Erika Shupe *leer smirk* Large Families on Purpose Part 6

[19 cats and counting]

3 minutes ago, princessmahina said:

Bulk packs I would think. Hopefully with initials put in it to avoid undie-sharing.

I used to babysit/mother's helper for a family with 5 kids (triplets, older, and younger kid).  3/5 were boys within 2  years of each other (2 triplets and the youngest).  They had a drawer full of little boy's underwear that was communal between the brothers. 

Granted the oldest boys were 5 when I was babysitting and I didn't end up with this family for a long-term commitment (I left for college) and I'm not sure how they handled it as they aged (youngest would be in college now).  

[Evangeline]

3 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

OK, off topic, but I was checking an old post of hers, where she mentions making up baby bottles with ROOM TEMPERATURE WATER out of a water bottle. Isn't that a HUGE no-no? It needs to be sterile. She kept a water bottle in a cupboard and just used that. 

No, It's fine. What matters is that the water, bottles, and nipples are clean, and that you make a fresh bottle if more than two hours have passed since the last feeding. At least those were the rules the last time I prepared formula.

[Jingerbread]

3 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

OK, off topic, but I was checking an old post of hers, where she mentions making up baby bottles with ROOM TEMPERATURE WATER out of a water bottle. Isn't that a HUGE no-no? It needs to be sterile. She kept a water bottle in a cupboard and just used that. 

Bottles don't need to be sterile.  Clean, but not sterile.  Do you think moms who breastfeed sterilize their nipples before feeding?

[mango_fandango]

8 minutes ago, Jingerbread said:

Bottles don't need to be sterile.  Clean, but not sterile.  Do you think moms who breastfeed sterilize their nipples before feeding?

Eh, I saw on the NHS website that it is not advisable to use bottled water as it isn't sterile. And in their instructions they mention boiling the water first. It might appear clean, but it may have some bacteria in it, IDK. The Shupe kids seem to be OK, I was just a bit surprised cos I thought you weren't supposed to use bottled water. 

[Chevreuil]

I'm in Canada and we're told to sterilize everything up to four months. 

http://www.babycenter.ca/x562089/when-can-i-stop-boiling-tap-water-for-my-baby

http://www.babycenter.ca/a554982/sterilizing-bottle-feeding-equipment

 

I sterilized until my kids were five months. It was a lot of work since I did everything with a big pot of boiling water and my kids are both summer babies. I'm about to have twins (I plan on trying to breastfeed so I won't need so much bottles) I did invest in a sterilizer this time for my sanity.

[iweartanktops]

1 hour ago, Jingerbread said:

Bottles don't need to be sterile.  Clean, but not sterile.  Do you think moms who breastfeed sterilize their nipples before feeding?

Actually, for newborns, especially preemies, sterilizing bottles is important. It's not life or death but it's preferable. Of course moms don't sterilize their nipples, but I think it's different coming straight from mother's body.

[mango_fandango]

Hmm. Some disparity here. On the NHS website it definitely says sterilise bottles and use boiled water that's been cooled in the kettle for up to 30 minutes. 

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/sterilising-bottles.aspx

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/making-up-infant-formula.aspx

[Hane]

2 hours ago, Jingerbread said:

Bottles don't need to be sterile.  Clean, but not sterile.  Do you think moms who breastfeed sterilize their nipples before feeding?

I remember my MIL (whose doctor, back in the late '40s when her son was born, "didn't believe in breastfeeding because there's no way of knowing how much milk your baby is getting") asked me whether I put "rubbing alcohol" on my nipples before I nursed.

[withaj]

6 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

Yeah. I get buying used, but shoes I would draw the line at. 

For the most part, I can't imagine I would ever shop for used shoes. The exception, at least for me, would be leather boots or similar footwear which are designed to be durable and with which I would wear socks. I wouldn't say no to a nice, broken-in pair of Fryes. You're not going to find me slipping on a pair of some stranger's well-worn ballet flats, though.

[Antimony]

Quote

Okay, great COMPUTER LEARNING DVD's! Go!

Erika just posted this on Facebook. One of her followers (and myself) is confused about whether or not she means DVD's on how to learn about computers or DVDs to learn on a computer. 

I think it's fine that Erika asks for resource advice (Lord knows we don't want her picking all the curriculum herself but if I recall correctly, usually when she asks, she comes up with a bajillion excuses on why they don't want THAT exact product or don't want to pay for some of these resources (like the chemistry kits for her high school science course.) 

If the kids are going to learn some basic coding though, that'd be wonderful. 

[refugee]

9 hours ago, Antimony said:

Reading her used clothing shopper post.

She says;

Maybe this is not true for all GW's, but my GW does offer coupons for donations. It also allows you to estimate the value your donated items and write off a tax form. She could not do this for VV because they are for-profit. Maybe Erika is not really optimizing here! 

