Heather in VA
-
Posts
3,404 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by Heather in VA
-
-
If they really are in 4 different homes across 4 counties, which I tend to believe, then it does show that Nicole was full of it when she said they had them all together all weekend.
-
7
-
-
I really hope that is typical lawyer public grandstanding and in private they are getting real advice about what needs to be done.
-
I wonder how not having birth records, SSNs etc is affecting the CPS. I would think all that stuff would be expected when tracking a child. Their computer systems are probably expecting birthdays and SSNs.
-
It's interesting, she seems to have different rules for her business. She clearly has all the modern conveniences and she mentioned tonight that she will open on Tuesday after she gets her Certificate of Occupancy which is a government document.
-
3
-
-
I wouldn't assume that saying Olivia assisted means she was the only assistant, did the mom say there was no midwife? Was even her husband not there?
When my three year old was born, my then eight year old absolutely assisted me through labor. Cut the cord to.
I was in the hospital with both a midwife and a doula, so she was definitely not my only assistant--but assist she did! I still remember her stand by me and encouraging "come on Mom, you can do it!" when I was having a hard time with pushing.
I had the same situation. My oldest was there for both of my other children's birth. She was 4 and 8 respectively. She definitely cheered me on and helped with the cord and inspected the placenta. But I had a CNM and birth assistant. In other parts of Nicole's FB page or blog (can't remember which I've read quite a bit of it in the last two days) she specifically talks about having unattended births. To me that means no CNM/CPM/lay midwife or any other non-relative trained person. It sounds from this like she considers Olivia more than a cheerleader.
-
5
-
-
I read through the comment on the other linked thread and am horrified.
I saw this post by Nicole and was bothered:
Olivia loves babies. Babies love Olivia. I can always count on her to be helpful. She wants to be a midwife when she is older. Having been in my assistance with 3 births she is doing pretty good so far, considering she is just now 8 years old.
At first I thought she meant she was the assistant to the birth of her brother/sister. But maybe the mom had a friend giving birth and the little girl went to assist? I hope so bc to give an 8 year old that level of responsibility is clearly batshit crazy. Oh, sorry. 7 year old. This is the same little girl who took care of all the puking kids outside I believe.Yikes - I hadn't seen this comment before. It sure does sound like she is referring to Olivia assisting Nicole with her own births. I haven't read anywhere that Nicole assisted other people with birthing. If so, she was incredibly young when she started (not that barely 8 isn't incredibly young as it is). I just mean she says 3 births. Even at one birth a year that means Olivia was 5 at the oldest when she first "assisted". That is batshit crazy. It's not right for Olivia and its terrifying to think Nicole's only help in birth is an young elementary child. What if something goes wrong???
And yes - that was Olivia who helped all the puking kids. You can see her standing over them in the photo.
-
4
-
-
Agreed. Putting myself in her (filthy, stinky) shoes, CPS is doing things with her children that she is fundamentally opposed to. Vaccinations, modern medicine, public education, etc. Think about that. What would you do if a group you were 100% against took your children (kidnapped them, in your mind) and did things to them that you were 100% opposed to?? Would it cross your mind to put sunset and goat photos on the Internet?? How could you not spend every minute working to get them back? My money says these people are more into the cause than they are the actual children.
This is true. Unfortunately for them these things they are fundamentally opposed to, vaccinations, modern medicine, public education, are really secondary to what CPS is really upset about. By digging in their heels they come across as being fundamentally opposed to a safe living environment for their children.
-
4
-
-
My bet is they would insist on defending themselves. They're that delusional. And the poster who said they seem to be more into their image as "homesteading anti-gov types" than they are into their role as parents? Yes. ITA.
I am sorry, but if CPS took my kids and said "Do this and that and this and you will get your kids back" I would do it, no matter HOW MUCH I DISAGREED. Once the kids were back in my arms, I would (if I felt I had been wronged) hire a lawyer and sue CPS. But only AFTER I got my kids back. I would be that desperate to get them back, that scared that I would never see them again, and so attuned to the fact that CPS now has the power, NOT ME, that I would just do whatever they asked as fast as I possibly could and figure out how to "get back at CPS" once I had them back under my roof.
This absolutely. If CPS told me I had to paint my house purple with pink polka dots and dig a pond and fill it with Koi... I would do it. I would be talking to a lawyer to sue their butts off but I would do anything to get the kids back.
