Bruce's revelation had a profound effect on my family

I never thought reality TV family, the Kardashians, would ever play a significant role in the relationship I share with my children, but you can’t really predict these things.

When you become a mum, you realise some of the most important lessons can be born of the most innocuous or mundane events.

Similarly, some of the most significant moments in you and your child’s relationship can be born of a programme you once deemed ‘trashy’ to anyone who’d listen.

I once said I despised the family’s shameless self promotion and insisted that I’d never be able to understand their desire to broadcast the most intimate details of their private lives, but as of last week, that all changed.

It appears that the decision on the part of the family to allow cameras to film one of the most sensitive and heartwrenching moments one might ever experience  allowed me an insight into the workings of my teenagers’ minds.

My 13-year-old daughter, an ardent fan of the Calabasas clan, was discussing Bruce Jenner’s transition from man to woman with her friends last weekend in the earshot of both myself and her 15-year-old brother.

Surprised by their attitude towards the former Olympian’s revelation, I watched my son, who has never made any secret of his distaste for the famous family, subtly place his iPad aside and pay close attention to the three girls’ stance on the matter.

The air was littered with grunts of disgust, squeals of disapproval and the word ‘gross’ was bandied about with wild abandon as the three girls attempted to get their heads around Bruce’s transition.

Clearly surprised by his usually sensitive sister’s attitude to the reality TV patriarch, Chris felt compelled to ask her what she was so offended by.

Staying silent, I watched her turn to him aghast and say: “He’s a man who’s pretending to be a woman because he’s bored. He wants attention. It’s gross.”

Despite silently dismissing the idea that the man was bored with life, my son pretended to accept the notion and then played devil’s advocate by suggesting that if that truly was the case, isn’t he more worthy of pity than disdain?

Let me make something clear here. Rebecca is the ‘thoughtful’ one in the family and Chris is decidedly not. She’s the caring, considerate peacemaker while Chris is the sometimes belligerent, often contrary man-child who hasn’t quite settled into himself yet.

If Rebecca is rainbows and unicorns, Chris is rain and dragons.

Mute, I watched my two eldest hash out the issue in what I assumed was their first ever ‘adult’ debate and I willed Rebecca to remain true to the personality I’ve known for the last thirteen years and show Bruce a little compassion, but she was steadfast in her opinion.

To which of course she is entitled, but it was so at odds with her general stance that I couldn’t help but wonder about it.

While stunned by my daughter's harsh attitude, I applauded Chris for the respectful way he attempted to reason with her and I felt my heart fill with love for my son when he told her that while she’s entitled to think whatever she wants, he would appreciate if she didn’t use the word ‘freak’ or ‘gross’ around him when discussing the Kardashian’s big news.

Riled up by both her brother’s unusually calm attitude and her own apparent fall from grace, Rebecca shouted in fury: “You don’t even like them Chris! Stop trying to be nice!”

And in that moment, I saw the man I hoped my son would become once he grew out of his awkward, angsty teen years when he said: “You don’t have to like them to show them some respect, Rebecca.”

"He’s going to be fine," I thought.

And Rebecca? She’ll get there.