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Post by sugarmonkey on Jun 23, 2007 22:30:30 GMT -5
In the first chapter that mentions the Barretts & Dewitts one of the kids is referred to by the wrong name. I discussed it in the inconsistencies thread. In the next chapter with the B & D Mrs. Barrett and Mr. Dewitt return home early because Mrs. Barrett decided at the last minute that they should all cook dinner together. MA ended up watching the kids while the parents cooked, in their own little world, completely oblivious to the fact that their kids hate one another and are setting up traps to catch each other in. Then Mrs. B tells MA that the Barretts like the kids, when MA hinted (clearly) that the kids were having problems getting along. This only renews my hatred of Mrs. Barrett. I did like the family dates. Those were fun. Jeff nailing Clarice on the bumper cars was great. Mr. Schafer let his kids get away with a lot. I couldn't believe Clarice suggest she and Dawn go bra shopping and then said that Dawn's bra was the wrong size. The first time you meet someone? And Jack and Clarice had only gone out on a few dates and she'd already given him a nickname (Schaf : Too familiar too soon. I agree Whitney should've faced consequences. The way she acted after finding out that Dawn was her babysitter proved that she was NOT capable of baby sitting. Dawn did act pretty condescending toward her. And I agree that the kids would not have been as accepting in real life. Although with the Austins clearly being hippies maybe they were taught tolerance to a greater degree than the average kid. I'm sure people have some of the reactions that the adults in this book had, but most grown ups are capable of composing them selves. It's not like Whitney had a second head.
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Post by aln1982 on Jun 23, 2007 23:18:15 GMT -5
I guess I need to reread this one as I don't remember it at all. Admit it is one of my absolute least favorites of the series but now it sounds quite intriguing, especially some of Jack's girlfriends ;D Agree with sugarmonkey on the kids' and adults' reactions. Though I admit to having trouble dealing with mentally challenged people (hopefully that's the proper "PC" term ;D) and feeling uncomfortable around them, I tolerate them and can't see many other adults that would do much less (though this might be a naively positive view of humanity I'm trying to have ;D) Does Jack get back together with Carol in this one? I've always liked her and was glad they ended up together.
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Post by sugarmonkey on Jun 24, 2007 10:59:49 GMT -5
Yeah, they get engaged again and decide that the wedding will be in December, just like B & D.
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memory
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 151
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Post by memory on Jun 28, 2007 21:01:01 GMT -5
well pepoles like Whintey, i work whit mentaly challenged pepoles are hard to keep in place, sometime they are agressive, one guy event run aways (he is no longer working whit us).
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fluffycakes
Junior Sitter
A silken-haired beauty with a laugh like pealing bells
Posts: 868
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Post by fluffycakes on Jul 12, 2007 13:45:32 GMT -5
Even as a kid, I thought that what Whitney did was pretty bad, and that it was stupid they didn't really bother to explain that she was in the wrong, or that she wasn't punished. ITA with those who said Whitney knew that she was in the wrong, but did it to prove her point.
I kind of liked the Jack sub-plot, it was entertaining (even if most of his dates were completely unrealistic and exaggerated). I loved the chapter with Clarice, and the way Jeff picked on her. I actually kind of liked Clarice. Yeah, she was obnoxious, but at least she seemed kind of sweet, even if she was trying way too hard. Not sure how I felt about the Carol reunion, though. The proposal was cute, but I thought it was weird how Jeff and Dawn suddenly love Carol after hating her for so long.
I think this is one of the books that has major, major editing problems. There's the Richard thing, which has already been mentioned. But then there's those few paragraphs that have "'[Blah blah blah], ' said Dawn", even though Dawn is the narrator. It happens twice on one page! And I think this is the book that mentions "Byan DeWitt." It's astounding how poorly these books were edited.
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msstock87
Sitting For The Braddocks
Here Comes The Bride!
Created by Rie.
Posts: 3,618
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Post by msstock87 on Jul 12, 2007 14:35:50 GMT -5
I agree with what everyone has said thus far. I think Whitney should have been told what she did was wrong, their are tactful ways of doing that. I know she has down syndrome but all kids need to learn right from wrong and their are definite tactful ways of doing it.
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Post by morbiddadestiny on Jul 12, 2007 17:18:27 GMT -5
yeah i couldn't stand how whitney wasn't reprimanded at all. actually i found her to be annoying in general. i loved the descriptions of the food in this book. what was one of the dinners, three cheese macaroni and raspberry crisp for desert? OH my GODDDD.
