Parsnips and Parsimony

[weed]

Those kids definitely need help. They all seem to have behavioural issues and several of them need physical intervention as well. Sorry to mention it as I try hard not to talk about physical issues with kids, but has anyone ever noticed Lydia's and John's teeth? They need to do something about them asap. Charity looks and behaves like a 40 year old woman.

[DoodleBop2]

Dental care in this country is so expensive I can imagine it would be a struggle to provide dental care for that many kids, even more so, if they're refusing social services. Charity acts like an adult because she is expected to be one. She's practically a SAHM.

[weed]

Maybe they are only doing one at a time and they have to wait their turn? Charity has braces. I know she behaves like a 40 year old, but she also looks like one and dresses like one. sometimes when she walks past in the background of the blog, I get a shock because I wonder who the older woman is ... then I realise it isn't an older woman, but Charity. Sad, but true.

[dahell]

Did Charity get her braces off? I thought I remember her going to get them off once a while back. I’ll be you’re right, they do one at a time.

[inquisitive_mind]

So sad, are these people amish because there's no other way to explain this level of weirdness?

Also they need to get charity some respectable clothes and not Janelle's hand-me down maternity clothes that's past through their entire family tree,.. I stumbled across one of the older videos and was shocked how youthful charity looked compared to now she looks like she's in her late 20's WTF.

Also I hate diagnosing people but I agree some of the mannerisms of the children is down right bizarre. God help this family.

[weed]

I think you are being far too kind. I think that Charity looks more like a 40 year old in her mannerisms and her appearance. They are so unfair to those kids ... particularly that girl. They keep saying that she is fine with her life, but if she says that then it is because she knows NOTHING different. She has no choices and doesn't know what she is missing out on. They profess to be such loving parents, but they are extremely controlling and I don't think that is the definition of loving.

I used to really like them, but the more I watch them the more I dislike them lately. I still like Art a bit (because I don't think he help being weird), but Janelle is such a self-centred controlling woman that I find her really hard to take. The person who started this thread talked about them being "humble-braggy" and I think that is spot on. I would add "passive aggressive" to that as well.

Sorry if I'm coming across as harsh, but I've no patience with them lately.

Art is talking about how they are now "done" with the decluttering and cleaning up. Yeah right! Their house still looks a mess to me and in a few days it will still be cluttered and untidy. They will continue to bring crap into the house and not have the kids tidy up after themselves. They simply can't help themselves.

[dahell]

I think you are being far too kind. I think that Charity looks more like a 40 year old in her mannerisms and her appearance. They are so unfair to those kids ... particularly that girl. They keep saying that she is fine with her life, but if she says that then it is because she knows NOTHING different. She has no choices and doesn't know what she is missing out on. They profess to be such loving parents, but they are extremely controlling and I don't think that is the definition of loving.

I used to really like them, but the more I watch them the more I dislike them lately. I still like Art a bit (because I don't think he help being weird), but Janelle is such a self-centred controlling woman that I find her really hard to take. The person who started this thread talked about them being "humble-braggy" and I think that is spot on. I would add "passive aggressive" to that as well.

Sorry if I'm coming across as harsh, but I've no patience with them lately.

Art is talking about how they are now "done" with the decluttering and cleaning up. Yeah right! Their house still looks a mess to me and in a few days it will still be cluttered and untidy. They will continue to bring crap into the house and not have the kids tidy up after themselves. They simply can't help themselves.

You are always spot on. I think one of their big issues is (and I’ve said it before so, kind of redundant on my part) they think that it even can be “done”. I think some extremely organized people or maybe people without children could almost be in a “done” state of living but most of us, it will be ongoing. It’s not like, “whew, don’t with THAT now, now we can get on with it”. It’s something you need to constantly keep up on. And, while I think it’s great that parents and siblings are close with one another and the most important relationship, I think everyone could use a friend. They SAY Charity has friends. I sure hope she has at least that one special girl that she can giggle with, share secrets, dreams etc. I really hope she has that. The evidence speaks otherwise though.

[weed]

It sure does.

Charity very rarely smiles, and I don't think I've seen her laugh more than a couple of times in all the years I've been following them. I've mentioned this before, but it always sticks in my mind as being such a sad thing .... once when their Aunt Laura was interviewing the older kids, she asked them to describe the best time of their lives. Charity's response ... after a lot of time when she just stared blankly into the distance while she tried to think of something to say ... was the day a "friend" came to their house to help her clean. I think at that moment it dawned on me just how sad that girl's life is. I hope that one day in the future when she is an adult, she has the opportunity to experience something other than what she is experiencing now. If she ever does, she either won't know how to deal with it, or she will really resent her parents for what they have made her miss out on during all these "lost" years.

