Jazz Hands, Sparkle Crotch: Erika Schupe Pt. 9

[ViolaSebastian]

It makes me wonder if Brandon's learning disability had anything to do with her choice. She's alluded to it through some posts she shared on Facebook, and of course the infamous mother's day card. Hopefully they've established an IEP and he's getting the extra help he deserves.

[Hisey]

The twins are 5. Many districts have full-day kindergarten for 5 year olds. Could be that Bob and Erika had planned that when all the kids were school age, she'd go back to work. After all, it might not been worthwhile for Erika to work if she had to pay for day care for the twins.

I mean, I don't think this is what happened. But in many families, this could very well have been the reasoning. Lots of moms go back to work when their youngest becomes school age.

I don't think Erika went back to work full time as a teacher. It's not that easy to jump back into full time work after an absence of about 20 years. It would require some re-tooling on her part (re-instituting her license, or whatever), and it would also be a huge transition for her. I suspect she is either working part-time, working for Bob, or staying at home. I actually hope it's the last one. It think she'd love to spend the day keeping the home fires burning, and maybe the kids won't get protein bars for dinner as often.

[mango_fandango]

The one thing I'd say against her working again is her whole belief that moms should stay home because that's how God designed things. I highly doubt her religious beliefs have changed all that much- I'd say, despite these changes, that she's still conservative Christian if not fundie. Karen is allowed to work because she's still under her parent's influence. 

Hmm. Karen's 18 now. I doubt she's going to start courting soon- maybe once she hits 20/21? I'd say sooner rather than later because of the whole space issue. I wonder how they're going to approach courtship. Possibly they'll go for a system of "dating with a purpose" like the Bateseseseses- chaperones on dates but full frontal hugs etc are okay. Or maybe they'll wait till Melanie is old enough to court too and they can all go on double dates together, so they can sort of chaperone each other without needing a younger sibling. IDK. It'll be interesting to see.

[anachronistic]

dear Erika, if you are reading this, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we all at FJ are SO PROUD that you did the right thing and are sending your kids to school! It will be a great experience for you and them! We have been genuinely worried about your kids for years and are happy to show you that the world outside your circle is not dangerous or scary or immoral. 

[Coy Koi]

36 minutes ago, mango_fandango said:

Hmm. Karen's 18 now. I doubt she's going to start courting soon- maybe once she hits 20/21? I'd say sooner rather than later because of the whole space issue. I wonder how they're going to approach courtship. Possibly they'll go for a system of "dating with a purpose" like the Bateseseseses- chaperones on dates but full frontal hugs etc are okay. Or maybe they'll wait till Melanie is old enough to court too and they can all go on double dates together, so they can sort of chaperone each other without needing a younger sibling. IDK. It'll be interesting to see.

I wouldn't assume it's going to be Erika's choice when or how Karen dates/courts. If Karen wants to go out by herself with some dude she met at the gym or something, I think she'll do it. She may already be doing it. Unless Erika is exceptionally bad at keeping secrets, there's probably plenty going on there that she hasn't accidentally let slip.

[apandaaries]

There are so incredibly few times when I get to say this about fundie families, but I am genuinely and completely amazed by this transformation and these new developments.  Truly.  This is one of the very best outcomes I've seen (in its development stages) on FJ or involving a fundie family.  There are huge changes in progress at the Shupe-stead, and I am so pleased about it.  Young women working and wearing pants; children attending accredited schools, meeting new people, and having their academic and social needs serve as the focus of their days; Mom maybe working inside or outside of the home (FTR, please know that I consider housework and child work "real" work, just unrecognized by most economists --- Erika is the type who'll be busy no matter what).  What a win all around.  

I'd also like to throw my two cents in with those who think that this isn't a financially-based decision.  If it were, she'd have started working and sending the kids out during Bob's long spell of unemployment.  I think something deeper is going on here, and I'm so pleased about it.  

Dream big, little Shuper-stars!  ✯✯✯ The whole world lies before you!

[Luisainlondon1]

11 hours ago, amandaaries said:

There are so incredibly few times when I get to say this about fundie families, but I am genuinely and completely amazed by this transformation and these new developments.  Truly.  This is one of the very best outcomes I've seen (in its development stages) on FJ or involving a fundie family.  There are huge changes in progress at the Shupe-stead, and I am so pleased about it.  Young women working and wearing pants; children attending accredited schools, meeting new people, and having their academic and social needs serve as the focus of their days; Mom maybe working inside or outside of the home (FTR, please know that I consider housework and child work "real" work, just unrecognized by most economists --- Erika is the type who'll be busy no matter what).  What a win all around.  

I'd also like to throw my two cents in with those who think that this isn't a financially-based decision.  If it were, she'd have started working and sending the kids out during Bob's long spell of unemployment.  I think something deeper is going on here, and I'm so pleased about it.  

Dream big, little Shuper-stars!  ✯✯✯ The whole world lies before you!

That is so true. I have the feeling all fundies I know because of FJ get more and more extreme by the time or at least remain as fundie as ever. It's great to see that Erika (or Bob) allow the children to go to school. I feel so happy for the kids!

