Meredith Hammer Pregnant and Had Her Fifth

[singsingsing]

I was born in '88, and I'd say the most common names in my peer group were Sarah, Katie, Ashley, Jessica, Megan and Alicia for girls, Justin, Michael, Alex, Chris, and Matt for boys. 

[Hisey]

I suspect Stephen is less worried about the girls' education. But how is he going to feel when his only son is educated by an overwhelmed mom of many, who has a high school education? Surely he has higher aspirations than that for young John Bradford.

Meredith had her last three girls in less than three years. When John Bradford is 6--and learning to read and to add--his mom will have at least three toddlers or preschoolers to care for. Possibly more. And will very likely be pregnant again.  Even the most seasoned homeschool moms say that homeschooling with toddlers afoot is very hard. When John B. is 10, who knows how many little kids will be in their home? Meredith is hard working, but even she cannot perform miracles.

I remember her mom describing Meredith's curriculum for her last two years of high school. It consisted of reading some godly books, and discussing them with mom. So Meredith's real education (if there ever was any) ended at about age 15.

This is so different from my 17-year old, who has spent the last few years studying physics, calculus, European history, chemistry, etc,, just like most of her friends. I've just been through the college application process with her. It is competitive and exhausting. You don't just cruise into schools like Princeton (where Steven went), no matter how good your genetics are. If Steven wants the same Ivy-type education for his son, he can't drop the ball with his education. Princeton doesn't take every legacy that applies.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Hisey

[hoipolloi]

17 minutes ago, Hisey said:

Princeton doesn't take every legacy that applies.

For the likes of Princeton or indeed any Ivy, legacy = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. That's literally the bottom line.

If the would-be legacy admission has working brains so much the better, but they are no substitute for at least millions in donations to the intended school(s) well before an application actually gets submitted.

[Hisey]

1 hour ago, hoipolloi said:

For the likes of Princeton or indeed any Ivy, legacy = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. That's literally the bottom line.

If the would-be legacy admission has working brains so much the better, but they are no substitute for at least millions in donations to the intended school(s) well before an application actually gets submitted.

Schools like Princeton have endowments, often quite large. Money is not as important for them as for a smaller, lesser known school. They also have plenty of people willing to pay full freight.

It certainly helps if an alumni makes regular, large donations, but it doesn't guarantee anything. They won't admit a kid with terrible scores, just because their dad donated a few thousand here or there.

Unless those donations are REALLY large (think Jared Kushner).You CAN actually "buy" a seat at Princeton, or any other ivy, but you'd better be ready to spend millions. I don't think Steven has that kind of money. But then you are a "developmental" admit, not a "legacy."

[JermajestyDuggar]

I wouldn't be surprised if Mr Hammer got a tutor for his chip off the old block. 

[Palimpsest]

5 hours ago, hoipolloi said:

Meredith's abilities, energy & creativity as a single woman were admirable and they are still on display in her own growing family. That said, how well can someone with a HS education -- and a SOTDRT HS education at that -- homeschool her kids? Does or will Mr. Princeton-Rhodes Scholar-Harvard Law School do any of the homeschooling? Also, will his daughters have educational opportunities equal to his or their brother's and be encouraged to pursue them? 

My guess is that little Johnny Bradford will get a very different education to the girls.  He will be pulled from Mere's homeschooling embrace at an early age to make a man out of him.  In Stephen's world the girls are educationally disposable but little Johnny is not.

I predict that the boy-child will be sent to a military prep (think Fishburne or Fork Union.)  Stephen is probably considering Phillips Exeter (or Andover) or some other upper crust place for his later education.   And so to Princeton.  Or name that Ivy League.

I hope I am wrong for Meredith's sake. 

However, with the best will in the world, Meredith's idea of homeschooling will not be an easy gateway into college.  The kids will need supplementary education to make it as homeschoolers and I doubt Stephen will have the time or inclination to help. 

I'd much rather they homeschooled all the children well - in a cooperative.  Or send them to non-boarding actual school (public or private) after 1st grade. 

We will see.

[anachronistic]

Send them to the public schools around here? You’ve got to be kidding me. Cambridge public schools take off for Muslim holidays! They would be guaranteed to meet kids of happily married gay people! They would learn about non white non Christians!  Oh, the horror. 

[luv2laugh]

She is pregnant again with her 6th (or had the baby already) and Stephen Hammer was notified he earned the top score on the bar exam.

[Clementine]

On 6/26/2020 at 6:36 PM, luv2laugh said:

She is pregnant again with her 6th (or had the baby already) and Stephen Hammer was notified he earned the top score on the bar exam.

Baby #6, a boy (at least the baby is wearing blue in the photo) was born around the new year. Meredith has a photo of the six kids on FB. Four girls, two boys. And counting.

[copyed]

Anyone else notice that both Meredith and her DH are no longer on FB? I wonder how far away we are from his first run for political office.

[Rosie]

On 9/22/2020 at 11:18 AM, copyed said:

Anyone else notice that both Meredith and her DH are no longer on FB? I wonder how far away we are from his first run for political office.

Yes, I noticed that, and wondered that exact same thing.

[Clementine]

The "How Stephen Googled for a godly and submissive virgin wife" "How we met" story:

http://web.archive.org/web/20110824004130/http://strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20110818235418/http://strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

[Tangy Bee]

What did Stephen google about before coming across Meredith's blog? Was he actually researching stay at home daughters or was it and accident? I remember researching heart disease and somehow came across Jocelyn Dixon's, A Pondering Heart blog. Weird how other things pop up from a google search.

[Clementine]

25 minutes ago, Tangy Bee said:

What did Stephen google about before coming across Meredith's blog? Was he actually researching stay at home daughters or was it and accident? I remember researching heart disease and somehow came across Jocelyn Dixon's, A Pondering Heart blog. Weird how other things pop up from a google search.

This is what Meredith wrote about it:

"In early September, I received an email from a reader of this blog who, I later learned, stumbled upon my blog through a fairly random Google search. He wrote about how he was struck by my life choices in regard to living at home and desiring to be a homemaker instead of pursuing our culture's more typical path of a college degree and full-time career. "

http://web.archive.org/web/20110824004130/http://strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

[hoipolloi]

This might explain why the Stephen Hammers took themselves off social media:

He was had the highest score on the TX bar exam & was sworn into the TX bar in November 2019. 

Do you supposed home boy is helping the Roberts court fuck over voters and generally conspire to cheat the American people out of free and fair elections?

[bea]

On 11/2/2020 at 2:25 AM, hoipolloi said:

Do you supposed home boy is helping the Roberts court fuck over voters and generally conspire to cheat the American people out of free and fair elections?

Hammer is one of those scary ones.  Intelligent, articulate, and ready to screw over most of the country because of Jesus.

He wouldn't be one of those ones stomping around the Capitol with a Confederate flag, but he's just as dangerous.  Probably more so, because he will have way more power.