Anna M wrote a blog, took her bro's out for lunch.

[Justme]

Apparently she & her bro's fought when they were little, she tattled & got the boys in trouble. Rest of family ate Taco Bell while the boys had wheat thins. In one sense, it's nice to see they actually acted like actual "kids".

 

I can't imagine how disagreeing about cats & dogs can result in a tattling and bro's deserving a punishment of missing lunch.

 

Look at the pictures! Holy smokes that's some fancy NEW truck!!! That had to have cost a pretty penny!! I thought the boys were being "trained" to live modestly and save their money to purchase a house for cash and provide for a family.

 

Someone went with them to take the pictures. I'm guessing it was Sarah.

[Koala]

you know what? Steve and Terri Maxwell are idiots. Kids argue. Hell, arguing probably sharpens their critical thinking skills.

I REALLY don't like parents who punish with food.

[tehfanglyfish]

I REALLY don't like parents who punish with food.

One of the worst memories I have from my childhood was when I had slacked on household chores (cleaning the entire house, btw, was my job when I was 13 - including making my ex-stepfather's bed and cleaning his nasty pubes out of the shower ). I had assorted privileges revoked (tv, radio, etc.), but I was also forbidden from all family outings. My evil, evil ex-stepfather decided that this was the perfect time for the family to go eat at my favorite restaurant of all time. We hadn't been to it in over a year because of finances. Upon returning, he told me how great the food was, basically rubbing it in my face. It went out of business a couple of months later. I hated that asshole (he did a lot of other bad things that were much nastier and far more abusive than this.) When I heard that he died, my first reaction was to smile.

[fundiefan]

you know what? Steve and Terri Maxwell are idiots. Kids argue. Hell, arguing probably sharpens their critical thinking skills.

I REALLY don't like parents who punish with food.

Punish with food and for years after the fact, apparently. I know I fought with my sister when we were growing up. It was pretty much a daily thing as I recall. But I can't tell you one thing we fought about or how it was dealt with or resolved. Why? Because it was resolved then and there and let go of and life went on, for everyone.

What's more, I fought with my mother! And with my grandmother! We didn't obey without question, especially as we grew older and learned our own preferences and that we had our own minds. We fought and resolved and moved on.

I can't see after the fact acknowledgement of years old arguments, with anyone, being beneficial to anyone involved. What's the point? What is gained?

[johnhugh]

Who photographed them whilst they were praying?

"Excuse me do you mind taking a photo whilst we pray?" :roll:

[SinInTheCamp]

I think they're forgetting their Matthew 6:6

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

[bananacat]

Oh wow, I can't believe anyone would starve their kids as punishment. Withholding food for any reason is abusive. And while Taco Bell isn't particularly healthy, it's still better than just plain crackers which is absolutely not a meal. It's one thing to take away dessert or other treats (although even then it would be cruel to make the kid watch others eat it) but depriving them of an entire meal is just wrong.

[wildflower]

I think Anna would be encouraged to know that I always end up praying after I read their blog. I seriously thank every deity I can think of, real and imagined, that I was not born into that family. Steve and Terri are just MEAN people.

[Guest Anonymous]

It would be a lovely, fun anecdote to tell, if they weren't so damn serious about everything. I have 3 sisters and we laugh all the time about the fights we used to have as kids and we re-open arguments about who was to blame for what... we got each other into trouble all the time, but 'consequences' were usually all of us being sent to argue in our rooms or outside so my mum didn't have to listen..... no-one was ever fed dry biscuits as a punishment for being kids!

[Lillybee]

I am surprised that Anna has her own money.

[clarinetpower]

So disagreement is wrong? About something as stupid as this? And the parents don't have the parenting skills to say, 'You like cats, you like dogs. Isn't it great that God made us all different? The world would be boring if we were all the same. Now let's go eat!"

Sheesh. What is wrong with these people? It's like they have all had lobotomies. But God showed her--she's allergic!!!!11!!!ELEVENTY!!!! How freaking stupid.

[Feberin]

I am surprised that Anna has her own money.

I was wondering about this as well. I thought the girls didn't have their own money. Perhaps she's lying about how much groceries cost or the whole thing was a set up for the blog. I can't imagine forcing a kid to eat crackers for lunch because they argued with a sibling. But I can't imagine using lunch as a punishment. My MIL used to always feed her kids eggs for dinner when they were being difficult so to this day my husband refuses to ever do breakfast for dinner type things.

[justlurking]

If the boys were punished for arguing, then they obviously had to have someone they were arguing with--why the hell wasn't Anna punished as well? If anything, she should've been the one eating crackers out in the car for being a tattletale---"Now run and tell that, homeboy!" ~Antoine Dodson

[fundiefan]

I think Anna would be encouraged to know that I always end up praying after I read their blog. I seriously thank every deity I can think of, real and imagined, that I was not born into that family. Steve and Terri are just MEAN people.

Daddy Maxwell would be glad to know that he has brought me closer to my own family and given me a much greater respect for them than I ever imagined impossible. I had a seriously fucked up childhood and that has, of course, led to some pretty messed up adult relationships with the family as well. But I will still gravel at my mother's feet and thank her for not being a Maxwell, or making me one. My family is far more important to me now than it has ever been. For many reasons, but I'd be lying if I didn't acknowledge the contributing factor, from my perspective, that no matter who we are, we are not controlled by some perception of god or a crazy patriarch determined to stomp out our will and control our every thought.

And, really. A fight about preferences between cats and dogs? At least when I fought with my sister it was about me taking her clothes without asking or her punching me to get me out of her way in the bathroom; some of our fights were epic but they were about things we said or did - actions. Not about thoughts or opinions or ideas. Like someone else said, my sister and I have busted a gut laughing over fights we had growing up and things we did. Then again, in truth, we were rarely punished in any manner for our fights. We were sent to our room to deal with it, we were separated to shut us up, we were both denied the object/privileged we were fighting over.

