Quantcast
Channel: The Stir By CafeMom: Blogger Jeanne Sager
Viewing all 4322 articles
Browse latest View live

School Bans Boy From Bringing Lunch in 'My Little Pony' Bag

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

my little ponyGot some pain relievers? Grab them, because this story is bound to give you a headache. A school in North Carolina is getting a lot of heat right now after telling a 9-year-old boy that he can't bring his My Little Pony lunchbag to school anymore.

What's so wrong with Rarity and Rainbow Dash that a school would ban the ponies? Well, it turns out Grayson Brucewas being bullied over his bag.

Way to punish the victim, Buncombe County Schools?

Well, yeah.

From the sounds of the situation, the school is completely out of line here. The message they're sending to these bullies is pretty clear: if you act like a jerk, you win. I'm 100 percent in Grayson's mom's corner as she demands the school actually punish the bullies instead of her son.

But even as folks rally around this family and fight the good fight for the My Little Pony lunchbag, I have to admit there's a small part of me that feels ... guilty watching this all go down.

Would I fight for my kid in the same situation? Certainly.

But then, I don't know if I'd let her get herself in that situation.

More From The Stir: I Buy Name Brands for My Kid to Protect Her From Bullies

It isn't that I don't support my child or her imagination. She is a free spirit, and I love that about her. But I was bullied as a kid. I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of taunts and jeers. That haunts me enough that it plays a role in how I parent.

Simply put: I don't allow my daughter to wear or bring everything she likes to school ... at least not the things that might make her a target.

This is where my guilt comes into play, where the ache in my head begins to throb.

My heart tells me to encourage her to let her freak flag fly because our individuality is what makes life worth living. My head, on the other hand, tells me that kids can be cruel, and there's no point in purposely making oneself a target, not when you have to attend the same school as these kids day in and day out for years to come, not when kids are already finding reasons to be mean, already bullying her.

When heart and head collide, I feel like I'm totally failing as a mom.

I don't want her to feel like she should just run with the crowd; I want her to forge her own path. And I should be clear that there are times I certainly make a stand for being whoever she wants to be. Just the other day, she told me that people made fun of her for being friends with first graders (she's in third grade). I told her that she should tell those people that they'll miss out on knowing a lot of great people if they're only friends with people their own age.

I will not raise a sheep.

And yet ... the scars of bullying run deep. When she asks to bring a toy that some would call babyish for an 8-year-old to school, I hesitate. Sometimes I say no.

I don't ban it at home, nor do I tell her why it is I'm saying no, lest it mark her psyche. But I err on the side of caution.

I am not going to say Grayson's mom was wrong for letting him bring that lunchbag to school. She was supporting her kid, and that's what kids need. Nor do I excuse the school for victim blaming.

But I have to be completely honest: seeing once again how cruel kids can be -- and how unresponsive school districts can be to parents' complaints -- only steels my resolve to protect my child as best I can from being a bully's target.

How about you? Do you ever worry that your kids' choices make them targets of bullies?

 

Image by Jeanne Sager


'Glee' Recap: 10 Most Epic Moments of the 100th Episode

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Glee 100th episodeThe 100th episode of Glee finally arrived this week, and with it the epic reunion that Gleeks have been waiting for since the first crop of New Directions graduated. Finally the entire original cast -- save, of course, for Cory Monteith -- returned to the choir room to say a sad goodbye to the club in the wake of Principal Sue Sylvester's announcement that she's shutting down the program. Their final assignment? To put a new spin on some of their old songs.

For a show that's still got one season left (as far as we know), the threat of glee club extinction is rather ominous, but the writers managed to use it to throw one heckuva shindig.

Let's just talk about the most epic moments of a pretty epic episode:

1. Brittany plants one on Santana. And declares she's fighting for Brittana. You know what this means, y'all! More Brittany S. Pierce on Glee!

2. Fondue for Two returns. Brittany's public TV show is back with special guests ... and Lord Tubbington got a make-out partner!

3. Puck throws Quinn's nasty new boyfriend Biff MacIntosh (yes, like the apple) in a Dumpster. No one calls Quinn a "dirty little slutbag" and gets away with it! Not even Chace Crawford.

4. Holly Holliday gets "Happy." Gwyneth Paltrow is back! And the former McKinley substitute sang the one and only new song of the episode.

5. Puck tells Quinn he's in love with her and asks her to give him a reason to stay. And she runs down the halls of McKinley to catch up to him and tell him to do it. Sniff. Sniff.

6. Rachel and Mercedes throw a diva-off. To perhaps the best Glee song of all time -- "Defying Gravity." The votes come back and, surprise, surprise, it's a tie.

7. Brittany plays chess ... with real people. Now that she's a genius attending MIT, her pursuits have to be a bit more cerebral, but this is still Brittany we're talking about! Naturally chess for her is played by making the chess team dress up in black & white with giant hats representing rooks, pawns, and the like, while Brittany orders them around. Oh, have we missed Brittany!

8. Boozy April Rhodes returns. I'm not sure which was more fun -- her gift of flasks to Kurt and Blaine to help them with the pain of their "wedding night sodomy" or Tina's confession that April once taught her to shoplift from the grocery store by hiding meat in her vagina. Never. A. Dull. Moment.

9. Finn's photo gets a special spot in the auditorium. His plaque has been moving around a lot lately -- first from the choir room to nationals, now to a new home in the auditorium.

