Where's Sparkling Lauren?

[Jinderella]

I am worried about the girls avoiding the schoolchildren. It's a sign they are becoming self conscious. In the past they may have had difficult questions from other children, may be teased about their clothes (smell?). I can understand why they would choose not to play with other children and seek each others company, but I think it's a very bad development.

If they become scared for the ordinary people, their isolation will grow lager not only IRL, but also in their heads.

[Peas n carrots]

Any news on what is happening with David? Did Lauren get a divorce?

[Grimalkin]

I am worried about the girls avoiding the schoolchildren. It's a sign they are becoming self conscious. In the past they may have had difficult questions from other children, may be teased about their clothes (smell?). I can understand why they would choose not to play with other children and seek each others company, but I think it's a very bad development.

If they become scared for the ordinary people, their isolation will grow lager not only IRL, but also in their heads.

I am thinking along the same lines. They are so isolated that spending time with peers is uncomfortable. I have to wonder what Lauren is telling her ship den about all those herded kids?!?

[nelliebelle1197]

Any news on what is happening with David? Did Lauren get a divorce?

I don't think she has mentioned him in nearly a year. I'd actually like to know what is going on with him. He is bound to get a mental illness diagnosis- the crazy extremes of religion and lifestyle were outward signs before the murder. I am really surprised no family member has tried to take those kids away. Lauren's not exactly okay herself.

[adidas]

As far as I can tell the case just keeps being adjourned because David is unable to appear in court. He is being held in a high security mental health facility and they don't keep you in those places without some very strong evidence. This is the last thing I can find in the media, it's from about a year ago.

http://m.brisbanetimes.com.au/queenslan ... 2nnic.html

[Vex]

Goddamnit. Those rats are only one year old babies and they came from a breeder who carefully screens for health problems. I don't know WHAT she did for one of those poor sweet babies to die but I KNEW those poor ratties didn't stand a chance.

RIP little rat.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I knew the rats couldn't stand a chance. Im surprised that her children have lasted this long.

[Cheetah]

Where did you see that the rat died?

[flubber]

Looks like she's down the road from me, in a resort...which would be FULL of school kids in the holidays. Strange choice of venue for the sparkling one.

[Vex]

Looks like she's down the road from me, in a resort...which would be FULL of school kids in the holidays. Strange choice of venue for the sparkling one.

Happy Atheist posted it. I'm assuming that there are no longer four rats being pictured or mentioned.

I got my rat not long after Lauren got hers. Mine is about a month younger than her four. There is no way a rat should die so young if it's healthy and well cared for.

[happy atheist]

There was a post with a picture of the rat's grave marker a few months ago, maybe longer.

[bionicmlle]

Happy Atheist posted it. I'm assuming that there are no longer four rats being pictured or mentioned.

I got my rat not long after Lauren got hers. Mine is about a month younger than her four. There is no way a rat should die so young if it's healthy and well cared for.

Vex -- How long is the average life span of these kinds of rats?

Her children don't seem old enough to be responsible for caring for animals, period (especially at the time the rats were obtained) and Lauren has enough on her plate, anyway - this seemed like a bad idea from the start. I do know that rats are wonderful pets, however!

[Miggy]

We breed & show rats. They get perfect care: best diet we can give them, beautiful cages, air conditioned shed, etc. Two - three years is normal life span. They are VERY susceptible to heat stroke and cancer. We have to be careful if it goes over 20 degrees, hence the air con in their shed. We don't go to shows in summer because of the hot drive. Driving around in the coaster in our heat - not so good, Lauren!

[August]

I think Aisha and Brioni and Calista and Lana are all adorable children and really do seem pretty darn delightful and sweet and really deserve so much more. Who knows what kind of education they're getting, but they seem pretty inherently clever/problem solvers, and it just isn't being nourished. Aisha mentions in her birthday interview (9) that her favorite book is A Little Princess. I remember reading that as a child, but not at what age. Is it her age level?

A Lttle Princess is easily read by a nine year old. Probably not all, but a large percentage. (book level 6, she's grade 4). It's also one of those books which is commonly abridged, so there are pretty much versions for every grade level.

More to the point is the heartbreaking implications of her identifying with that particular story. Poor little girl.

[happy atheist]

3 new posts up:

1. swimming in hot springs again, and of course the old people didn't mind her kids

2. it's awesome to spend time at the possibly illegal coal mine protests!

3. this whole "commune" thing can be tricky, because people don't always want the same thing, and there are more kids than adults

I don't know anything about the coal mine protests she's talking about, so I don't know if it's a worthwhile cause, or if she's being ridiculous. But I do know that I wouldn't be dragging my kids into the middle of it, if it were me.

