One of the Club

[NoNicky]

We knew it would happen sooner or later.  What has brought it on actually has us chuckling.  We're being accused of abusing SS.  The alleged abuse took place when we had him this weekend.  We did something truly horrible.  We gave him a choice.  Sit at the table or eat 1 sugar snap pea.  He's on all sorts of vitamins and laxatives daily because he has no vegetables in his diet and gmafh never makes him eat any.  He did eventually eat the pea, he was given ^5's told he did a good job and given hugs.  But gma is insisting on persuing this.  Folks it wasn't even 1 serving.  It was 1 pea.  

We also finally found out all the meds they have this child on and were appalled.  Only one of them has ever actually been studied for use with children.  The rest all say they have not been studied and the manufacturers do not recommend giving them to children because of the risk of serious and permanent side effects.  But of course, we are the abusive ones.  

We've already talked to the GAL and we get the impression he believes gma is a whack job and no one even questions the fact that bm is.  Dh finally told her he was respectfully disagreeing with her and if she so chose to bring on the charges.  This after hearing how cruel and horrible he is and that he is just on a power trip.  Personally  I'm still trying to figure out how making sure a child begins to learn to eat a healthy and appropriate diet is a power trip.  But then again she believes she is the only parent.  She went so far as to tell DH he didn't know what he was talking about because SHE was a parent and SHE had raised children.  Funny I thought the little boy my dh fathered and is trying to have be active in the life of made him a father if the 3 stepchildren he's helping raise didn't.  I guess raising a child to age 17 and having a 12 and 7 year old doesn't qualify me as a parent either.  

Ludicrous.  Simply ludicrous.

NoNicky
For God has not given a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  1 Peter 1:6

[Indigo Mom]

-----We're being accused of abusing SS. -----
I desspiiiiisssed veggies when I was growing up.  I remember my parents putting ONE pea on my plate.  It rolled all around, it was small and green, it was GROSS.  My parents made me sit there until I had eaten it.  I didn't think the abuse could get any worse...til I did put it in my mouth...course, I left it in my cheek.  My father did the most abusive thing I'd ever known...he squashed my cheeks so I had no choice but to eat the thing.  Oh, just remembering how it felt to have one pea all squished up in my teeth makes me want to vomit.  There's something really sinister about peas. To this day, I can't eat peas.  My parents were SO abusive.  And so are you.  LOL

You are kidding, right?  You're being charged with abuse because you tried to get the child to eat a pea?  Man...if I knew this when I was young, I'd have charged my folks, too!!!!  What a joke.  I can see if you made him eat 50 cans of peas...but one?  Something healthy?  (gack...i refuse to admit there's anything healthy about peas)  Unreal.  What some people stoop to.  

When lil dude came to live with me, we had issues with him eating.  monster never made him eat a thing.  He hadn't eaten fruits, veggies, basically nothing healthy.  It was a struggle.  Know what got my son to eat veggies?  Racing.  I made it a game.  He and I would lower our heads and stare at the other with this "bring it on" look.  Then, we'd each fill our fork with as many veggies as we could fit...and on the count of 3, we started chewing.  The whole time, I'd be giving him "the look"...He always won, of course.  The thrill he got from beating his "ol ma" was great.  The whole "race" ordeal was cool.  He'd antagonize me..."mom, no WAY you're gonna beat me, I'M the champ"...then I'd come back with some flip remark challenging him.  Every once in a while, I still have to resort to "the fight"...but for the most part?  My son is eatin his veggies.  The funniest part?  He doesn't even realize how I manipulated him.  LOL

Oh, my point...I know I have one.  Continue getting this child to eat veggies.  Don't worry about what the bonehead is charging you with.  Chances are, the Judge will ream her a new rump!!!! Nuthin' abusive about it.  (unless they're peas, which I find you GUILTY)

[NoNicky]

Thanks for the encouragement and that is exactly what we plan to do.  

As for peas... it sounds like your experience was with a English pea.  I'm not a fan of those myself.  A sugar snap pea is a pod thing, eaten in the pod and very sweet tasting.  They are kin of snow peas or as some people call them chinese pea pods.  Try them.  You might find yourself liking peas.  For the record though.  They taste best when lightly stir fried and are warm but still crisp and crunchy!

NoNicky
For God has not given a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  1 Peter 1:6

[NoNicky]

btw Dh said to tell you he would admit it was abuse if it was a brussel sprout!

NoNicky
For God has not given a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  1 Peter 1:6

[StPaulieGirl]

I was reading your post and IM's replies, and remembered sitting at the table until bedtime...staring at a plate full of cold, brussels sprouts that had been boiled until they were gray.  See if you don't eat your vegetables, no matter how vile, you will sit there and think about all the starving children in Africa who are lucky enough NOT to get brussels sprouts.

Anyone ever eat (or smell) a dish called "Finnan Haddie"?  It's smoked haddock that's been creamed.  I would come home from school on fridays and after that first whiff, I went to my room and cried.  No supper for me that night.

For the record, I like fresh snow pea pods, and frozen regular peas...not canned.  Those smell funny.  I learned to eat peas by mixing them up with my mashed potatoes.

In reply to your original post, gma is a contentious idiot.  

[Brent]

>The alleged abuse took place when we had him
>this weekend. We did something truly horrible.
>We gave him a choice. Sit at the table or eat 1
>sugar snap pea.

You horrible maniacs. ;)

It's sad, but this is what it's come to- making your child eat vegetables can be labeled "abuse", and the authorities actually look into it. Amazing.

[NoNicky]

"In reply to your original post, gma is a contentious idiot. "  That is one of the politer things I've heard said about her.  That's even nicer than what the GAL said.  LOL

I don't care if he thinks about starving children anywhere.  I want him to think of a life without a bunch of pills and needles to supplement what he doesn't get in his diet.  I want him to know he CAN do things on his own.  He can make real choices that have an effect on his life.  To learn there are consequences for our actions.  I want so many good things for this boy.  He's gone without too much for too long.  

NoNicky
For God has not given a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  1 Peter 1:6

[NoNicky]

I really don't think anything will come of it.  Dh and I both spoke with the GAL's paralegal today.  She just thinks gma is a whackjob.  So I believe it will be blown off for the most part.

NoNicky
For God has not given a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  1 Peter 1:6

[janM]

Ha Ha! I learned to eat veggies the same way! In the mashed potatoes!
I have always had a thing about the texture of certain foods, and some veggies put me off that way. This way worked for me. Mind you, the only veg I like are peas, carrots and corn and occasionally lettuce with a nice sweet dressing.

Thanks for jogging my memory!

[nosonew]

OMG!  And I love peas, of any type, snap, frozen, canned, AND I love brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, etc.  WHY?  Because MY LOVING PARENTS MADE ME TRY ONE BITE!!! To this day I will eat a pkg of frozen brussel sprouts cooked with real butter, salt/pepper, for a snack!  (Watch out later though!)..

Thanks for the laugh, I hope you can show the judge her complaint next time you are in court. :)