Sparkling Adventures in Child Neglect: Vive La France

[August]

So they went to a jail, just like Dad's at, heard about how lots of people were there for killing babies, like their Dad did, and about how the government killed the prisoners.

Yeah, so any guesses what at least one of those young children is worried about today?

[thoughtful]

Or possibly cancelled it when they saw that Lauren was intending to bring a toddler and a preschooler...

Good thinking -- that hadn't occurred to me.

Museums like that aren't uncommon in Australia - we have such a short post colonial history that much is made of our early settlement, and because we were a convict society many of our earliest substantial buildings were jails, courthouses, barracks and churches. Most Australian kids would visit places like that in primary school. They would visit as part of an extensive history unit exploring our convict past, colonial settlement and early contact with aboriginal communities though, which would put what they saw in context, and I would expect that teachers would be especially sensitive to those students with incarcerated parents.

I could see someone Aisha's age (isn't she almost 9?) going to a place like that, in that context, with the background information, and with a sane adult who knows how to educate.

I would be willing to bet that part of the sensitivity a teacher would show to a child with an incarcerated parent would be to make sure nobody compared this historical situation to their parent's current one. Not Lauren, though!

I wonder if Lauren praised them for their compassion, or put it all in context, or comforted them that they would never experience something like that, nor would their father, or any of the dozens of other things she should have said.

Somehow I imagine she just let them run wild, then blogged about how compassionate she is teaching them to be.

[lilith]

It's notable that Lauren, with her stated connection of authenticity to our indigenous peoples (Dreads!!111!!!1 Yhandi!!1!!) didn't mention the appalling over representation of aboriginal men in the past population of Dubbo Jail, the appalling conditions they were subjected to, the concerted efforts made to isolate them from their culture, or their continued over representation in contemporary correctional facilities, all topics I am positive would have been extensively covered in the museum.

[samithemage]

I wonder what this FB post is all about:

I'm interested to hear others' opinions about the norm of saying sorry. If we know we're in alignment, what do we apologise for? Thoughts?

Apparently in alignment means

By "in alignment", I mean being in complete trust that what is unfolding is good.

[lilith]

I wonder what this FB post is all about:

Apparently in alignment means

Maybe consider that your sense of "alignment" doesn't always coincide with someone else's?

Methinks that David is expecting her to feel remorseful for sleeping with Marcus and allowing him to join her family unit.

While I don't think it's wrong for her to have a new relationship I also don't think it's unreasonable for David to feel hurt and concerned, especially as she has previously been very clear that she intended to stand by him and support him - he would interpret that as staying faithful.

[Cheetah]

I wonder what this FB post is all about:

Apparently in alignment means

There's a subset of parents who don't think they should force children to say "I'm sorry" when it would otherwise be the thing to do... the idea is that forcing it negates the whole purpose. I'm guessing she's dipping a toe in this philosophy. I personally strongly disagree... mostly because most of the kids I've been around who weren't made to say sorry are obnoxious little things. LOL. But maybe that has to do more with generally overpermissive parenting going along with the theory...

[lilith]

There's a subset of parents who don't think they should force children to say "I'm sorry" when it would otherwise be the thing to do... the idea is that forcing it negates the whole purpose. I'm guessing she's dipping a toe in this philosophy. I personally strongly disagree... mostly because most of the kids I've been around who weren't made to say sorry are obnoxious little things. LOL. But maybe that has to do more with generally overpermissive parenting going along with the theory...

Well you don't (usually) just make kids parrot "I'm sorry", you ask them to see how their actions have hurt or impacted others and apologise for that, thus building empathy and understanding skills.

If Lauren's kids are walking into the homes and routines of other kids and disrupting them and Lauren is just shrugging and saying "Well your kids should be righteously aligned with the reality of my children" then she is going to run into issues.

[ILoveJellybeans]

What a terrible trip idea for children who have a father in jail for murdering their brother.

[Arete]

She did that without any type of educational context so the girls can come to their own conclusions and have their own private nightmares of what is happening to their father in prison. Punishing him by punishing them. A twofer.

She is a CUNT.

[August]

There's a subset of parents who don't think they should force children to say "I'm sorry" when it would otherwise be the thing to do... the idea is that forcing it negates the whole purpose. I'm guessing she's dipping a toe in this philosophy. I personally strongly disagree... mostly because most of the kids I've been around who weren't made to say sorry are obnoxious little things. LOL. But maybe that has to do more with generally overpermissive parenting going along with the theory...

My crowd don't force apologies, and the kids are generally nice, polite, parents manage behaviour very closely, etc. It really annoys me when I'm around someone who will do the forced apology thing. It's so stupid and counterproductive. And when their kids do something wrong they squawk "sorry" and think that gets them out of it. Yeah, like no, kid, there's no magic word that's going to get you out of trouble so easily.

[miffy]

When reading one sign that described how a nineteen-year-old was hanged, Aisha exclaimed, “But he’s just a kid!â€

Said no 10(?) yr old ever.

[lilith]

Said no 10(?) yr old ever.

