8 Passengers: No Rules & Private Schools | Part 9

[sasperillo]

Regarding the bedrooms: they have extra space in the basement but refuse to use it because that’s where their water heater is which could be dangerous. I’m from Europe where most people live in flats and the water heater is never far away from the bedrooms (usually on the bathroom). I don’t understand why with the renovation they didn’t put in a newer, safer water heater with alarms in case something fails. Shari could then have the downstairs room, Abby and Julie could share and eve would be on her own. Then when Shari graduates, Chad can move downstairs and have his own space. They also don’t need a music room, a library and a tv room. They could easily turn their library into two small bedrooms for Chad and Shari. They have plenty of spaces to hang out as a family and the only time I’ve ever seen them reading has been in their beds. They can still entertain in the kitchen, music room and yard.

[grapesandbeans]

For those of you who watch Ellie and Jared did you see the part in the vlog where it was bedtime and they got the halloween book and doll? Calvins reaction and running around the basement screaming so much reminded me 100 percent of Russell. Obviously nothing really wrong with Calvin doing it but Russell is much older

[sheltiefan]

Today's vlog was interesting. She talks about at the end how important education is to her, that she wants to keep learning. Okay, maybe start with studying some American Geography since the kids had to tell her yesterday where the Smoky Mountains were!

[AlexVause]

Hi! I'm new here, ImmomSD told me about this place, so thank you!

I just wanted to add to the Russell convo, while I don't want to diagnose him with being on the autism spectrum (because honestly that's for professionals to decide), Ruby said it was impossible because "Russell has never met a stranger." This is a huge myth, there are loads of people with ASD / Aspergers who instead of being unusually introverted are actually ridiculously outgoing and know no boundaries. Again, I'm not diagnosing, but I've been wanting to get this off my chest ever since Ruby posted that video months ago, haha.

*waves hello to everyone*

[Lauralou_15]

Does anyone else think she cut out a lot of Russell’s school report? All she told us was that he’s a really gorgeous kid (my opinion) in terms of being so sweet with making friends etc I was really super impressed by that and telling us how he’s polite and things like that but nothing about his actual schooling? Whereas it sounds like Chad is a bit of a turd at school at least that’s what I got, none of the kids seem to be great with reading (minus eve and shari because we don’t know about them but I doubt Shari is behind on her reading the amount we know she reads!

[natalka81]

This is ridiculous. I don't care if the kids nod willingly to say it's okay for her to put all their parent/teacher info on camera, it's NOT okay. It's private. Those poor kids.

[cookingmama]

She didn't seem the least bit concerned that 3 of her kids are behind in their reading. One, it's not such a big deal, kids all learn differently. But three?!?! Maybe if she didn't take them out of school so often to go on trips they wouldn't be behind!

[grapesandbeans]

Does anyone else think she cut out a lot of Russell’s school report? All she told us was that he’s a really gorgeous kid (my opinion) in terms of being so sweet with making friends etc I was really super impressed by that and telling us how he’s polite and things like that but nothing about his actual schooling? Whereas it sounds like Chad is a bit of a turd at school at least that’s what I got, none of the kids seem to be great with reading (minus eve and shari because we don’t know about them but I doubt Shari is behind on her reading the amount we know she reads!

Chad comes off as a total turd all the time, one of the boys I'd have avoided in school.

[Namm]

She didn't seem the least bit concerned that 3 of her kids are behind in their reading. One, it's not such a big deal, kids all learn differently. But three?!?! Maybe if she didn't take them out of school so often to go on trips they wouldn't be behind!

Someone asked in the comments why the children did so poorly in school with a dad who's a professor and has 3 degrees, they have money, access to good teachers and a private school. They wondered why they didn't do any homework at home or study with their dad who's educated.
What people need to recognize is that narcissists set their children up for failure. Ruby is doing what her mother did to them. Ruby has already installed in them that school doesn't matter so why should they bother? I don't think Abby understands what she's doing at school. Julie likes education and learning but her mother works secretly against her by being uninterested so Julie is starting to not care as much anymore. Uninterested parents affect their children to passivity. You can tell that Ruby enjoys telling them how bad they suck, mean girl style.
Chad and Shari are older and left alone but they've also fought for their rights.

