Safe at Home (Arndts) 3: No penguins were harmed in the making of this thread

[nokidsmom]

3 hours ago, Carm_88 said:

Rick and Cathy may be the best brainwashers and possibly the worst parents! 

Yep and looking so benign and nice that their poor kids have no idea.

What kills me is the responsibilities the manboys have and none of it goes toward their own lives.  It's all for the family and specifically the parents.  Especially since their own able bodied dad decided to retire and basically do his own thing.  What about them?  Do they ever see that? 

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

In a way I see why the kidults stay and support the family,  Who else is there?  Rick is retired and earns $0.  Cathy earns $0. Without the kidults earnings the family would be penniless and possible homeless. The kidults aren't going to let than happen.

Because we can bet $10,000,000 Rick and Cathy would never, ever stir themselves to get a paying job.  I firmly believe the kidults know that too.  So ... whether they want to or not they are stuck supporting everyone.  Which means they have given up their own lives to do so.

I think Rick is too lazy and shiftless to work and Cathy is the "mom" which means no outside job for her -- even though the kids don't require 24/7 parenting any more.

Actually Rick and Cathy have it made -- all the money coming in is for them.  I bet none of the working kidults even take an allowance.  And remember the more kidults who start jobs, the more $$$$ for Rick and Cathy and the never ending VV.

[Howl]

@Red Hair, Black Dress, I think you are spot on.  It's truly the Arndt Collective. 

[JenniferJuniper]

On 4/1/2018 at 12:33 AM, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

Actually Rick and Cathy have it made -- all the money coming in is for them.  I bet none of the working kidults even take an allowance.  And remember the more kidults who start jobs, the more $$$$ for Rick and Cathy and the never ending VV.

Agree 100% about R and C's motives.  I just don't understand why one of the boys doesn't grasp what's going on, realize he and his siblings are being taken advantage of, and make a move.

If there were only three or adult four sons, I would understand why they'd be reluctant to leave the family unsupported, but what does someone like Seth do with his life?  He has to be in his mid-20's at least.   How could he not want a life - a girlfriend (or boyfriend, according to whatever his preference is), adult friends who aren't clones of himself, or just some personal space for once?

Do not get it.

[Georgiana]

I wonder if Rick and Cathy are some of those parents who hand their grown children a "bill" for raising them and tell them they need to pay it back.  I wonder if the Arndt sadbois aren't able to get Rick's blessing to marry until that "debt" is cleared?

This is PURE speculation, but it is something that happens, would fall right in line with their crazy beliefs, and would answer a lot of questions with regards to why none of the kids have branched out: like the Maxwells, they cannot court until they are "debt free".  

[JenniferJuniper]

I believe young John is 36 today.

He's smiling, but those are the saddest eyes ever.  Cathy's got a vice grip on him.  Literally. 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Feministe9000]

17 minutes ago, JenniferJuniper said:

I believe young John is 36 today.

He's smiling, but those are the saddest eyes ever.  Cathy's got a vice grip on him.  Literally. 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Wow. I think this is one of the creepiest pictures of the Arndts I’ve ever seen. Looking into John’s eyes (shudder) and then you look to his right, there’s Kathy maniacally beaming at the camera and a tight grip on hand, and Rick on his left, arm round him making sure he doesn’t escape! He even looks older than them in a way, I mean they are GRINNING AND BEAMING and he looks, beaten down, withering somewhat. They look full of life! Wtf?! 

Pictures like these, amid all the speculation on this family, suggests to me that at least some of the (adult) GROWN UP children may feel trapped, or something to that effect that they are unable to articulate. Look at John’s face, COME ON. 

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

Three more months and another line will be needed on the Arndt section of the single fundies list (Peter will turn 18). THREE lines for single fundies in one family living at home. That's a fundie record I think. 

[Carm_88]

Poor John. They're all creeping up there and none of them are creeping out from under the crazy thumb of Rick and Cathy.

[anjulibai]

47 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Three more months and another line will be needed on the Arndt section of the single fundies list (Peter will turn 18). THREE lines for single fundies in one family living at home. That's a fundie record I think. 

Another 3 years and they'll have 14 kidults at home, including one 40 year old. Half of those kidults will be over 30, with another very close to it. Something has got to give....right? 

[Howl]

1 hour ago, JenniferJuniper said:

I believe young John is 36 today.  He's smiling, but those are the saddest eyes ever.  Cathy's got a vice grip on him.  Literally. 