Yeah, 9 year olds see 19 year olds as OLD and grown up, they don't identify with them as fellow children.

[DaffyDill]

I think that people from NZ can get NE(centerlink) money if they have been here long enough.

Just to go back to the access to benefits afforded New Zealanders while in Australia....

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/ ... 2uswa.html

Coincidentally, the NZ PM was here a short while ago asking Tony Abbott to increase Kiwis rights to qualify for additional social services while living in Australia.

Nearly 55,000 New Zealanders moved to Australia last year alone but, unlike Australians moving in the opposite direction, they do not get access to a variety of social services even though they have full work rights and pay full taxes.

Seems Tone replied with "Nah mate, not on your life." or words to that effect.

[ladyaudley]

she does mention "our personal experience with correctional facilities". so I assume she has taken the girls to see David or something similar? Or is she just using the Royal We here?

That bit about the wooden entrance was really interesting!

[Trudestar]

Lauren's answering questions on her Red Gypsy Lauren page.

Pretty much ask her anything you want...

yes! she has a some one who wishes to remain private.

yes! they've visited David

and others....

[alysee]

She does say she'd be open to living in a house again. Do I believe her? I am not sure I do.

[ladyaudley]

She has more than one special someone! And she says she "polyamourous in theory" erm.

[lilith]

The answers to that "ask about the elephant in the room" post contains the biggest pile of leghumping I have seen in a while. I wonder if she deleted less complimentary questions? I didn't comment cause my Facebook is in my real name and Lauren and I actually have mutual acquaintances and Facebook friends

[bionicmlle]

Anxious to hear more about her latest AMA.

Visiting this thread just because I caught up on her posts today and was HORRIFIED by her trip to the prison. I don't think there is any trouble in visiting the museum, really, but given that this is Sparkler, I'm assuming she blogged it authentically - meaning that she presented it to us the way she presented it to her children. Blunt, without context or compassion. My parents visited Alcatraz when I was about 11 and brought me back a book (this was in the 80's). It scared the HELL out of me!

[lilith]

Her latest response:

Lindis, because I'm travelling, I have no committed single relationship. Instead, I have good friends with whom I share intimacies when we are in the same space. Polyamory is a very complicated concept, but I believe it's a natural by-product of being open and loving in a very mindful way. That's about all I want to say about it right now.

[flubber]

Her latest response:

Lindis, because I'm travelling, I have no committed single relationship. Instead, I have good friends with whom I share intimacies when we are in the same space. Polyamory is a very complicated concept, but I believe it's a natural by-product of being open and loving in a very mindful way. That's about all I want to say about it right now.

Is that the sparkly way of calling yourself a SLUT?

I'm not meaning to sound harsh but FFS ...there are A LOT of single people out there who have short relationships, one night stands ...and don't need a freaking title for it. It's not complicated ... it having sex when you want, with whom you want.

[lilith]

Is that the sparkly way of calling yourself a SLUT?

I'm not meaning to sound harsh but FFS ...there are A LOT of single people out there who have short relationships, one night stands ...and don't need a freaking title for it. It's not complicated ... it having sex when you want, with whom you want.

Her conservative Christian readers heads must be exploding.

It doesn't sound like she and her sister Renee (the one who blogged from Hong Kong) are speaking. She mentioned briefly that Renee was on the Central Coast but they hadn't spoken - and Lauren drove through there just last week.

[Cheetah]

Anxious to hear more about her latest AMA.

Visiting this thread just because I caught up on her posts today and was HORRIFIED by her trip to the prison. I don't think there is any trouble in visiting the museum, really, but given that this is Sparkler, I'm assuming she blogged it authentically - meaning that she presented it to us the way she presented it to her children. Blunt, without context or compassion. My parents visited Alcatraz when I was about 11 and brought me back a book (this was in the 80's). It scared the HELL out of me!

I live in the Bay ARea and have taken my kids to Alcatraz and they weren't spooked or bothered by it (and for reference, said kids don't like haunted houses and don't want to go trick-or-treating this year because some neighbors' decorations were too spooky last year). BUT they don't have a father in prison...

[miffy]

It sounds as if David is 'tormented' but functional. His lawyers must be building a case.

She claims she drove 1000km in a day. Now that is dangerous! My best friend was close to death several times & now has some disabilities because she fell asleep while driving a couple of months ago. To me saying you drove 1000km in a day is like saying you got drunk & drove home.

She says its easier for unschooled kids to get into uni. On what planet exactly? The easiest way is to do what most Australian 18yr olds will be doing for the next 5 weeks, shut yourself away, develop a diet coke dependency & STUDY. Not only are the going to get better results, but they are practicing what they will be doing at the end of every semester for the next 3-4-5 years.

Sounds like she's still a Christian.

[singsingsing]

My family used to do 1000+ km roadtrips in a day when I was growing up, but it was never just one driver. My grandmother had an uncle who drove 1000 km to Montreal, turned down an offer to stay the night, turned around and drove the entire 1000 km back home. Nobody thought he was sane.