Teri Maxwell gets passive aggressive about the ABC girls

[anjulibai]

Teri has a new post up about the "interesting phenomenon" of the ABC girls enjoying spending time with Sarah, Anna and Mary. They have more energy and, you know, actually engage in relatively unstructured play.

 

So, to make her granddaughters keep their focus on Teri, Teri has reading time scheduled in once a week. You can tell the girls love it by the fake smiles on their faces. Abby in particular is really not having any fun.

 

The post is dripping with PA language. It obviously pisses Teri off that the ABCs prefer their aunts to her.

 

Given how the mom in the Moody books act, no kid would want to play with Teri - and she gets that! But she won't do anything to change it.

[kpmom]

Those are some of the fakest smiles I've ever seen, even in Maxhell, and that's saying a lot!

[usmcmom]

I just finished reading the post. I agree; it was odd on so many levels. For instance, when she referenced "the granddaughters," I was expecting to see photos of ALL of her granddaughters. She should have said "Nathan's girls" to be more clear. Do she and Steve forget about Ruthie and Lydia? It sure seems as if they do.

Also, it does read as though she is jealous of the time her daughters spend with their nieces. This would be easily remedied if the adult daughters had normal lives with jobs, social outings with peers, classes outside the home. If Teri and Steve are going to keep them home forever, of course they are going to be available to the nieces and nephews for fun and games.

[formergothardite]

Why doesn't she get up and do stuff with the grandchildren? Terrie is hiking up mountains, surely she has the energy to let the girls pick what they want to play and then play with them? She is coming off as lazy and selfish. The girls have to do what she wants to do or she gets mad.

[salex]

Yes, I wonder how much fun the older girl is having listening to Terri read books that are probably geared to the younger girls, especially when we heard she can not onlly read, but read well. Per Sara, on Game Night at the Rest Home,

We had Bible time, and it was so sweet watching the ladies listen to Abby take a turn and read verses. She reads the Bible with ease at only 7!

OH, on rereading, the pictures are faked, as she really spends 20 minutes with each girl reading age appropriate books with/ to each. So the pictures are just marketing.

[SPHASH]

Even Tina who has the cutest smile looks pissed.

[socalrules]

My guess is that Teri isn't the type if grandma many of us had or wanted. Not the type that just treats you like you are gold, spoils you and is so proud of your artwork, grades, etc. I don't think Terri would be baking cookies for a bake sale. I think the girls prefer their aunts because the aunts let them be kids and play with them on their level. Teri likely wants them to be mini adults, no telling, running or general childlike behavior. She wants them on her terms. Terri already had a hard time raising her own Children because of her depression, she may just not be comfortable around children now because she did not seem to be closely involved with hers much of the time.

[princessmahina]

That is the saddest, most awkward post I think I've ever seen on Tits2. And that's saying a lot.

[SPHASH]

Does Teri ever read to her grandsons Drew and Josh? Josh is the same age as Tina.

[Eternalbluepearl]

Does Teri ever read to her grandsons Drew and Josh? Josh is the same age as Tina.

No. They likely have a special 1 hour set aside of Grandpa Time.

[SPHASH]

No. They likely have a special 1 hour set aside of Grandpa Time.

Teri does have playtime with Josh. She had a post about it.

[mango_fandango]

Poor, poor ABCs. That first picture says it all- Teri smiling whilst Abby and Bethany are looking bored as fuck.

[klynn]

I just wasted more time that I care to admit reading that blog...omg. Is there anything they talk about other than Jesus and doing things as a family? I would have long ago gone insane, had I grown up in that family. I feel so bad for all the children that are being brought into that hell on earth.

[nellautumngirl]

Teri seems like such a passive-aggressive bitch, I wouldn't want to spend time with her either.

[salex]

I just wasted more time that I care to admit reading that blog...omg. Is there anything they talk about other than Jesus and doing things as a family? I would have long ago gone insane, had I grown up in that family. I feel so bad for all the children that are being brought into that hell on earth.

I think most of the daily blogs we snark on are so redundant that they are nearly unreadable. I think the Maxwells ever dwindling list of things they do (or acknowledge they do) makes this ever more obvious... The Steve Maxwell Family of unmarried daughters and fewer and fewer sons don't have current homeschooling to talk about, so they talk about back in the day. They won't talk about wedding planning, in case the courtship falls though, they have fewer and fewer conferences, so fewer of those to talk about.

So, it is back to the cleaning, packing, zoo trip, colorado hike, yard clean up, exercise, and look we have grandkids and used to homeschool, cleaning, packing, zoo trip, colorado, wash, rinse repeat.

[nausicaa]

What a friggin' weird post. And yeah, it's not an "interesting phenomenon" that the girls actually like to play with adults who, you know, actually play with them and like children.

My mom loves kids and is really good with them, but she understands that my nephews get excited to see me because I'm younger and therefore can do more physical and wild stuff with them. She is just happy that they're happy. And she is secure in her role as their grandma and knows there are things she can offer that I can't. The whole "fun aunt/uncle" thing is almost a trope. Why would Teri describe it as "an interesting phenomenon"?

