Sparkling Adventures in Child Neglect: Now with Rats!

[chaotic life]

I suspect Lauren will pay someone to maintain the child's dreds just like she does her own. You don't have to shave your head to remove dreds. You can pick them out. It's tedious and difficult, but it's possible, especially on fine, Caucasian hair. You have to soak the dreds in conditioner or even oil, then use toothpicks to slowly and methodically pick the dreds out one by one. I've known people to do it. I've told my sons if they ever want to get rid of their dreds, they will have to shave them off, because while I help them and teach them how to maintain the dreds (I put them IN their hair in the first place), picking out dreds is above and beyond the call of duty as their mother.

They way Lauren refuses to maintain and brush her children's hair, I would guess the backs of their heads are starting to dred already anyway.

[church_of_dog]

I suspect Lauren will pay someone to maintain the child's dreds just like she does her own. You don't have to shave your head to remove dreds. You can pick them out. It's tedious and difficult, but it's possible, especially on fine, Caucasian hair. You have to soak the dreds in conditioner or even oil, then use toothpicks to slowly and methodically pick the dreds out one by one. I've known people to do it. I've told my sons if they ever want to get rid of their dreds, they will have to shave them off, because while I help them and teach them how to maintain the dreds (I put them IN their hair in the first place), picking out dreds is above and beyond the call of duty as their mother.

They way Lauren refuses to maintain and brush her children's hair, I would guess the backs of their heads are starting to dred already anyway.

I have really frizzy hair -- with individual hairs that are full of kinks and twists and changes in thickness/texture. I would love to have dreads but I'm pretty sure that with my hair I could never pick them out, would just have to shave/cut them off, and my hair grows so slowly (and breaks as it grows) that it would take me the rest of my life to get longish hair again. As it is, my hair hasn't been cut since 1987, when it was a buzzcut about an inch long. It's taken all that time to get to mid-back length. I'd hate to have to start over! So I guess I'll pass on the dreads, as much as I think it would be cool to have them.

Years ago I put my hair in little braids, each about dread size. That worked almost as well -- about once a month I'd take them out, wash my hair and re-braid them. It worked for as long as I wanted, but there was no need to cut them off when I decided that was enough.

[ladyaudley]

Today's FB:

Europe beckons... Paris, perhaps? (Mais oui -- sans enfants!)

someone *really* doesn't want to be around for trials, hmmm?

I just hope it's David's mother she'll leave the girls with, not someone she picked up on the road.

[Blahblah]

Europe without the kids. Again, where does she get the money for this? Not just airfares, but accomodation, food etc. She takes grifting to new heights every single time.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I hope the kids will be staying with someone who will look after them and give them a real home and stability.

[Stephanie66]

Europe without the kids. Again, where does she get the money for this? Not just airfares, but accomodation, food etc. She takes grifting to new heights every single time.

I wonder how many hard-working Australians have never been to Europe?

[August]

What the fucking fuck?

[happy atheist]

Is she actually going, or is she just daydreaming?

[MajorMajor]

Did anyone catch the latest Facebook post about her nursing a precious baby boy again? Wha? Is that a metaphor?

[Arete]

Much as it makes my jaw grind when I think of how good she must be on the grift to start contemplating a European vacation, if it means the girls get to have the stability of David's mother or her father and his partner for a while, I'll force myself to unclench.

[dora]

Down here nursing means holding a baby on your knee, not necessarily breastfeeding.

[Trudestar]

That pic with the baby was taken in Mullumbimby in Northern NSW.

They have totally bypassed their shed/house. They practically drove right past it.

After being away for so long, wouldn't you think they'd be keen to see "home", or at least call in there to check on things?

Is that totally weird or what????

She is one strange bird. Again, :wtf:

[ladyaudley]

she also just joined the group "we want a polyamorous relationship status" on fb.

[August]

That pic with the baby was taken in Mullumbimby in Northern NSW.

They have totally bypassed their shed/house. They practically drove right past it.

After being away for so long, wouldn't you think they'd be keen to see "home", or at least call in there to check on things?

Is that totally weird or what????

She is one strange bird. Again, :wtf:

Not so strange, they were there when David killed Elijah. Avoiding that place is what I would do, too.

[Phoebe]

she also just joined the group "we want a polyamorous relationship status" on fb.

*sigh* Of course. Not nearly enough flighty nutters in poly communities as it is.

[Trudestar]

Yeah, I get that to a certain extent. But they'd still have a heap of their stuff there, and they still own it.

They're always after somewhere to park, do repairs etc and they drive straight past their own shed full of tools, toys etc.

I'd want to at least check on the place.

I might be inclined to avoid the bridge where it happened, but then again, maybe not.

But that's just me. I'm not one of those people who avoid places or things where sad/traumatic/ lifechanging things have happened.

I do understand how some people do though.

Especially when they're avoiding dealing with their grief.....oh, I mean neutral life event. :cray-cray:

[church_of_dog]

I finished reading the blog archives today, and when I got to the recent months, that I had already read when I first heard of her, I got confused -- has she removed a whole bunch of posts? Didn't there used to be lots of posts from Bali, that are now gone? And some other posts from visits prior to the Thermomix post?

