Introduction, interview from Veg Magazine

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I have been a 'lurker' for a couple of months and I think it is high

time for me to introduce myself. I live an hour west of St. Louis, MO.

My husband and I have an old farm house and 10 of the original acres

with the property. I am a stay at home mom and we homeschool. My kids

(both boys) are 5 and 3. My boys are vegetarian, my husband an

omnivore, and I am vegan.

I have enjoyed reading the many insightful emails on this e-group. What

is prompting me to write today is the article about the mom of quints

who underwent investigations. Early this summer I enrolled my oldest

son in swimming lessons at a national health club association that

teaches kids swimming (among other things). The morning before the

first class my son ran into the living room from the dining room to

watch something heard on PBS. He was looking at the TV not where he

plopped down and ended up falling into a wooden toy chest instead on

sitting on it. The lid was off and he didn't notice that because he

wasn't looking. He scraped his back but it didn't break the skin.

Knowing my son would have his class later that day I used liquid

bandage so he wouldn't have a bandage to get wet. The scrape did not

even need the liquid bandage but I was being extra cautious. The first

lesson went alright although my son was put in time out because he had

trouble waiting on the edge of the pool while the instructor worked

with the other kids. He had a lot of positive excitement about taking

the class. The second class went alright. The day after the second

class I got a call from Missouri Department of Family Services. They

had received a hotline call that my son had an unusual mark on his

back. I was in shock. My home would be the envy of any public or

private classroom and nonviolence is a standard for everyone here. We

even relocate the simplest forms of wildlife rather than kill it when

it intrudes on our living space.

To make a long story short we underwent a family assessment and it was

determined that my husband and I had a perfectly safe home and were not

abusive parents.

We are currently investigating our rights about getting hot-lined on

bogus charges. The reporter who hot-lined claimed my son was

hyperactive and that no explanation was given for the scratch. It is my

understanding that hyperactivity is a medical diagnosis and requires

more time and expertise than a swimming instructor could provide in two

lessons. The whole time my eldest was in the pool I was pool side

playing blocks with my 3 year old. No one asked me about my son's

scratch. My son said no one asked him either. Because of the nature of

the hotline call and the fact that we were no where else that someone

would have seen my son without a shirt we are certain it was the

swimming instructor or director that called. One question my husband

and I still have is if the association that called has broken some laws

by singling us out and calling on us. We are sure the association sees

kids every day with scratches, broken arms, stitches, etc. and we doubt

that every one of those kids parents gets hot-lined.

All this occurred before I read the article from the mom of quints. I

can't tell you how glad I am that I didn't let it slip to our

caseworker that we are vegetarians! Incidentally our caseworker was

very nice, just hopelessly stupid and nearly illiterate. Well that's my

intro. I hope to hear from you good folks soon.

Teresa

P.S. The caseworker tried to come to our house unannounced and without

calling. We were home but she did not know it. Our drive gate was

locked and she saw the beware of dog sign and our brindle Great Dane in

the yard so she decided not to walk around the gate and go up to the

house. After reviewing a copy of the assessment I can tell you you do

not want a home assessment unannounced. You can be seen as a neglectful

parent for having a disorderly house. Luckily we had time to clean up

before home visit!

[Guest guest]

Hello, Teresa, nice to meet you! That situation sucks to say the least.

I personally view any sort of investigation of any of my parenting

choices to be a personal and violent attack on my children's well being.

What I mean is that if any one from any sort of child protection or

family anything knocked at my door I would walk out on the stoop, tell

them politely not to come back without a warrant and then I would hire a

lawyer. The most important thing that I have done over the past few

years has been keeping my mouth shut, and knowing my rights. I am not

sure about your state, but there are some states in which that could be

grounds for a defamation of character lawsuit. That person had no right,

by any means, to forgoe asking you a question about it, in favor of

absentmindedly accusing you of child abuse!! The only people who have

that kind of authority are mental and physical health care professionals

and officers of the law, mostly because those professionals are trained

to recogonize and be SURE of abuse before accusation. It seems to me as

though you have a person on your hands who was simply irritated that she

had to 'deal' with an excited and non-drugged youngster, and in my

opinion as a mother and fellow homeschooler, that person should not be

dealing with children on any level. Sorry, I am just so frustrated by

the rampant ignorance in this world, and people who believe that

drugging children is the answer for their own shot nerves and lack of

patience from years of caffine addiction are my absolute pet peeve.

