Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Someone's done rubbed me the wroooooong way
Oh for God's sake. There are some RUDE ASS people out there. Really. Truly. Wanna see an example? Cool! Let me share this e-mail I got earlier today. Wait. Let me back up. It's actually a comment on a post back in June, but I thought I'd make it easier on you by just posting this persons comment. You see, I don't spend all my time cruising my entire blog to see if anyone has commented in the archives. But since I do like to reply to comments - I've set my blog up to e-mail me notification whenever someone posts a comment. Which is how this came to my attention:

"Hi! I have spent all day going through the archives reading your blog start to [almost] finish..and I love it! You are so funny and your family is a hoot...We too have kids...they are 16, 15, 14, 13 and 8, so I can sympathize with your travails over Christmas and Vacation - but C'MON - the Christmas post was bad enough "My Christmas is ruined b/c I didn't get what I want" WTF? I would have yanked every last present away from those two, marched them down to salvation army and been done....but this post at Disneyland? Kicking the garbage can? and you post (again) well they are really good kids. Um, NO, no they aren't....tsk, tsk after kicking the exhibit is nothing. I don't like other people telling me how to raise my kids, but I honestly don't like everytime one of them does something heinous, you simply write "Well, they ARE really good kids." How do you figure?....remember...YOU put them out here. Oh, and you like to say they aren't spoiled...are you K I D D I N G? "

Ummmmm. Fuck off? Really! Please do!! I frickin' wrote about the two things that my kids did that I thought were bad - and you're telling me they're SPOILED?? Let me just tell you. When I said I dragged them off after Ashy's little exhibition, I DRAGGED THEM OFF, I just didn't detail to the blogland the entire extent of what their lecture and punishment entailed. There was no question in anyone's mind that those kids were in the doghouse with me. You also obviously missed the part where I said that they behaved after that. Which is what I expect them to do after they misbehave and get disciplined. I find it hard to believe that you have as many kids as you claim you do and have never had to discipline them because of unacceptable behavior. Which - apparently - from the tone of your comment, your kids are angelic humans that you've never see act like that. EVER. Shall we call them the new Messiahs?

Kids are KIDS. Kids act snotty/bratty/spoiled sometimes. It is what kids do. It is my job as a parent to curtail that kind of behavior and make sure that it doesn't happen again. And you know what? It didn't!! So obviously -- it worked!! How are children going to learn anything by not making mistakes?


You know, YOU tell ME how a child that volunteers her entire Barbie collection (including clothes and accessories) to my co-worker'd 5 year old daughter is spoiled? This particular co-worker of mine lost her house to a fire. I was talking about it to my husband when I felt a tap on my arm. There was Ashton with a paper sack full of her Barbie stuff. She asked me to bring it to the little girl whose house burned down. She volunteered on her own. I didn't ask her to. THAT'S a spoiled child? She had eight Barbie dolls. Now she has one. (oh - and by the way, she had eight Barbie dolls that SHE bought with HER money that SHE earned doing CHORES)

This is a child that had the grace to look embarrassed about the things she owns, because I showed her an e-mail I got the other day about people that have NOTHING. It showed people sleeping on the ground because they have no bed, people wearing shoes made out of string and flattened out plastic coke bottles, and babies that are so malnourished that their little stomachs are distended horribly. This "spoiled" child set out trying to figure out a way to send some money to them. She was sitting out in our front yard trying to sell paperback books to cars driving by so she could send the money to the church. This "spoiled" child also asked for a color copy of the e-mail to bring to class for social studies. She wanted her friends to see it as well.

This is also the child that brought me a cool washcloth for my head at DisneyWorld when we had food poisoning. I told her I was sorry - but that we probably wouldn't go to the parks that day, and she said "That's all right, I don't mind." And you know what? She didn't! She helped us entertain Avery while us adults took turns throwing up. She also ran to the vending machine to get us sprites and water. Oh ... oops - she's spoiled. HUH?

I also don't detail every. single. aspect of their day - because while I love my children - not everyone wants to hear about it all the frickin' time. Those two posts were written just because the situations were so out of the ORDINARY for them, that it was standing out in my mind. So YEAH - THEY REALLY ARE GOOD KIDS! And fuck you for saying otherwise. Don't try to blabber something about how I should *expect* comments like this since I "put them out there". I put my kids out there because I'm PROUD of them, and I LOVE them, and no way would I ever try to change them and their little personalities.

I described two bad behaviors on their part in one year. In ONE YEAR, they behaved horribly twice. HOLY CRAP!! What should i do ?? Send them to Boot Camp??!!! What do you want me to do to them? Harangue them day in and day out every day for the rest of their frickin' lives because of them kicking the garbage can and griping about a Christmas present? Get real. They made a mistake, we dealt with the issue (and I can assure you one last time, that it wasn't just a simple little "tsk-tsk"), and the problem has not been repeated.

So go judge your own life. Better yet. Why don't you go up to someone in PERSON and say something like that to their FACE? It's amazing how brave people are when they think they are masked by a name that says "Anonymous". What anonymous needs to realize is that Anonymous isn't as anonymous as you may think.
 
posted by Norman at 7:56 PM | Permalink |


15 Comments:


  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 3:22:00 AM, Blogger Blu Jewel

    Norm, you know what they say, "opinions are like assholes; everyone has one". Leave the person who commented to cleaning her ass (lol. I can't believe I just said that. Anyhoo, I know it's aggravating, but don't let her get you down. As long as you know what kind of parent you are, that's all that matters. You don't have to divulge every detail of your personal life in blogland, so let her interpret what she read her way. With five damn kids, I'm sure she's had plenty of "I can't take these effin kids" moments. I come from a family of 5 kids, so I feel confident in saying that.

