Maxwell 46: Relegating the Kids' Table to the Vestibule

[LilMissMetaphor]

14 hours ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

Actually I looked carefully at the books. They say  "An I Can Read Book".  It's in the white banner above the book. I had no idea they said that.  They also say for grades 2-4. 

https://www.icanread.com/

note that it is not www.anicanread.com

I see that some of you got here before I could, so thank you.

Edited March 1, 2021 by LilMissMetaphor

[treemom]

The person who loves hiking is Terri.  I’ve always been surprised she didn’t have to give it up like Pepsi.  For some reason, I remembered distinctly the posts about hiking St. Helen’s right before Christopher’s wedding to Anna.  It was mentioned then Terri was the one who loved hiking and I always wondered if she would lose it because it was an idol.

 

https://blog.titus2.com/2010/10/20/hiking-again/

 

 

12 minutes ago, theologygeek said:

It's so good to see you!  How have you been?  

I’m good.  I’m around a little.  

[theologygeek]

24 minutes ago, LilMissMetaphor said:

https://www.icanread.com/

note that it is not www.anicanread.com

I see that some of you got here before I could, so thank you.

It's an an I can read book book.  LOL

[FloraKitty35]

40 minutes ago, tabitha2 said:

I suppose The Maxwells would approve of Elsie Dinsmore, Pollyanna, the Five little peppers and the rest of the syrupy  angelic maudlin Victorian children’s literature that Alcott was  vehemently against and determined not to write. 

Even Rod & Tod Flanders would want to read something racier than what is on offer in Maxhell.

Edited March 2, 2021 by FloraKitty35
grammar

[mango_fandango]

Actually Anne did teaching before she married too, two years before college and three years between college and marriage. 
And, given that she had no siblings, she had plenty of friends who weren’t siblings. 

[crunchycarrots]

19 hours ago, FloraDoraDolly said:

The Maxwells didn't get beyond "Little House in the Big Woods" because it mentions Jack Frost, Santa Claus, and birthday spankings being necessary in order for a child to grow properly. (I can see some parents having issues with that last one, but not to the point where they would ban the whole book/series.)

In other words, Laura at age five was too much for the Maxwells, let alone Laura as an adolescent or young woman.

Wait, did they actually say this?!???

[JermajestyDuggar]

I’m not thinking about all the books I read as a child that the Maxwells probably wouldn’t have approved. 
 

Goosbumps, Baby Sitters Club, Charlie and the chocolate factory, Judy Blume books, and then when I was a teen, I read VC Andrews. Steve would clutch his burrito and fall to the floor if he even glanced at a VC Andrews book. 

[Black Aliss]

14 hours ago, SPHASH said:

Laura works outside the home and even leaves home to teach.

It was, I think, before her teaching job that she was hired to help the local seamstress, but never fear, she was not expected to sew the buttons on men's trouser flys. That part was handled by the married seamstress. I don't think I gave that a thought WIWAK, but both daughters picked up on it right away and wondered why. I would have thought that golden teaching moment on modesty would have appealed to Steve.

[Black Aliss]

9 hours ago, Alisamer said:

Also, unrelated, but... the Maxwells like hiking, right? They go to Colorado and hike "14ers" or whatever? It seems the only thing they're allowed to enjoy other than Bible time (and maybe coffee). Have any of them done any other hiking, or do they just go do the same trails every year on what some might call a vacation?

I think they rarely repeat a hike they've done before, except as a warm-up to the big ones. I'm pretty sure at least one 14er every year is new to them even though their base camp is usually in the same area. But yeah, why not do a couple sections of the PCT, or the Appalachian trail instead? Or how about a big mountain somewhere other than California? Most of their hikes aren't that long, and start at a fairly high elevation. Granted, hiking even at 13K would SEVERELY test my lungs, but there's Mt. Whitney in California*  In the PNW there's (For their own good, I'm intentionally keeping them off glaciers) Mt. St Helens*  the wonderland trail around Mt. Rainier,*   the Enchantments in eastern WA *

*no can do because there's a lottery for permits and that would be gambling. never mind. Colorado it is

[Black Aliss]

5 hours ago, treemom said:

The person who loves hiking is Terri.  I’ve always been surprised she didn’t have to give it up like Pepsi.  For some reason, I remembered distinctly the posts about hiking St. Helen’s right before Christopher’s wedding to Anna.  It was mentioned then Terri was the one who loved hiking and I always wondered if she would lose it because it was an idol.