[chaotic life]

Fantastic, she hasn't figured out how to engage in illegal protests *yet*. So will she be leaving her daughters in the care of their family when she figures it out, or will she just assume a base camp of protesters will protect and parent four vulnerable little girls until she can get back, once she figures out how to join the protesters and one up everyone with how committed she is to risk it all as the only guardian of four minor children.

[tankgirl]

No way on the protests, she doesn't have it in her to be arrest for a cause. I think either it doesn't sound sparkling enough to her, or she has a clue getting arrested, might be the final straw that gets her kids taken from her. And while I don't think its for love, I think she needs those girls on many levels, from the money, the attention, and the doors they open. No, she will take a good talk, but maybe working at the kitchen is as far as she is getting into protesting, besides a nice talk about it on her blog.

I also find it funny the whole commune post. To mean it read like she didn't like to be forced to do work, or interact with people, when she didn't want to more then anything. I suspect she is not typically used to getting up and doing things for others, and I do not like she would ever like that kind of living. She seems to much prefer to be taken care of or at least only taking care of her needs, not those of others around her, I mean if her kids are any judge of that.

[Cerdwin]

Clearly she does pretty much nothing when she's alone with the girls. I have a good friend with 4 kids similar ages to my three children. Both our husbands travel for work, and we have each spent a lot of time sole parenting. Getting together, 7 kids and 2 adults, seemed to halve our individual workloads. We always felt like we'd taken a day off when the kids played together and we shared food prep and cleaning between us.

I doubt Lauren is cut out for communal living. It would take a lot of consideration of others' feelings. She didn't even seem to manage that in a marriage, let alone with a whole bunch of other adults. They would not take well to her splitting in the night to spend their savings on something she has decided they need.

[RandomTrivia]

She put a link on her Facebook, it's a blog post by someone she met along the way. No real mention of the kids, other than that they exist. He calls Lauren a "can-do sort of woman" and the word "unfazed" is used.

pacific-edge.info/2014/07/red-gypsy-lauren-life-on-the-road/

[Miggy]

Just saw a twitter from Lauren saying she's bought tickets to go to China. She seems to be looking for someone to stay with. Unclear whether she will be taking the girls with her.

[ladyaudley]

I agree the commune living one was very much "shit, living with other people means compromise. Not sure i'll do that again". I also found the one about the dad and daughter they stayed with for two months (!!) in Melbourne telling. A. School time was the girls' favourite time. Lauren, LISTEN TO THAT! B. her daughters learned to be " meaningfully aware of days of the week and times". Are you telling me your nine year old couldn't read a clock? Also "There were challenges with the constant anti-lice treatments and occasional clashes among the five girls, but mostly our lives meshed effortlessly." :ew:

[ViolaSebastian]

Just saw a twitter from Lauren saying she's bought tickets to go to China. She seems to be looking for someone to stay with. Unclear whether she will be taking the girls with her.

Ohh man. Good luck with that, Lauren. :?

[Grimalkin]

On her blog Lauren has a picture with her red gloved hand on her elderly Aunts chest....... Looks like she is trying to kill her.

[happy atheist]

On her blog Lauren has a picture with her red gloved hand on her elderly Aunts chest....... Looks like she is trying to kill her.

It is a creepy picture, and with it is the announcement that her aunt died. :?

[snarkelle]

I also found the one about the dad and daughter they stayed with for two months (!!) in Melbourne telling. A. School time was the girls' favourite time. Lauren, LISTEN TO THAT!

God, that post is so sad ,along with the one about Blackbutt reserve where the girls are intimidated by the 'uniformed' 'herded' schoolkids [Lauren - look at what your children wear. Wooly hats, colourful leggings, bare feet. It may be the uniform of special rainbow children, but it's still a bloody uniform (just like your dreads are a uniform)].

In this Melbourne house the girls kept track of time (for a change) because they were counting down the hours till the friend returned from school. They loved playing school with the friend.

This speaks to me of desperate boredom, and a longing for the outside world that their mother keeps them from.

Her form of 'unschooling' is so wrong. I am not a fan of unschooling or homeschooling, but I understand it can work in some circumstances. From what I can gather, legitimate unschooling needs to take place in a secure, stable environment, with real learning, and for older children (like her eldest), the capability to independently make social contact OTHER THAN with siblings and transient peers. What she's doing is keeping them isloated from other children and mainstream institutions, just like a good cult leader.

Unschooling is not just moving from desultory, empty playground to desultory, empty playground with occasional periods in a house where they can play extended games.

She is neglecting their fundamental human need to connect and belong and learn about other people and function independently. They're showing her that she's neglecting this need, and she carries on regardless. I feel so sad for them.