Parsnips and Parsimony

[DoodleBop2]

I don't think they truly want to get better.

[weed]

We haven't had a glimpse of the third floor for a long time. I'll bet that it is a mess yet again and full of junk.

[weed]

Peter is such a nice kid. He reminds me of Art and he is always willing to help his dad and is so nice and patient with his younger sisters. It is interesting that in the latest vlog he is helping Art while John is simply playing in the back yard. I've actually noticed that John rarely helps (both parents have commented that he usually isn't motivated to help them unless pressed to), but Peter is always there helping out with both parents. He has lovely personality.

[gibberish]

Peter is such a nice kid. He reminds me of Art and he is always willing to help his dad and is so nice and patient with his younger sisters. It is interesting that in the latest vlog he is helping Art while John is simply playing in the back yard. I've actually noticed that John rarely helps (both parents have commented that he usually isn't motivated to help them unless pressed to), but Peter is always there helping out with both parents. He has lovely personality.

Peter is a real worker. Always has been. Like you said, he's really good with the little girls too. I remember once he offered Grace a "Peter hug"...and that seemed to make it all better. I've also noticed that he can be quite funny at times, both in what he says and his actions. Did you see the video where he was dancing the polka? Hilarious!!

[gibberish]

Peter is such a nice kid. He reminds me of Art and he is always willing to help his dad and is so nice and patient with his younger sisters. It is interesting that in the latest vlog he is helping Art while John is simply playing in the back yard. I've actually noticed that John rarely helps (both parents have commented that he usually isn't motivated to help them unless pressed to), but Peter is always there helping out with both parents. He has lovely personality.

Peter is a real worker. Always has been. Like you said, he's really good with the little girls too. I remember once he offered Grace a "Peter hug"...and that seemed to make it all better. I've also noticed that he can be quite funny at times, both in what he says and his actions. Did you see the video where he was dancing the polka? Hilarious!!

About 7:55 in the time line Peter cracked me up!
Title: Vlog 5-20-16 and 5-21 We're Not Normal
(Published on May 24, 2016)

[DoodleBop2]

I wonder if John is rather jaded by it all.

[weed]

I have the distinct impression that both John and Charity are completely over it. I often watch them in the background when they think the camera isn't focused on them and they look so annoyed and bored by the whole thing. They probably couldn't verbalise that because they "don't know what they don't know." They wouldn't know why they feel like that because they don't know any other alternatives in life, but they are definitely do not seem to be happy living like that.

[dahell]

It’s interesting that so many of these YT parents shelter their kids from outside life experiences yet have no reservations about plastering them all over the internet. I get it, we only get a small glimpse. But it’s enough to be a huge invasion of privacy to these kids. I would have DESPISED this type of thing as a kid/teen. But, like you’ve stated, they don’t actually quite know any different. But they know it’s annoying.

[weed]

I never thought of it that way. You are so right! They are extremely sheltered except in the one way that maters most .. they have their lives all over the internet, yet they aren't allowed to go out anywhere without their family.

[DoodleBop2]

I hear "you are being watched" in Finch's voice from Person of Interest. These kids are never ever alone even for one second. I swear part of what they're being protected from is independent thought.

[weed]

Honestly! The way these people carry on is pathetic. Art's busy time is upon them and Janelle has to ... HORROR! ... look after the kids for a while by herself. How on earth will she cope?

Actually, she doesn't look after them by herself as Art admitted that he often takes some of them to work with him ... poor man ... and he can't even get a break from them at work. neither of them have absolutely no idea what real life is about. Art's "busy time" at work would be what everyone else copes with ALL the time, not just for a few weeks.

These two are laughable.

[DoodleBop2]

Yet they teach their children this is real life as if most moms can rely on Dad begin able to take half the kids to work with him.

[weed]

It was more t see that the kids were allowed to spend $5 each on whatever they wanted for once. Off course the money was girted to them from followers, because heaven forbid that Art and Janelle would ever allow that with their own money. LOL I tend to be a bit of a minimalist, but I don't think there is anything wrong with letting kids stock up on rubbishy things once in a while. They all need to at some stage.

I did notice that all of the kids who mentioned what they bought included food in their pile. John actually was loaded up with packets of biscuits,etc. I think those poor kids are hungry. I do believe in feeding kids good nutritious snacks, but those kids never get anything! If they ever get out into the real world they I fear they will go crazy with their diet.

[DoodleBop2]

They don't get enough to eat John is often seen getting the same as one of the kids half his age. When called out Janelle swore they get as much from the garden as they want. Raw veggies are great but seriously. It's as silly as the toilet paper rationing.

[weed]

They certainly are a very strange family. I am a very frugal person, but I think that their level of frugality isn't fair on their kids. OK if they want to subject themselves to it, but really not fair to do that to children who will one day have to make their own way in the REAL world.

[DoodleBop2]

There is being frugal and not feeding your kids enough food or bad food [pizza toast and other weird things they claim are meals] because neither parent seems to want to work a full-time job.

[weed]

Yes they say they live like that for the kids, but I think they live like that for themselves. Lazy really when is comes down to the bottom line. You would think they would want more for their kids.

It absolutely astounds me that they don't encourage them at all to play musical instruments, given Art's profession and access to all those instruments.

[DoodleBop2]

I've wondered why all the kids aren't playing 1-2 instruments. That would be perfect for homeschool and getting the kids into County\State orchestras would be an amazing experience. Although they couldn't treat the children like a collective that way and what if Charity wasn't there to mother her siblings.

Janelle passes it off as they've outsmarted the system but really they just spend a lot of time distracting people from the fact they don't really want to support the kids they have so sorry kids food and toilet paper rationing.

[OldHag]

I think that's exactly it; they don't want their older kids to get busy with normal extracurricular stuff, because then Charity and John might not be around all the time to parent. Or maybe they want to shelter them from all the evil people in the world. Andrea Mills seems to be doing this. Her poor kids can't participate in sports, scouting, musical instruments etc because they have too many kids and don't have time to take them to activities. Well if you can't provide your kids a good childhood, by all means stop having them well before have 8-10 kids.

[weed]

They are getting quite a bit of criticism in their latest vlog about all the butter they bought on sale. Lots of comments about how they were greedy and took it all, instead of leaving some for others to share. They are trying to defend themselves, but are not doing it very well.