:lol:

I think you need to do more listening than talking.

We lived in separate places 1 1/2 years because the job market in our city was grim. My partner came home periodically. For one year he worked in a city 3 to 4 hours away and drove home almost every weekend. When he moved 7 hours away for six months before I graduated, we saw each only twice. After completing grad school, I moved to where he was.

I agree that the limited timeframe makes the difference in how the experience would be perceived.

Although I answered the poll (anonymously I hope), a person's private physically intimate life is considered absolutely no one else's business in our family culture. With a few exceptions, it is not something any of our family members would comment on, question, or discuss. Likewise, our young adults are expected to be respectfully discreet about their private lives. Each person ultimately makes their own decision about their intimate lives, and hopefully they will choose wisely. Any attempts to exert control over an adult child's private sexual life would be considered overstepping boundaries.

I would go through it swimmingly .... until something broke around the house. Although I am adept at managing a household, I am not mechanically inclined. If a repair needed to be made, I would be paying full price to a handyman. Since I am an introvert by nature, being partnerless for two months would not place a significant burden on me as long we could talk by phone occasionally. Whatever I had to do to handle the situation, I would do it.

Maybe the poster meant nothing more than he/she finds their religious faith comforting, particularly during trying times. Job would disagree that all turns out well objectively for true believers.

Apparently I still am unfamiliar with some Christian subculture terminology. What exactly does someone mean when they state, "You will hurt your testimony if you _______ ?" Is this equivalent to claiming that someone is not a "true Christian" if they follow through with the action that the other party deems inadvisable?

I applied for a passport in the 1990s and had to send in birth certificate.

Mmm hmmm.

:iagree:

:iagree::iagree:

That was my initial take on the story too.

That was the just the type of response my fragile family member feared when he revealed his news to extended family. Maybe I'll come across answer in later posts, but I'm wondering ... if the 3rd member of their new union had been important to them for the past twenty years, how was it a big surprise? Did anyone even know of 3rd member's existence before now? Did you know of her only as a friend? How far away geographically was brother? If this sort of relationship was developing over the years, I guess I'm surprised that family is surprised unless distance made it difficult to realize what was transpiring.

Yes, it is the same old story: folks equating alternative lifestyles with seuxal misdeeds. I personally know a woman who stated that she will not allow her teen daughter to sleepover at a house where a stepfather is in the picture. It did not matter that this particular stepfather was a good man who had been married about twenty years and was the girl's father although not legal father. The woman in question was basing her policy upon her own tragic experience and those of others she had encountered.

:iagree: Email allows him to relay an important life-changing to people he obviously values without having to immediately be put on the witness stand. When a member of my family had rather shocking news to tell extended family members, he did it by letter. Actually he was very brave for even risking the rejection; he could easily have kept this hidden from peopel, but he wanted to lead an open honest.

No, you are not the lone dissenter. The father needs to get accustomed to all facets of babycare, including illness. He could rock her and caress her while she sleeps in his arms ... or change a leaky diahrrea diaper. If there is a contentious backstory that we are unaware of, it is important to strictly observe regularly scheduled visitations.

Through life experience, I have come to believe that this is codespeak for: [i like you and enjoyed your company while we were together for a particular purpose. However, I do not have the time nor inclination to pursue a relationship outside this project. But it would feel awkward and dismissive to say something like, "I enjoyed working with you. See you around," so instead I'll issue a vague noncomittal dinner suggestion and hope you don't bring it up again. If you do, I'll give you the runaround until it is obvious that I never had any intention of truly pursuing a friendship with you because, well, it is easier than communicating directly and clearly.] Try not to take it personally; it's an overused brushoff technique. I'm sure there are many women around who would truly appreciate your friendship. Don't waste time or emotional energy on her.

I guess I should read the entire thread before posting a reply. No way would I continue to associate with the family or any of their friends who condoned such behavior and attitudes.

Poor kid. Could you make a special event of going to the American Girl Store with your daughter to let her buy something special for herself with the gift card? If this is a friendship your daughter wants to keep, I'd casually mention to mom about overwhelming executing a birthday party can be and that my child was hurt because she was told she would be invited but no invitation was received. The mother's reaction will determine whether I would allow my child to continue associating with the girl.

I'm sorry your son had that experience. It is unfortunate when people take out their frustrations with an organization on members or employees of organization who are not policy-setters.

:iagree: Hide her posts if you wish to retain her acquaintance. If not, unfriend her.

Your peevishness is not justified, and you yourself state that it is ridiculously over emotional response. Your acquaintance probably is using "homeschooling" in the generic sense, not as a legal term. Is someone who uses Calvert, a program that lays out daily lesson plans, homeschooling? What if they are using the advisory teaching service? Are they homeschooling any more or less than a parent who selects resources on their own and does periodic planning on their own? Legally both are homeschooling ... unless, of course, one is using Calvert in a virtual program. However, the nuts and bolts look the same. Both families may be sitting at dining room table with parent guiding and overseeing the progress of their students. My point is that homeschooling has many different faces. Your acquaintance is correct in at least one sense: she is monitoring school work at home. Why rain on her parade by pointing out that she is considered a public schooler legally? Take pride in your own hardworking parent-led homeschooling without insisting that others note the technical and legal differences between "true" homeschooling, virtual homeschooling, and public virtual schooling. Just be happy for her that she is happy with her schooling choice.

I drink Celestial Seasonings herbal crushed peppermint tea.

Moxie She is a cutie.