10. April Rhodes and Holly Holliday vow to save the New Directions. Somebody's got to fight for this thing or, well, how does a show called Glee continue without a glee club? But this also means more Kristin Chenoweth and more Gwyneth Paltrow!

What was your favorite part of the 100th episode?

 

Image via Adam Rose/Fox

'Teen Mom 2' Recap: Jenelle's Son Doesn't Need a Mom Who Comes and Goes

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Jace Evans Teen MomIf there were ever any question whether Jenelle Evans' presence on Teen Mom 2 tells an important part of the American story, it was cleared up on this week's heartbreaking episode. Almost since the beginning, we've seen little Jace Evans caught in between his grandmother, who raises him, and his mother, who floats in and out of his life. But for the first time, we saw the signs that Jenelle's son is really starting to struggle with confusion and frustration over his life.

Jace turned 4 this week -- at least he turned 4 on the show -- and Jenelle and mom Barbara managed to come together for a birthday party that went fairly well ... if you don't count the birthday boy trying to beat up all the party-goers.

We've seen Jace acting out more and more this season, but this week's episode was a real eye-opener. While he's hitting his mom, Barbara asks him what his favorite part of his party is, and the tot says he really enjoyed throwing water balloons ... into a pal's face.

Now, granted, he's 4. It's an age when kids are all about testing their limits, and he seemed to be looking for Jenelle to have a reaction.

More From The Stir: Married Leah Calvert Is a 'Single Mom' Too (VIDEO)

But that's just it; he seems to act out more and more in hopes that Jenelle will react ... will pay attention to him. Barbara tried explaining that Jace acts poorly when he gets back from Jenelle's house, and Jenelle seemed to take it as an affront to her discipline while she's with her son. But the point Barbara seemed to be making isn't that Jace isn't disciplined with Jenelle; it's that the coming and going confuses him. He is frustrated that he's not with his mom all the time, and because he's 4, he doesn't know how to DEAL with that frustration.

The poor kid just doesn't understand! And who can blame him? Most of America doesn't understand why Jenelle didn't clean up her act a long time ago and start being an actual parent.

Now she seems to be headed in the right direction, but it is not going to be easy for her. This kid has already been harmed by what he's gone through, and it's going to take work to repair that. Moving him in with her full-time isn't going to suddenly make up for four years of mom coming in and out of his life.

As for the other girls, Leah and Jeremy are definitely going to have to do some work of their own if they want to stay married. Jeremy headed back to work on this episode, and a frustrated Leah dangled a threat that she might one day leave him over his job. Not the nicest thing to say, but she did at least ask to go to counseling ... and Jeremy refused! Now he's headed out to New Mexico for a five-week job, and Leah is going to be stuck back in West Virginia with three kids and no sign that her husband is going to work on their marriage.

Chelsea didn't have a run-in with Adam this week, which means her life was pretty drama-free. Aubree was signed up for dance classes and makes for one of the cutest little ballerinas you've ever seen.

As for Kailyn, we're almost to her big wedding! We saw some tears over the fact that she opted not to invite her mom, and we got to see Isaac gushing over her dress in one of the sweetest mother/son chats they've shown on the show so far. Next week, however, will be the real fun for Kail.

What did you think of Jace's meltdown? Does Jenelle have a chance of making it better, or is it too late?

 

Image via MTV

Toddler's Body Found by Police 2 Hours Before Anyone Reports Her Missing

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Amierah RobersonOh, my heart hurts. A Chicago mom came home to find her toddler missing this week and reported her disappearance to police. But cops have announced that the body of a toddler they found in a wooded area of a city park is that woman's daughter. Amierah Roberson's body was found two whole hours before mom called police to alert them that her child was missing.

How does something like this happen?

According to reports, Jocelyn Roberson left her daughter with her boyfriend when she went to work on Sunday. When she got home around 5 p.m., the boyfriend said the child was gone. That's when mom called the cops. Police say they were told that the boyfriend "left the child unattended for a moment," and when he returned, she was gone. It's not clear where she was left unattended -- out at a public park, at home in the boyfriend's apartment, somewhere else?

But you have to be asking yourself what I'm asking myself!

What kind of person loses a toddler and doesn't call the cops immediately? What kind of person waits until the child's mom gets home and then has her do it?

Amierah's age has been listed by different media as either 17 or 19 months old. Either way, she was clearly too young to be left alone for any period of time. Kids that age are curious AND helpless. They'll walk off with a stranger who offers them candy. They'll walk into traffic. They just don't know any better, and that's why we need to watch them like hawks ... and treat any time apart very seriously.

This little girl apparently died of subdural hematoma and closed head injuries due to an assault. Did that happen while mom's boyfriend was sitting on knowledge of her disappearance ... waiting? Clearly this guy let at least two hours pass before mom got home!

Cops are apparently questioning Jocelyn and her boyfriend, and as yet, no charges have been filed.

But regardless of who killed this precious baby, something surely has to be done about an adult letting a toddler up and disappear without notifying authorities. What if the child could have been saved? What if she'd been abducted and an Amber Alert would have helped get her home before something awful happened?

How long would you search for a child before calling police?

 

Image via Chicago Police

Mom Sues Doctor for Letting Her Get Pregnant​

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

pregnantSurely you've heard of a wrongful death lawsuit, but have you ever heard of a wrongful pregnancy suit? That's what a mom in Illinois is claiming right now. Cynthia Williams is suing the doctor who performed her tubal ligation because she got pregnant with a sick child after the surgery that was supposed to render her sterile.