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mckay
Junior Sitter
Posts: 672
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Post by mckay on Jul 12, 2007 17:45:05 GMT -5
I agree with what everyone has said thus far. I think Whitney should have been told what she did was wrong, their are tactful ways of doing that. I know she has down syndrome but all kids need to learn right from wrong and their are definite tactful ways of doing it. Totally. That bugs me to no end. Reading anything by teachers who teach in special ed classrooms, children with Down's Syndrome can obviously be taught and disciplined, and you're doing them a greater disservice by just letting them do what they want.
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lilafowler
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,163
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Post by lilafowler on Jul 12, 2007 19:05:38 GMT -5
Don't forget the picnic, it sounded amazing!
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fluffycakes
Junior Sitter
A silken-haired beauty with a laugh like pealing bells
Posts: 868
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Post by fluffycakes on Jul 12, 2007 22:33:19 GMT -5
^ Mmm, you're right! It sounded fabulous! Cherry tomatoes with a spicy cheese filling...cheesecake...and at the beginning, three-cheese macaroni? Yum! They had a lot of food descriptions in this one! Totally. That bugs me to no end. Reading anything by teachers who teach in special ed classrooms, children with Down's Syndrome can obviously be taught and disciplined, and you're doing them a greater disservice by just letting them do what they want. For sure. Especially with Whitney, since she apparently didn't have a severe case of Down's Syndrome. Her parents even said that she should be mainstreamed easily, so she clearly is quite capable of learning the difference between right and wrong. It's sort of ironic that Dawn is furious with Karina and others for treating Whitney differently because she has Down's Syndrome, but then she (and Whitney's parents) let her get away with essentially kidnapping Clover and Daffodil, because she has Down's Syndrome. I know it's not quite the same thing, but there's at least some hypocrisy in that logic.
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Post by aln1982 on Jul 12, 2007 23:20:41 GMT -5
^ about the food. Have only read once and want to reread soon so am looking forward to it. The subplot with Jack also amused me but I'm glad he ended up with Carol. I'm happy to hear that so many others share my views on Whitney. Her behavior irritated me to no end and it was even worse that everyone seemed to excuse it. It really bothers me when people take the approach of "they have........(mental disability).... so they're "special" and don't have to behave." One mother I knew let her little boy with Down's Syndrome physically attack some girls I was watching and then had the nerve to give THEM a lecture on what he had wrong and how he was "special". I loved the seven year old girl's comment to me - "aren't all kids special?" My thoughts exactly.
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on Jul 13, 2007 1:08:29 GMT -5
I sort of witnessed someone who had a reverse experience than what you saw, aln. There was this kid in 6th grade that had Down Syndrome. He would be shaking in class, and sometimes it would make a lot of noise. There was this little boy that would always get up and hit him in the back of the head when he made a lot of noise. And the teacher would encourage this by saying stuff like, "see, if you don't settle down, then that's what will happen each time."
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Post by aln1982 on Jul 13, 2007 16:15:46 GMT -5
^ That's awful, too, and I've also seen lots of disabled (mentally and physically) kids get tortured like that. I just think that it works both ways - all kids should be made accountable for their actions and taught right from wrong. Anyway, was this the book where Jack was dating the mother of the girl that Dawn couldn't stand and then the girl had to come along for some type of family date?
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Post by morbiddadestiny on Jul 13, 2007 18:18:04 GMT -5
^ haha, yes. alana the pain-a.
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Post by aln1982 on Jul 15, 2007 9:51:27 GMT -5
Just reread and totally agree that Whitney should have been made aware that her behavior was wrong. It was so dangerous what she did. It kind of bothered me that she was never made to realize that she was different than Dawn (not that she should have been told she was stupid or not as good or something like that and I realize the whole theory behind not telling retarded people that they are but...) Parts of this book were sweet but Whitney really irritated me and it was so wrong that they lied to her. There were many ways her parents could have handled the situation without lying - like saying they didn't want her to have to stay alone so Dawn was a friend staying with her but was in charge because she was older (my cousin who is not retarded in any way went to a sitter until she was 13 so I don't think that's a big deal). Did love the subplot - especially Jeff on the bumper cars at the carnival ;D
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