News: Suburban mother does not kill children

[ailbhe]

Today in a quiet suburban street in Reading, Berks, a young-mother-of-two who cannot be identified did not hurt her children. "She always seemed so normal," said a neighbour, "I mean, they were a lovely family."

Neighbours heard the children shrieking with laughter but they did not see the wardrobe being emptied or the laundry basket being tipped up so that clean and dirty laundry were mixed together. "You just can't see what goes on behind closed doors," said Emma, 58, from number 73. It has also been reported that although at least one of the children knew what she was doing was wrong, the mother (age 30) did not beat her, or throw her out the window.

Other mothers from the toddler group the children regularly attended until a few months ago said "It's not normal. Everyone loses their lid sometimes."

Reports that the children were not locked in a cellar full of rats are also being investigated.

This is crossposted. Also, I am having a really horrible day and I find that what I most want is to UTTERLY BREAK LINNEA'S SPIRIT so that she is demure and obedient from here on in. Somebody, stop me.

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

One day she will do the same thing to some of this society's Victorian relic ideas of gender, humanity and identity, and the world will be a better place for it.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Parenting is hard. You have my sympathy and support.

[ailbhe]

Thank you.

I often want that icon, but would get confused if I saw it on my own writing. Perhaps I should find it in another colour.

(And be more grateful that Linnea isn't Miles).

[rmc28]

Oh god, I've just had a flash of trying to parent Miles. Why hasn't that occurred to me sooner?

[rmc28]

*sympathy and good wishes*

I think wine is a better filler for cellars than rats, but then you couldn't lock children in them, because of the glass.

I've been meaning to ask, did you ever get the Mills & Boon book with the middle book full of midwifery propaganda? I ordered it via Amazon Marketplace for you sometime after DWCon but failed utterly to follow up whether it arrived ...

[ailbhe]

I *did* and I posted a review of it somewhere with a thank you but I don't know where! Not in this lj, it seems, I am sorry.

I found it enjoyable fluff and highly amusing in spots, IIRC :) Thank you very much.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Also, I am having a really horrible day and I find that what I most want is to UTTERLY BREAK LINNEA'S SPIRIT so that she is demure and obedient from here on in. Somebody, stop me.

I'm sorry. Nobody HAS to stop you. Because I honestly don't think it's possible.

I really, really don't think that Linnea's spirit can be broken. I don't think she COULD be made demure.

Sorry. You're stuck with her.

[ailbhe]

Well, no, but trying would be bad anyway. Back in pyjamas and watching DVDs and eating pizza all day helped a lot. Sometimes, the only thing to do is give up.

[pauamma]

You should submit this to The Onion. :-)

[ex-serenejo.livejournal.com]

*Hughughughug*

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

I gave Kate Time Out this morning for yelling at Holly & pushing her over. Holly was using Kate's old bratz handbag to take some toys to a meeting I was attending at school, as I gave it to her as Kate now dislikes bratz ...

Figure that one out ...

I was frazzled at the time over it as it was 10 mins before the school run.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Figure that one out ...

Kate still thought it was hers.

Had you discussed giving it to Holly, with her?

(You were right to put Kate in time out.)

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

They normally share things very well & Kate says bratz is for babies, so I thought it would all be fine. The Time Out was for pushing Holy over, not the yelling. I find it's hard to take a step back when there's lots of yelling, I'm ill & we're on a time schedule for something :/

[gloriap.livejournal.com]

That suburban mother deserves a Medal Of Valo(u)r.

It reminds me of the day a friend's two children (under the age of three) "washed" the kitchen floor with solid shortening and spread fresh coffee grounds all over it because "it made it so nice and slippy". All while Mom and Dad were still asleep one morning.

Said children are now in their early 40s, so no murder or mayhem was involved in their punishment.

[ruthi.livejournal.com]

OMG, you are so awesome.

Also, *tea*.

[nicnacpaddywac.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I have nothing to offer other than sympathy.

[moonborn.livejournal.com]

Ach, y'poor thing! I laughed, good to know you're able to keep your sense of humour in the face of such adversity.

Linnea's non-broken spirit

[(Anonymous)]

One day Linnea will have her own children. And THEN she won't be sorry.

Re: Linnea's non-broken spirit

[ailbhe]

My mother makes all sorts of karma noises when I talk about L. Who are you?

Didn't mean to be anonymous

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry, I didn't mean to be anonymous! It was me. Daphne xx

[firecat]

I'm sorry you're having a horrible day. And I think you made art out of it.

[flybabydizzy.livejournal.com]

((hugs))
Been there, done that - Jo is still Jo and twice as stubborn
I discovered what I broke was me.
Much love and empathy

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Ah. Oh. Right. Well done, you.

Perhaps digging a cellar and ordering some rats on the Intarwebs - just in case, like - might salve your feelings a little.

Not attempting to break the spirit is the hardest work, in some ways.