 

https://blog.titus2.com/2010/10/20/hiking-again/.  

They did do a hike in Mt. St. Helen's NP, but not the mountain itself. And they had to turn back on their hike on account of strong winds, and it being a narrow exposed trail. I would add, made all the more dangerous by hiking in those ankle-length skirts they used to wear. I'm glad they aren't afraid to show a bit of calf these days.

https://blog.titus2.com/2010/10/21/mount-saint-helens/

[Wolf in Sheeples’ Clothing]

In Sarah’s latest asinine post she says, “Then, Christopher and crew took down my outdoor Christmas lights to bless me.”

I’m sorry... But what? How is that ‘blessing’ you? 

The Maxwells are so bizarre.

[Bethy]

31 minutes ago, Wolf in Sheeples’ Clothing said:

In Sarah’s latest asinine post she says, “Then, Christopher and crew took down my outdoor Christmas lights to bless me.”

I’m sorry... But what? How is that ‘blessing’ you? 

The Maxwells are so bizarre.

I'm just kinda surprised the Maxwells have outdoor Christmas lights at all. Isn't that sort of...mainstream?

[DonutWench]

12 hours ago, deborahlynn1979 said:

I noticed that as well. Did Sarah mean to write this in Teri's voice but forgot to sign her name to it? 

I noticed this too. Maybe she worded it that way because it was her idea and/or her project and she bought they lights herself? 
 

Still, for a moment, I thought about how nice it would be for her if Sarah did have her own place.

[Austrian Atheist]

26 minutes ago, DonutWench said:

I noticed this too. Maybe she worded it that way because it was her idea and/or her project and she bought they lights herself? 
 

Still, for a moment, I thought about how nice it would be for her if Sarah did have her own place.

The pic showes the balcony (or back deck or whatever that thing is), where she usually works on her books. I assumed it is her personal space, where she can write undisturbed and it was her project to hang up lights out there.

She probably didn't meant to imply she would own the whole house. I think - as usual - it's just her odd wording.

13 hours ago, Alisamer said:

I think it's less regrets about his lifestyle choices now and more likely a mild form of damage control. He's got sons who have moved more than a mile away, a daughter in law who occasionally wears PANTS, and his own daughters are still sitting at home following the schedule to the letter day after day. If Steve chooses to attend a real church, then his sons choosing to attend a real church suddenly looks more like toeing the family line than it might otherwise.

I'm not quite sure what the timeline here is. Did he join a church after his sons left? They often post things months later. So it's hard to tell for me.

 

8 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I sometimes wonder if Steve just doesn’t have the energy to exert his need for control over everyone anymore. He still controls the girls for the most part. But there’s no way he can control his sons’ every move like when they lived at home. 

Maybe even a Steve Maxwell can mellow with age? At least a little bit...

[Jana814]

5 hours ago, Austrian Atheist said:

 

 

Maybe even a Steve Maxwell can mellow with age? At least a little bit...

Steve Maxwell mellowing. I don’t think that will happen. 

[Botkinetti]

I think Steve has realized he no longer has iron control over his sons. They are making decisions to suit their own families and not asking his permission.
Probably freaks him out so what might be described as mellowing in another person is him choosing not to engage because he knows he would lose.

[anachronistic]

It’s such a shame the literature those kids aren’t exposed to. There are so many beautiful books and stories, with more coming out each day. But they probably see the magic in ‘The Secret Garden’ as bad....though ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy’ is probably acceptable.( I say ‘probably’ because Fauntleroy looks somewhat feminine to modern eyes with his blond curls and lace collars.)

[Alisamer]

15 hours ago, treemom said:

The person who loves hiking is Terri.  I’ve always been surprised she didn’t have to give it up like Pepsi.  For some reason, I remembered distinctly the posts about hiking St. Helen’s right before Christopher’s wedding to Anna.  It was mentioned then Terri was the one who loved hiking and I always wondered if she would lose it because it was an idol.

 

https://blog.titus2.com/2010/10/20/hiking-again/

You know, I don't wish ill on anyone, but if Steve were to happen to kick the bucket while Teri is still in good health...

I hope when the funeral is over Teri swigs a Pepsi, buys herself some hiking shorts, and sets out on an adventure. 