[Hisey]

13 hours ago, amandaaries said:

There are so incredibly few times when I get to say this about fundie families, but I am genuinely and completely amazed by this transformation and these new developments.  Truly.  This is one of the very best outcomes I've seen (in its development stages) on FJ or involving a fundie family.  There are huge changes in progress at the Shupe-stead, and I am so pleased about it.  Young women working and wearing pants; children attending accredited schools, meeting new people, and having their academic and social needs serve as the focus of their days; Mom maybe working inside or outside of the home (FTR, please know that I consider housework and child work "real" work, just unrecognized by most economists --- Erika is the type who'll be busy no matter what).  What a win all around.  

I'd also like to throw my two cents in with those who think that this isn't a financially-based decision.  If it were, she'd have started working and sending the kids out during Bob's long spell of unemployment.  I think something deeper is going on here, and I'm so pleased about it.  

Dream big, little Shuper-stars!  ✯✯✯ The whole world lies before you!

I don't know what's causing the changes, but it certainly could be financial.

They may have been in a totally different financial picture when the twins were babies and Bob became unemployed. Maybe he was receiving unemployment that allowed them to get buy. Maybe they had some savings, which are now used up. Maybe they felt it wouldn't pay, because they would've had to pay for daycare for the youngest five (the three youngest boys, and the twins, would have been babies or preschoolers).Maybe they have new expenses now (like higher education for the oldest, or medical bills for Bob, or the realization they haven't saved anything for retirement).

 Just because Erika chose not to get a job then doesn't mean they wouldn't do so now.

[Bambina]

I don't think the children are at school.  I think she worded her post awkwardly and she meant:

1.  Karen doesn't see the kids when they are done (home) school because she is working;

2.  Karen and Melanie are taking college courses and "they" don't see kids between school/work schedule; or

3.  Kids are enrolled in a homeschool co-op program.

no way has she actually enrolled the 7 in regular school.

[MsSaylor]

I thought about that too, but why wouldn't she just explain instead of scrubbing it 

[December]

32 minutes ago, MsSaylor said:

I thought about that too, but why wouldn't she just explain instead of scrubbing it 

Didn't a bunch of the blog posts disappear a few months ago, though? That just may be her way of going back on an idea/opinion. 

[Bambina]

I think she's trying to bury controversial posts as her children get older and will likely have more access to Internet.

[mango_fandango]

I think the wording was relatively clear. The fact that Erika totally scrubbed the photo, AFTER someone had commented "home from school??", and then replacing the photo as though nothing happened is very, very odd though. But then Erika has been acting very oddly for a long time. Several months ago she orchestrated the Great Blog Purge, removing all of her most controversial posts- the why and how she homeschools, the baby feeding posts, the in-laws debacle, the example schedules and the modesty series being the most prominent. Zero explanation given on the blog or on the Facebook page. Fundie leghumpers being what they are, very few questioned her actions. Someone did ask if any sample schedules were available. Erika said that there weren't, only posts on how to set a schedule up. No explanation as to WHY the schedule posts had been scrubbed, which to me is odd because scheduling was one of her big points and she'd previously said that she was happy to share past schedules. 

In past years she has also put up a full First Day of School album on Facebook, including not only the doughnut breakfast but also photos of their actual homeschool. This year it was just the doughnuts. 

She recently allowed Karen and Melanie to wear pants on occasion. This she did manage to explain; they're reaching adulthood and are beginning to make their own choices. Then there was the most recent album where ALL the girls were in pants. Erika said in the past that she was OK with pant-wearing for cycling or rollerblading. Perhaps it was for horseriding? Except there is an older album of the same event from some years back where the oldest three girls are pictured on horseback, in skirts.

Erika is also posting much less on Facebook these days. Even when she's been busy homeschooling she's usually had time to do a blog repost, or share a post from "aholyexperience", or even a few memes. She hasn't had a major posting spree for a while. She's put out occasional memes as if to remind us she's still here, but nothing like as much as she used to. 

TL,DR: Who knows what the fuck is going on in the Shupe household. I am definitely going to be keeping my eyes peeled.

[jakesykora]

So I looked at her personal FB and not the blog one.

The header photo is the kids at the pumpkin patch wearing their pants. There's not a single question/comment mentioning them wearing pants like anyone is surprised, and I suppose she could have deleted there also like on the blog FB, the tone of what's there makes it seem like nothing out of the ordinary about any of.

And she's got 2 things listed on offer up as of this week. She's sold stuff on there before (per scrolling down her FB) but it's always been stuff that doesn't seem unusual - things the kids have outgrown clothes/toys wise - but this time it's house stuff (painting and chandelier)

Obviously not enough that it seems to point to them moving, obviously, and while maybe the photo thing could be chalked up to style changing or redoing some things and so not using it now, but a chandelier seems like a slightly more unusual thing to randomly sell.

