don’t have the full picture of what goes into living on your own.” Patty says she doesn’t know how her daughters will get around and she’s not sure if they are mature enough to “deal with each other.”
Tara, on the other hand, thinks her sisters will grow up faster if they live on their own. As far as a timeline for moving out, Shauna says that depends on how fast she can obtain her driver’s license and gain financial stability.
Shauna Rae’s blind date
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Shauna’s matchmaker arranged a date for her with a man named Thomas who also has pituitary dwarfism. He is a volunteer firefighter. Shauna says she felt more like she was on a firehouse tour than a date.
Later in the day, they went to a diner. They had a lot in common and discussed the emotional toll that having this health condition can have. Since Shauna’s stepfather and sister drove her to the date, they waited for her. They also followed her to the diner and sat nearby. However, this made the date awkward.
“When Rylee and Mark walked into the diner, I was a little bothered by it,” says Shauna. I was like, ‘You didn’t have to sit so close. You didn’t have to eavesdrop. Shauna says she didn’t feel “anything romantic” with Thomas, but that he “has potential.”
Shauna learns how to drive
Shauna is ready to learn how to drive so she can make her goal of living independently a reality. She says it’s uncomfortable to have her father and sister tag along on dates, so it’s important for her to drive.
“Driving is important to me because, one, it means I don’t have to depend on my parents as much,” says Shauna. “And two, that I can do what I want when I want. They can’t really say I can’t go anywhere because they don’t have to drive me. It will help with my independence because I will be able to do the things I want more. I’ll be able to allow myself to have more opportunities.”
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