The decision to sue has drawn criticism of the 40-year-old mother of four from folks who worry about the message Williams is sending her daughter. But what about the message she's sending the medical community?

According to Williams' lawsuit, she and husband Kenneth discovered that they both carried a trait for sickle cell anemia after the birth of their second child. They decided not to have any more children ... because they didn't want to risk passing down a dangerous hereditary disease to another child. Unfortunately the rhythm method didn't work ... they got pregnant again, which is when they decided to seek a more permanent birth control option.

Got that? They weren't just done having kids. They were done having kids because of a serious health condition!

What's more, the lawsuit alleges Williams' doctor botched the surgery. Because she'd lost her right ovary to a cyst at age 12, the Illinois mom only needed to have the tube to her left ovary severed or "tied." Unfortunately, Williams says the doctor tied the wrong tube!

Six months later, she got pregnant with daughter Kennadi, who was born with sickle cell anemia. The 4-year-old will face a life of health complications, from possible strokes to pain and infections. 

Can you blame her mom for being upset?

People can go on and on about this little girl's rights and how she should be loved and protected, but what about the rights of her mother? Can't we have both? Can't a mom talk to her daughter about what's going on, make sure she understands this is a medical issue and not a test of love?

To me this sounds like a pretty clear-cut case of a woman suing her doctor for malpractice. It's not about how much she does or doesn't love her child. It's about a woman going into a medical practitioner's office for a procedure and her right to expect that the doctor will DO his job.

Sterilization is a tricky thing because the result of a doctor getting it wrong -- whether on purpose or by accident -- is the creation of a human being. No one wants to say that a human being shouldn't exist.

But sometimes we have to have uncomfortable conversations because they're the right ones to have. A doctor can't get away with screwing up someone's surgery. Period.

What would it take for you to sue for "wrongful pregnancy"? How would you tell your kids?

 

Image via Photos by Lina/Flickr

Uncle Claims He Stabbed 7-Year-Old Niece to Death to 'Put Her Out of Her Misery'

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Justin DeRykeA southern Illinois man is headed to jail after admitting that he killed his 7-year-old niece in September. Justin DeRyke claims Willow Long had fallen and impaled herself on a stick while running outside, so he wanted to "put her out of her misery." The little girl's 22-year-old uncle was charged with first-degree murder for stabbing the child.

He's been sentenced to life in prison, but it wasn't a conviction that came easy for prosecutors. After all, Willow's own mother had originally lied to protect her murderer.

When Willow was first reported missing, Justin's sister, Ciara, told police she'd last seen her daughter on a Sunday morning and that the girl took off on her own. But according to the police timeline constructed after the girl's body was found wrapped in plastic and duct tape at a nearby pond, Willow was already dead by the time mom claimed to have last seen the child.

Talk about a big lie!

Ciara was charged with obstruction of justice over this whole thing and has already served her sentence. But her lie has come back once again to haunt her with Justin's sentencing for his heinous crime. 

And once again we find ourselves asking what kind of mom can lie for the person who killed her child? Even if that person is her own brother?

Was it simply that she couldn't face the idea of her own flesh and blood doing something so awful? I can dig it ... none of us want to think of the people we love and care for doing something bad, least of all to someone ELSE we love and care for. How many parents turn a blind eye to their children's misdeeds because they just can't bring themselves to face the truth?

But Justin was not Ciara's kid. Willow was. If there was someone whose side she was supposed to be more willing to jump to, it should have been her daughter's, no matter how much she loved her brother.

That's what being a parent is all about. Your kids become your first priority, your first family.

At least the law was looking out for Willow and brought her killer to justice. If only it hadn't come to this.

Put yourself in the mom's shoes. Can you think of any reason for her to protect her brother over her daughter? 

 

Image via Effingham County Sheriff's Office

6 Mistakes You're Making That Will Make Your Baby Fat

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

baby eating solidsHere we go again. Another study is out telling moms and dads that our kids are fat and it's all our fault. Tired of hearing these studies? Sorry guys, but this is one report you might want to read.

See, the thing is, researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine are now saying American kids are fat because of what we're doing to them as babies. And you might be surprised by their findings ... because this isn't just one thing that some moms and dads do!

After studying a group of low-income parents, the scientists have come up with a whole list of mistakes parents commonly make with baby that can start them off on a lifetime of battling the bulge. The list is so long, in fact, that chances are good that you're doing AT LEAST one thing on the list! Heck, I'll even admit I did one!

Don't think I could possibly mean you? Take a look ...

More From The Stir: Child Obesity By the Numbers Will Scare the Pants Off You

1. Putting baby to bed with a bottle -- A whopping 43 percent of parents fessed up to doing this, despite the risks of choking, cavities, and over-eating! Not to mention it teaches kids to use food as comfort.

2. Propping the bottle instead of holding it -- Sure, it's more convenient, but if you're tuned out while baby's got a bottle propped in their mouth, you're not gauging how much they're eating. Not to mention there are increased risks of choking, tooth decay, and even ear infections! But 23 percent of parents admitted they do it! 

3. Letting baby watch TV -- Not only do scientists blame TV-watching for hurting baby's speech and cognition, but it sets your child up to be a little coach potato who doesn't get enough exercise. So what'd the study find? Ninety percent of infants are exposed to TV! And 50 percent are active watchers.

