It's so sad to see all the things Isla's missing out on, out of all the kids I think she's the one that would get so much joy out of school trips, residentials, Leavers assemblies and all the end of term fun.
I had a conversation with one of my Guides earlier, we have a huge camp coming up this weekend and she wanted to know everything about it, her excitement made the fact I've spent all day doing paperwork for this weekend worthwhile. When I told her that she get's to go off with her friends and choose which activities she wants to do I thought she might explode with excitement! The campsite is completely enclosed so they are all safe but can still have some independence.
I'm sure Isla would love it so much, a weekend with friends. No pressure to perform for the camera, no competing with her siblings for attention and then being ignored. Just a chance to be herself. I wish I could just scoop her up and take her with me.
Thinking on your post, I do feel for Isla and do think she mostly ignored by her mother. She does seem to constantly seek attention from her mother, as do they all and they seem to think that to get attention they have to fight for screen time, which is extremely sad.
If Isla was away from the camera, away from her family so in a setting like you've described, I do wonder what kind of child she'd be, she is obviously quite independent in some ways, despite the fact she acts childish (which I do think is an act for her mothers attention) she'd probably thrive, she obviously needs social interaction and she does seem to enjoy doing things, rather than being sat still. I do think she'd be a totally different child to the one portrayed on the channel. I think out of all of them she'd get the most out of something like this.
Does anyone else ever wonder what goes on once the camera is switched off? I honestly think when the camera is off the older children are totally ignored and left to get on with it, I don't think there is much interaction between any of them and the atmosphere is probably tense most of the time.