I Shouldn't Judge You But I Will

[monster]

Dear Aunt of Soccer Team Member,

You have behavioural problems with your adopted three-year old. You confide this to everyone. I just watched you give him a bottle of Mountain Dew to drink when he cried because his Gatorade (large) was all gone. At 7pm. And then you got pissed with him when he got all excited and knocked it over and it didn't have a cap on. But you ignored it when he said he wanted to beat you up and then started punching you.

You sorta suck as a parent. Jus' sayin'. I know you love them (the bio dau, the adopted son, and the fostered troubled niece and nephew). But you have too much going on. You are spending all your time/attention on the older fosterees and neglecting your babies. A Gatorade/Mountain Dew cocktail is not a good babysitter.

[Nirvana]

Are you related to Steve Schirripa ?

[monster]

Originally Posted by Nirvana

Are you related to Steve Schirripa ?

I don't believe so. But maybe he'd marry me? "Steve The Judgmental Bastard" is exactly how I felt (I had to wikipedia him). Caffeine and sugar for a 3yo in the evening and a complete faliure to deal with the consequences? Dick.

[Aliantha]

It's hard to sympathise with people who choose to allow children softdrink in the evening

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by Tod

You know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car - hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any butt-reaming asshole be a father.

--Parenthood

Substitute parental designator where needed.

[GunMaster357]

As my mother says, you need a diploma for any job save being a parent.

At 7.00 PM, a 3 years old should be eating his last meal for the day and prepare for bed.

And, sugar and cafeine in such are not very healthy even for for a full adult.

[monster]

Procrastination Special!

Folks, I'm avoiding a huge nasty task that's hanging over me and has to be done today. So in order to avoid it, I'll be offering free judgments all day! Just give me the bare bones of the scenario, facts not necessary....

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by monster

Procrastination Special!

Folks, I'm avoiding a huge nasty task that's hanging over me and has to be done today. So in order to avoid it, I'll be offering free judgments all day! Just give me the bare bones of the scenario, facts not necessary....

Great!

My ex-boyfriend: commence with the judging! (and please, be harsh)

[glatt]

ok, here's one.

We are trying to figure out our plans for the summer. Camps, vacations, etc.

Friends of ours moved to London suburbs (near Windsor) for two years last summer. They have asked us several times to come visit them. Have an extra bedroom, miss us, etc. So we finally figured out that we can probably swing it in August. It will be expensive for 4 tickets, but it's a once in a lifetime kind of thing, so why not? We'd spend several nights with them, and then go traveling on our own for a week or so.

So we email them that we can come in August, and they are sending all these signals like we aren't welcome now. They aren't coming out and saying it in concrete terms, but they are definitely sending a chilling vibe.

WTF?

Should we just tell them never mind, and make other plans instead?

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by glatt

Friends of ours moved to London suburbs (near Windsor) for two years last summer. They have asked us several times to come visit them. Have an extra bedroom, miss us, etc. So we finally figured out that we can probably swing it in August. It will be expensive for 4 tickets, but it's a once in a lifetime kind of thing, so why not? We'd spend several nights with them, and then go traveling on our own for a week or so.

So we email them that we can come in August, and they are sending all these signals like we aren't welcome now. They aren't coming out and saying it in concrete terms, but they are definitely sending a chilling vibe.

WTF?

Should we just tell them never mind, and make other plans instead?

1) Be (indirectly) direct. Something like, "You don't seem that keen. Let us know if it's bad timing..." It gives them an out, so they might be honest if it's a problem. Or they might admit is really is the timing (someone else might be promised their time) or a downturn in finances or something else you can work round. They might worry that you need a tour guide, necessitating time off...

2) Do come! I'm free all August so I can at least meet you in London for one meal! I'd be able to advise you on bus & Tube tickets and decent places to eat and perhaps my insight into things you've planned to see.

I might even be able to hire a car and collect you from Windsor on a quick tour of Aylesbury Vale. There's nothing staggering here, but if you're making the most of your airfare by staying longer for example you might like to see Waddesdon Manor or Claydon House or have a proper afternoon tea at Hartwell House Hotel. I worked there in my late teens/ early twenties and amongst other claims to fame it was the English home of Louis VIII in exile from the French Revolution. Happy to help anyway, as will other Brits, if you want to go slightly off the beaten track.

3) Just come already.

[glatt]

Oh, I'm pretty sure I know why they are being all distant now. They don't have their summer planned yet, and they don't want us to be putting them in a position to make plans now. They want to travel at some point too, and might want to be gone in August. Plus they have one set of parents there now for several weeks, so they are probably sick of house guests right now and can't stand the idea of having more, even though in August they would probably feel differently.

It was bad timing on our part to mention it with them now, but the summer camp deadlines are this week, so that's when it came up for us. We don't need to finalize plans for a while, so we'll let it marinade for a bit.

I appreciate all your offers! If we do go, I'd love to meet you, Sundae.

A very close second choice would be to go up to Maine and go camping with my parents. Our kids are old enough now that I can take them on my favorite hike in the world. Climbing up a mountain with a lake on top for swimming and tons of wild blueberries to feast upon. Here's a picture of me and my younger siblings scrounging for blueberries.

[Pete Zicato]

Originally Posted by glatt

We don't need to finalize plans for a while, so we'll let it marinade for a bit.

TIL that marinade can be used as a verb.

[monster]

He really didn't ought to be spending his money on that shit, his priorities are all fucked up. Someone needs to open a whole can of whoop-ass on that dude. After he gets a haircut. And the hypocrisy! OMG! Does he not realise what a complete tit-wadded-fuck-fest of a human being he it? Jeeze. And he drives like a granny with dotted-line-aphobia.

[monster]

Oh I totally hate people like that. No, you should damn well land on their doorstep without warning. Chances are they've been spinning you a whole line of bullshit about how awesome their life and house is and they don't want you to find out that their daughter's up the duff to a chav meth-head and their "thatched desirable residence" is a former council house with grass growing in the gutter.

[Nirvana]

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