"Farming kids out"

[Anonymous]

I'm a SAHM and feel surrounded by people who want to put their kids last. Almost all have family in the area, or friends who have "transplanted" with them from other areas. Most seem willing to farm out their kids at any cost, even if it means (presumably) swallowing their pride or living WAY beyond their means. What am I doing wrong here? I thought I would enjoy DC while they are little?

[Anonymous]

SAHM to OP: Stop picking fights. Hope everyone ignores you.

[Anonymous]

OP. I don't even understand your post. I re-read it twice and have no clue what you are even getting at. Could you be more specific? I sense you are upset that people live beyond their means, but not sure what you mean by "farming kids out?" To me, this means putting them to work to augment family income???

[Anonymous]

I've got a 16 YO and so far no such luck augmenting the family income. Most definitely still going in the other direction.

[Anonymous]

OP, are you saying that the parents do not spend much time with their children? That they "farm" the kids out to the care of others or send them off to outside the home programs/activities even if they can't afford it?

[Anonymous]

OP is picking a fight. troll troll troll. She posts "oh my goodness, people are farming their kids out!" and then says "what am I doing wrong here!?" Oh, the shock, oh the outrage. Save it OP. If you want to put your kids first, good for you. You have no idea what other people have in mind when they make decisions for their kids so you should kindly put your nose back in your own yard.

[Anonymous]

Isn't that just taking advantage of having an extended family? Everyone needs a break from the kids at some point.

[Anonymous]

What you are doing wrong is alienating other parents by criticizing their parenting decisions. Thus you will likely find it hard to make friends and be happy. Your language is inflammatory and if you don't know it, you need to be told.

Since you are obviously in need of guidance:

Voltaire said, "Tend your own garden."
Someone more noteworthy said "judge not lest you be judged"

[Anonymous]

I don't get this post at all. I also read and re-read.

I'm all for a good fight, but I'm not sure what to get up-in-arms about.

Working parents? Parents who move away from their family? Parents who stay close to their family? People who can't afford childcare but use it anyway? Moms who stay home but get a babysitter?

I can't tell. OP, if you are unhappy I suggest you join a mom's group, schedule some play dates, ask your husband to help our more at home. It sounds like you need a break!

[Anonymous]

I'm betting that "OP" is a twelve year old boy with access to his mother's DCUM account, who thinks this is hysterical.

[Anonymous]

As someone who is a frequenter of farmers market, who spends at least a few hours a week going to local farms to pick fresh fruit, and who buys all of her meat in bulk from local farms for the year.....I thought OP was talking about selling kids to cannibals. Then I realized she was just a stupid bitch who has no life spends her free time on the weekends picking fights with strangers on the internet.

[Anonymous]

I didn't quite get this post either, but as a nanny, I can tell you, I work for families where the parents go to work everyday to make sure their children have not only food and a place to live, but a possible college education in their future (among other things). These children aren't "farmed out", on the contrary, we all work as a team to make sure those kids have the best day-to-day experience and also to make sure that they're futures are a little more secure. The parents I work for spend almost every non-working hour in devotion to their children, whether it be playing and interacting with them, taking them places, cooking their dinners, doing their laundry (yes, I help with this stuff too, but I don't do it exclusively), reading to them, attending extended family get togethers, etc. Are there some parents who "farm out their children"? Probably, but please don't generalize. I have the utmost respect for the parents I have worked with in the past and the parents I work with now-and their children's continued achievements are something we are all collectively proud of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who is a frequenter of farmers market, who spends at least a few hours a week going to local farms to pick fresh fruit, and who buys all of her meat in bulk from local farms for the year.....I thought OP was talking about selling kids to cannibals. Then I realized she was just a stupid bitch who has no life spends her free time on the weekends picking fights with strangers on the internet.

ha ha ha..this made me laugh!

[Anonymous]

OP here. Not picking a fight. Genuinely interested.

Though I fully expect the next citic to be the grammar police - LOL!

I guess (as an example for those determined not to understand) if you have to do errands or something, don't you just bring your kids with you? I'm curious, that's all.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Another example. I know a big family who gives each of their kids to another family (or sometimes all to one family) so the parents can go away together. Does this make sense to anyone? Again, genuinely interested here. Am I supposed to be doing this? It's really just a question. Seems like I may have ruffled some feathers. Is it something you should be feeling guilty about?