Kendal's alternative christmas

[latraviata]

Again a display of Kendal's infinite wisdom and sainthood. Oh, I am so good, such an altruist, I am moved by my own goodness so everybody needs to know!!!

No presents for her children for christmas, but they will 'adopt' a needy family and she will give that family a Christmas they will remember!!!

Presents and a meal to be delivered by Kendal (and her family) personally!!!!!!!!

Kendal you deprive them from having a life of their own, now you are going to take away their childhood as well??You know it is possible to be a benefactor (preferably in private) and let your children have presents too , they are after all very young, too young to put the suffering of the world on their shoulders. You even could explain to them, in an age appropriate fashion, that there are families less fortunate than your family.

For Kendal's glory......dear children, no presents for you this christmas.

http://www.thefatherknowsbest.com/

[Markie]

Her four year old even asked why they couldn't give presents and also receive some. I think the idea of helping others in the holidays is great, but why does it have to be an either/or situation? Her kids are small, they have so little to look forward to and they have one tradtion after another ripped away. She even asked family members not to give her kids Christmas gifts; I would bring something for each child anyway. Kendull just gets more and more extreme in her views. Her husband sounds like a peice of work, too. They really should rename their blog to - thefouryearoldknowsbest.com

[Just_Jane]

So they are giving gifts and food to a needy family. In the comments she says they are still giving gifts to family but they asked family not to give them gifts. so what you are going to do? sit there with nothing to open and expect the young kids to be happy about it?

[Artemis]

Matthew 6 >>

King James Version

1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

She's obviously never read this bit of the Bible.

[Sister Mozz]

That makes me so sad for their family. She said not only are they planning on doing this this year, but following years, too. That's just too sad.

What happens if someone does get the children a gift? Will they be allowed to keep it?

[latraviata]

She's obviously never read this bit of the Bible.

Well,this exactly what I mean. No idea I was so biblical!!

[emmiedahl]

Why would a poor family deserve presents more than her own children? I just do not understand.

These children live such a bare, Puritan existence. There is no joy. Their parents punish every fault and rarely reward their virtues. It is shocking in a developed country to see children who have no comforts and luxuries. Your family is supposed to be a soft place to fall; your childhood is supposed to be filled with happy memories and enough love to carry you through the ugliness of adult life.

[Sola]

And why does she have to take the glory for helping the needy family? Why cant she just help the family quietly and let the needy kids think their parents did it? Oh I forgot, she doesn't get the eternal gratitude of the needy kids that way. Bitch.

[latraviata]

And why does she have to take the glory for helping the needy family? Why cant she just help the family quietly and let the needy kids think their parents did it? Oh I forgot, she doesn't get the eternal gratitude of the needy kids that way. Bitch.

And shout it from the rooftop on the internet.

[slickcat79]

I wonder if her potential adopted child's birth family knows the child they're giving up with be forgoing even a single Christmas present? I'm going to guess no.

It's a really good idea to teach your kids to be giving, and not to be materialistic from a young age. But I don't think a gift or two from grandma will morally bankrupt them for life :roll:

As usual, fundies have no concept of balance.

[luckylibrarian]

I am so sad for those kids. I'm all for teaching kids charity and giving to others, but forcing kids to give up their holiday gifts and give gifts to a needy family isn't the way to do it. That doesn't teach them to enjoy being charitable. They're going to resent it.

I'm not sure what Mr. Kendull does, but is it possible that they just can't afford gifts for their kids because of the adoption and this is a way to hide it from the kids?

[Koala]

These points have already been made but:

~Why can't her children have presents? Other children can. Family can (she said they'll be giving gifts to family as well). Why not her precious children? It's obviously not money. I can't help but wonder if Kendal and her idiot husband will be exchanging gifts.

~Why can't family give the children gifts? What is the point of that? She clearly has no problem with gifts (as she will be giving them), so why does she have to force this on her babies? Why take away the magic of Christmas? I also can't imagine what kind of family they have that they've agreed to open gifts in front of children who will be getting noting. I can just see those babies sitting there quietly watching everyone else open gifts and wishing they could share in the excitement.

I think we all know the answer. This is about control. She is showing those kids that she can take away anything she damn well pleases. Extra curricular activities (GONE), Christmas (GONE), any chance at an education (GONE), the opportunity to refuse food the don't care for (GONE), the chance to live in a home where they don't have to fear being hit by their parents (GONE). Hell she even forced 2 of them to share a bed even though she stated very clearly that one of them didn't want to. This woman makes me sick. I truly hope that these girls grow up and tell Kendal to go straight to hell.

[Koala]

I'm not sure what Mr. Kendull does, but is it possible that they just can't afford gifts for their kids because of the adoption and this is a way to hide it from the kids?

He is an engineer, and the lack of funds theory really doesn't hold water for me. If they are giving gifts to a less fortunate family AND extended family then why wouldn't they take that money and spend it on their own kids? They take vacations and everything else. I am sure $$ is not the issue.

[Freyacat]

She is just so fricking full of herself and really into the fundie piety Olympics. There are ways to remember the religious significance of the holiday, if that is something important to your family, while also having fun. I know many, many families who have creative ways of remembering the religious importance of Christmas and other holidays while still having fun. You can have - as my family does - a nativity set in your house, talk with your kids about the story behind it, and STILL do Santa presents!

[emmyfair]

Her kids are going to grow up hating Christmas and her - I was so resentful of my mother giving away my things without asking me, but I can't imagine the nasty feelings I would have had if she told me to give away my Christmas! Her kids won't understand the meaning, they'll just feel the pain of being left out.

Kendull is a horrible mother!

[keeperrox]

As usual, fundies have no concept of balance.