    Smile and go on with your day.

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 5:25:00 AM, Blogger Norman

    BluJewel - Thanks!! Normally, I couldn't give a rats ass when someone is talking out of their ass, but #1, it was my kids she was bashing. People can say what they want about me, but not my kiddos. #2, I don't feel well (in fact - I called in sick to work today) which means a less-tolerant Norman.

    But your comment made me smile!!!

    Normy

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 5:30:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous

    some people :-(

    Why can't people just be nice to one another?

    I do despair - if they want to see some bad kids I know some. I know families where I disagree strongly with the way they parent the children, but I never tell them to their face - yes my wife and I bitch to each other - but ultimately the children are the parents responsibility not an outsiders and so I smile nicely and stay out of it, it's not my place to judge others.

    So, in short, Anonymous, Bugger off and leave Norman alone!

    Now - Norm - sit down, have a cup of tea, and write us all a happy post :-)

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 5:32:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous

    If you're of sick and having a sit down and a cup of tea..... we have a website in england called...

    nice cup of tea and a sit down.com

    http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/

    Makes me laugh with the shear triviality :-)

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 6:44:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous

    Oh Norm, thank you for ripping her a new one. She deserved it and she should be thankful that you didn't post who she was because I would have gladly gone to her blog and left a nasty comment on every single post of hers. That dumb f*ck. Totally agree with you, it's one thing to say something bad about us, but you're in a whole new playing field when it's our kids. Man she pist me off too Norm! I need a drink. I too read your blog from beginning to end and you know what I thought? That you were one of the most hilarious people I've ever read and that you have the most amazing kids! What other kids are safe enough to cross the street with a Mickey Mouse stop sign and take care of each other like they do, and deal with ghosts and faces they see by the window and stuff, I mean come on! You're kids rock! So poo on this weirdo that left you that stupid comment, she obviously doesn't have her head screwed in right...the jealous hag.

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 8:12:00 AM, Blogger Fabnormal

    oh, amen girl. I hate the judgers. I had the same shit during my pregnancy with people and their bullshit comments. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to make examples of them though.

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 8:16:00 AM, Blogger RVVagabond

    Thankfully the hateful comments are few and far between. The posts documenting your kids' misbehavior simply shows that they are normal kids. Most of us have experienced public and private behavior from our own children that is far, far worse-we just don't happen to blog about it. :D

    Nice riposte, sweetie.

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 9:09:00 AM, Blogger Spicy Cracker

    I guess she never learned ... "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say it at all."

    well done!

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 9:14:00 AM, Blogger pack of 2

    Does Anon not know that your stat counter can take you right to their front door? Idiots! I remember that post. People are asshats Norm. Your kids are good kids. I wouldn't worry about the balless wonder called Anon if I were you.

    Angie

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 9:43:00 AM, Blogger Norman

    AFC 30K - no worries!! Some people live to be mean to others. I think they have mental problems.
    I'll do a happy post when I feel better. right now I'm kinda achy...

    Vety - Thanks!! I like how you said "Poo on her!!" LOL!!

    A Taste that's Bitter - Oh girl. You know - the entire time I was typing that, I wished I had your creativity!! I still laugh about that time you told that one chick to stop pouring bong water on her cereal. Funniest thing I ever heard!! LOL

    Linda - yah. I'm lucky. The majority of the people on here are wonderful. I rarely have to deal with shmucks. This one was an asshole tho. Tried to be all nice and everything - and then flopped that crap on me about my kids. People should know better than to pick on a mommy's babies....

    Spicy - LOL. I think a LOT of people have never bothered to learn that lesson!

    Angie - oh i know!! Anonymous commenters need to realize that it's too easy to tell what their IP addresses are off stat counters. Not only that - there are programs out there that will identify the PHYSICAL ADDRESS of an IP address if you want to pay a small subscription fee. Scary stuff... huh? It's a good thing I'm not a psycho freak that would actually do such a thing (or so I tell people.)

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 11:54:00 AM, Blogger Nicki

    GO MAMA NORMAN!!!

    Your reaction is why I keep my mouth shut around friends even if I don't agree with their parenting abilities.

     
  • At Thursday, August 24, 2006 8:07:00 PM, Blogger Cacti to Cornfields

    you rock, norm!!!!

    it's so easy for people to judge, isn't it? this person who wrote what they wrote obviously has way too much judgmental time on their hands.

    your response to her deserves an A+!

     
  • At Friday, August 25, 2006 4:28:00 AM, Blogger Dari

    Take it easy Norm, I am sure by now you know that on the blog everybody writes and you can't just give a good ear for everybody, come on we need a good blog and with a cup of tea.

    It is nice to be back and read your blog, keep a smile please.

     
  • At Friday, August 25, 2006 7:33:00 AM, Blogger Heather Jane

    Aww, Norm :(

    Well rest assured this person will feel like a horse's ass when he/she reads this, and rightly so - they made assumptions based on what little information they had.
    And that's why I always keep my big gob shut when it comes to parenting.

    good on ya.

     
  • At Friday, September 01, 2006 6:23:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous

    Obviously the other " anonymous", has no idea that as toddlers, (2-3) children go through an "I am the center of the universe" phase. It is our job as parents to teach our children generosity and empathy for others (obviously you are). They learn this gradually. It usually takes them to the age of 10 to "get it"........... Just in time for the teen "the world revolves around me" phase. Where if they split up with their BF or GF the world is at an end. This is normal. all children have bratty moments, EVEN anonymous' children. NEENER NEENER NEENER!

    Toots

     
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