[inquisitive_mind]

Bless Charity's heart, it sounded like she's trying to finally chose her own path in life. She's collecting 'bottle? lids' for funds to finance the nursing program but it seemed really strange since Janelle just kind of laughed it off with no really push for what her daughter is clearly showing an interest in. Also what happened to them saving for their children's future, whether that be college or marriage.

In fact I've never seen them engage the kids/teens with any {out of the house} educational events that fit their age range. And no, going to the bulk food shop doesn't count as educational.
What's worse it's always with the whole family tagging along. My God as a teen that would drive me to the point of insanity.

[weed]

I think she said that she needs to collect something like 150 000 box tops for her nursing course?!! I do believe in kids being responsible for their education (at least in part) when they leave school as it develops in them a sense of responsibility, but that is just insane. She will be thirty before she can afford to go. I do agree that Janelle didn't look the slightest bit interested in the girl's efforts either. I don't think they are encouraging at all of higher education for their kids as they have virtually fobbed it off every time it is mentioned. They didn't seem keen when they dragged the whole family to that nursing college as while ago. (although why the whole family had to go I don't understand. It should have been a special outing just for Charity). I doubt that the poor girl will ever make it to college, let alone finish a course. I'm beginning to think that maybe Janelle is a tad jealous of her when she never did anything academic at all.

[Guest]

What I found aggravating about that specific clip, in addition to Janelle’s indifference, was the notion that these kids are raised to believe that selling boxtops on eBay is a suitable way to earn money. Charity recognizes the value of the boxtops to parents, and is choosing to capitalize on that. Perhaps I’m just an irritable sod, but it rubbed me the wrong way.
Further, why the Hell is Charity being encouraged by Aunt Laura (via comments) to sell a possum skull as a craft supply? Boundaries?

[weed]

I was also annoyed that they just assumed that everyone would send their box tops to them so that Charity could re-sell them, instead of her having to actually collect all of them herself. I'd rather sell them myself and keep the money, rather than send it to grifters. I missed that bit about the possum skull. That is just gross! I think Aunt Laura is as strange as her brother Art.

[dahell]

Maybe I’m being uptight about it, but it’s against General Mills policy to even sell box tops. I feel like this is how decent programs get shut down. People bending rules or outright exploiting. A group I’m a part of get a pretty decent check a few times a year for books/supplies. And they are collected the old fashioned way. And it’s not a huge group. And I’ll bet we don’t collect a ton because it’s a group that tends towards foods that wouldn’t have box tops. Anyway, I feel like it’s slightly shady for them to encourage her to do this. Again, I’m fully aware that maybe I’m being a stickler. I’ll accept that if I’m wrong.

[weed]

I don't think you're wrong. I'm not from the US so I don't really understand the ins and outs about box tops, but when they mentioned it I felt that it wasn't the right thing to do. It doesn't sound ethical to me.

It was like that envelope Janelle was talking about. She didn't actually say if the stamp that was on it was a used one or not. I am assuming that it was one that had been used, but the postage mark hadn't shown up on it (which sometimes can happen). If that is the case then that isn't ethical either. I could be wrong about that though as it might have been a brand new envelope.

Does Art EVER do any work outside the house? It seems that he is hardly at his shop, so his income must be absolutely tiny. I can't understand how they live when he never seems to do any work. When you think about it, they really have a charmed life. They are used to living on very little so that isn't a hardship for them, and Art is ALWAYS there to help out and take over whenever Janelle needs him. Even the few times he does actually go and sit in his shop and fiddle around making blogs or whatever else he does, she is always over there interrupting him. I can't see that he does much work at all.

[inquisitive_mind]

About the possum skull...What in the world? She is by far the strangest of them all. Regardless though none of this is NORMAL.

They live like garbage ppl always collecting and sifting through the scraps and the dredges of generations past. Leave that crap in the past.
Also they wouldn't have to be so poor/frugal if Janelle encouraged her husband to work even a fraction more, rather than leaving all the kids to him ever second day, then they wouldn't have to be so tight and day I say it so depressed.

Frankly these two are letting their children down. I'm disturbed by the extremely poor social skills they ALL have and even worse how void of encouraging their independent identity.

The weirdness is highlighted by having a teen daughter that looks like she's given up on life- frankly the lights off and charity's not home.
Maybe putting the kids in fun activities like the lil girls in girl scouts, gymnastics, dance, there might still be some hope for them while their brains still malleable. My Goodness stimulate them further than ABC mouse and opening the post box :/

[inquisitive_mind]

About the possum skull...What in the world? She is by far the strangest of them all. Regardless though none of this is NORMAL

They live like garbage ppl always collecting and sifting through the scraps and the dredges of generations past. Leave that crap in the past.
Also they wouldn't have to be so poor/frugal if Janelle encouraged her husband to work even a fraction more, rather than leaving all the kids to him ever second day, then they wouldn't have to be so tight and dare I say so depressed.

