Bad News for Bathroom Baby

[Witsec7]

Sorry remove the ...... At the end of link.

She recently twittered that T1 rubbed deodorant all over his face..I wonder if she ever watches him at all.

She's gone on and on about putting kiddie locks on her cabinets, they are either not working, Thatdouchebaghusband doesn't put his stuff away, or she is lying like a rug. You choose.

[treemom]

for real, yo. i had never seen her blog before, but after a bit of poking around, and her post on 'a day in the life', i wonder if (a) she EVER held him to feed him, or if she always put him in his pen with a bottle, and (b) if she ever spent more than 20 minutes a day actively engaged with him.

Please someone post the horrible very small baby bottle propping choking hazard entries that TW did. It was horrible contrary.

[emmiedahl]

The bathroom thing is so telling about her parenting. I remember when my parents first divorced, my mother could only afford a tiny trailer rented from a relative, and she slept on the living room couch so the kids could have the two tiny bedrooms. When I was a single mom, I slept for years on the couch while my toddler son had an impeccably decorated bedroom with a four-poster bed and a computer. TW just does.not.compute. with me. Aren't your children supposed to get the best you can give them? And she could give a lot without much sacrifice; they have money and time, two things that a single mother does not have. She could give him a bright and lovely room filled with toys and books, and she just doesn't.

[contrary]

even imagining it is making my blood pressure rise. I nursed both of my babies exclusively. sometimes i gazed into their eyes in wonder while nursing. sometimes i surfed the net or read while nursing. sometime i dozed off while nursing. but i always freaking TOUCHED them while nursing.

[Feberin]

even imagining it is making my blood pressure rise. I nursed both of my babies exclusively. sometimes i gazed into their eyes in wonder while nursing. sometimes i surfed the net or read while nursing. sometime i dozed off while nursing. but i always freaking TOUCHED them while nursing.

Me too! And it wouldn't be as bothersome if occasionally the older baby fed himself a bottle but from looking at her blog it looks like she never sat there cuddling him while feeding him. I breastfed but when I was at work my husband would cuddle up and feed my son his bottle of pumped milk. We were slightly concerned since when asked if he could hold a bottle on his own at a year old we didn't know if he could or not since my husband always really loved cuddling up and holding the bottle for him.

[Witsec7]

The bathroom thing is so telling about her parenting. I remember when my parents first divorced, my mother could only afford a tiny trailer rented from a relative, and she slept on the living room couch so the kids could have the two tiny bedrooms. When I was a single mom, I slept for years on the couch while my toddler son had an impeccably decorated bedroom with a four-poster bed and a computer. TW just does.not.compute. with me. Aren't your children supposed to get the best you can give them? And she could give a lot without much sacrifice; they have money and time, two things that a single mother does not have. She could give him a bright and lovely room filled with toys and books, and she just doesn't.

This

As a single Mom I did the floor before we had a futon couch, then I moved to the futon couch. The DD had her room, same room she had at the family home, only a different orientation. 4 years later I could afford a bedroom, and a year after that a bed. With this child its out of sight out of mind.

[Feberin]

This

As a single Mom I did the floor before we had a futon couch, then I moved to the futon couch. The DD had her room, same room she had at the family home, only a different orientation. 4 years later I could afford a bedroom, and a year after that a bed. With this child its out of sight out of mind.

Especially with having a spare bedroom. Not that it would be okay if they had a one bedroom apartment but with the spare bedroom it's just crazy! Especially since they got the very nice apartment AFTER the baby was born. Why not go for one that didn't have some of the awesome features but a third bedroom or at least a den (to use for the office and put the baby in the second bedroom).

[jenny_islander]

Mandatory reporters--how far does this neglect have to go before you can call CPS?

[contrary]

eh. i have less of an issue with an infant sleeping in a non-bedroom. as long as he is safe and getting the rest that he needs, it's no big to me where he actually GETS that rest.

what's bothering me is what seems to be a total lack of engagement.

[emmiedahl]

I think people have already called CPS and also authorities at her church (which she is more likely to listen to).

Personally, I don't think that the neglect of BB falls within legal definitions, as appalling as it is. A social worker would go out there and be wowed by the upper-middle-classness, the clean and beautifully furnished apartment, and the Ralph Lauren baby clothes. There is not to my knowledge a law against unorthodox sleeping arrangements such as this, probably because no one could have foreseen that neglect would come in this shiny, wealthy, well-combed package.

[BoomerLynn]

The more I read about this poor little boy the more I just want to cry for him. Or give him a hug. Or read him a book. Just something. And I cannot stand that he has to sleep in a fucking bathroom while his parents have this nice, big spare room for their damn computers. They can give all this space to a computer but not to their child? Talk about screwed up priorities. My aunt is a single mom of 2, and when her kids were younger she rented a tiny house with 2 small bedrooms. Her kids got the bedrooms and she slept in a living room half the size of thier "office" on a futon for 2 years. No one should have to sleep next to a toilet, no matter how infrequently it's used.

Edited because it is size not sice....my 3 year old daughter tried to help my type. See TW? You can use the computer and pay attention to your child at the same time!

[contrary]

i agree with emmie...bias cuts both ways. if they were in some low-rent apartment with shabby furnishings, it would cause much more alarm.

but, because they're pretty and shiny and well-presented, everything must be okay.

