78 replies to this topic

[EDH Jen]

People with no kids, judging people with kids, as if they had a clue.

Another one of my pet peeves. Grrrrrr

[Darthvader]

I admit I usually get a chuckle out of some of your posts. This one was pretty weak. I think there are plenty of homes compared to condos. Come on Darth, you can do better then that.

Sorry I was just floored that Andrea V was able to deliver a post that actually had paragraphs...what is this place coming to?? She must have cut and pasted that from someplace else.

[Orangetj]

Calling it like I see it. The Parkway really isn't bad as far as Condo living goes.

Condo living...that's rich. We have good friends who live over there. Pretty nice "condo" they've got. It does suck for them, though, that they don't have to mow their front lawn, pull weeds, trim shrubs, don't have neighbors with trash heaped up in the driveway, people living in old camper trailers parked on blocks in the driveway, etc. At the last block party we went to at their house, they and all the "uber snooty" neighbors looked down their noses at us as they shared beers, hotdogs, fireworks and good times with us. Terrible...can't imagine why anybody would want to live there.

[Bill Z]

You are so quick to forget what you say:

With a new born, first waking thought is, "Is my son still breathing?", then you hear it on the baby monitor and you know it's OK.

You find yourself concerned with their bowel movements (sign of healthy eating and digestion). But two of my worst fears I never expected are:

"I hope I don't die before he has grown to adulthood"

"And God, please don't ever let me accidently cause serious harm to my child"

These aren't examples of being afraid of what might happen next? You're paraniod beyond belief of everyday things. And don't wrongly accuse me again of making your words up ok?

BTW, riding a rollercoaster doesn't make you a daredevil, millions of people do it every year.

You know, you just don't understand. It's not like I was quaking in fear my son wouldn't be breathing, my expectations were he would be breathing, but it didn't change the fact that when I awoke I listened for the confirmation he didn't die from "sudden crib death".

Acknowledging fears doesn't make one paranoid and ruled by them. If you don't understand that, then I don't know what I can say to make you understand I am not a fearful paranoid person. But I can tell you I'm not, I'm also not afraid of admitting my weaknesses and fears.
But I can tell you I can stand on the edge of a cliff and not be a paranoid basket case, but it doesn't mean I still don't have a healthy fear of falling.

And while millions may ride roller coasters, there are millions that won't step foot on them at all. My son isn't ready to go sky-diving, but he is ready to go on roller coasters, he's been on all the ones we visited where he met the height requirements, some of those he wasn't tall enough without an adult, but there are others that even with an adult, he can't ride quite yet (like the Big Dipper).

And while I don't know how daredevilish you are, I know I take far more chances with dangerous activities than the average person does. I can't count how many times I've climbed to the top of Lover's leap, there are those that will solo it, but I'm not that confident with my own strength and skills, I know my limitations pretty well. I know I'm not the fastest at tracking my sportscar, but I've only gone a couple of times so far as it's not in my budget to go as often as some of my friends do. After having one bad mishap on my motorcycle, it didn't stop me from riding, but it did adjust how agressively I will ride on the back roads. I no longer have the same degree of fearlessness I used to, even though my accident wasn't from canyon cruising, it was caused on the freeways by an ignorant motorist that cut me off.

[Paddy]

Before I became a father, I knew becoming one would change my life forever, but even knowing that fact, didn't prepare me for how much it would. With a new born, first waking thought is, "Is my son still breathing?", then you hear it on the baby monitor and you know it's OK.
You find yourself concerned with their bowel movements (sign of healthy eating and digestion). Those thoughts are now mostly gone. But two of my worst fears I never expected are:

"I hope I don't die before he has grown to adulthood"

"And God, please don't ever let me accidently cause serious harm to my child"

Kids are different, you can love your wife and your siblings and your parents, but none of that love compares to the love of your child. At least not for me, and I'm pretty sure my wife feels the same

I love my wife dearly, but if she were to suddenly die, I know I would be heart broken and all, but I also know I could go on, that I would be able to "get over it". If my son were to die, I honestly have no idea how I could function in life after that.

I completely agree with you Bill Z. I am going to be a dad soom in couple of months. And everyday, these thoughts go by mind.. many times. I feel so relieved when i hear his heartbeat at our doctor visits. I feel so happy when he kicks. But for some reason he delays his movements on any particular day, i am tensed and so tensed that i cannot concentrate on anything else until he gets back normally.

And on topic, i completely agree it is better to play safe than be sorry.

[mikat]

So is this the same van that was found to be delivering Yellow pages phone books? Or are there multiple van like this around town? Seems to me the soccer Mom's are playing detective and sparking fear for no real reason other than to keep their lives exciting between eating bon bons and drinking Martini's all day.