Good luck, and just remember that this person will

reap what they sow.

Love,

Natalie Joy & her boys

 

 

teresa aldrich [taldrich]

Tuesday, September 09, 2003 12:43 PM

 

Re: Introduction, interview from Veg Magazine

[Guest guest]

Wow that is amazing!! I can't believe someone would

actually do that to you!!! We live in the St. Charles

MO area so if you ever need anyone to talk to my

e-mail address is laurieobrien

 

I hope everything works out for you!!

 

Laurie

--- teresa aldrich <taldrich wrote:

> Hello,

> I have been a 'lurker' for a couple of months and I

> think it is high

> time for me to introduce myself. I live an hour west

> of St. Louis, MO.

> My husband and I have an old farm house and 10 of

> the original acres

> with the property. I am a stay at home mom and we

> homeschool. My kids

> (both boys) are 5 and 3. My boys are vegetarian, my

> husband an

> omnivore, and I am vegan.

> I have enjoyed reading the many insightful emails on

> this e-group. What

> is prompting me to write today is the article about

> the mom of quints

> who underwent investigations. Early this summer I

> enrolled my oldest

> son in swimming lessons at a national health club

> association that

> teaches kids swimming (among other things). The

> morning before the

> first class my son ran into the living room from the

> dining room to

> watch something heard on PBS. He was looking at the

> TV not where he

> plopped down and ended up falling into a wooden toy

> chest instead on

> sitting on it. The lid was off and he didn't notice

> that because he

> wasn't looking. He scraped his back but it didn't

> break the skin.

> Knowing my son would have his class later that day I

> used liquid

> bandage so he wouldn't have a bandage to get wet.

> The scrape did not

> even need the liquid bandage but I was being extra

> cautious. The first

> lesson went alright although my son was put in time

> out because he had

> trouble waiting on the edge of the pool while the

> instructor worked

> with the other kids. He had a lot of positive

> excitement about taking

> the class. The second class went alright. The day

> after the second

> class I got a call from Missouri Department of

> Family Services. They

> had received a hotline call that my son had an

> unusual mark on his

> back. I was in shock. My home would be the envy of

> any public or

> private classroom and nonviolence is a standard for

> everyone here. We

> even relocate the simplest forms of wildlife rather

> than kill it when

> it intrudes on our living space.

> To make a long story short we underwent a family

> assessment and it was

> determined that my husband and I had a perfectly

> safe home and were not

> abusive parents.

> We are currently investigating our rights about

> getting hot-lined on

> bogus charges. The reporter who hot-lined claimed my

> son was

> hyperactive and that no explanation was given for

> the scratch. It is my

> understanding that hyperactivity is a medical

> diagnosis and requires

> more time and expertise than a swimming instructor

> could provide in two

> lessons. The whole time my eldest was in the pool I

> was pool side

> playing blocks with my 3 year old. No one asked me

> about my son's

> scratch. My son said no one asked him either.

> Because of the nature of

> the hotline call and the fact that we were no where

> else that someone

> would have seen my son without a shirt we are

> certain it was the

> swimming instructor or director that called. One

> question my husband

> and I still have is if the association that called

> has broken some laws

> by singling us out and calling on us. We are sure

> the association sees

> kids every day with scratches, broken arms,

> stitches, etc. and we doubt

> that every one of those kids parents gets hot-lined.

> All this occurred before I read the article from the

> mom of quints. I

> can't tell you how glad I am that I didn't let it

> slip to our

> caseworker that we are vegetarians! Incidentally our

> caseworker was

> very nice, just hopelessly stupid and nearly

> illiterate. Well that's my

> intro. I hope to hear from you good folks soon.

> Teresa

> P.S. The caseworker tried to come to our house

> unannounced and without

> calling. We were home but she did not know it. Our

> drive gate was

> locked and she saw the beware of dog sign and our

> brindle Great Dane in

> the yard so she decided not to walk around the gate

> and go up to the

> house. After reviewing a copy of the assessment I

> can tell you you do

> not want a home assessment unannounced. You can be

> seen as a neglectful

> parent for having a disorderly house. Luckily we had

> time to clean up

> before home visit!

>

>

>