Erika Shupe *fake smile* Large Families on Purpose Part 2

[defraudingjezebel]

Erika strikes back at us naysayers again with today's photo of her kids working studiously on homeschooling packets/workbooks. I can't tell if its Brandon in the picture or not, but if it is.... could you be any more transparent, Erika?

[princessmahina]

I can't believe how dark it is outside the window. I'm so glad I'm not a Shupe. Those early hours would destroy me. For their sake, I hope all of them are super early morning people like she is.

[mango_fandango]

I think it is Brandon, along with Anna Marie. Anna Marie appears to be wearing that T-shirt Melanie used to wear, the pink one with the caption "My Heart Belongs to my Creator and my Savior" (or whatever it says). "Heart" isn't a word, rather a picture. 

ETA: princessmahina I'm not a morning person either. I can get up early if I have to. In my second year of university I had a 9am class on a Monday morning. I'd frequently go to bed at 2am, get up at 8, go to my class, come home and then go back to sleep for a few hours! I know 9am isn't that bad, but it is to a student

[pnwgypsy]

I can't believe how dark it is outside the window. I'm so glad I'm not a Shupe. Those early hours would destroy me. For their sake, I hope all of them are super early morning people like she is.

Yeah, I'm trying to gear myself up for the sun to start setting before I leave for work. Luckily its not quite so dark walking my dog before work. At least Erika doesn't keep the windows shut all day! Wouldn't want the mail carrier stealing the kids' hearts.

[princessmahina]

I think it is Brandon, along with Anna Marie. Anna Marie appears to be wearing that T-shirt Melanie used to wear, the pink one with the caption "My Heart Belongs to my Creator and my Savior" (or whatever it says). "Heart" isn't a word, rather a picture. 

ETA: princessmahina I'm not a morning person either. I can get up early if I have to. In my second year of university I had a 9am class on a Monday morning. I'd frequently go to bed at 2am, get up at 8, go to my class, come home and then go back to sleep for a few hours! I know 9am isn't that bad, but it is to a student

My last semester as an undergrad, I had to be at school (or my internship) at 8 am everyday, which meant I had to get up at 6:30-- long commutes are the worst. I put in 15 hour days semester lol. Ugh. Early mornings are the worst. 

 

[Rowan]

Ah, ye of such little faith, Erika  (in your children) that you fear that their hearts will so easily be "stolen" by every ballet instructor, baseball coach, teacher.   Sometimes these are the very adults who SAVE children from their circumstances.   Hmmmm... anyway, this was sort of sad, below.   

"In our area, there is a very well developed youth symphony that would be a tremendous opportunity for our children who play instruments to participate in. Unfortunately as with so many activities like this, the time commitment is enormous and must be considered critically and prayerfully.  We are currently not participating simply because we have so many little ones that I would need to be managing there on location; and we do not feel that our older ones are ready to be dropped off all day without us.  So that opportunity is on hold until our family is a little older."   

 

I can't get past this. I was in a fantastic youth orchestra eighth grade through graduation. The group had kids from two different states and has now twice performed in New York, including once at Carnegie Hall! That experience was invaluable in so many ways, and I'm still in touch with many of the people I met there, even though I didn't go into music as a profession. There was even one girl that was homeschooled (unusual in our area), whose parents wanted to be sure she had some of the "normal" experiences of kids who went to public school!

So I'm calling BS on the "time commitment" thing - yes, it requires dedication from the kids, including regular and frequent practicing and private lessons with a *qualified* teacher, not just mommy listening in, but it does not take "all day!" Maybe a few times a year when there is a dress rehearsal before the concert, but seriously. It's not like they do anything else all day, their schedules are full of busywork. Or is it that concerts are usually on Sundays that is the issue? I think it's a "Erika can't bother" so rather than doing something beneficial for her kids (if they are even at a high enough playing level to be accepted), it's all about her and her desire for a regimented and controlled household and family. 

[Eternalbluepearl]

OK. I can't take it. Erika posted a pic on Facebook of two of her kids reading in her bedroom and replied to someone that "Nice quiet early mornings without all the siblings up OUR unique." I want SO badly to write: It's "ARE" unique. "Our" means ownership. These spelling and grammar mistakes aren't once or twice, they are constant. It's concerning given that you are your children's teacher and that you were once an elementary school teacher.

Someone please say this! I don't want to use my real name. 

[Koala]

Wait- did Erika say that her older kids weren't ready to be dropped off for a day without her, or was that someone else?  Isn't Karen 17??

[Eternalbluepearl]

Wait- did Erika say that her older kids weren't ready to be dropped off for a day without her, or was that someone else?  Isn't Karen 17??

It was Erika. I think the kids were a little younger when she wrote it. I think she can't juggle all those little kids and then bringing the older ones places. They must do everything as a group. 

[defraudingjezebel]

It was Erika. I think the kids were a little younger when she wrote it. I think she can't juggle all those little kids and then bringing the older ones places. They must do everything as a group. 

Which is funny/sad because they often harp about how having so many kids isn't a hindrance on life... yet they admit that it is. A family with 9 kids doesn't have time to take all of the kids to different activities when there's only one mom. Though a family of only 3/4 kids makes that a little more feasible. Still, I know that's not Erika's only objection to extracurriculars. I think she has bought a little bit of the Maxwellian line of thinking that you shouldn't let your kid be around outside influences. Remember the in-laws saga?

[princessmahina]

I find it interesting she says "when our family is a little older." This sounds to me like the youngest kids may get to do things, while the older ones were stuck at home. I can't imagine that will encourage kind feelings from the olders to the youngers.

 

Then again, this is Erika, so once the youngest are of age, she'll be saying things like, "we're ready to slow down in this season of life!" and extracurriculars will still be off the table.