They behavior of Ruby and Kevin reminds me of the parents from House of Versailles. Rich parents with access to everything but they didn't engage or encourage their 8 to anything, the kids were just breathing.

[Namm]

Does anyone else think she cut out a lot of Russell’s school report? All she told us was that he’s a really gorgeous kid (my opinion) in terms of being so sweet with making friends etc I was really super impressed by that and telling us how he’s polite and things like that but nothing about his actual schooling? Whereas it sounds like Chad is a bit of a turd at school at least that’s what I got, none of the kids seem to be great with reading (minus eve and shari because we don’t know about them but I doubt Shari is behind on her reading the amount we know she reads!

Chad comes off as a total turd all the time, one of the boys I'd have avoided in school.

It's partly his mother's fault. He has built up anger in him besides being a typical teenager. Chad used to be her helper at home with the house chores and the younger kids when she kept him at home and fakingly home schooled him. It was tough for him so his reacting to that and other stuff that went on in his childhood. We must not forget the dictatorship these kids lived under.

[natalka81]

^ I agree that the parents are responsible for Chad's aggressive/show off behaviour but I think it's not as much because he was home-schooled and forced to do chores and stuff (although the homeschool didn't help I'm sure) but because he's been encouraged to act like a goof ball on camera. He's been set up to be hugely popular with his obsessive tween fans and he's a boy who is socialised in ways his sisters are not. I know this is really jargon-like and cliche, but I do think Chad is a perfect example of a kid who's been raised in a culture of toxic masculinity. I think he's a good guy and could potentially do great things in the world... but I really don't think a YouTube/social media career at age 12 will help him get there.

[Riss9416]

Does anyone else think she cut out a lot of Russell’s school report? All she told us was that he’s a really gorgeous kid (my opinion) in terms of being so sweet with making friends etc I was really super impressed by that and telling us how he’s polite and things like that but nothing about his actual schooling? Whereas it sounds like Chad is a bit of a turd at school at least that’s what I got, none of the kids seem to be great with reading (minus eve and shari because we don’t know about them but I doubt Shari is behind on her reading the amount we know she reads!

Chad comes off as a total turd all the time, one of the boys I'd have avoided in school.

When she said powerful, I knew what she meant. I used to teach middle school. I hope that she really is encouraging him to make smart choices especially if 5 other kids will mimic his behavior in class if he does something disrespectful.

[ctx2002]

Isn't Abby in 6th grade? So she's two grade levels behind in reading? I find that a bit odd, because I remember seeing quite a while back (like a year ago) little moments of her where she would be reading the Harry Potter books, which aren't advanced but they aren't elementary level either, I assume. Even she seemed genuinely surprised at hearing that.

With her overall poor grades, she's reminding me of myself a bit when I was around her age (though I usually had a couple of A's to balance out a couple of C's). She seems like a smart, sweet kid who is more of the head-in-the-clouds type and not the most naturally organized, sit-down-and-study kind of person (opposite of Shari). Maybe Ruby could find a way for Shari to 'work' with Abby a little (in subtle, non-shaming ways) and see if some of Shari's own Type A personality can rub off on Abby over the school year.

I was glad to see Julie is really improving in math. Also, it was good of Ruby to make the point to Julie that she doesn't need to set goals of being 100% perfect on her schoolwork. More importantly, that Ruby doesn't expect perfection from her in terms of school. Julie seems to be the most sensitive and self-conscious of the kids, so she needs to hear things like that from mom.

[fossilfinger]

Isn't Abby in 6th grade? So she's two grade levels behind in reading? I find that a bit odd, because I remember seeing quite a while back (like a year ago) little moments of her where she would be reading the Harry Potter books, which aren't advanced but they aren't elementary level either, I assume. Even she seemed genuinely surprised at hearing that.

That's pretty bad, considering kids are supposed to be a bit above their grade level because if they're right at it they're just barely grasping the material. So being two years behind in reading could mean she isn't comprehending a large majority of what she reads. She may be able to physically read the words, but has a difficult time with comprehension or pronunciation.