  Hide contents

 

Expressions on Rick and Cathy's faces vs face of kidult (resignation/abject defeat) and the number of candles on the cake pretty much says it all.  

[MamaJunebug]

5 hours ago, Georgiana said:

I wonder if Rick and Cathy are some of those parents who hand their grown children a "bill" for raising them and tell them they need to pay it back.  I wonder if the Arndt sadbois aren't able to get Rick's blessing to marry until that "debt" is cleared?

This is PURE speculation, but it is something that happens, would fall right in line with their crazy beliefs, and would answer a lot of questions with regards to why none of the kids have branched out: like the Maxwells, they cannot court until they are "debt free".  

Works for $cientology...

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

I knew a guy whose father had convinced all of his sons that they owed him for raising them.  The guy I knew was perpetually broke even though he was a CPA with a very large firm.  I point blank asked him why once  -- thinking he had a secret addiction (drugs, gambling, etc).  Nope he said -- he was paying back his dad for raising him -- to the tune of $3500/ month. His 3 brothers were each doing the same. The dad was getting a total of $14,000/ month tax free from his 4 sons.  For those of you playing along at home that's $168,000/ year tax free in cash.

There were also 3 daughters but although the dad also wanted them to pay him, they refused.  One of them barely tolerated him and the other 2 had cut him out of their lives. My guy friend thought that was awful and that they should chip in for dear ol' dad because after all "he raised them." 

Did I mention that dear ol' dad was an executive in a local manufacturing company, but crammed his wife, 7 kids + grandfather into a tiny 3 bedroom house that definitely needed work.  The 4 sons slept in the unfinished attic on camp cots.. Kept their clothes in cardboard boxes.

The dad also refused to send any of his children to college -- and charged them rent as long as they lived at home after high school. Two of the daughters escaped and cut him out by marrying right out of HS and the 4 sons and other daughter worked full time/ took out student loans and went to the local college full time.  All of 5 them left the minute they graduated from college.

At the time my friend and his brothers were giving dad $14K a month, the dad also had a huge pension and investment income coming in. Still lived in the tiny house though. Never did fix it up.

The sons kept on paying the dad even after they all married/ had children.  The amount the sons paid him went up as the sons earned more money/ advanced in their careers. As far as I know they kept on paying the dad until he died about 5 years ago. Quick math here:  minimum $168,000 per year for 20 years  = $3,360,000 in cash, tax free. I have no idea what he did with all the money while he was alive nor if he left any of it to his children.

These people were not fundie in the least, not actually religious at all.  The dad was just a mean, controlling, greedy SOB and the sons were brainwashed. 

[Briefly]

4 hours ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

I knew a guy whose father had convinced all of his sons that they owed him for raising them.  The guy I knew was perpetually broke even though he was a CPA with a very large firm.  I point blank asked him why once  -- thinking he had a secret addiction (drugs, gambling, etc).  Nope he said -- he was paying back his dad for raising him -- to the tune of $3500/ month. His 3 brothers were each doing the same. The dad was getting a total of $14,000/ month tax free from his 4 sons.  For those of you playing along at home that's $168,000/ year tax free in cash.

There were also 3 daughters but although the dad also wanted them to pay him, they refused.  One of them barely tolerated him and the other 2 had cut him out of their lives. My guy friend thought that was awful and that they should chip in for dear ol' dad because after all "he raised them." 

Did I mention that dear ol' dad was an executive in a local manufacturing company, but crammed his wife, 7 kids + grandfather into a tiny 3 bedroom house that definitely needed work.  The 4 sons slept in the unfinished attic on camp cots.. Kept their clothes in cardboard boxes.

The dad also refused to send any of his children to college -- and charged them rent as long as they lived at home after high school. Two of the daughters escaped and cut him out by marrying right out of HS and the 4 sons and other daughter worked full time/ took out student loans and went to the local college full time.  All of 5 them left the minute they graduated from college.

At the time my friend and his brothers were giving dad $14K a month, the dad also had a huge pension and investment income coming in. Still lived in the tiny house though. Never did fix it up.

The sons kept on paying the dad even after they all married/ had children.  The amount the sons paid him went up as the sons earned more money/ advanced in their careers. As far as I know they kept on paying the dad until he died about 5 years ago. Quick math here:  minimum $168,000 per year for 20 years  = $3,360,000 in cash, tax free. I have no idea what he did with all the money while he was alive nor if he left any of it to his children.