4. Feeding solids before 4 months -- Think that cereal in the bottle will get them to sleep? Research has shown that a baby who eats solids before 4 months old is also six times more likely to be obese by age 3. How soon after birth we start on solids has been found to affect our weight gain over the next 20 YEARS of life. And yet, 12 percent of parents in the UNC study admitted they do it!

5. Feeding baby when they cry -- Babies cry for a lot of reasons. They're hungry. They're tired. They're wet. They're over-stimulated. They want some cuddles. So why is that 20 percent of parents ALWAYS feed baby when they're crying? Learn the different cries, Mom and Dad!

6. Forcing baby to finish a bottle -- Some 38 percent of parents force their infants to finish a bottle of food. It certainly hearkens back to being told to clean your plate when you were a kid, but it's not wise. Kids need to take heed of their own hunger cues and stop eating when they're no longer hungry ... even babies!

Be honest -- have you made any of the mistakes on the list? Even just once?

 

Image via Arman Zhenikeyev/Corbis

Mom Hassled for Breastfeeding Her 6-Week-Old ... in a Hospital​

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

breastfeedingReady for a really weird one? A breastfeeding mom was shamed recently (no, that's not the weird part, it's coming, all right?) for trying to feed her daughter ... in a hospital waiting room! Yup, a hospital as in a medical establishment ... as in a place where everyone should understand just why it is that women breastfeed their babies!

This begs the question, doesn't it? If you can't find breastfeeding acceptance in a hospital, where CAN a nursing mother catch a break?

According to mom Gemma Murphy, she was at the hospital for a postnatal check-up about gestational diabetes she'd developed while pregnant. Naturally, she brought her 6-week-old daughter along, and as infants are bound to do, the little girl got hungry. But nurses told Gemma she'd have to take little Niamh into a private room to nurse lest she bother the other patients.

Really? Because seeing a little boob in a hospital would be that shocking? I've been in enough hospitals over the years to tell you that's far from the worst you're going to see. Ever seen an old man's shriveled hiney because his hospital gown didn't close in the back? I have! It wasn't a pleasant sight. Nor is the typical goings on in an active emergency room lobby.

More From The Stir: 8 Breastfeeding Positions to Make Nursing Easier on Mom

But I digress. The real issue here lies in a medical facility taking actions that actively discourage moms from breastfeeding. We tend to look at the folks in healthcare as experts on matters of health ... and if they don't see breastfeeding as something to value and encourage, then what kind of message are they sending to moms? That it isn't that important? Think about it!

This hospital owes Gemma Murphy an apology, but more than that, they owe it to all their patients to educate their staff on being more supportive of parents who are trying to make HEALTHY choices for their kids!

Have you ever been told you couldn't nurse in public? Where were you?

 

Image via Image Source/Corbis


Stranger's Random Act of Kindness for Exhausted Mom Goes Viral (PHOTO)

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Tara JeanI think every mom has been there. You were up all night with the baby and you're dead on your feet. You see a bench and all you want to do is just lie down and take a nap. In public. Well, one mom did just that ... right in the middle of a Fun 4 Kidz play center (think Chuck E. Cheese's without the giant rat). Her story has just gone viral on Facebook ... but moms, it's not what you think!

See, you're probably guessing that picture shaming this mom is all over the Internet, right? That's how moms do things these days. They judge first, ask questions later.

Well, unless you're radio DJ Tara Jean Stevens. She spotted that mom napping on the playland bench, and what she did is pretty darn inspiring.

Stevens shared the following on the Kiah and Tara Jean Facebook page, and it's quickly spread across the social media site:

  // Post by Kiah & Tara Jean.

Oh. Em. Gee.

A mother who didn't call CPS immediately? Didn't call the cops? Showed, gasp, a little ... compassion?

Let's all give a nice round of applause for Tara Jean!

Done?

OK, now here's what I need you all to do. Go out and be Tara Jean for a day or maybe even a week?

Try digging a Kleenex out of your purse for the mom with the kid who won't stop sniffling and hand it to her kindly instead of whispering to your husband that that woman just can't seem to wipe her kids' damn noses.

Try grabbing the kid running pell mell out of the grocery store and walking him calmly back to the mom who is trying desperately to get the infant out of the carrier and screaming to little Jack to get his butt back here.

Try being part of that global village everyone is always talking about but so unwilling to do their part to be a member of.

The fact is, sometimes motherhood is overwhelming and exhausting and all you want to do is take a nap. This doesn't just happen to drug addicted losers or moms who tied one on the night before. It happens to normal, everyday moms who are trying their best but just so happen to have a teething toddler who was up every hour on the hour the night before.

So how about looking at that mom passed out on the bench at the playland next time and thinking, "There but for the grace of God go I," instead of "Ooh, better take a picture and shame her on Facebook." One day that really could be you dozing off while your kids are playing ... and something tells me you want a Tara Jean on your side.

But first you've got to be a Tara Jean to someone else. As they say, what goes around comes around. Don't you want what's coming around to you to be a little compassion and kindness?

Have you had a Tara Jean moment? Share it!

 

Image via Facebook

Mom Arrested After 1-Year-Old Downs 6 Shots of Vodka

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

shot glassesA teen mom and a relative are in deep, deep trouble with the law this week after cops allege they got a toddler drunk on vodka. The 1-year-old was so sick she suffered alcohol poisoning. I'll just let that sink in for a second. OK, ready?

How in the world does a 1-year-old end up drunk? Or, more to the point, who could possibly think it's a good idea?

