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It's a tough go...even if you're successful.
I am somewhat heartened by my newest step-kids - we got off to a really rough start but we fixed it, and I love 'em to death.
Their father was a total ass-hat by acclamation, but they are gonna be just fine.
Damn this thread is a hard read. Makes my life seem like a walk in the park.
I support the father in the video.
Ya know, I can't complain, I knew the kids before we took them in. We knew it would maybe be impossible to help them...
But I'll tell you what pissed me off the most of all of it. I knew the kids all their lives... and we could see what was happening to them. We'd tried to get the kids removed from Ruth's home for FIVE YEARS before they finally were. Social services refused to help them time and time again. Much if not all of the damage to them could have been avoided, had social services listened, and cared enough to do something. They simply didn't.
What finally brought it to a head was we TOOK the kids. Ruth wasn't around the house, apparently hadn't been for days. WHen we got them back to the house, we called social services, told them we had the kids, and were willing to go to jail to prevent them from being returned. That for some reason caused them to reconsider the situation.
We ended up being granted custody. Way late. Way sad...
Edit: Had the kids mother not had her throat cut by her "friends" two weeks later, we'd have faced a legal battle as well, as we had already been contacted by a slimeball attorney Ruth had found about her intention to take us for everything we owned for stealing "everything she lived for" from her.
Go figure...
The biggest irony here is the guy in the video telling his kid she doesn't know how good she has it.
If all his daughter has done here is venting to her friends on facebook about how horrible her life/Dad can be, then he really doesn't know how good he has it, either. His daughter could be displaying far worse behavior.
You can only invert reason so far before you find you've perverted it.Quote:
Originally Posted by UTRacerX9
This is an interesting concept, but I don't think it's the same.Quote:
Originally Posted by Valhallaz
Being an experienced parent does not inherently make you a good parent.
It sounds like you've witnessed and experienced many things that most guardians will never get a chance to see in their entire life. I couldn't imagine what your family has gone through.
Blended families are tough.Quote:
Originally Posted by j2k4
Mike and I came together with two children each.
After of 20 years of fussing and fuding I have forgot what ones I actually gave birth to.
My husband is the best! He loves our Grandchildern beyond anything and they are mine.
Exactly what I mean, Karen.Quote:
Originally Posted by Granny
Thanks :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by j2k4
You are welcome!
Did someone say they wanted to see the aftermath..?
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...-21-57_253.jpg
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...3-22-04_25.jpg
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...-22-09_847.jpg
Although we did blast it with a round of 20 gauge buckshot and a slug besides a .40 and 22
LOL, nice~! Looks like that was fun! :D
Jeremy
:dontknow2:
My Hubby laughted at the video but still couldn't understand what was the point...
So you shot up a laptop you paid for?
Yes it was. I've never shot at something so close, so please don't laugh hahaha. Buddy's holding the camera in the first one..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4S7I_jz6uM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE57qYeN45I
Nice! LOL!Quote:
Originally Posted by terrets
there's no point in destroying something you paid good money for. and if it's something the KID paid for, then the parent has even LESS authority to destroy it.
the ONLY reason to do this to any type of item is because one is having an "office space" moment. otherwise, gtfo.
pc load letter? WTF does that mean?
Can't believe you, of all people, are missing the point.Quote:
Originally Posted by IPD
Oh, well.
My wife and I went opposite directions on this one. She felt it was wrong the way he went about parenting, whereas I laughed about it. I personally wouldn't destroy the laptop like that since in my house it would have been my money that paid for it. Instead, I would have completely disassembled it to each and every core component and tossed it in a box. That way, whenever I decided the kid could have the laptop back, I wouldn't have to pay for anything. Then again I'm cheap like that.
True story: One of my coworkers has himself a problem child. Kid was playing on his Nintendo DS when his mom called him to go do chores. Boy didn't listen. Dad told the boy "If you don't listen to your mom right now, I'm going to throw that game out the window." Boy didn't budge. DS then proceeded to fly out the window with enough force that multiple pieces went into the street. Boy listened to dad every time he was told to from then on, even though he had to replace the DS since it was a gift from the boy's grandma.
