Apparently some viewers and officials with the state Department of Children & Families took issue with that treatment. The agency is investigating complaints of child abuse and neglect reported by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

DCF in its investigation is trying to make sure the family is receiving counseling, that the behavior seen on the show is not continuing and that the children are safe, Harrell said.

First of all, I see nothing wrong with a pop in the mouth now and again as punishment for certain behaviors. Recently with my kids having braces, my new latest threat to them is turning their lips to hamburger if they ever think their large attitude in a six-foot body is big enough to take mom on.

Let’s think about this for a minute – the father was being taped. Do you really think he would engage in abuse while being recorded? Furthermore, do you think it might have been included in the scenes to create drama and chaos to get people talking about the show?

Um Hello! It worked!

I’ll be interested in seeing how this one turns out – but from where I stand, he was just a dad doing his job to get a firm handle on his child. Let the days in which kids feared the strong hand of dad return. We’ve been under the timeout, negotiation, eagle eye watch far to long and look what it’s getting us! Kids need to have something to fear or they grow up being adults who don’t fear the justice system.

Source

Post from: Blisstree

Supernanny family investigated for child abuse

1. Shock & Denial

Most people react to loss with numbed disbelief. Deny the reality of the loss at some level, in order to avoid the pain. Shock provides emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once.

2. Pain & Guilt

As the shock wears off, it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain. You may have guilty feelings or remorse over things you did or didn’t do.

3. Anger & Bargaining

Anger sets in and may cause lashing out and assignments of unwarranted blame. This is sometimes known as the “Why Me” phase.

4. Depression & Loneliness

During this time, you finally realize the true magnitude of your loss, and it depresses you. Many resort to isolation, reflect on things they did, focus on memories and accomplishments.

5. Recovery

Life becomes a little easier and more organized. Symptoms grow milder and depression begins to lift.

6. Reconstructing

Many begin seeking realistic solutions to problems posed by life with this loss.

7. Acceptance

Learning to accept and deal with the new reality. Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. The way to move forward becomes more clear.

When life changes come my way – I try to take as much time as I need in chunks. I try to force myself to process through the stages quickly and move on. Of course this is very different than with death and dying, to which I still haven’t gotten over the loss of some very special people who left years ago.

For the most part, I tend to be a control freak and don’t like to let outside influences have control over my feelings for very long – and with life experiences, that’s exactly what the grieving process is – it’s someone else controlling your emotions, your feelings and your life.

Do you struggle with a grieving process slowly or rapid cycling like me? What are some of the things you choose to do to for yourself during these tough times?

Post from: Blisstree

Rapid Cycling Through Seven Stages of Grief

What about people who make you uncomfortable in your own home? How do you alert them that you would rather they not visit or call you?

I’ve always been much better with the written word than a face-to-face or phone conversation. Recently I found myself in just such a position. I had to alert a relative who makes me feel so uncomfortable that I would rather she not visit or call me – but rather if she had a message to relay, she could call my husbands cell phone and get word to us that way.

I’d made my request four different times in writing. Three times directly to her and once through a friend of the family. Those methods didn’t seem to work.

I’d been back into a corner and had no other option but to call. Thankfully I got the answering machine and was able to leave the message – but not without a quivering voice.

Isn’t it terrible that people can make you feel so horrible? And what I don’t understand is why they would want to to begin with.

I’m hoping the book Boundaries will help give me a more clear method to use – because apparently I’m going about this all wrong.

Post from: Blisstree

Creating Boundaries

Take a listen – it’s actually quite catchy.

The lyrics are shown below in case you’d like to sing along.

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes
Yeah you, PMS
Like a bitch
I would know

And you always think
Always speak
Cryptically

I should know
That you’re no good for me

Cause you’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in and you’re out
You’re up and you’re down
You’re wrong when it’s right
It’s black and it’s white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

(You) You don’t really want to stay, no
(You) but you don’t really want to go-o
You’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in and you’re out
You’re up and you’re down

We used to be
Just like twins
So in sync
The same energy
Now’s a dead battery
Used to laugh bout nothing
Now your plain boring

I should know that
you’re not gonna change

Cause you’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in and you’re out
You’re up and you’re down
You’re wrong when it’s right
It’s black and it’s white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up
You, You don’t really want to stay, no
*but* You, but you don’t really want to go-o
You’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in and you’re out
You’re up and you’re down

Someone call the doctor
Got a case of a love bi-polar
Stuck on a roller coaster
Can’t get off this ride

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes

Cause you’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in and you’re out
You’re up and you’re down
You’re wrong when it’s right
It’s black and it’s white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up
You, You don’t really want to stay, no
*but* You, but you don’t really want to go-o
You’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in and you’re out
You’re up and you’re down

Post from: Blisstree

Katy Perry – Hot and Cold – The new Bipolar Song

Post from: Blisstree

Depression Quote

Is that a cool thing now or a not so cool, bury your head in the sand sort of thing?

If I were to have the limo pick them up – what should I have them do afterwards. I mean the 10 minute drive from school to home isn’t going to be that amazing. They could drive around town and wave at everyone they see – but I want this to be an amazing, memorable weekend.

Limo or not?

Help!

Post from: Blisstree

Limo Pickup from School – Cool or Not So Cool

For the most part, there’s no harm that’s being done other than emotional stress and when the person comes into my home, they talk smack about me and ends up making me feel so bad and depressed.

I finally got the nerve to ask the person to stay away – but they refuse.

This person has come to my front door – before leaving, slammed the door shut.

This person has come to my home and came in and while I leave the room, they stay and talk to my husband while driving me into isolation IN MY HOME!