I started out fairly supportive of Lauren aside from the religious stuff (which is what is officially available for snarking, per the point of this forum) but now I've started to see the crazy.

My definition of the crazy might be different from you-all's version, and I would not snark on her for lots of things that I see her being criticized for on here. But overall I have to concede there is a good reason for concern -- aimed, from me, at her version of unschooling as well as the "free-range" safety issues for the kids, and at her own lack of dealing with direct psychological issues related to home and stability as well as grieving.

In particular I started to notice that, as people express concerns on the blog, Lauren gets more and more defensive and covert in her replies and interactions, and even the tone of her posts seems more defensive to me, either nonresponsive (ie focusing on museum and festival visits) or directly defensive (ie "why we go barefoot"). I started out cutting her a lot of slack seeing as Oz has its own culture (as certainly West Africa does as well, and she manifests a blend of both), but when friendly-but-concerned folks start showing up in her blog comments with regularity, I know it's not making sense to lots of folks, not just me.

I feel for her, and I think there are ways to do what she wants to do, what she thinks she's doing, but in a less-risky way and in a way that deals with the psychological issues she and the girls need to process healthfully. Very sad...

[MajorMajor]

Down here nursing means holding a baby on your knee, not necessarily breastfeeding.

Ah I see. That makes more sense. Still sad but less creepy baby stealer vibe. Thanks for the clarification.

[Trudestar]

So Lauren and the girls are going to an un schooling gathering at a place in Northern NSW called Hosanna Farmstay from 13 - 20 Sept. Sounds nice.

Until I read a post on Hosanna Farmstays fb page by Lauren

Red Gypsy Lauren

"Hello friends! I'm wondering if there is anyone who may be able to join Alice Wenzel in being present with my children from 18 September to 2 October. I'm going away from my four (independent) daughters for that time, and I'd love to leave them (in our housebus) within a family community who can provide conscious support when they need it."

Follow Post · July 23 at 7:09pm

Red Gypsy Lauren

"The bus can be wherever, it will need an adult to drive it, however. (It's a small wheelbase Coaster, so not a big bus, drivable on a car licence.)"

July 23 at 7:50pm

Sooooo, she's off somewhere, and looking for random strangers to look after her kids? A new low?

Alice (mentioned in the post) seems nice, and has a little boy. But.... on her fb page she's asking if anyone has a property where 2 -4 families can park their buses for the holidays until 4th October.

I get the whole peace/love thing, and being loving, trusting people. But NOT EVERYONE IS TRUSTWORTHY! Don't they get that?

Alice may be nice, but what about whoever else volunteers to look after Lauren's kids?

What about whoevers property they end up on?

This is so wrong on so many levels. LAUREN, it is up to YOU to ensure your children are safe, you stupid, stupid woman! :angry-banghead:

[thoughtful]

Red Gypsy Lauren

"Hello friends! I'm wondering if there is anyone who may be able to join Alice Wenzel in being present with my children from 18 September to 2 October. I'm going away from my four (independent) daughters for that time, and I'd love to leave them (in our housebus) within a family community who can provide conscious support when they need it."

Follow Post · July 23 at 7:09pm

:shock:

I know, I know -- I shouldn't be shocked; it's Lauren.

But FFS!

[Cheetah]

:shock:

I know, I know -- I shouldn't be shocked; it's Lauren.

But FFS!

okay, who on FJ lives in Queensland and can call this in to whatever you call CPS (child protective services)? Like she can't just dump the kids with Grandma or Grandpa for 2 weeks???? Ugh!!!

[haras1972]

I wonder how successful I'd be if I did a poll of child psychologists, asking if I am the primary parent, and my children have lost their other parent recently to jail/suicide/abandonment/death, is it advisable that I just go away for a while and leave them with strangers, or should I be more mindful of their need of security, permanency, predictability, continuity and not worsen any fears they have of further abandonment, self blame, etc?

Hmmm...

[lilith]

I love how she's not asking for care, just a presence.

She's expecting those girls to be self sufficient in the bus on a stranger's property while she swans off to France.

The mind boggles......

[Trudestar]

:shock:

I know, I know -- I shouldn't be shocked; it's Lauren.

But FFS!

Those girls are aged 8,7,5 & 3 (nearly 4). Independent? Independent enough to not need an adult to look after them?

NO FUCKING WAY!

Maybe to toilet, make a sandwich and general stuff like that. But what of an emergency? What of an adult ABUSING them?

Sooooooo many things could happen. This has freaked me out more than anything Lauren has done before.

Had she totally lost her mind?????

Where is her family???

In what universe is it ok to hand over your kids and keys to random people and go off for 2 weeks? She doesn't even know where the bus will be parked! I just don't know what to think. If she's planned a holiday, well that's one thing. But if you have kids, part of that holiday planning is to organise an appropriate place for your kids.

She could have taken them HOME, ( about 2 or 3 hours away) and organised family to stay with them. Too inauthentic for this crazy bitch. I wanna strangle her. :angry-banghead:

AAAAAAAAAAARGH! :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead:

[Ariel]

What is the hell she doing for 2 weeks anyway?