If there is a god and if he pays attention to details, he has got to weeping over the deprivation of life those kids (well, adults, mostly) suffer in his name.

[Aurora]

Wow. How mean is that? Not only denying the boys lunch but actually making them watch from outside while the rest of the family eats out at a restaurant? OK, a fast food restaurant, but still probably not an everyday thing for their family? Those parents are messed up.

[lilwriter85]

I also hate food punishments. When I was in middle school, there was a foster girl at my school and she once told several people that the family she lived with once ordered pizzas and they didn't let her get one slice because she didn't clean a certain way that the foster mother wanted. Soon after this she was removed from this family and this family was looked into by CPS but abuse or neglect charges were never filed.

Steve and Terri are mean.

[anniebgood]

I left the comment:

I find punishing children by withholding food abhorrent.

Nothing else. Just that sentence. I know it won't get published but it says what so many here are saying.

Steve and Terri will reap what they sow.

[emesbe]

Yet another circumstance showing that they are obsessed with food, or the lack thereof, or how boring they can make it.

And I love Wheat Thins!

[forever ago]

Wheat Thins are delicious, especially with cream cheese, but they are not meant to be more than a snack, and it's cruel to leave a child outside while you eat at a restaurant. Taco Bell isn't a 'proper' meal either but it's still far better than freaking Wheat Thins!

aaarrrrggggggggghhhhhh.

I am very glad my parents never punished me or my sister by withholding food. that is abuse. You do not ever deny a child food for any reason.

[Jessica]

Why exactly do we need a picture of them paying and then praying for the food? If I saw someone just taking pictures of their sister or friend paying a cashier and then praying I'd think that person was a little screwy. I take pictures of weird things sometimes for my blog but not paying a freaking cashier!

I hate parents who use food as punishment. Taking away dessert is fine but not a whole meal. That's just asking for an eating disorder years down the road...

[tehfanglyfish]

I had a seriously fucked up childhood and that has, of course, led to some pretty messed up adult relationships with the family as well. But I will still gravel at my mother's feet and thank her for not being a Maxwell, or making me one.

I was thinking something very similar earlier today. We weren't Christian fundies (more like the New Age version instead), but yeah. It was bad, but it could have been so much worse.

[bbfreethinker]

Why exactly do we need a picture of them paying and then praying for the food? s

Because those are the most interesting things they do. They must be the most boring people on the planet.

[fundiefan]

Because those are the most interesting things they do. They must be the most boring people on the planet.

Exactly. Their lives are so controlled that there are no feelings, opinions, ideas or emotions. They don't ever actually DO anything to create a blog post about. They are quiet and create absurd blog posts because when they aren't on the road promoting themselves, they have nothing. Absolutely nothing. Their lives are encapsulated. No people, experiences, emotions, ideas or anything else. They have their bible study - controlled no matter where it happens, it has to happen. They have ZERO social life or ability to enjoy life - no concerts in the park, no local fairs, no movies, no entertaining fiction to enjoy or comment on; no time with others to share bonds or even create them. Sarah's 'secret' - at the age of 30 - is that she likes the burritos her family is commanded to make in bulk and eat every Sunday. Really? That is her secret? That is what she has to discuss, share and talk about? At 30 years of age, if you lack experience with life and people to have something to talk about on a blog- your life has to suck beyond suck. No stories. No funny interactions with friends. No movies or books to review. No long days at work made tolerable by a margarita and good Mexican food with friends. No whining or complaining because you are exhausted with work and obligations? No cute antidotes about your experiences and interactions with the waiter, the store cashier, the professor at school. What most of us see as mundane and not worth mentioning is entirely out of her realm of consciousness.

Their blog posts are ridiculous and boring and lack humanity because THEY are ridiculous, boring and lack humanity.

People do not have to offer themselves up to satan, free of charge, in order to take life as it is and enjoy it. Single women do not have to be sluts to have friends and opinions of their own. They don't need to touch a drop of alcohol in order to bond with people. Sex is not necessary for being independent and competent - and trustworthy.

Daddy Steve is so screwed up and has no trust in himself or respect for himself so he forces everyone in his life to suffer for his failings. His children will never know or even look at someone who isn't chosen by HIM because he doesn't respect himself enough to be able to accept anything that doesn't fit into his bubble. Everyone and everything is a threat, not to his kid's souls, but to his control of them and his view of himself.

[Guest Anonymous]

Because those are the most interesting things they do. They must be the most boring people on the planet.

Yep. Normal people going out to eat have pictures of everyone talking, laughing, and having a good time. But that is of the devil.

[tressea]

Is it me, or have the Maxwells been a bit defensive in their posts as of late? There's been a lot of "I love my life!" "I'm so glad that my parents raised me the way they did!" "I love my brothers and sisters! They are my best friends!" And then there was the reference to laughing in this most recent post and the seemingly fun and wacky outing to a fast food restaurant in memory of a fun and wacky time.... (Except, it's the Maxwells, so there seeming attempt at fun and spontaneity is still kind of sad and depressing).

I'm getting the sense that they're either (a) aware of virtually everyone on this board's increasing concerns about them and, in particular, the incredibly oppressive and bleak existence of their children, or (b) they're getting comments from other people on their blog along the lines of "Why are you oppressing your ADULT CHILDREN and insisting upon living such wholly joyless and self-righteous lives?"

It just seems like there's a lot of half-baked attempts to seem fun and joyful and, more importantly, fervent proclamations that they LOVE THEIR LIVES!!!! The sad thing is that it makes me feel even sadder. What do you think?