[Feberin]

I'm almost surprised that she doesn't want a bedroom and a nursery. You would think spending money and decorating it would be something she'd enjoy. Then she can take some pictures of it and post about how her kid has the best room ever. I also think she'd avoid CPS. While I don't like the bathroom bedroom and the toddler sleeping in a pack and play it's not going to compare to a parent who beats their child. And the lack of engagement seems hard to prove since I would think when CPS was there she'd hold him and not totally ignore him.

[emmiedahl]

I am surprised she didn't want a nursery as well! We were pretty well off when my middle three were born, and I had the time of my life contemplating paint swatches and the merits of various cribs.

[GiGi_41]

Mandatory reporters--how far does this neglect have to go before you can call CPS?

Actually, my foster kids social worker is looking into this for me. I asked about it on Monday. She has the link to the blog, but at least for me, she thinks that mandatory reporting doesn't cross state lines. She did say that she would forward this to the Cook County CPS in Chicago to see if they are willing to take a peek at what is going on at TW's house.

CPS isn't just about taking kids from their parents most of it is making sure that the parents have the resources available to effectively parent.

[smores]

I'm not surprised she didn't want a nursery. From her list of essentials, it seemed like actual baby stuff was low priority and it was more about being pregnant. She's part of that "It doesn't take a billion dollars to have a kid" mindset, I think.

Of course, I think that it doesn't cost a billion dollars but my kid sure has a nursery, real life crib and very nice things and we're not even as well off as Jenna.

[Heaps of Eeps]

I am surprised she didn't want a nursery as well! We were pretty well off when my middle three were born, and I had the time of my life contemplating paint swatches and the merits of various cribs.

I get the feeling TH is the driving force behind no nursery. i know at one point she said something about the Polish/European way of treating a child just like a regular member of the family ie:no special treatment for babies. Or something, which is her just reading that whole concept wrong. I understand it as not acting like your child is a super speshul snowflake..but she doesnt even treat him like a family member..more like a dog that is suppose to know what to do without any training. Its almost like they are surprised he didnt come looking for a job.

[ilovetchotchkes]

I'm not surprised she didn't want a nursery. From her list of essentials, it seemed like actual baby stuff was low priority and it was more about being pregnant. She's part of that "It doesn't take a billion dollars to have a kid" mindset, I think.

Of course, I think that it doesn't cost a billion dollars but my kid sure has a nursery, real life crib and very nice things and we're not even as well off as Jenna.

Well no, i mean, I bought little to nothing that wasn't bought for me when my kid was born but he has his own bedroom. (which was a former office !!)

I keep joking that the next kid had better be a boy because i don't want to give up my sewing room, but you know what? if its a girl, I sure will! I'll figure something out, but I sure as SHIT am not going to put my kid in the bathroom.

I can't believe she fired the therapist, like REALLY? its not like she's gonna wave a magic wand.

[polabear]

I finally read the blog, and in "it's a small world" moment, I had a boyfriend who lived in that complex when I first met him. That was in 1998. They've upgraded them a bit since I saw his place, but he'd lived there for over 10 years at the time. He also didn't have a view of the lake. They are popular with the University of Chicago graduate student folk.

ETA: I managed to leave out the part I meant to post. Having spent a fair amount of time in that complex, the bedrooms are large, especially by City of Chicago apartment standards. There's no reason why they can't find a non-bathroom place to tuck a crib.

[snarkbillie]

Well no, i mean, I bought little to nothing that wasn't bought for me when my kid was born but he has his own bedroom. (which was a former office !!)

I keep joking that the next kid had better be a boy because i don't want to give up my sewing room, but you know what? if its a girl, I sure will! I'll figure something out, but I sure as SHIT am not going to put my kid in the bathroom.

I can't believe she fired the therapist, like REALLY? its not like she's gonna wave a magic wand.

I'm picturing your sewing room in the bathroom. Those old style sewing tables double quite well as make-up tables, LOL.

[BravaAmica]

I'm tempted to tell the Dr. Phil show about TW. Being on TV would appeal to her ego and narcissism and the public outrage out be so damn loud she would HAVE to do something.

[Sunnichick31]

I'm tempted to tell the Dr. Phil show about TW. Being on TV would appeal to her ego and narcissism and the public outrage out be so damn loud she would HAVE to do something.

Do it! Or maybe I'll do it, Or maybe both of us should.

[BravaAmica]

Do it! Or maybe I'll do it, Or maybe both of us should.

Seriously. And everything she posts on line is fair game since public Twitter, blogs, ect. offer no reasonable expectation of privacy.

His audience would eat her alive- they're rabid. And she would totally get off on being on TV.

[MamaJunebug]

My infertile Junior & his wife have a bedroom all ready for a babe. He would work parttime so the infant would have increased time at home. Yet: no baby for them. But TWO for this poser. It hurts.

[Sprocket]

Um, seriously? Between her Twitter account and her blog, where does she find the time to fire anyone? Even when I had one little boy (who is roughly the same age as hers), I didn't have a whole lot of time to sit and piddle around on the computer. Wow, no wonder the kid doesn't have any receptive language... he probably only hears the sound of a clicking keyboard all day. He may be able to respond in morse code. They should try it.