Houston police have charged Shadreon Jefferson, 17, and Shamara Batiste with felony child endangerment after allegedly plying Jefferson's 1-year-old daughter with six shots of vodka. The baby's paternal grandmother is the one who called the cops after the two reportedly dropped the baby off at her home, and she found that the girl could not stand up and began to vomit.

A judge has handed down a no contact order barring Jefferson from her daughter as the case proceeds through the courts. The baby is in the custody of her father.

Thank. Goodness.

If a mom thinks it's OK to give a toddler vodka, I can't imagine what else she thinks is OK. Just think what six shots of vodka do to a grownup. We'd be unable to drive. Heck, I'd be down on the floor! Now think about an adult's body weight in comparison to a toddler's.

I think I might vomit. Or cry. Or both.

You see cases like this pop up in the news now and again, and they always make me wonder: is the problem so much criminal intent as it is sheer stupidity? Now, I'm not saying cops shouldn't have arrested these two geniuses or that they shouldn't be taking this through the court system. Clearly a drunken toddler needs someone on her side, protecting her, and since it doesn't seem to be her mother in this case, the state has to step in.

But could it be that someone was just ... that dumb? That this 17-year-old (ahem) actually thought this was a no harm, no foul kind of situation? Thought it was funny? Hey, we've all seen kids do dumb things, the kinds of things that make us fear for the future of society.

We're talking about someone giving a BABY vodka! No intelligent person would do that ... right? Or is this all just wishful thinking on my part?

If this mother is guilty, here's hoping she gets sent to some REALLY stringent parenting classes before she's ever allowed near her child again. 

Be honest: could you see a teenager doing this out of sheer stupidity? What should the punishment be?

 

Image via Bwats2/Flickr

10 Red Items That Must Be Banned From Schools Immediately

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

red penMom. Dad. It has come to our attention that there is a real problem in our schools. I know what you're thinking. Bullies. Kids going hungry. Common Core! Alas, it is none of those. Have you heard of the detrimental effects of teachers using, shudder, RED PEN?

You haven't? Well then! You are about to be schooled in the danger of all things red. See, Mounts Bay Academy over in Jolly Old has forced its teachers to replace their pens with green and purple when they mark up students' worksheets because "red ink was a very negative colour."

Oh.

Dear.

Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear.

WHAT have we been doing to our kids all these years? My God, man, this must be stopped!

In fact, now that I think about it, there's an awful lot of red in my daughter's school. An AWFUL lot of negativity.

Now that the folks at Mounts Bay have opened my eyes, I am on a mission! Pens are NOT enough ... just look at all the things we must get out of our schools because, well, THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

All of these are pretty dang serious, but #6 absolutely must go. NOW!!!

What else do we need to add to the list?

 

Image by Jeanne Sager

16 Beautiful Patriotic Tattoos

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Freedom tattooHave you ever wondered what the most popular type of tattoo is? Well keep on wondering, because with 14 percent of Americans sporting at least one tattoo, there are simply too many to categorize. But if you're into ink, chances are you've seen some amazing patriotic work done over the years.

The military, in particular, has a proud and long-standing relationship with body art, and hundreds of thousands of proud patriots bear a tribute to our great nation on their body. Thinking of getting a tattoo that honors America? You've come to the right place! We've gathered some gorgeous and meaningful tattoos that are all about American pride!

Five is so simple, but so moving, don't you think?

 

Image via STEFANO RELLANDINI/Reuters/Corbis

Missing Boy's Rescue After Amber Alert Is Good News for Everyone but Dad

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Lucas Guinn Jimmy GuinnWho could use some good news today? You too? Well here you go! An Amber Alert for a missing Virginia boy thought to be in "extreme danger" has been spreading like wildfire across the Internet, but you can stop sharing it now! Lucas Guinn is going to be OK!

Although the same probably can't be said for Lucas' dad.

Jimmy Guinn, 67, was suspected of abducting his 11-year-old son on Thursday. The boy was last seen at Lebanon Middle School in southwestern Virginia, but the Amber Alert warned father and son might be headed to West Virginia or even Ohio.

As it turns out, they never made it that far. Cops say they rescued Lucas, and arrested Dad, during a traffic stop ... still in Virginia.

Pheww!

Folks, it's sad to see a dad going to jail, and no doubt this kid will need some counseling for awhile. That part in all of this celebration cannot be forgotten. I would like to say that this Amber Alert was never issued, that this boy came home from school on Thursday just as he did ever other Thursday, did his homework, maybe played some video games, ate some pizza.

But I do have to say it's NICE to see an Amber Alert work! We hear so many sad stories -- way too many of them -- that eventually it all starts to weigh on you and make you feel like bad things will just keep on happening.

It's certainly something to keep in mind next time you see one of these stories pop up on Facebook and you debate "to share" or "not to share." You COULD help a child. You COULD make a difference.

What do you think should be done to the dad in this situation?

 

Image via Virginia State Police

​​Air Force Sergeant Used His Job to Molest Children Around the World

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

air forceWhen members of the United States military travel the world, they're seen as ambassadors of a sort for America. But one Air Force sergeant took advantage of his time in the military to spread the polar opposite of the American dream. Technical Sgt. Michael Merritt is facing a dishonorable discharge after pleading guilty to molesting young girls in America and overseas.

Merritt faces 25 years in federal prison for sexual assault and kidnapping in a plea deal that will protect the children he hurt from being forced to appear in a military trial. Oh, and those children?