These people were not fundie in the least, not actually religious at all.  The dad was just a mean, controlling, greedy SOB and the sons were brainwashed. 

I have heard of a few people who made their children pay them for their raising. I always though it was really stupid. I did pay my parents rent when I first started working, it was a token amount and I think it was just to teach me responsibility because I'd have to pay rent sooner or later and they figured I should learn to budget, etc, while I was still at home. We did charge our daughter rent when she first started working, but she knew we were  putting it aside for her when she moved out so that she would at least have a small cushion. It seems like that is what my parents did with the rent I paid them, but it's been a while and I don't remember.

[JenniferJuniper]

Quote

Rick was born on Easter Sunday and this is the first time his birthday has landed on Easter again. He has been such a selfless and shining example of a loving Dad/leader, and we are crazy about him!

Typed Rick.

Yes, crazy is one word for it.

[JermajestyDuggar]

@Red Hair, Black DressI really hope he had a lot of money in the bank to leave to his children when he died. That way they could get their money back. Children do not cost that much to raise so the dad definitely made way more money than he spent on his children. What a piece of shit. Those children didn't ask to be born. They don't owe him a damn thing.

[Carm_88]

15 hours ago, JenniferJuniper said:

Typed Rick.

Yes, crazy is one word for it.

No one loves Rick as much as Rick loves Rick! 

[nokidsmom]

On 4/2/2018 at 6:41 PM, Feministe9000 said:

Pictures like these, amid all the speculation on this family, suggests to me that at least some of the (adult) GROWN UP children may feel trapped, or something to that effect that they are unable to articulate. Look at John’s face, COME ON. 

My bolding.  Given there are 14 kids, the odds are pretty good that at least some of them are going to feel this way.  My guess is most likely the older ones who were the first to be going out and supporting their family.   So no real surprise at the look on John's face.  There's got to be a lot of cognitive dissonance going on.  They are supposed to be in the best family in the world with the most loving, seemingly benign parents so any dissatisfaction seems out of place.  And of course, the parents look so happy.   They got everything as they want, their kids close and the bonus of having them work so they can just carry on and do their thing at their kids' expense.

My bet is the older ones are not probably not happy with how their lives have gone thus far.  I believe that all of the children were raised with the idea of having a family of their own someday.    However, the idea of it was one thing, the reality may be entirely another as far as Rick and Cathy are concerned.  They are too reliant on their children and down deep don't want them ever leaving in spite of whatever ideas they gave their children about marriage and family while raising them.   Fear, obligation and guilt are powerful things and I think any manboy wondering "what about me?" is too deep in the FOG to ever wake up to what his parents are really doing.

 

 

 

[formergothardite]

John looks just so depressed. It doesn't seem like he wants to pose for that picture. 

[AnywhereButHere]

36 years. Same pose, same room, same people, same situation. For damn sure he (and all the rest) burned out long ago.

A compilation/montage of the same kid's birthday photo through the years would probably be a great indicator of the smiles getting more and more forced and the eyes showing more and more "why the hell didn't I get out while  I still could?!"

Alternate theory: Rick's into the whole movie/video thing, right? Maybe all the kids have normal lives and families, and the Vine Valley/Arndt blog is just a decades long social experiment/troll on the part of Rick and Co. You never know...

[nelliebelle1197]

On 4/1/2018 at 4:33 PM, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

Actually Rick and Cathy have it made -- all the money coming in is for them.  I bet none of the working kidults even take an allowance.  And remember the more kidults who start jobs, the more $$$$ for Rick and Cathy and the never ending VV.

Wait, I have been off FJ since summer 2016 and you are telling me VV is NOT FINISHED AND AN OSCAR CONTENDER YET?

[MamaJunebug]

12 minutes ago, nelliebelle1197 said:

Wait, I have been off FJ since summer 2016 and you are telling me VV is NOT FINISHED AND AN OSCAR CONTENDER YET?

Welcome back, @nelliebelle1197

[JenniferJuniper]

Not commenting on this one:

Spoiler

 

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

They have to be messing with us.

[formergothardite]

On 4/4/2018 at 3:50 PM, nelliebelle1197 said:

Wait, I have been off FJ since summer 2016 and you are telling me VV is NOT FINISHED AND AN OSCAR CONTENDER YET?

Sadly, I have come to believe that VV will never be finished in our lifetimes. Maybe Satan will do a screening for us when we all reunite in hell. Watching VV might actually be some form of torture. 

How long have they been making this movie? It seems like it has been around a decade.