-
19
-
-
Praying :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:
-
I don't think they rather be martyrs. I think they are truly just delusional. I don't know if CPS really approved it, but given how out of touch with reality they tend to be in general, I very much suspect that they think that CPS will return their kids to their shack. Part of me understands it. I think facing reality, the enormity of their mistake, would be really difficult, to be able to live with herself I think she needs to deny what she's done. I really, really hope CPS will help her with counseling. I think at least Nicole desperately wants back her children and could easily misinterpret something CPS said as approval. This doesn't sound like choosing ideology over children. This sounds like deep, deep denial. And I hope she works through that level of denial.
I really want to believe this. As bad as it sounds I really do hope she's delusional. At least there is a chance that delusional can be fixed. With some help she could come around to face the situation and make some good decisions for the kids. Unfortunately I am not as optimistic. The video with the cop and the seat beat really sticks with me, first that they would automatically record a simple traffic stop and put it on the web but also her constitutional rant. It just seems that her belief system is rooted more in anti-authority than some idealistic idea of homesteading that went amuck.
-
4
-
-
BTW - I blame you guys. As a direct result of reading this post (and the other one) my FB page now has ads for portable toilets and Yurts.
-
35
-
-
I am relieved to hear for sure that HSLDA is not participating in this case. I'm not a fan of the organization but even if I was, this is so clearly not a homeschool case.
I agree that alternative housing is probably the best choice. I wonder if they are willing to accept that.
-
2
-
-
Based on the video in which they were discussing the constitution and how it applied to their seat belt stop, I'd say they practice a lot of "street law". I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to do this without any real legal advice.
Very true. That was a pretty telling video. If the courts do provide a public defender in these cases he's probably got his hands full just trying to get them to talk to him.
-
I wonder who they have advising them. In one of the threads there was mention of a public defender since HSLDA declined to represent them but I guess I assumed that was for the criminal charges. Are parents given a public defender for custody court? If so, I would think he is telling her to keep quiet, tow the line, jump through hoops etc. Maybe there is someone advising her but she's just not listening. Right or wrong, when a case gets to this stage perception is huge. They can walk into court and claim their kids are healthy, happy and live in a 4 walled structure. The kids could even back up their story. But the judge is going to totally dismiss their assertions when he has their own pictures and blogs that show the kids doubled over and laying on the ground after eating rotten food, pictures of a clearly 3 walled (and I use the term wall loosely) structure and her own words about them sleeping in a frost covered van to try to keep warm. Social media will kill them. There is little they can do about the past stuff they've posted. Even removing it now won't help because I'm sure CPS has already downloaded it all. But going forward their social media stuff should be either completely quiet or as Mergath said, full of photos and stories of their daily work to get the kids back.
-
7
-
-
I think it's the posting in general that bothers me, not necessarily the sunset photo. To me the idea of taking a picture of the sunset with all the other things going on for them is just bizarre but I can concede that maybe it makes her feel better. Plus many of us, myself included, do not believe she really has a full weekend visit with them so it's quite possible she took this when she wasn't with the kids.
That said, it seems from her posting that she's spending lots of time on FB and posting pictures of her dog grooming etc. I'd love to see a picture, a comment, anything that indicates they are planning for any kinds of improvements to the situation so they can get their kids back. The only comment on the FB about the living situation at all is to claim the shack has 4 walls, which it very clearly doesn't. I'm trying to even think of something I would be unwilling to do to get my kids back and having a hard time with it. Even if the CPS was totally wrong and asking for insane things, I'd be trying to do them while getting a lawyer at the same time. It seems to me she doesn't even recognize that there really is a problem with where they are living or that they really are going to have to do something to improve it if they want the kids back. Where is the father in all of this? I guess I can hope he's working on fixes while she's focusing on the dog grooming and PR campaign.
-
4
-
-
I have just spent the last two hours reading this post, the other post and a bunch of links. I hadn't heard of this family until today. I am so disgusted, baffled, saddened, confused, and dumbstruck that I don't even know where to start.
So much of this stuff is on the Internet.... I really don't get that. Why would you post pictures of your children all laying on the ground obviously horribly ill? Or why would you be filming yourself when you get pulled over for a seat belt violation and then go ape on the cop? Why do you denounce all modern conveniences to the point that your family is living in squalor but you are constantly on the computer? How do they even have so much internet service? Why is an 8 year old starting a fire at all, let alone with gasoline? And if you let your kid do that, why do you share it on the internet?
I know the internet issue is minor compared to the horrible conditions but I can't even wrap my head around that stuff right now.
-
15
-
-
I'm looking for something to use for Government that does more than have them learn basic facts about the structure of Government. I'm not thrilled with what is out there. I'd like something that promotes critical thinking and is pretty even handed with the propaganda.
Thoughts?
-
I was going to do it dual enrollment but the place we are doing DE doesn't currently have a government class and I want to do it along since Early Modern studies.