I know she is culpable in how stunted the family is, but I also think Steve took serious advantage of her depression. I think if she'd married someone reasonable she'd have been a whole different (probably happier) person in many ways. I'm glad that she (and the kids) have the opportunity to hike from time to time, even if it is in super-dangerous heavy denim skirts. 

On the plus side, I doubt she'll have the energy to keep up Steve's rules when he's gone. Hopefully the "girls" aren't so beat down that they decide to keep them up forever. Have "bible time" all you want, girls... but pay attention when you read. Steve's rules aren't God's rules. You don't have to like what mom and dad like. Try some new things!

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

8 hours ago, Austrian Atheist said:

Maybe even a Steve Maxwell can mellow with age? At least a little bit...

 

2 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

On the plus side, I doubt she'll have the energy to keep up Steve's rules when he's gone.

My bet would be that Steve probably isn't mellowing, but that he might be getting tired. It must use so much energy, making sure his every control freak rule is followed. Just like the main reason I'm less of a perfectionist than I used to be is that it takes too much out of me to obsess about all the details like I once did. I'm just too tired to do that anymore!

[Foudeb]

I think Steve is still very much obsessed with control and is as passive aggressive as ever with it. I would be very surprised if the free babysitting didn't come with massive strings attached.

What can he do if his financially independent sons, who don't need their sisters' free labour any more, just gradually slip away from his control though? Ranting and raving is just an admission of powerlessness. He might as well stick to his strictly dads, control the womenfolk more tightly than ever, get all obsessive about his new diet and give himself an ulcer from the repressed anger. 

[Fun-Dee]

14 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I’m not thinking about all the books I read as a child that the Maxwells probably wouldn’t have approved. 
 

Goosbumps, Baby Sitters Club, Charlie and the chocolate factory, Judy Blume books, and then when I was a teen, I read VC Andrews. Steve would clutch his burrito and fall to the floor if he even glanced at a VC Andrews book. 

Once I started reading, I read anything I could get my hands on.  I have two older brothers.  One of them read Science Digest, the other read Mad Magazine.  I read them both!  I remember in elementary school reading Chariots of the Gods.  One of my brothers mentioned to my mom that he thought it was too advanced for me.  My mom told him I could read anything I wanted to!  

 

[Black Aliss]

37 minutes ago, Fun-Dee said:

Once I started reading, I read anything I could get my hands on.  I have two older brothers.  One of them read Science Digest, the other read Mad Magazine.  I read them both!  I remember in elementary school reading Chariots of the Gods.  One of my brothers mentioned to my mom that he thought it was too advanced for me.  My mom told him I could read anything I wanted to!  

 

There is a beautiful poem by Sherman Alexie where he describes becoming a voracious reader. He read comic books, he read the books his father brought home from the pawn shop, and he read the backs of cereal boxes even though, as he says, it was USDA commodity cereal so all it said was Cereal Cereal Cereal.

[allyisyourpally5]

Off topic question : did Judy Blume write the books about a boy called Peter and his little brother Fudge? Can’t remember the title. I liked those books.

Back on topic:

I honestly can’t imagine ever using the phrase “to bless me”. It sounds so.....I’m not sure of the word but it rubs me up the wrong way, just like “influencer” and “I’ve been totally spoilt” rub me wrong too. If I said to my parents “brother took down my Christmas Lights to bless me” they would laugh in my face. Is this how the Maxwells speak to each other? “How can I bless you today?” And I thought bragging was unbiblical?

A picture doesn’t tell us everything. I think Steve is on damage control. Some of his sons are doing the opposite me of what his books say a son will do if you follow his method. Moving away is the big one, likewise attending different churches and not 100% working at home. A normal parent would be proud. Anna and Jesse are smiling in the photos but how do we know what’s being said to them about moving away? We don’t know the real reason why Jesse felt the need to move. Maybe Steve is mellowing out of fear of royal rebellion and backlash.....I can dream.

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

9 minutes ago, allyisyourpally5 said:

Off topic question : did Judy Blume write the books about a boy called Peter and his little brother Fudge? Can’t remember the title. I liked those books.

Yes. The first book is titled Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. I stayed up past midnight reading it in the bathroom at the first slumber party I ever attended. 

The are 5 books in the series. The first book was published in 1972, the last book was published in 2002.

Edited March 2, 2021 by WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?
Used a different link to books

[Myfanwy]

Bless me? For Pete’s sake. Help, Sarah. The word you want is help. Also, it’s cold enough for all the males to be in jumpers and long pants but the little girls are in dresses. Grr. ?