I guess a question I have for parents is:
Why does your kid need THEIR OWN laptop? (...and most likely plus a smart phone....and possibly plus an iPad...?)
When I was that age, I needed it for school. I also paid for it myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by bluefox1081
Then here's another question:Quote:
Originally Posted by AgentOblivious
If you needed it for school...okay.
But you didn't need it for anything else, so why not lock it up every day after school and retrieve it every morning?
And the cell phone?
What about that?
Was this a public school? I can't imagine a mandate of necessity for such a pricey item, within public school, without some form of assistance.Quote:
Originally Posted by AgentOblivious
Jeremy
This was a public school, but it was the STEP (science and technology education program) laptop program at this school, so it was only a requirement for that specific program, and I believe there was help on a needs basis (and I didn't need it).Quote:
Originally Posted by HilbillyHomeboy
I couldn't just lock it up after school, even just for school work. I had assignments on AutoCAD, as well as website building and Flash, not to mention that additional class notes were on the class webpages as well as some of the textbooks. In short, I needed my laptop whenever I did my homework.Quote:
Originally Posted by j2k4
As for a cellphone or a tablet, well nobody needs a tablet, and I didn't get a cellphone until last year, because I didn't need it. That was mostly because I wasn't social in any real capacity, and so my parents didn't need to keep tabs on where I was. When you've got two parents that are working, it helps kids and parents stay organized and know what's what.Quote:
And the cell phone?
What about that?
It's interesting to see when different parents give their kids a cell phone. Me, I didn't have one until I was 18. (Of course, that was basically when "small" cell phones first started appearing.) Bought it myself. I know a few parents who have started giving their kids cell phones at the age of 10-12, when they start having functions outside the home and need to call to be picked up, or something like that. Cell phones are an undeniable convenience, but I don't think it's necessary until 13-16. I always shake my head when I see or hear about some parent who gave their kid a cell phone at age 5 or something.
Read that back to yourself, why don't you.Quote:
Originally Posted by UTRacerX9
I honestly could not name one kid that age that I know that doesn't have a cell phone...and a facebook account, even though the rules clearly state you are not to have a FB account until age 13. Race to be the super coolest parent is the downfall of society, as of late.
Jeremy
i'm against giving kids cell-phones. i guess i like the old-fashioned curfew. if a kid wants a cell, he/she can get a job & pay for it. just like owning a car.Quote:
Originally Posted by HilbillyHomeboy
Agree. No kid needs a cell phone, let alone a smart phone.Quote:
Originally Posted by IPD
Interesting situation, my how things have changed in such a short time. Used to be that "public embarrassment" was limited to those within earshot. Now it's the entire world via internet.
Reminds me of how my dad taught me not to screw around when I was little. He'd grab my arm with that vice grip like dad strength they all seem to have and he'd just say, "straighten up or I can embarrass you". Funny how it only took once or twice to learn what dad meant by "embarrass you" to realize you didn't want it to happen again. Embarrassment is a VERY powerful tool for teaching a lesson and I applaud this dad for using the social media tool du jour to accomplish that with his daughter. Sounds like all went well in the aftermath . . .
As for kids and technology, such a shame that learning how to embrace technology for productive purposes has fallen by the wayside in the name of "fun and games". I had computers when I was in my teens because I started a company networking houses and setting up home theaters (hard to believe I bought a used Fujitsu laptop for a whopping $400 back then!). Games and social networking weren't anything and were certainly never a concern, but damnit I'm an Excel wizard of the first order, haha. Had a basic cell when I was 16 since I was driving and it was appropriate, but there wasn't internet connectivity or anything like that at the time, shit texting wasn't even a big thing.
It's digusting how it seems young folks today can't communicate outside a screen and keyboard (and I include my generation in this). They can email, text, and facebook all day but have a server at a restaurant ask them for their order and they stare at the ground and mumble barely audible sentences . . . just incredible to me. Maybe they should just "plug-in" and forego actually "living" in the real world since they seem so infatuated with the digital one.