how do I reassure my stepson?

[Sister Charli]

Well, yes I know he won't be my stepson for another 18 sleeps, but right now I have sole care of Luke's three sons while he is managing Brother James Dewitt's diamond mine.

Anyway .... I decided bible studies would be easier if we started at Genesis and worked our way through. After all, John is now 4 and it is time he did some serious studies - but of course I have also included 2 year old Mark and 8 month old Matthew in the story time.

So we ploughed through the begats and begots of Genesis and this week are working on Exodus.

Now of course Chapters 7 through to 12 talk about the 10 plagues of Egypt. That being ....

1. BLOOD
2. FROGS
3. LICE –
4. WILD BEASTS
5. CATTLE DISEASE
6. BOILS
7. HAIL
8. LOCUSTS
9. DARKNESS
10. DEATH OF THE FIRST BORN

Of course locust season (plague 8) us upon us here in Western Australia, Not to mention those awful cane toads (plague 2) hopping across from Queensland.

But then Johnboy freaked out at plagues 9 and 10. He has this fear of the dark but when he heard that God took the first born .....

Exodus 12:29 (King James Version)
29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

I have only just managed to get him to settle to sleep tonight. And it is 1am in the morning.

[Sister Charli]

Re: how do I reassure my stepson?

I have just gone online and ordered some toys to help the boys understand the 10 plagues a bit better.

This is what I got for the younger two ...


And for John I have ordered this set ...


It's description says it includes ...

1. BLOOD – Red food coloring to turn the Nile into hemoglobin.
2. FROGS – A springloaded frog that does a backflip and lands on its feet.
3. LICE – Black plastic lice that could double as plastic ants.
4. WILD BEASTS – A rubber elephant nose representing the wildlife rampaging through downtown Cairo.
5. CATTLE DISEASE – A collapsible plastic cow with wobbly knees recalling Pharaoh’s agricultural woes.
6. BOILS – Bubble wrap which is more pleasant to pop than skin lesions.
7. HAIL – Styrofoam balls.
8. LOCUSTS – A hot pink grasshopper.
9. DARKNESS – Cardboard sunglasses.
10. DEATH OF THE FIRST BORN – A jigsaw puzzle of a distressed Egyptian mother.

That might help our bible studies to be a bit more interactive.

[Cranky Old Man]

Re: how do I reassure my stepson?

Children should not play with dolls, it makes them gay. Just let them study the Holy Bible, it contains all the interaction they will ever need. If they are to your to read, just read it to them. Something like Job 18 is always a good story to get them to sleep.

[James Dewitt]

Re: how do I reassure my stepson?

Charlie, I can understand why the lad might be a bit skittish. Sometimes God scares the crap right out of me. I know we must follow all of His word to attain salvation, but golly when you read
Isaiah 9:19-20

Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:


I just tremble.

[Sister Charli]

Re: how do I reassure my stepson?

Children should not play with dolls, it makes them gay.

Oh. Thank you Mr Cranky.

I have only been a stand in Mum for three weeks and am still very much learning.

I sure as heck do not want any of the boys to choose to be gay and thus be damned to hell for all eternity. What a huge insult it would be as a True Christian™ parent to let any of the boys choose to lay with a male.

What about toy trucks, motorbikes and boats?

[ChoirBoy]

Re: how do I reassure my stepson?

What about toy trucks, motorbikes and boats?

I would have to say it depends on the kind of boat, and motorbike.

If the boat requires the man to wear a jaunty blue jacket and white hat, it will make your soon-to-be boys more homo then straight. Basically, most boat should require at least one fishing pole and occupants to wear hip waders to "catch the big one". Anything less, and it is a quick entrance to homo land.

Motorbikes? As in the things Hell's Angels ride? Do I really need to go much further on that one?

[Sister Charli]

Re: how do I reassure my stepson?

Oh dear. The baby, Matthew aged 8 months, has some nappy rash.

John saw me changing Matt's nappy and now thinks Matt has been plagued with plague number 6.

1. BLOOD
2. FROGS
3. LICE –
4. WILD BEASTS
5. CATTLE DISEASE
6. BOILS
7. HAIL
8. LOCUSTS
9. DARKNESS
10. DEATH OF THE FIRST BORN

Then Mark, the 2 year old tripped over the dog while playing under the back patio. He skinned his knee and it bled a little. John thinks Mark has plague number 1.

I am still having a lot of trouble trying to alleviate his plague number 10 fears.

[BelieverInGod]

Re: how do I reassure my stepson?

Oh dear. The baby, Matthew aged 8 months, has some nappy rash.

John saw me changing Matt's nappy and now thinks Matt has been plagued with plague number 6.

Then Mark, the 2 year old tripped over the dog while playing under the back patio. He skinned his knee and it bled a little. John thinks Mark has plague number 1.

I am still having a lot of trouble trying to alleviate his plague number 10 fears.

I haven't said much because I realize that these kids have been going through a rough time. Losing their mother about a year ago, then you come into their lives and then their father moves away for a job. However, what you have put on here regarding that oldest son is really starting to worry me. Not living there, I can't see what's going on in the situation but I'm going to guess it's one of two things.

1. This kid is pushing you. He's trying to figure out how to manipulate and play you to get what he wants and he's testing you by having these freakouts. If this is the case, then you need to grab that firm upper hand and take the lead role when their father is not around. I know it's tough when your coming in as a step-parent. It's also tough to take the dominant role when you've spent your life learning how to be submissive, but unless you want this child walking all over you, you're going to have to take the reigns. If he's this bad now, just wait until he hits that pre-teen age.

2. He genuinely is a wuss. This may be because his father, during his grief, coddled the boy during an important developmental period. If this is the case, he bluntly needs to be toughened up. He needs to be put in contact sport of some form. He needs to get out fishing and learn how to gut a fish. He may be a little too young for hunting, but he could learn snaring or pellet gun and some cans. Whatever the way, the boy needs to toughen up and learn to man up.

Yes I realize he's only 4, but I don't think I would tolerate this level of "sensitivity" even from a girl.

[Sister Charli]

Re: how do I reassure my stepson?

I'm going to guess it's one of two things.

1. This kid is pushing you.

2. He genuinely is a wuss.

Sister B.I.G.

Thanks you so much for this advice.

I really am concerned that John is choosing the homersexual lifestyle. So today I showed him a photo of Brother Bob Jenkins and then I took him out to the woodpile and made him cut kindling for three hours. He has a number of blisters on his hands and we sat and together praised God for giving them to him as a sign of him being a heterosexual little man.

This parenting is quite difficult isn't it? I thank you all for your input. I burnt all the boys toys 2 days ago on Mr Cranky's advice but the Daniel toy set arrived today so that was his reward for cutting wood.