[Riss9416]

Isn't Abby in 6th grade? So she's two grade levels behind in reading? I find that a bit odd, because I remember seeing quite a while back (like a year ago) little moments of her where she would be reading the Harry Potter books, which aren't advanced but they aren't elementary level either, I assume. Even she seemed genuinely surprised at hearing that.

With her overall poor grades, she's reminding me of myself a bit when I was around her age (though I usually had a couple of A's to balance out a couple of C's). She seems like a smart, sweet kid who is more of the head-in-the-clouds type and not the most naturally organized, sit-down-and-study kind of person (opposite of Shari). Maybe Ruby could find a way for Shari to 'work' with Abby a little (in subtle, non-shaming ways) and see if some of Shari's own Type A personality can rub off on Abby over the school year.

I was glad to see Julie is really improving in math. Also, it was good of Ruby to make the point to Julie that she doesn't need to set goals of being 100% perfect on her schoolwork. More importantly, that Ruby doesn't expect perfection from her in terms of school. Julie seems to be the most sensitive and self-conscious of the kids, so she needs to hear things like that from mom.

Her reading level may have been based on a standardized test. She is in sixth grade and tbh it isn't weird for students to be two grade levels behind in reading or a year ahead. Probably just depends on how she did on the test(s).

[Lolislol26]

Isn't Abby in 6th grade? So she's two grade levels behind in reading? I find that a bit odd, because I remember seeing quite a while back (like a year ago) little moments of her where she would be reading the Harry Potter books, which aren't advanced but they aren't elementary level either, I assume. Even she seemed genuinely surprised at hearing that.

With her overall poor grades, she's reminding me of myself a bit when I was around her age (though I usually had a couple of A's to balance out a couple of C's). She seems like a smart, sweet kid who is more of the head-in-the-clouds type and not the most naturally organized, sit-down-and-study kind of person (opposite of Shari). Maybe Ruby could find a way for Shari to 'work' with Abby a little (in subtle, non-shaming ways) and see if some of Shari's own Type A personality can rub off on Abby over the school year.

I was glad to see Julie is really improving in math. Also, it was good of Ruby to make the point to Julie that she doesn't need to set goals of being 100% perfect on her schoolwork. More importantly, that Ruby doesn't expect perfection from her in terms of school. Julie seems to be the most sensitive and self-conscious of the kids, so she needs to hear things like that from mom.

Her reading level may have been based on a standardized test. She is in sixth grade and tbh it isn't weird for students to be two grade levels behind in reading or a year ahead. Probably just depends on how she did on the test(s).

I disagree. If she is 2 reading levels behind she needs extra help and a tutor. That is not normal.

[crowmtmom78]

Isn't Abby in 6th grade? So she's two grade levels behind in reading? I find that a bit odd, because I remember seeing quite a while back (like a year ago) little moments of her where she would be reading the Harry Potter books, which aren't advanced but they aren't elementary level either, I assume. Even she seemed genuinely surprised at hearing that.

With her overall poor grades, she's reminding me of myself a bit when I was around her age (though I usually had a couple of A's to balance out a couple of C's). She seems like a smart, sweet kid who is more of the head-in-the-clouds type and not the most naturally organized, sit-down-and-study kind of person (opposite of Shari). Maybe Ruby could find a way for Shari to 'work' with Abby a little (in subtle, non-shaming ways) and see if some of Shari's own Type A personality can rub off on Abby over the school year.

I was glad to see Julie is really improving in math. Also, it was good of Ruby to make the point to Julie that she doesn't need to set goals of being 100% perfect on her schoolwork. More importantly, that Ruby doesn't expect perfection from her in terms of school. Julie seems to be the most sensitive and self-conscious of the kids, so she needs to hear things like that from mom.

Her reading level may have been based on a standardized test. She is in sixth grade and tbh it isn't weird for students to be two grade levels behind in reading or a year ahead. Probably just depends on how she did on the test(s).

I disagree. If she is 2 reading levels behind she needs extra help and a tutor. That is not normal.

Actually, it is quite normal for schools in states like Utah or even Alabama. I know in public schools, at least here in Alabama, they would be doing intervention, especially if she doesn't improve.
I worry that she won't get the help she needs in private school or will fall further behind.