I mean, given how frugal she is and you'd almost certainly need to replace it with something else, it seems like it'd be counterproductive to sell if you needed some cash for something, since you in most scenarios you'd think it'd require spending money anyway to get a different one.

https://offerupnow.com/item/detail/176686667/landscape-photograph

https://offerupnow.com/item/detail/176672167/chandelier-wrought-iron-style

Doesn't seem to be any indication of relationship issues - both her FB and Bob's say married, and both have pics of them together, etc. which, if something were up in that arena, you'd not expect to see, IMO.

Anyway, just kind of interesting.
 

[Koala]

Someone educate me, because surely I am missing something.  Her prices on OfferUpNow are ridiculous.  That print *might* go for $5 at a yard sale (at least where I'm from).  If you were really unlucky, you'd have to haul the damn thing to a donation bin.  $80 , no, I don't think so.  

The lighting fixture seems pretty over priced to me too.  I could link things from Lowes (brand new) in that price range!  

She's the queen of the retail yard sale, isn't she?

I agree, it's odd things that she's selling.  Clothes, shoes, purses...those are things that people outgrow, get tired of, whatever, but your lighting fixture?  Unless she's remodeling, she's gonna need that.   

 

[princessmahina]

The chandelier doesn't surprise me. A few years ago, Bob put in recessed lighting (I think that's what it's called?) which Erika *loves* because it fills the whole room with light. They may now have the money to do another room and are thus getting rid of the chandelier because it's no longer necessary.

As for the picture-- it's something I would get tired of really quickly. I can see her wanting to get rid of it. The prices for both are ridiculous though.

[JillyO]

2 hours ago, Koala said:

Someone educate me, because surely I am missing something.  Her prices on OfferUpNow are ridiculous.  That print *might* go for $5 at a yard sale (at least where I'm from).  If you were really unlucky, you'd have to haul the damn thing to a donation bin.  $80 , no, I don't think so.  

The lighting fixture seems pretty over priced to me too.  I could link things from Lowes (brand new) in that price range!  

She's the queen of the retail yard sale, isn't she?

I agree, it's odd things that she's selling.  Clothes, shoes, purses...those are things that people outgrow, get tired of, whatever, but your lighting fixture?  Unless she's remodeling, she's gonna need that.   

 

Excuse me, did you fail to see the bible verse below the photo? Maybe your heathen prints would go for 5 bucks, but Erika can easily charge $80 for a godly one!

[FunFunFundie]

In the middle of the night last night I had a thought: if the kids ARE in public school, they have to have a physical done by an actual doctor in order to get in (at least, my kids have had to have forms filled out, which requires a doctor's visit at the very least).  Then I was filled with glee at the kids being seen by an actual doctor, especially Brandon, who is so tiny.

[Coy Koi]

26 minutes ago, FunFunFundie said:

In the middle of the night last night I had a thought: if the kids ARE in public school, they have to have a physical done by an actual doctor in order to get in (at least, my kids have had to have forms filled out, which requires a doctor's visit at the very least).  Then I was filled with glee at the kids being seen by an actual doctor, especially Brandon, who is so tiny.

It's a nice thought, but I don't think that's a requirement here (I'm also in WA). Even if it were a requirement, Erika has zero problem just disregarding anything from medical science that doesn't fit her agenda, so I doubt it would do any good. But yeah, Brandon especially really does need to see a doctor.

[Granwych]

On ‎10‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 3:36 PM, JillyO said:

Excuse me, did you fail to see the bible verse below the photo? Maybe your heathen prints would go for 5 bucks, but Erika can easily charge $80 for a godly one!

Yes, Erika could even  write something dumb and misspelled and sign her name.  Sold!

[Chevreuil]

I just want some closure on erika and her kids, just a big post and how life has changed. We'll probably never get it but it would be so nice. Sigh.

[princessmahina]

Honestly, if she does another original blog post before the end of the year (or maybe even the next), I'll be really, really surprised. She may never do one again because it would probably mean admitting things have changed drastically in Shupe-land, and I don't know that her ego could bear admitting that she's wrong on such a massive scale. 

[mango_fandango]

Still nothing. She hasn't posted anything for 17 days.

It's her birthday today. Wonder if she'll post anything, even just a photo montage. Who knows.

[JillyO]

She posted a new profile picture on her personal FB page yesterday. It looks very "look at my rings" the way she holds her coffee cup into the picture, but it might also just be a coincidence. Ugh, I hate it when fundies we've snarked on for so long just disappear. Don't they know we're invested? LOL

[princessmahina]

On 10/31/2016 at 11:17 AM, JillyO said:

She posted a new profile picture on her personal FB page yesterday. It looks very "look at my rings" the way she holds her coffee cup into the picture, but it might also just be a coincidence. Ugh, I hate it when fundies we've snarked on for so long just disappear. Don't they know we're invested? LOL

It's so annoying. Someone should tell us that she should throw us a sugar-free crumb so we have something to talk about. 

The crumb I'd like best is a picture of all the kids hanging out in the waiting room of a real pediatrician's office with the caption "getting checkups!"