Erika would though, I bet, love my local Goodwill spin off. They are affiliated with Goodwill but they operate much more like a regular store. Clothing is sorted by trends, they only accept name-brands (they sift them out of regular Goodwill clothes), they don't accept flawed clothes (with the exception of pilling, which is not really a rip/tear), and they don't look like a thrift store at all. It's super cute. I've gotten all kinds of nice brand name stuff there. 

I do believe that consistent use of used shoes is not advisable though but this is a Duggar problem too. Foot support is important. I admit, I've bought used shoes, but usually not for consistent wear. Some really bad stuff can happen if you are cheap on shoes (and I have some permanent damage from fencing so it's extra important to me!). 

There are also things in regular stores that you might as well buy new because they are so cheap. I think last time I went to Forever 21, camisoles were like $3? Target's 70% off section is also price-comparable to Goodwill for new things. So, toss up, I guess but because she's so scheduled and regimented, she'd never know. (Which, now I feel like I need to go to GW this weekend because I'm in an LDR and I've been trying to pick up some things here and there for the BF's drawer so that he doesn't have to pack so much to fly. )

I think the "coupons" mentioned from VV are just this: If you donate, you get a %-off coupon. Our VV has some kind of punch card, where you get a certain amount off your next purchase if you've donated stuff.

What our GW offers is not a coupon, but rather a receipt that you can use to keep a record for tax write-offs.

4 hours ago, iweartanktops said:

Actually, for newborns, especially preemies, sterilizing bottles is important. It's not life or death but it's preferable. Of course moms don't sterilize their nipples, but I think it's different coming straight from mother's body.

One of the differences, IIRC, is that mother's milk contains antibodies and other good stuff that helps the baby's immune system, whereas formula does not.

As for buying used shoes... someone I know has toenail fungus and recurring athlete's foot. I think of this person whenever I see the used shoe racks at the thrift store.

IOW, no used shoes for me.

[Antimony]

1 hour ago, refugee said:

I think the "coupons" mentioned from VV are just this: If you donate, you get a %-off coupon. Our VV has some kind of punch card, where you get a certain amount off your next purchase if you've donated stuff.

What our GW offers is not a coupon, but rather a receipt that you can use to keep a record for tax write-offs.

Ours has both. I think it's 30% off or something. My mom uses them. 

[JillyO]

2 hours ago, Antimony said:

Erika just posted this on Facebook. One of her followers (and myself) is confused about whether or not she means DVD's on how to learn about computers or DVDs to learn on a computer. 

I think it's fine that Erika asks for resource advice (Lord knows we don't want her picking all the curriculum herself but if I recall correctly, usually when she asks, she comes up with a bajillion excuses on why they don't want THAT exact product or don't want to pay for some of these resources (like the chemistry kits for her high school science course.) 

If the kids are going to learn some basic coding though, that'd be wonderful. 

And not only that. A lot of the time, after asking her followers for advice, she'll just say "I didn't have time to look into what you recommended" and that's the end of the story.

FUCK YOU, ERIKA. People are spending time and energy researching stuff for you, which you asked them to, and you can't even be bothered to follow the links they provide? She is so incresibly rude, I don't understand how anybody still does anything nice for her.

[Antimony]

5 minutes ago, JillyO said:

And not only that. A lot of the time, after asking her followers for advice, she'll just say "I didn't have time to look into what you recommended" and that's the end of the story.

FUCK YOU, ERIKA. People are spending time and energy researching stuff for you, which you asked them to, and you can't even be bothered to follow the links they provide? She is so incresibly rude, I don't understand how anybody still does anything nice for her.

I love that about Little Rascals she didn't have time to look up reviews but she had time to watch it. Somehow. 

[elliha]

I once watched a video by a foot expect, he said that the dangers of used shoes is somewhat of a creation of shoe companies. Used shoes that do not look or feel crooked and worn are absolutely fine. Using shoes for several children is also OK if they are not too worn. I have bought used shoes for my daughter but usually I use them as extra shoes and not as her main pair. In particular quality shoes usually last more than one kid and still look good even. 

[mango_fandango]

Sadly, I don't think the computer learning thing would be coding. She's done a post before about how she uses computers for the kids' educational activities. 

http://www.largefamiliesonpurpose.com/2013/03/computer-learning-for-kids-how-we.html

She even bought a secular-seeming DVD which occasionally mentions "millions and millions of years ago" but of course Erika's told her kids that's all bull. I'm not au fait with the Bible, where do *some* Christians get the idea of the Earth being 6000 years old from?? 

It's from 2013 and she mentions about not knowing how to use Excel (or, as the Erika-ism goes, Excell). Karen would've been, what, 14? It's really not that hard to use Excel. Given that all Karen, Melanie and the others will need to use Excel for is schedules, they really don't need to know much. 

No computer games whatsoever, of course. As in stuff like The Sims or whatever, although they do use Minecraft I think, which I guess Erika deemed educational enough. I play a lot of The Sims and have even created a few "fundie" families. I've even speculated about what a fundie version of The Sims would be like. Adjustable skirt length (knees covered to Maxwellian style), design-a-frumper for those all-important family photos, adjust the size of the huge headflower... but I'd better move to QFoWD for that kind of talk. 