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[crowmtmom78]

Isn't Abby in 6th grade? So she's two grade levels behind in reading? I find that a bit odd, because I remember seeing quite a while back (like a year ago) little moments of her where she would be reading the Harry Potter books, which aren't advanced but they aren't elementary level either, I assume. Even she seemed genuinely surprised at hearing that.

With her overall poor grades, she's reminding me of myself a bit when I was around her age (though I usually had a couple of A's to balance out a couple of C's). She seems like a smart, sweet kid who is more of the head-in-the-clouds type and not the most naturally organized, sit-down-and-study kind of person (opposite of Shari). Maybe Ruby could find a way for Shari to 'work' with Abby a little (in subtle, non-shaming ways) and see if some of Shari's own Type A personality can rub off on Abby over the school year.

I was glad to see Julie is really improving in math. Also, it was good of Ruby to make the point to Julie that she doesn't need to set goals of being 100% perfect on her schoolwork. More importantly, that Ruby doesn't expect perfection from her in terms of school. Julie seems to be the most sensitive and self-conscious of the kids, so she needs to hear things like that from mom.

Her reading level may have been based on a standardized test. She is in sixth grade and tbh it isn't weird for students to be two grade levels behind in reading or a year ahead. Probably just depends on how she did on the test(s).

I disagree. If she is 2 reading levels behind she needs extra help and a tutor. That is not normal.

Actually, it is quite normal for schools in states like Utah or even Alabama. I know in public schools, at least here in Alabama, they would be doing intervention, especially if she doesn't improve.
I worry that she won't get the help she needs in private school or will fall further behind.

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[ewokfan11]

I don't think private schools have to do standardized tests because they don't receive public funds. I really DO wonder what this school's reputation is. Isn't it a Mormon school??

Sometimes kids are good at reading OR math and not both. But they seem to have a lot of issues in a lot of areas. I think one of the problems is that Ruby is probably in charge of helping them with schoolwork - and she's pretty dumb. It's too bad their dad is away from home a lot. I think he'd be the better parent to be involved with their studies. He's definitely a better example. Ruby dropped out of college the second she got a husband.

Also, not everyone needs to go to college, but to say things about not going to college in front of young kids seems to seal their fate. That says to me that Rudy doesn't really care about their education at all. It's that way with ALL the Griffiths, which is really sad. Aside from Julie (but not by much), the Griffiths sisters are just stereotypical uneducated housewives.

[Tiger27]

I don't think private schools have to do standardized tests because they don't receive public funds. I really DO wonder what this school's reputation is. Isn't it a Mormon school??

Sometimes kids are good at reading OR math and not both. But they seem to have a lot of issues in a lot of areas. I think one of the problems is that Ruby is probably in charge of helping them with schoolwork - and she's pretty dumb. It's too bad their dad is away from home a lot. I think he'd be the better parent to be involved with their studies. He's definitely a better example. Ruby dropped out of college the second she got a husband.

Also, not everyone needs to go to college, but to say things about not going to college in front of young kids seems to seal their fate. That says to me that Rudy doesn't really care about their education at all. It's that way with ALL the Griffiths, which is really sad. Aside from Julie (but not by much), the Griffiths sisters are just stereotypical uneducated housewives.

Ruby has explained before that she is extremely hands off when it comes to school work. I believe it was Abby who nearly failed a fourth grade class because she never did her homework and Ruby wasn’t monitoring it all at home. Chad had a similar issue with not completing any work until right before the semester was ending. Her philosophy was something along the lines of, the kids need to learn what failing feels like so they’ll be motivated to do the work themselves. Clearly that’s working out really well for Abby. Get the girl a tutor. Sit down with her and actually make her homework is getting done and being done right. I think Ruby made up this whole hands off homework philosophy out of laziness...she doesn’t want o put in the time and effort tool make sure each kid is succeeding in school. She expects them all to be Shari’s but they definitely aren’t.

I also think it’s pretty awkward that Russell is behind in reading when he had two years of kindergarten!! Granted, one was faked by Ruby and she gave up a couple weeks in, but her biggest spiel in the beginning was how excited she was to teach him to read. No reason he shouldn’t be on track.


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