Frankly these two are letting their children down. I'm disturbed by the extremely poor social skills they ALL have and even worse how void of encouraging their independent identity.

The weirdness is highlighted by having a teen daughter that looks like she's given up on life- frankly the lights off and charity's not home.
Maybe putting the kids in fun activities like the lil girls in girl scouts, gymnastics, dance, there might still be some hope for them while their brains still malleable. My Goodness stimulate them further than ABC mouse and opening the post box :/

[weed]

I totally agree that they are letting those kids down badly. Not of them gets the chance to participate in any kind of activity, apart from John (CAP) and Charity (EMT) which are both what the parents want them to do and I suspect hand-picked by them. Art used to be in CAP and Janelle is an EMT, so both kids are just doing what they are told to do. They have no idea that they can make other choices. None of them have the slightest opportunity to participate in anything they want to do and frankly, they would absolutely no idea WHAT they want to do because they don't know what they are missing out on. You can't know what you've never been exposed to.

What I really can't understand is how Art mends musical instruments for a LIVING yet NOT ONE of those children play an instrument or are even exposed to one. They don't seem to think it is important at all, yet Art has so many instruments at his disposal. Janelle plays the piano (very badly) and apparently Charity plays a bit too, but apart from that none of those kids has been the least tiny bit of opportunity to play an instrument.

I am a qualified piano teacher (not my main job, but I used to do it part time), and I laughed out loud when Janelle stated in one vlog that before she was married she thought of becoming a concert pianist. PLEASE!! She has absolutely no idea what a woeful standard she is, but she LIGHT YEARS away from even being a decent pianist, let alone a concert pianist.

These people live in a dream world and have very high opinions of themselves.

[inquisitive_mind]

I guess it's super easy to have a high opinion of your self when your only other interaction/competition is people under the age of 14 and those decrepitated in the nursing home
Whats worse is the kids will pick up this entitlement and them snubbing their nose at everything just like their mum.
Those kids whilst a product of their circumstance have no real skills apart from making pizza, begging to lick flour off the counter and watching the ice tray drop.
We've already seen the quality of their home schooling just look at how good Charity is at spelling
I mean lets be honest they really have limited the teens. Not everyone can teach and this is why it takes years to qualify. Its all pathetically average at best. So what is the point of homeschooling if their learning is not elevated in any way? They could honestly fit all their teaching into one day, which is probably what they do anyway.
They dont even bother accessing homeschooling groups, sports activities, museums, day trip passes during school hours which would be cheaper. Seriously they're effectively unschooling their kids <.<
It's as if they purposely stunted these kids to keep them dependant on "The Family'.

[inquisitive_mind]

I guess it's super easy to have a high opinion of your self when your only other interaction/competition is people under the age of 14 and those decrepitated in the nursing home
Whats worse is the kids will pick up this entitlement and them snubbing their nose at everything just like their mum.
Those kids whilst a product of their circumstance have no real skills apart from making pizza, begging to lick flour off the counter and watching the ice tray drop.
We've already seen the quality of their home schooling just look at how good Charity is at spelling
I mean lets be honest they really have limited the teens. Not everyone can teach and this is why it takes years to qualify. Its all pathetically average at best. So what is the point of homeschooling if their learning is not elevated in any way? They could honestly fit all their teaching into one day, which is probably what they do anyway.
They dont even bother accessing homeschooling groups, sports activities, museums, day trip passes during school hours which would be cheaper. Seriously they're effectively unschooling their kids <.<
It's as if they purposely stunted these kids to keep them dependant on "The Family'.

[inquisitive_mind]

I guess it's super easy to have a high opinion of your self when your only other interaction/competition is people under the age of 14 and those decrepitated in the nursing home
Whats worse is the kids will pick up this entitlement and them snubbing their nose at everything just like their mum.
Those kids whilst a product of their circumstance have no real skills apart from making pizza, begging to lick flour off the counter and watching the ice tray drop.
We've already seen the quality of their home schooling just look at how good Charity is at spelling
I mean lets be honest they really have limited the teens. Not everyone can teach and this is why it takes years to qualify. Its all pathetically average at best. So what is the point of homeschooling if their learning is not elevated in any way? They could honestly fit all their teaching into one day, which is probably what they do anyway.
They dont even bother accessing homeschooling groups, sports activities, museums, day trip passes during school hours which would be cheaper. Seriously they're effectively unschooling their kids <.<
It's as if they purposely stunted these kids to keep them dependant on "The Family'.