Just a thought: It is so much less busy now than it used to be here.

[New Leaf]

SWOT, you have some incredible memories and friendships from the good old days, I don't blame you one bit for reminiscing and missing that camaraderie built up from the bonds formed with folks posting their journeys with younger children with special needs. It all sounds so lovely. Thank you for posting this thread and sharing.
You still contribute so much here and have much to offer. I thank you for your passionate, straight forward, honest responses and help you have given me and many others along the way. I hope you will stay as long as you can, you are a wonderful person and such a cornerstone on this forum.
Love and hugs,
leafy

 

[AnnieO]

SWOT... I remember shortly after I stopped lurking and started posting, I had an incident with Belle and you spoke up. At that moment, I thought rather harshly... And then... I started thinking about it and realized it was a good swift kick in the rear end that I needed! You are one of the people here whose opinion I most value. And much of it is due to that kick.

It wasn't judgmental at all, though I felt that at first. Because I was so very raw. TBH I also had a similar feeling with Witzend, but she's now another whose opinion I truly value.

We have become a society that is easily offended and our rhino skin isn't developed (or allowed to do so). It took me a while, but mine is good enough now that I weathered an ugly estrangement from a VERY good friend (actually a couple) who also used to be online here. I miss them, but I understand.

And that's the thing. Sometimes we might appear judgmental, but upon reflection, it's just a reality check. A reminder that we are all different, and to respect one another, we must give the benefit of the doubt - because we DON'T know where others are coming from.

 

[BusynMember]

Thanks much, annie. You are such good parents and its so hard to be a step. by the way, Grandma to be, congratulations on the baby

 

[BusynMember]

On if I seemed harsh, I am so sorry.
I remember when I first arrived here. Some people soothed prettily. Some gave hard common sense. Some tried to do both.

Everyone comes here for a different reasons.I wanted advice, advice, advice. I did not want soft understanding with no advice. I didn't come here for prayers, although people mean well when they offer them. For me, I just wanted help.

I take my own needs and experiences and put them in my posts. I think we all do. As I said before, posters are intelligent and in my opinion kmow enough to take what is useful for their situation and leave the test.

I try to be both tough and tender. Maybe it doesn't always work, but I try.

Annie. It's always good when you're here. Keep us posted, ok?

 

[Nomad]

I recall the term "rhino" skin and I may have slightly misinterpreted it. I thought it meant something like resilience. Was it a little more like not being sensitive to things....which I suppose is very similar. ?Basically, not to take things personally????? It is a good expression!!!

 

[BusynMember]

I took it to mean being able to repel all the nasty comments we heard from others.

 

[GoingNorth]

Nomad, "rhino skin" meant "having a thick skin" or basically letting the bad/annoying/hurtful stuff bounce off of you.

 

[Nomad]

Ya know, I feel like we dropped the ball a little bit. That expression alone (rhino skin)is freaking adorable! Useful,and strengthening. Also "cuppa," and the crazy dark humor. Sporks ...always cracked me up!!!!! I just would smile to think that someone with so much on her plate would discuss sporks...knowing full well it was a great distraction. And recall that mystery guy that posted now and then? What was his name? Kinda of a Latin lover type?!?! HUMOR!!!!!!

PS I do NOT think he was real LOL!

 

[GoingNorth]

Well, I didn't think much about "cuppa" as my mother's English. My cuppa is tea as it should be, and not coffee.

Raoul? Yes, our Portuguese masseur. Never figured out who was "voicing" his posts.

 

[Nomad]

I had never heard anyone say "cuppa" before until I came here. Tea or coffee. And what about GOBSMACKED!!!!!!! I think this is more from the UK than the US. I love this expression now.

Yes, I think it was Raoul! Be still my heart. I still don't know who in the world that was. Heee he. And at first, it did "blow my mind" a little. Then, I thought it was crazy funny.

RB...Do you know any Portugeese? LOLOLOL

 

[BusynMember]

Was the handsome latin masseuse named Rico? Itvwas an R name. Ah, I miss his sexy touch

 

[BusynMember]

YES!!!!! Raoul!!!!

Bummer that he left too...lol. who invented him? Janet?

 

[Nomad]

Confused's post really resonates with me and touches my heart too. One has to be careful not to "over speak," regarding our children and family and when you are in the middle of a very emotional situation, that is easy to do. I wish the edit feature was available for a longer period of time. However, one can ask RB to make a change if needed.

I too agree all the threads are wonderful. And I too have been helped tremendously, especially when Difficult Child was a teen and it was really really REALLY difficult days. I am grateful.

 

[Copabanana]

Portugeese?

OMG. This is hilarious.

 

[Nomad]

*I didn't know how to spell it and I relied on the auto correct to fix it and this time it didn't!!!! It is such an interesting language. And it was such fun to see a post from this made up character, largely in another language on this board ... It didn't make sense...if I recall correctly it had romantic undertones...it was a hoot!

 

[AnnieO]

THIS POST. THIS POST. Is what I miss from before! The camaraderie, the humor and Raoul.

Trust me, I needed a few swift kicks in the rear. Parenting Rose is turning out to be interesting. She's becoming an indigo child... And it's cool and frightening at the same time. SO SMART - and SO STUBBORN - and knows and does things there is NO POSSIBLE WAY for her to know or do.

 

[New Leaf]

I think that we should summon up Raoul..........

She's becoming an indigo child...

What is an indigo child?

leafy

 

[Copabanana]

It is such an interesting language

Nomad. You mean the posts from Raoul were largely in Portugeese? This is getting better and better.

COPA

 

[GoingNorth]

Yes, Copa. Raoul's posts were in Portuguese.

 

[AnnieO]

From Wikipedia:

Indigo children, according to a pseudoscientific New Age concept, are children who are believed to possess special, unusual, and sometimes supernatural traits or abilities.

...I also would add in that she seems to be very, very hardheaded, though she comes by that honestly... And she's a bit wild, would rather pee in the yard... Seriously... Climbs EVERYWHERE... Is not afraid of ANYTHING...