[Antimony]

4 minutes ago, mango_fandango said:

 

She even bought a secular-seeming DVD which occasionally mentions "millions and millions of years ago" but of course Erika's told her kids that's all bull. I'm not au fait with the Bible, where do *some* Christians get the idea of the Earth being 6000 years old from?? 

 

I think it is from the "begats" or the genealogies. A really boring book of the bible but heavily featured in Equus. It's like "So and so begat Keith who lived for 200 years" and if you add all those up to the point of the New Testament, it's ~4000 years + 2016. That's my hand-wavy understanding of it. 

[THERetroGamerNY]

It stems from a 17th century bishop named James Ussher who used biblical genealogies, and he calculated it at about 6,000.

... In fact I still have my old copy of "Halley's Bible Handbook" somewhere that has the whole Creationist timeline... Dubious "evidence of floods" and all.

I used to think that book was just THE coolest go-to guide on what I believed. :/

[Antimony]

How does Erika make all these schedules are not use Excel? It'd be way more annoying to make in Word. Seeing her use of computers makes me feel that the Shupe kids are going to be even more behind their peers than I expected -- public schools have coding classes and the like now. 

[OnceUponATime]

23 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

I was just a bit surprised cos I thought you weren't supposed to use bottled water. 

This might be to do with the fact that some bottle water naturally contains high levels of certain minerals (fluoride for one, possibly magnesium). A lot of bottles where I live say "not safe for children under x months", or even "do not give regularly to children under 6 years"! A few have a symbol which says they are safe to use for babies.

[imokit]

3 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

No computer games whatsoever, of course. As in stuff like The Sims or whatever, although they do use Minecraft I think, which I guess Erika deemed educational enough. I play a lot of The Sims and have even created a few "fundie" families. I've even speculated about what a fundie version of The Sims would be like. Adjustable skirt length (knees covered to Maxwellian style), design-a-frumper for those all-important family photos, adjust the size of the huge headflower... but I'd better move to QFoWD for that kind of talk. 

I've done the fundie family on the sims trick, but sometimes its hard to get the clothes modest enough.  No modest bathing suits without mods. I've also attempted to do fundy courting, but I couldn't get the relationship meter high enough to propose without physical contact.  The sims people know you can't have a relationship without sex or sexy stuff!

Its probably one of the most liberal and unfundy games out there.  I learned about gay marriage and gay woohoo from there as well as gay adoption.  I also have a family with 6 kids from 6 different dads.  I can completely see why a fundy family or even a media aware family would restrict.  Its also rated as 12/teen by various different rating agencies.

Do we know if Erika lets her kids play educational games - Oregon trail for example?  That's a brilliant game

[mango_fandango]

@Antimony the post was from three years ago. I think she knows how to use Excel now. Although I'm surprised she didn't know before. She mentions here (http://www.largefamiliesonpurpose.com/2011/09/large-family-scheduling-for-fall-how-i.html) how Bob taught her to use Excel. Hang on... the computers post was from 2013, where she says she doesn't know how to use it. The schedule post is from 2011 where she does know how to use it. I'm confused. I checked the computer post and it doesn't appear to be a repost. Although, of course, the schedules post could have been edited and just not reposted. Bit bizarre.

@imokit What Sims game do you use? I have Sims 3 with all expansions bar University Life and Into the Future. I've managed to get long enough skirts for all ages. With bathing suits I use the mermaid skirt that comes with Island Paradise. I also managed to get one sim to propose and the first time they hugged was after the proposal. 

[Hisey]

Erika posted a list of her scheduled activities the week before Easter. One of the items was a doctor's appointment for "B". I looked up the doctor and it seems to be an orthodontist, presumably for Brandon. I am glad they are doing this for him (if they are), his teeth really do need work.

[JesusHDuggar]

7 hours ago, imokit said:

I've done the fundie family on the sims trick, but sometimes its hard to get the clothes modest enough.  No modest bathing suits without mods. I've also attempted to do fundy courting, but I couldn't get the relationship meter high enough to propose without physical contact.  The sims people know you can't have a relationship without sex or sexy stuff!

Its probably one of the most liberal and unfundy games out there.  I learned about gay marriage and gay woohoo from there as well as gay adoption.  I also have a family with 6 kids from 6 different dads.  I can completely see why a fundy family or even a media aware family would restrict.  Its also rated as 12/teen by various different rating agencies.

Do we know if Erika lets her kids play educational games - Oregon trail for example?  That's a brilliant game

First time post btw

Making Fundie sims is a secret obsession of mine. I made them a church and everything, lol. But they live much happier lives than any of the real life fundies we discuss on here. The one I'm playing right now has 8 kids and counting so far. I'm bad, I know. 

[THERetroGamerNY]

For gawd's sake don't introduce Erika to The Oregon Trail! One of the kids will suddenly die from dysentery or something!