Sparkling Adventures in Child Neglect: Vive La France

[Trudestar]

So is she home or not? The silence is killing me ....

Alice has tagged her at the Mullum Circus Festival, so yes, (amazingly!) she's returned from her solo journey.

Still no word from her that I can see.

Not a mention of how happy she is to be back with her family, as any normal loving mother might post. Or a narcissistic nutjob trying to convince people what a great mother she is. :roll:

Not a peep.

Interestingly, Alice also tagged Marcus at the Circus. He's the one who travelled with Lauren and the girls to the Northern Territory.

[church_of_dog]

I predict that, in spite of Aisha's request to the contrary, Lauren's about to pull the plug on her blog again. Not sure why I think that, maybe because prior to this trip her writing (in posts and in replying to blog commenters) seemed more and more on the defensive to me. Hope I'm wrong...

[church_of_dog]

Some of you might be familiar with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, the humorist/author/blogger/knitter known as The Yarn Harlot. I read her blog, and reading her latest post just now I couldn't help but think of Lauren, and how Stephanie's approach makes so much more sense to me. And Steph is a pretty eco-groovy organic person herself, so it's not as if by actually parenting her kids she had to toe some "inauthentic" establishment line... Anyway, those following Lauren's story might enjoy reading Stephanie's words here:

yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2013/10/04/the_meanest_mother_in_the_world_.html

[Isis]

She needs to get a grip, she was probably the only dose of normality those girls could expect to see for a period of 2 weeks uninterrupted, she should have put that before her bikini wax. And tricked them into using a flushing toilet, eating real food and sleeping in beds. Instead its ALL ABOUT HER AGAIN! Why can't these flaky women put the welfare of children above their own needs for just a short period of time? WHY?!

Re: Alice - I'm a former foster parent and have had kids from backgrounds like Laurens girls. Until you do it, you can't imagine how hard it is to manage kids who have no routine in their life. Kids with no set bed times, not used to brushing their teeth. Used to just runnning wild every time you stop the vehicle and open the door. Kids with no sense of dangr from either natural elements or other people.

I'd guess that her oldest is somewhat "parentified". My experince was that sometimes the oldest of a sibling set could be the most difficult to manage. They have gotten ome sense of control over their life by becoming the "parent" for the younger siblings. And they don't want to give up any of this control - they don't respect the authority of the foster parent over them and they refuse to give up thei role of parenting the younger siblings.

I'm like alot of you - when I read Laurens posts, I daydream about swooping in and taking all the girls. My daughter has her bedtime snack, a nice warm bubble bath, brushing their hair and teeth, and then dressing them in nice clean pjs for storytime.

But her girls aren't the VonTrapp children in the Sound of Music (even though they both share missing and distant parents)

[Aurora rising]

She updated her Facebook-account

Catching up on my cuddles ... at Mullum Circus Fest.

Well, they both look not too happy in this picture. The sparkling one could have a jet-lag, but the little one looks really pissed.

[happy atheist]

She updated her Facebook-account

Well, they both look not too happy in this picture. The sparkling one could have a jet-lag, but the little one looks really pissed.

Does that child have any hair?

[ILoveJellybeans]

Self done haircut gone wrong? Although she isnt completely bald, I see a little bit by her ear-it might be just that we cant see the hair because its tied back under there?

[happy atheist]

I was thinking that maybe Alice was less sanguine about lice than our Lauren.

[tankgirl]

Besides everything, even the picture showsit's the Lauren show, she cut part of her kids face out of the picture (in an odd way) but Lauren isn't cropped.

[halfheartedheroine]

She updated her Facebook-account

Well, they both look not too happy in this picture. The sparkling one could have a jet-lag, but the little one looks really pissed.

That screams "Put down the phone for your selfie and snuggle with me, damn it!" to me... eesh. Poor kid.

[salsa]

It will be interesting to see if there's any form of reciprocating Alice's favor. Will Sparkly keep the children for 2 weeks while Alice goes on a 2-week trip?

[happy atheist]

It will be interesting to see if there's any form of reciprocating Alice's favor. Will Sparkly keep the children for 2 weeks while Alice goes on a 2-week trip?

She already watched Alice's kid in Bali so that Alice could spend the weekend banging some beautiful Frenchman with a girlfriend back home.

[formergothardite]

She already watched Alice's kid in Bali so that Alice could spend the weekend banging some beautiful Frenchman with a girlfriend back home.

I do not understand these sorts of people at all. I cannot imagine myself in their lives living the way they do.

[Trudestar]

That screams "Put down the phone for your selfie and snuggle with me, damn it!" to me... eesh. Poor kid.

^ ^ ^ I have to agree. There's nothing cuddly or loving about that pic at all.

[Cheetah]

^ ^ ^ I have to agree. There's nothing cuddly or loving about that pic at all.

I'm not sure why Lauren would post such an unattractive photo of herself. I've never thought of her as gorgeous but she looks... psychotic or something.. in this picture. Very weird.

[Sola]

Is that Aisha? She looks very resentful there.

[Flossie]

In that photo, Lauren has dead eyes, and the poor child just looks to me like she's suspious of the camera or protecting her mom.

All I can say is that despite the Authentic One's words, she doesn't seem like she's that thrilled to be back with her kids, they're a photo-op.

I've seen kids who have to take over the parental roll in their family. It doesn't turn out well.

[happy atheist]

Dead eyes is right.

[August]

I don't think I've seen a photo of Lauren where she doesn't look like that.

[lilith]

She usually has full makeup on though (cause she's SO authentic and not into appearances. BTW, did you know she has dreads?) She's obviously wearing base to cover her freckles but her usual eye makeup and more extensive face makeup isn't there, I think that's part of why she looks so noticeably washed out.

[lilith]

I'm not down on her for not wearing makeup though, I just wanted to clarify. It amazes me that she manages to put on a full face every day - no mother of toddlers I know does that unless she's working, and even then it's not usually as well applied as Lauren's. I didn't wear makeup at all except for events like weddings until my youngest started school and I rediscovered it.

[Full enough quiver]

That child does not look healthy. She looks pale, and tired. I just want to take her home, feed her a hot, balanced meal, give her a warm bath, and tuck her into a nice, cozy bed at a reasonable hour, so she can sleep off the circles under her eyes. I actually think Lauren is pretty. Maybe I'm biased because I'm a pale, freckled redhead.

[Aurora rising]

Even her followers noticed it:

You both look very sad - more like you're saying goodbye rather than welcome home. I hope you are all OK... not easy returning from a holiday!

[August]

She usually has full makeup on though (cause she's SO authentic and not into appearances. BTW, did you know she has dreads?) She's obviously wearing base to cover her freckles but her usual eye makeup and more extensive face makeup isn't there, I think that's part of why she looks so noticeably washed out.

Does she? Really? I take it all back. OhmygodIwishIcouldbelikeher!!!!

:dance:

[lilith]

Does she? Really? I take it all back. OhmygodIwishIcouldbelikeher!!!!

:dance:

Yes. Then you too could make deep connections with passing indigenous Australians in shopping centers and befriend heroin dealers while parking in large public housing estates. Without dreads you will forever be a mediocre middle class conformist. You must buy the complete non conformist uniform to achieve true authenticity