Yeah, they range from just 5 years old up to age 14, and they hail from a variety of areas including Wyoming and Germany, where Merritt was stationed at Ramstein Air Force base.

What a disgusting monster.

I don't blame the military here -- I should make that clear -- but the way he used his travel as an Airman to access more victims reminds me of the way Catholic priests accused of molestation have taken being restationed to do the same. It's almost as if his service opened up his pool of victims, and he took advantage of it to spread his crimes across the globe. He used his job to find more kids to prey on.

Merritt's pleas cover crimes against four girls, ages 5 to 14, from 2003 through 2013, but there were likely more. The plea only covers US military dependent children; not a German national child Meritt is accused of abusing. And who knows what else he did? He traveled! Who knows how many kids he had access to! And no doubt parents looked at his service to country as some sort of sign that he was a decent enough fellow, why not allow him to be around their kids?

The military may not be to blame, but being a member certainly helped this monster.

Fortunately, his reign of terror over children is over. A military judge is sending him away to the military prison at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, and he'll be stripped of his rank, forced to forfeit his pension, and be dishonorably discharged.

Do you tend to think of military folks as exemplary citizens or are they just like everyone else in your eyes -- just as likely to commit a crime?

 

Image via Chuck Simmins/Flickr

Wife Punished for Singing 'Ding, Dong the Witch Is Dead' After Mother-in-Law Dies​

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

shedLet this be a lesson in when to keep your mouth shut. A man already suffering from the loss of his mother is now in deep trouble with the law after cops say he locked his wife in their shed. Awful husband? Well, maybe.

But what would you do if your spouse started up a chorus of "ding, dong, the witch is dead" right after YOUR mother had died?

Oh no, she didn't? Oh yes, she did!

Cops in Truro, Cornwall over in England say that Andrew Salmon's wife wouldn't stop singing the ditty from the Wizard of Oz, so he locked her in the shed. When she broke out of there and went back into the house, Salmon is accused of punching her and pinning her to the bed.

He's expressed he's sorry in court, but well ...

You can't help but feel for the guy, right?

Then again, put yourself in the wife's shoes, and well, awful mother-in-law stories are a dime a dozen!

The story is just so ... OK, who am I kidding, it's kind of hysterical. Not that dear old mom is dead, of course, but you have to give Mrs. Salmon a little break here. The elder Mrs. Salmon might have been a real battleaxe.

We've all had those people in life whose death we may not celebrate, exactly, but if we're honest with ourselves, we're not really mourning them either. Some people just leave this earth better ... by leaving.

Then again, even the worst people on this planet tend to have at least one person who loves them. It's for their sake that you have to at least put up appearances and restrain yourself from dancing a jig on the grave.

At least hold off on the singing until you're in the shower, and even then keep it to a hum so you retain plausible deniability?

If she'd really loved her husband, I think she could have shown him a LITTLE compassion!

Do you have a battleaxe of a mother-in-law? What has she done?

 

Image via David Goehring/Flickr


9 Ridiculous Places That Have Banned Breastfeeding Moms

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

mom breastfeedingWho's ready for the day when breastfeeding in public is really no big deal? Anyone? Bueller? Come on guys! Don't answer all at once! This is one of the biggest problems breastfeeding moms have ... there are still too many places, not to mention too many people, that present hurdles for women who just want to nurse in peace.

But what really gets my goat are the headlines about moms being hassled for feeding their babies in places where you'd absolutely expect for folks to have her back! Take the news this week of a mom who was hassled for breastfeeding her 6-week-old ... in a HOSPITAL!

What the what?

Sadly, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Check out these bizarre places that gave moms beef for breastfeeding:

1. At a city recreation center. Nothing screams child friendly like a recreation center that caters to family, right? Well, tell that to the folks in Burleson, Texas where a mom got grief for nursing her 16-day-old baby while watching her elder daughter's dance class.

2. At a library. Libraries are for everyone, right? They're free spaces that encourage us to broaden our horizons and free our minds? Well, except the library in North Carolina that told a mom she would have to hide out in a nursing room if she wanted to feed her 2-month-old because the other patrons were acting like real boobs about it. No public breastfeeding here!

More From The Stir: 8 Funny Breastfeeding Onesies for Babies Who Love the Boob (PHOTOS)

3. At a school. Where there are schools, there are kids, right? And where there are kids, there are moms ... at least it would stand to reason. But a school in Georgia out-right banned breastfeeding on the premises a few years ago, and it's not the only one to give moms an issue for nursing. A mom who dared breastfeed her child during a parent/teacher conference last year -- you know, trying to be there for BOTH of her kids -- was informed by the teacher that what she was doing was "not appropriate."

4. At Victoria's Secret. OK, so not exactly a child-friendly place necessarily. But we are talking about an establishment that's nearly synonymous with boobies. And yet a Texas woman was told she couldn't whip hers out to feed her baby at the store.

5. At Head Start. Do you know what Head Start is? It's a federal program meant to give kids the best start possible in life ... you know, kind of like breastfeeding? And yet a Washington Head Start told a mom that nursing her 13-month-old was a no go on their premises!

6. At the American Girl Store. They sell expensive dolls to kids, and guess who pays for them? Yup, Moms! But one mom said she was forced to hide out in a fitting room to breastfeed while employees stood outside, bad-mouthing her!

7. In church. You may believe that God created mom's body to feed her child, but a columnist for a Texas magazine was horrified that woman actually breastfed in God's house!