No, they really don't. The black and white way they see everything is just part of their mental illness, IMO.

[Carla Bruni]

And why does she have to take the glory for helping the needy family? Why cant she just help the family quietly and let the needy kids think their parents did it? Oh I forgot, she doesn't get the eternal gratitude of the needy kids that way. Bitch.

This x a million. At all of the Christmas drives I've ever done/seen, the whole point was always for benefactors to be anonymous, presumably so that the kids who got the gifts could strengthen the bond with the parents they'd think the gifts came from when the families are already clearly going through so much. I can't even imagine how horrible it would feel to sit there and realize that you can't give your kids Christmas presents, but some other bitch decides to shove it in your family's face that she can.

[Maggie Mae]

I feel bad for the adopt-a-family who has to endure the holidays with Kendull and her children.

[Koala]

This x a million. At all of the Christmas drives I've ever done/seen, the whole point was always for benefactors to be anonymous, presumably so that the kids who got the gifts could strengthen the bond with the parents they'd think the gifts came from when the families are already clearly going through so much. I can't even imagine how horrible it would feel to sit there and realize that you can't give your kids Christmas presents, but some other bitch decides to shove it in your family's face that she can.

AMEN. It would be too much for Kendal to let the parents take the credit though. What would be the point in that right?

[Hane]

She could have made this such a happy time. Without taking presents and a nice dinner away from her kids, she could have sat down with them and said, "We've been really lucky because we have a nice house to live in and good food to eat, but many families aren't as fortunate as ours. So we're going to secretly put together a nice Christmas for Family X." Then she could have talked about the X kids and their ages, and what she'd been able to learn about them: "Let's go shopping together and buy presents for them! What kind of toy do you think an #-year-old boy/girl would like? How about their mom/dad? What's your favorite Christmas treat? Do you think they'd be happy if we baked some for them, too?"

I've always loved taking a tag from the Giving Tree at church and putting some thought into getting a nice anonymous present for someone who has a lot less than I do. I just learned that my daughter, her husband, and some of their friends are pooling money to contribute livestock through Heifer International. Their kids love animals, and are excited to know that a family in need will be getting a special present.

[latraviata]

AMEN. It would be too much for Kendal to let the parents take the credit though. What would be the point in that right?

Apparantly Kendal's charity projects are at the expense of somebody else, donations for the adoption, christmas for a needy family.

[Carla Bruni]

AMEN. It would be too much for Kendal to let the parents take the credit though. What would be the point in that right?

It's not even just about the credit, just simple respect, geez. I wouldn't want some stranger's family prancing into my home on Christmas to demonstrate how much better off they are. Why not give the gifts and donate money for a meal through a church program or something and spend the day at a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter instead? Those are the people who really don't have families. Don't impose on someone else's on Christmas of all days.

[latraviata]

She could have made this such a happy time. Without taking presents and a nice dinner away from her kids, she could have sat down with them and said, "We've been really lucky because we have a nice house to live in and good food to eat, but many families aren't as fortunate as ours. So we're going to secretly put together a nice Christmas for Family X." Then she could have talked about the X kids and their ages, and what she'd been able to learn about them: "Let's go shopping together and buy presents for them! What kind of toy do you think an #-year-old boy/girl would like? How about their mom/dad? What's your favorite Christmas treat? Do you think they'd be happy if we baked some for them, too?"

I've always loved taking a tag from the Giving Tree at church and putting some thought into getting a nice anonymous present for someone who has a lot less than I do. I just learned that my daughter, her husband, and some of their friends are pooling money to contribute livestock through Heifer International. Their kids love animals, and are excited to know that a family in need will be getting a special present.

Yes, exactly this and don't brag about it on the internet.

[Freyacat]

She could have made this such a happy time. Without taking presents and a nice dinner away from her kids, she could have sat down with them and said, "We've been really lucky because we have a nice house to live in and good food to eat, but many families aren't as fortunate as ours. So we're going to secretly put together a nice Christmas for Family X." Then she could have talked about the X kids and their ages, and what she'd been able to learn about them: "Let's go shopping together and buy presents for them! What kind of toy do you think an #-year-old boy/girl would like? How about their mom/dad? What's your favorite Christmas treat? Do you think they'd be happy if we baked some for them, too?"

I've always loved taking a tag from the Giving Tree at church and putting some thought into getting a nice anonymous present for someone who has a lot less than I do. I just learned that my daughter, her husband, and some of their friends are pooling money to contribute livestock through Heifer International. Their kids love animals, and are excited to know that a family in need will be getting a special present.

Yes, this. The more I think about this whole thing the worse it seems to me. I mean, yeah, you could still give your own kids at least a small present and also give to a needy family. Or, there are some religious traditions that don't believe in Christmas gifts, and that's fine - but they don't believe in them for *anyone.* Denying gifts to her own kids, but giving them to other kids, is just weird. She clearly doesn't think presents are inherently wrong, because this other family gets them. So it seems like she's almost rubbing her kids' noses in the fact that they are just too pious to get gifts, unlike this other family. I get the feeling her main attitude towards the poor family will be pity and superiority, not true compassion.

Also, she says her kids are on board with this. Well, in a household where something as simple as not liking a certain food is "an obedience issue," and obedience issues can mean getting spanked all day, a lot of kids would learn to agree with nearly anything for the sake of self preservation.

[Koala]

Apparantly Kendal's charity projects are at the expense of somebody else, donations for the adoption, christmas for a needy family.

She wouldn't admit it, but this is a gift to her. She gets to control her kids and play the generous good fairy that saves Christmas for someone else. This has nothing to do with the needy family and everything to do with Kendal.

I also want to know how she explained to her 4 year old why they couldn't give AND receive.