It's sad that Teri can't be happy for her children and grandchildren and their relationship. And I agree with previous posters who've stated that Teri just doesn't like children. I also think she is just awkward as crap around them, despite having eight. I've actually seen this with other parents, who normally became parents because they "had to."

[Eternalbluepearl]

If Teri loves her grandkids so much, why just the one hour? 20 minutes each, scheduled. Seems so cold. What is she afraid will happen if they had unscheduled time together? So much of my time with my grandparents was completely unscheduled. Just hanging out, having talks, living in the moment.

[mango_fandango]

If Teri loves her grandkids so much, why just the one hour? 20 minutes each, scheduled. Seems so cold. What is she afraid will happen if they had unscheduled time together? So much of my time with my grandparents was completely unscheduled. Just hanging out, having talks, living in the moment.

Idle hands are the Devil's playthings doncha know!

[Taters]

Those girls are soooo cute (looked at some wedding pics)

[sparkles]

If Teri loves her grandkids so much, why just the one hour? 20 minutes each, scheduled. Seems so cold. What is she afraid will happen if they had unscheduled time together? So much of my time with my grandparents was completely unscheduled. Just hanging out, having talks, living in the moment.

Just hang out? The Maxwells?!?

[Justme]

Judging by the size of her book bag, the girls have probably heard each book 100 times. I can't imagine what chapter books are acceptable. Probably just the Moody's and the bible.

It could be a special time, reading a chapter or two from a children's classic. But we know none are acceptable.

[defraudingjezebel]

What a friggin' weird post. And yeah, it's not an "interesting phenomenon" that the girls actually like to play with adults who, you know, actually play with them and like children.

My mom loves kids and is really good with them, but she understands that my nephews get excited to see me because I'm younger and therefore can do more physical and wild stuff with them. She is just happy that they're happy. And she is secure in her role as their grandma and knows there are things she can offer that I can't. The whole "fun aunt/uncle" thing is almost a trope. Why would Teri describe it as "an interesting phenomenon"?

It's sad that Teri can't be happy for her children and grandchildren and their relationship. And I agree with previous posters who've stated that Teri just doesn't like children. I also think she is just awkward as crap around them, despite having eight. I've actually seen this with other parents, who normally became parents because they "had to."

I get the sense that the Maxwells expect children to revere adults above everyone. They also seem to have a deep disdain for playfulness, childishness, etc. I can see why it'd bother Teri that her grandkids want to exclusively play with the younger aunts because it doesn't mesh with her mindset that older, wiser adults are to be revered, and that children should be willing to interact with adults just as much if not more than with other children/young people. I haven't read their Making Great Conversationalists book cover-to-cover but it seems to emphasize making kids interact with adults in an adult-like manner.

[skrmom]

Reading time with grandmother is from 1:40-2:00.

[VodouDoll]

Poor, poor ABCs. That first picture says it all- Teri smiling whilst Abby and Bethany are looking bored as fuck.

Bethany always looks bored as fuck. I love photos of her so much. It's hilarious how over it she is.

I just wasted more time that I care to admit reading that blog...omg. Is there anything they talk about other than Jesus and doing things as a family? I would have long ago gone insane, had I grown up in that family. I feel so bad for all the children that are being brought into that hell on earth.

They post about death a lot too, but other than that, nope! Welcome to the Maxwells!

Mark me down as another reader who found it strange that she wrote about the ABCs as "my granddaughters" as though they're the only ones. Kind of weird. I wonder if Christopher and NR Anna have asked them to keep their kids off the blog. Honestly, that's what I would do in their shoes, especially if I knew everything my parents post is picked over by a snark forum.

It's also so rigid and strange that she has a strict 20 minutes per child time limit. What if they're really into the story and want to keep going? What if they're not in a listening mood that day and would rather do puzzles or color with grandma than read? Not an option, it's not on the schedule.

[Handmaiden of Dog]

I was curious to see what book Teri was reading. The Pen that Pa Built

In this warm display of old-fashioned know-how and family spirit, a blanket is made from scratch--from the shearing to the carding, spinning, dyeing, and weaving. And it all starts in the pen that Pa built.

Told through Ashley Wolff's vibrant artwork, this illustrated history of 1830s North America celebrates the lost art of creating a cherished, homemade object. Author's note provides further historical and natural science information.

One of the reviewers says her 2 year old loves it because of the simple rhyme scheme. She also mentions that the pictures are lush and very detailed. So over all not a bad book for reading aloud but depending on how often she has read it, it might be a bit babyish for a 7 year old. It was actually a better children's book than I expected from the Maxwells and it seems to fit in with their Christian work ethic as it is all about working on a farm. What do you want to bet that the children in the book are hard working and well mannered.

I wonder when the "no reading of books other than the Bible" Rule kicks in?