[Eternalbluepearl]

Then again, this is Erika, so once the youngest are of age, she'll be saying things like, "we're ready to slow down in this season of life!" and extracurriculars will still be off the table.

Oh my gosh, Slow down! I can picture this happening as well. Slow down from what? Even the weekends have a schedule and guess what? Besides church, It all takes place at home!

[apandaaries]

Oh my gosh, Slow down! I can picture this happening as well. Slow down from what? Even the weekends have a schedule and guess what? Besides church, It all takes place at home!

I bet this is exactly what will happen.  Even if she wrote that a few years ago, a 13 or 14 year old could spend the day with other kids in a supervised setting where they are focused on music.  I was younger than that when my mom used to sign me up for week-long youth classes at the local community college in the summers (I guess the colleges made some money off it,and we got exposed to completely different classrooms and teaching styles. All supervised, with I think I was 11 the first year I went -- not even an accountability sibling with me).  

So these girls are old enough to earn jellybeans by watching their siblings at home, but not old enough to participate in a truly amazing music program for people their age.  Excellent reasoning once again, Erika.

[FunFunFundie]

So these girls are old enough to earn jellybeans by watching their siblings at home, but not old enough to participate in a truly amazing music program for people their age.  Excellent reasoning once again, Erika.

Erika has recommended "Keeping Our Children's Hearts," which says that children are never old enough to be left alone in the care of other adults, until marriage basically.  That other adults will "pull the child's heart away from the family" and that leads to, quite literally, prostitution and alcoholism.  

If she truly believes that bullshit, it's not about them not being responsible enough - it's about them not being able to be trusted around heathens.

[iweartanktops]

@Eternalbluepearl a friend of mine, um, couldn't control herself and may have corrected Erika.  here comes a fundie fight on Facebook! *goes and hides* *CHUCKLEFUCK *

[Eternalbluepearl]

@iweartanktops6  Thank you so much! It's perfect. 

[closetcagebaby]

@Eternalbluepearl a friend of mine, um, couldn't control herself and may have corrected Erika.  here comes a fundie fight on Facebook! *goes and hides* *CHUCKLEFUCK *

I may have just cackled....

[iweartanktops]

Erika responded:

 Sorry, we use voice dictation on nearly everything electronic these days and some grammatical errors still slip through proofreading.

 

Okay, Erika. Do you use voice dictation to "teach" your kids to write, too? What's your excuse for your son writing like a child half his age? 

Those poor children. 

[mango_fandango]

Erika responded:

 

 

Okay, Erika. Do you use voice dictation to "teach" your kids to write, too? What's your excuse for your son writing like a child half his age? 

Those poor children. 

She uses voice dictation on electronic things? What does that even mean? I do get what voice dictation is, but not in this context, and I don't use it myself. Does voice dictation correct your grammar? I thought it just wrote out what you said for you. Voice dictation can be a bit dodgy when it comes to spelling things.

Erika probably uses voice dictation as some kind of time-saving thing. She's ALWAYS looking for ways to cut corners when it comes to time. She's said before how she hates learning curves and wants to be able to do things perfectly straight away, without going through a long learning process...  which just makes me think, why the hell did she have kids? There are countless books out there on raising kids, and God knows Erika's read some, but nothing will properly prepare you for having your own living, breathing baby that will hardly ever go by the book. 

[iweartanktops]

@mango_fandango I've used it before. It can be used on Facebook posts, but I'm not sure I believe her. And no, as far as I know, it doesn't correct grammatical errors. I feel like it's counterproductive since whenever I use it I have to go back and correct all mistakes. 

She never should have had children. 

[ViolaSebastian]

Erika has recommended "Keeping Our Children's Hearts," which says that children are never old enough to be left alone in the care of other adults, until marriage basically.  That other adults will "pull the child's heart away from the family" and that leads to, quite literally, prostitution and alcoholism.  
If she truly believes that bullshit, it's not about them not being responsible enough - it's about them not being able to be trusted around heathens.

Whaat? You mean that youth orchestras aren't known for their pimps and bottles of Southern Comfort?! 

[defraudingjezebel]

@mango_fandango I've used it before. It can be used on Facebook posts, but I'm not sure I believe her. And no, as far as I know, it doesn't correct grammatical errors. I feel like it's counterproductive since whenever I use it I have to go back and correct all mistakes. 

She never should have had children. 

Its a poor excuse, in my opinion! We know Erika is a serial word-murderer, so I think that dictation is a scapegoat here. Dictation software these days is actually quite good. Just for $hits and giggles I said "ramen ramen ramen ramen!" to Siri on my phone to see how it would interpret me. Sure enough, my phone spelled it "ramen" and not "romin" or however Erika spelled it.  That and her styrofome. Good grief- don't you know its a sin to lie, Erika? 

Edited to add: and now my post count is in full on *beam* mode. Can it stay that way forever? 

[Fascinated]

Ok, so she dictates. If I dictate this post, I will not submit it until I have checked that it understood my words.  If I were writing a public blog or on my public Facebook page,  purposing to encourage women and promote homeschooling and such, well, I think I would double check my dictation.  

I think she's full of it. 

[16strong]

Anyone see the recent pictures of Bob? Looks like she just let him out of the doghouse, on a leash. Omg, he looks brow-beaten.

[Rowan]

Whaat? You mean that youth orchestras aren't known for their pimps and bottles of Southern Comfort?! 

Well, if you watch Mozart in the Jungle, adult orchestras are! I did have a group of friends that we would go out for food and drinks after our weeknight rehearsals with the community orchestra I was recently in......fun walking into a bar with a group people that several have violin cases.  

Erika drives me crazy more than just about any other fundie. Maybe it's because we have the same name, so it seems more personal? Thank goodness for a different spelling!