8. In a kiddie pool. When you hear the words kiddie pool, what comes to mind? Oh, right, a bunch of CHILDREN! It's a place for them ... and for their moms, right? Well, not exactly, at least not for the mom who was harassed for feeding her 10-month-old in the kiddie pool at a water park in Colorado.

9. In family court. Once again, let's key in on the first word here: family! No one really likes to go to family court, but it is, after all, a place where a lot of moms end up ... and it's supposed to be a place where they're looking out for the best interests of a child. And yet a nursing mom got escorted out of Connecticut family court for daring to feed her 3-month-old!

Folks, if these kid and mom "friendly" places don't get it, how are we supposed to get the REST of the world on board?

Have a hassled for breastfeeding story? What happened?

 

Image via Owen Franken/Corbis

 

Soldier Accused of Killing Pregnant Wife Can Never Face True Punishment

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Isaac AguiguiA US Army soldier who has already been sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role in the murder of another Army private and his girlfriend is back in court this week on yet another grisly charge. Prosecutors say Pvt. Isaac Aguiguikilled his own pregnant wife, then used her life insurance money to fund a secret anti-government militia.

Sgt. Deirdre Aguigui was seven months pregnant when she died, and her unborn baby did not survive the murder. Her husband has been charged not only with her death, but with the death of the unborn child as well.

Prosecutors say Isaac Aguigui convinced his wife to engage in kinky sex with handcuffs, then took advantage of her vulnerability to place a bag over her head and suffocate her in July 2011. The murder went unpunished at first because a military autopsy did not determine a cause of death. But when an Army buddy of Aguigui told police that the private had admitted to him that he'd killed his wife, the case was re-opened.

If he's convicted, he faces a life sentence.

But wait, isn't he already in prison? Sentenced to life without parole?

Well, yes.

Aguigui already copped to killing former Army Pvt. Michael Roark and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Tiffany York, some eight months after his wife's death.

Naturally, Aguigui has to be tried here. Deirdre and her unborn child both deserve justice, and if he did it, he should be punished.

But if there was ever a case that highlighted the limitations of our justice system, this is it. How do you punish someone for an alleged crime when they're already being punished more or less to the fullest extent of the law? How do you give individual justice to each person who has been wronged by a criminal?

Sure, everyone deserves their day in court -- or at least, victims deserve to have their case tried -- but I'm going to ask the uncomfortable question: is it always worth it? If the defendant is already in jail and can't get out? Is it worth spending the state's money and the prosecutors' time?

Of course, even as I say that, I recognize that Deirdre's family needs this. Taxpayer dollars are spent every day because the victims' families need the closure of a trial, and if any of us were in their shoes, we'd want the same. I can't really see any better option here.

But it leaves room for thought, doesn't it? Is there a way to better address the crimes of those already facing serious punishment for OTHER crimes? Is there a way to better punish them? Or should we just let their existing punishments stand?

If you were Deirdre Aguigui's family, what would you want to happen here?

 

Image via police

School Bans Girl Who Shaved Her Head to Support Friend With Cancer

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

hair clippersRemember when you were a kid and you got a cool new haircut? Remember how you just couldn't wait to show it off to your friends? Well, 9-year-old Kamryn Renfro's new 'do was the ultimate of cool -- she shaved her head to support a pal with cancer. But her return to school after her haircut wasn't exactly what kids look forward to -- Caprock Academy in Grand Junction, Colorado, suspended her for it!

Administrators at the public charter school told Kamryn's parents that her shaved head violated the dress code, and they barred her from going to class.

Because heaven forbid kids rock a funky hairdo at school?

I suppose this is where I should offer up a little disclaimer. I'm personally up in arms about this subject because a little more than a week ago, I was the one sitting down to shave my head ... and I was doing it specifically for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, a non-profit that raises money for childhood cancer research. It was my seventh year shaving, but this year I was inspired by a 10-year-old in my town who was organizing the entire shave-a-thon himself!

Just a little older than Kamryn, his heart is just as big, but our school district -- unlike hers -- was totally on board. They even allowed the young man in my town to wander the halls raising money for the cause.

Apparently that wouldn't have flown at Caprock, where shaved heads are prohibited, according to the head of the school's board of directors, because the school has "a detailed dress code policy, which was created to promote safety, uniformity, and a non-distracting environment for the school's students."

That's why they told Kamryn she couldn't come back to school until her hair grew back after she'd shaved to support pal Delaney Clements, who was diagnosed in 2010 with neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer.

First off, I'm not buying the "safety" angle. Shaving your head presents a danger to other kids in pretty much the same way that same sex marriage presents a danger to my straight relationship?

What, are they going to be blinded by the shine off your newly bald pate?

Come. On!

As for "uniformity" and a "non-distracting environment," I'm going to go out on a limb and say there are worse things than a kid whose haircut is a little different, worse distractions in the classroom than somebody's hairdo.

Let's set aside the good deed Kamryn was doing here for her friend.

What schools like Caprock -- and those around the country with similarly draconian dress codes -- fail to recognize is that hair is one of the few things that can be changed by a child with little to no negative long-term effects. It's one "safe" rebellion.

Kids NEED those. They need to have some ways to express themselves that won't have negative repercussions down the line. That's how they learn who they are and what it means to make their own decisions. 