I hate confrontation – I loathe arguments and I just want this person to STAY AWAY!

Any advise on how to get rid of and keep rid of toxic people in an entirely legal way?

I don’t want people to have control enough over me that I get sick at my stomach and nervous. I don’t want them to force me into isolation in my own home and I don’t want to be mean to get them to go away.

Are people genuinely that mean and malicious that they would get some sort of gratification out of causing so much distress in another persons life?

How sad.

Post from: Blisstree

Toxic In Laws – A random soul cleansing vent

Earlier this evening, while at my son’s wrestling meet – which was a major nail-biter and awesome win by the way, I met a man who approached me after the meet and asked if my son was ______ _______’s son. I said yes, he is one of them – the other is in the locker room changing from having wrestled earlier. It turns out the man was a former boss of their father and had worked with their father for a few years.

The man went on to tell me he thought he had guessed them correctly. He said the one had an amazing match and was impressed at how the other carried himself. He said it was obvious they’d had a good and proper upbringing and complimented me on a job well done.

He told me during the match he’d called their father by cell asking if he was there. He went on to tell their father what a great match he’d missed and a mini-lecture on how much he was missing out on and how sorry he would be one day when it was too late.

Little did he know that prior to leaving for the match, my one son had spoken with his dad. After a weekend of trying multiple times to call his dad without response, we were told their father had been in jail since Friday.

Their father gave us a song and dance that was a bit hard to believe – mostly because he was due in court on Friday to pay their quarterly payment of child support, which he didn’t.

Since that conversation, I’ve watched my one son sink into a depression mixed with humiliation for having a father who doesn’t care enough.

Even at almost sixteen-years-old with the physique of a man – the lies attached to addiction are tough to swallow and hurt to the core.

Post from: Blisstree

Addiction and Abandoning Those Who Love You Most

It’s hard to believe my babies are turning sixteen in just over a month. I want to do something very memorable and special – that’s humiliation-lite.

What I have so far:

We will begin around noon, the Saturday before their birthday.

I’m thinking an open house that will run from 1 PM to 6 PM where family and friends who are older and more boring can filter through and visit the boys in their new house.

From 6 PM to 11 PM, we will begin the teen version of the party where they can invite as many friends as they like and have loads of fun with a Guitar Hero tournament and whatever else kids like to do that won’t get me shot by another parent.

Prior to the party, I plan on sending out invitations to as many of our family and friends as I can think of – both my side and the boys father’s side – with the help of my wonderful and amazing ex sister-in-law. In the invitations, I want to include an index card for each boy. I plan on asking everyone to write one single memory they treasure most with Trey, Coty or both and bring that card with them to the open house.

While that friend/relative is visiting that day, I will take a photo of the boys with them and will add the memory and photo to a scrapbook that will be given to the boys and as something they can take with them when they move into their first new home or begin their own family.

I’m also making an appointment to have a 16th birthday portrait made, possibly in a bookmark or magnet that will have some memorable saying on it and will be given to each birthday open house visitor.

I will also have a scrapbook that visitors can look at that will share a few photos from each year as the boys have grown up along with a display of the preemie outfits the boys came home from the hospital in. At 3 lbs. 14 oz. and 4 lb. 7 oz. people just don’t realize how very tiny that is without seeing the actual items we used when they came home. Plus older relatives will get a kick out of seeing them – especially the ones who visited us in the hospital.

That’s as far as I’ve gotten – and now I realize that what I have planned so far is more for the adults who have been so instrumental in the boys’ lives – and not so much for the boys – at least not at sixteen. I’m sure they’ll appreciate the effort when they are THIRTY, but not so much now.

So that’s where YOU, My most amazing, awesome-est, wonderful readers come in.

Help!

I really need some ideas on how to interject some coolness and a tad testosterone into this ‘sweet’ *cough cough* sixteenth birthday party.

Ideas, themes, decorations and recipes welcome!

Post from: Blisstree

Help! I need some boys 16th birthday party ideas

Just yesterday I had a conversation with my dad – being retired, he has a great deal of concern for his own retirement that comes through the auto industry. Understandable, right?

When I explained to him the way in which I’m personally trying to remain as positive as I can, he nodded in agreement. He could see how perhaps the right frame of mind might just help keep your sanity, especially during the current recession our country is going through.

I shared an observation about New Castle, one of the small cities closest to where I live and with a population of right around 17,000 people. In New Castle, on the main state road that runs through the city, within a 1.5 mile stretch, there are FOUR pharmacies!  CVS, Wallgreens, Kroger Pharmacy and a local mom-and-pop pharmacy called McGrady’s all rest within that short distance. Why?

In the entire city there are ten pharmacies. Why exactly a city with so little people need TEN pharmacies, I’m not sure. It seems to me that the 4 mom-and-pop pharmacies are being backed into a corner by larger chain stores and when those chain stores are located so close together, someone is bound to go down eventually. Now, when that chain store closes up shop, what has it gained from it’s short-lived existence besides driving the mom-and-pop out?

Maybe the bad times have to happen to drive larger, franchised businesses back under control while allowing doors of opportunity to open back up for the mom-and-pop operations that were driven out to begin with?

Could it be?

Personally, I’d rather pay a little more and keep my money locally than to pay the cheaper prices and have my money support outsourcing and devastating business practices.

Now, whether or not that is what is happening – I would like to think there’s something positive that will come out of the days spent in this economical purgatory.

What are ways you are trying to keep your spirits up during these hard times?

Post from: Blisstree

Depression & Anxiety Linked to the Economy