I used a 'get it done' program with my oldest and I wish we had done a better job. My current high schooler wants to go into forensics (probably forensic psychology) and work with the FBI, Homeland etc. so I really want to do a better job with some quality critical thinking. I can't find anything I like. There don't even seem to be many options. I like the idea of the You Decide books as a supplement to our history studies but they aren't a government course.
Ideas?
Thanks
-
Here is my current plan.. standard disclaimer :-)
Math - College of the Redwoods Pre-Algebra
Grammar - R&S 7
Writing - Essentials in Writing 7
History/Literature - Biblioplan Year 4
Science - Science Shepherd Life Science
MP's Famous Men of Greece
MP's 200 American History Questions
MP Poetry
Couple of MP lit guides
CAP's Spanish for Children
-
4
-
-
Thanks everyone!! Such great information. I really appreciate all the ideas to try to help and change things up. I am definitely going to try them. We are not currently medicating. I am not against it. Her dad is less thrilled with the idea although he's not rigid about it. His brother has issues with anxiety and depression. At one point his meds got out of whack and he nearly committed suicide so he's understandably reluctant. He knows the meds aren't the same but he worries about it. It might be time to give it a try.
Geo - what you said really sounds like what she's dealing with at least some of the time. She just can not get started. I have cut busy work as much as possible. But sometimes she just sits there and it's like I can see her trying to move toward the work or answer the question but she just can't make herself do it. What do you do when you get like that? Should I just have her do jumping jacks and drink Mountain Dew? (I'm only 1/2 kidding - I hear caffeine can help).
-
Does anyone else deal with a lot of anger from their ADD child? My dd is becoming more and more difficult to deal with during school. She does everything in a bundle of anger. She is miserable through every lesson, even things I know she is interested in. When she gets really upset she tends to gouge the paper with her pencil as she writes. If I ask her a question I get answers through gritted teeth or I get an answer she knows is bad almost like she wants to provoke. Like this morning during our grammar lesson, I began the lesson by asking her the definition of a verb.. to prep for the lesson. She said 'it's a word'. Now I absolutely know she knows this. In fact after two more times of my telling her I expected good effort she told me the full definition completely and correctly but was angry about it.
Her dad thinks she's just being a brat but even if he's right he has no suggestions on how to fix it because consequences are not making it better. I'm not convinced this is fully a behavioral problem. When not doing school she is the most helpful, soft-hearted child. I see none of this behavior even when I'm telling her to do things or giving her chores. So if it was solely related to not wanting to do something I would think I would see it other places, at least sometimes.
I need to figure out what to do because it can't go on like this. She's 11.
-
Thanks everyone. It sounds like we are doing ok. She will take at least a couple of AP courses (Calculus being one) in addition to her college courses. She is taking those courses at an accredited 4 year college, not a community college. I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not. Our local community college is well respected but VERY expensive. So hopefully a variety will be just the ticket.
regertrude - I did have a question for you. When you put your transcript together did you have a full 7 credits or so per year in addition to all the college courses or did some semesters have less high school credits but made up for it because of the college classes? If she's taking multiple college courses at a time I don't want to then bury her in a huge load from me as well but I don't want her transcript to appear sparse.
-
Well my daughter did have 4 lab sciences because she started science credits in 8th grade but i don't think it would have mattered if she had 3 and then A&P. If you want some ideas of labs you might want to check out Apologia's A&P book. I think it's called The Human Body. I've never looked at it but I assume they have labs in it since they tend to in their books. We used a traditional college A&P book with Kolbe plans. It had online exercises but we didn't do labs.
-
1
-
-
It's funny now that my oldest has been in college a few years and my next high schooler is coming through there are so many more college options for younger high schoolers than just a few years ago. So now I'm having trouble deciding how to approach this. I look at doing AP Government (for example) and then I wonder why we would do that when she could just take American Government from an regionally accredited college (she's been accepted to take any courses she'd like). Every time I think about an AP course I realize I could just have her take the actual college class. Is there a drawback to this from a college perspective down the road when she applies to go somewhere full time after graduation? She's taken three courses so far and gotten A's in all of them (she's a sophomore) so she's definitely ready for the work. It seems like taking the course with guaranteed credit would be better than dealing with tailoring for the AP exam and hope for credit. Will a potential college have a problem with several of her credits each year being actual college classes?
-
1
-
NOOOOOO!
in The Chat Board
Posted
Ok - for this suburbanite - how exactly does a generator work? I know people around here who have one but it's mostly to run the fridge for a short time if we have a prolonged power outage. How does a generator create its own power or create enough to power something like that? I'd live there in a second. UPS still delivers off grid, right? I like Amazon LOL.