Let me put it this way: I'd much prefer kids shave their heads and a few kids at school point, stare, and make some comments at the beginning of the class period than kids experiment and stretch their wings by doing something dangerous ... drugs, alcohol, you name it -- you know, something truly "distracting" or "unsafe" for a school community.

Caprock seems to be relenting, by the way, but the outrage over this should send a message to other schools.

It's just hair!

What do you think is an appropriate dress code guideline for kids' hair?

 

Image via Robert S. Donovan/Flickr

'Glee' Recap: It's Really Over This Time

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Glee New DirectionsWell, that was ... strange? Glee aired the follow-up to its 100th episode mega reunion this week, and you can forget the vow from Gwyneth Paltrow and Kristin Chenoweth's characters to save the New Directions. The show about a high school glee club, the show named for a high school glee club ... is no longer about a high school glee club.

Confused? Welcome to the club (but not the glee club, cause that's over, y'all).

The show is supposed to go on for at least another month or so before the summer hiatus, not to mention another whole season that Fox promised us, but tonight Mr. Schuester officially flipped the light switch off on a choir room emptied of its furniture. And lest you're thinking, well, maybe it's all a trick, and they can just wheel the piano back in and set out the chairs, they surprised us with a quickie graduation in the McKinley High auditorium.

And I do mean quick. Sue Sylvester read off the names of the glee club members, plus Becky and Brittany (because remember she never graduated even though she went to MIT, and OMG, this is making my head hurt), and that was the sum total of the entire high school's graduation ceremony.

More From The Stir: 10 Most Epic Moments of the 'Glee' 100th Episode

The speed with which they ousted Blaine, Sam, Tina, and Artie from McKinley almost gave us whiplash, especially when compared to the pomp and circumstance (pun intended) that led up to Rachel, Finn, Puck, Santana, and Kurt's graduation a few years back.

But that's what the past few episodes have been ... a bullet train headed off the rails with the glee club aboard.

As of tonight, all the key members of the New Directions have officially graduated. There are about four kids left. Four kids do not a glee club make.

It's really over this time.

The glee club, that is, not the show.

Of course that just made the whole breakdown of the club more bizarre. What the heck are they going to do NOW?

Will Mr. Schue really go interview to be the coach of Vocal Adrenaline? Will we ever see him again? And what about the kids at McKinley? Is it buh bye forever or just for now?

It does look like Blaine, Sam, Artie, and even Brittany will be joining Rachel, Kurt, and Santana in New York. 

And to that I say FINALLY!

The show has never been quite the same since the first graduation with the split story lines, and a cast of characters in Lima who never quite gained the popularity of the original crew. The show has suffered in the same way that so many others that began in high school did post-graduation (hello Beverly Hills 90210!). The writers have a chance now to bring us back to the good years, to focus on the relationships that drew us to Glee in the first place.

Hopefully this whole change will be a good thing. Hopefully.

What do you think of the new direction for the New Directions? Were you surprised by that quickie graduation?

 

Image via Tyler Golden/FOX

'Teen Mom 2' Recap: Nathan's Response to Jenelle Going to Jail Is Surprising

0
0
Post by Jeanne Sager.

Jenelle EvansThe Teen Mom 2 episode Kailyn Lowry fans have been waiting all season for finally arrived this week. Kailyn and Javi got married (again) in a gorgeous under-the-sea wedding that was hard to get through without crying buckets (seriously, MTV, where was the three-hanky warning?). But if you expected the whole episode to be all sweetness and light, I've got two words for you: Jenelle Evans.

Kail's big wedding was almost overshadowed by her co-star returning to jail for a two-day stint after failing a drug test. The two moments actually happened a full month apart in real life -- Jenelle was arrested in early August of 2013, Kail married in late September -- but that's the magic of television, folks!

Of course, we all knew the Jenelle trip to jail was coming. What we didn't know was how Nathan Griffith handled it all. Remember, this is a guy who has made no bones about how much he dislikes drug use.

Let's just say this guy has got it BAD for Jenelle. Not only did he show pretty much no reaction when Jenelle 'fessed up to having THC in her system (although MTV could have staged their interaction, who knows), he actually showed up to pick her up from jail two days later with flowers! Then when Jenelle goes all bunny boiler on him for daring to talk to girls -- even though one of the accounts of him talking on Twitter turns out to be a fake -- he ends up telling her he just won't talk to girls anymore, and the whole scene gets all lovey dovey.

Not exactly what you'd expect from a guy dating Jenelle Evans, huh?

Her mom's reaction to the whole thing was more what you WOULD expect. Babs flat out said she was glad her daughter landed in the clink because, in her words, "Jenelle thinks she's above the law."

Ouch!

As for Leah Calvert, we got a little more in the continuing saga of Leah and Jeremy's crumbling relationship. Jeremy is headed to New Mexico for a five-week job that he says will actually make him enough money to enable him to take a job closer to home down the line, but Leah says he needs to put family ahead of money. The problem? They're both right!

More From The Stir: Jenelle's Son Doesn't Need a Mom Who Comes & Goes

Fortunately things are going much better for ChelseaHouska who not only graduated aesthetician school, but got her first real job in the biz! Now if only the pesky Adam situation would go away. But from the looks of next week's episode, Chels is going to have a court battle royale coming up.

And speaking of next week's episode, it looks like we're about to find out how Jace reacts to finding out he's going to be a big brother!

What did you think of Nathan's reaction to Jenelle's freak-out? Is there anything Jenelle can't do in his eyes?

 

Image via MTV

Viewing all 4322 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images