OK--I am not a parent, I don't live in Empire Ranch or the Parkway, I don't drive an Escalade, nor am I home eating bon bons and drinking martini's during the day...however it is perfectly clear to me that what was observed was extremely suspicious and concerning behavior. When you add up everything that was observed or happened, it is down right creepy. It has all the earmarks of an abduction ready to happen. That mom, as well as everyone else in the neighborhood, have cause for concern. I am very glad that she made that post and didn't just ignore the situation because it might just have been the people handing out fliers. Sure, it might have been innocent behavior--but it sure doesn't seem like it. I hope the police are contacted with this info.
Neighbors looking out for neighbors is a good thing.

[ChipShot]

Another one of my pet peeves. Grrrrrr

Wait, Jen...

Then by your logic, how can any of us comment on politics??

Have any of us been President??

This would be a better Country if I had been President, but I digress bigtime...

[EDH Jen]

Wait, Jen...

Then by your logic, how can any of us comment on politics??

Have any of us been President??

This would be a better Country if I had been President, but I digress bigtime...

People who don't have kids who comment on children & parents....that's what I was addressing, not anything else, Chip. Chill, Dude.

[Bill Z]

You are so quick to forget what you say:

"I hope I don't die before he has grown to adulthood"

"And God, please don't ever let me accidently cause serious harm to my child"

These aren't examples of being afraid of what might happen next? You're paraniod beyond belief of everyday things. And don't wrongly accuse me again of making your words up ok?

Where did I accuse of making my words up, I said you don't understand.

To further explain, one can acknowledge fearful things, but not be constantly consumed by them such that they don't enjoy life. I think you took my voicing my fears as if they are always on my mind, when they are not.

To voice a concern isn't to be "paranoid beyond belief"

Get Real!!!

[maggiesmom]

First of all, I am a mom, I drive a honda, never had a bon bon, not a big martini fan, my kid doesn't play soccer, and I do not live in ER or the Parkway. however, I did recieve this update from a firend of mine regarding the van--so, for the paretn son this board who may like to know, here it is...

This is in addition to the email that went out to some of you this morning. At approximately 11:35am I saw a suspicious white van driving up Parkway drive from the first roundabout past Kidder. They stopped at the roundabout and looked right down Parkway Drive. When I was going around the roundabout I noticed the van door (on the right side) was all the way open. I could see a hand holding onto the door jam, as though the passenger was sitting in the back holding on to the door that was open. They were driving very slow and waved me to go around them. I looked directly at the person driving. He was an older gentleman, maybe in his mid 50's or 60's. He had what I remember as darker hair with some grey or lighter color in it. He was wearing a white t-shirt. I drove very slow and kept me close behind me because I wanted to see if he drove out of the parkway. I got to the light at Blue Ravine and he was no longer behind me. I have reported the incident to the Folsom PD. PLEASE be aware of this van in our neighborhood and report it IMMEDIATELY to the police. I wish I would have been aware of the incident yesterday when I saw the van this morning.

I really hope not to be attacked for passing this info along to other parents who have to safeguard their children every single day.

[Andrea V]

First of all, I am a mom, I drive a honda, never had a bon bon, not a big martini fan, my kid doesn't play soccer, and I do not live in ER or the Parkway. however, I did recieve this update from a firend of mine regarding the van--so, for the paretn son this board who may like to know, here it is...

This is in addition to the email that went out to some of you this morning. At approximately 11:35am I saw a suspicious white van driving up Parkway drive from the first roundabout past Kidder. They stopped at the roundabout and looked right down Parkway Drive. When I was going around the roundabout I noticed the van door (on the right side) was all the way open. I could see a hand holding onto the door jam, as though the passenger was sitting in the back holding on to the door that was open. They were driving very slow and waved me to go around them. I looked directly at the person driving. He was an older gentleman, maybe in his mid 50's or 60's. He had what I remember as darker hair with some grey or lighter color in it. He was wearing a white t-shirt. I drove very slow and kept me close behind me because I wanted to see if he drove out of the parkway. I got to the light at Blue Ravine and he was no longer behind me. I have reported the incident to the Folsom PD. PLEASE be aware of this van in our neighborhood and report it IMMEDIATELY to the police. I wish I would have been aware of the incident yesterday when I saw the van this morning.

I really hope not to be attacked for passing this info along to other parents who have to safeguard their children every single day.

It is Thursday, not TUESDAY.... why is the van still cruzing the neighborhood?

[asbestoshills]

Darth not all of the Parkway residents are snobs......most of the them are just sheep who feel safer in a neighborhood where conformity is enforced....Some people feel better about their lives if they know that the peole around them at least live to a certain degree like they do......Or maybe they just like their front lawns mowed for a small fee???? Maybe u can be the big bad wolf who shakes their world...LOL!

P.S.-We don't live in a FOlsom bubble, no matter what people think.....There is crime everywhere and we are not exempt.

[traceyl]

So let's flip this and get hypothetical

You're a Dad.

Your kid says, " While walking home from school today, I noticed some dishevilled guy was driving slow in a white van and it seemed like he was following me."

You tell him "Don't cry wolf, it was probably nothing, I bet he was just delivering phone books".

Tomorrow, your kid is abducted by a white van.

How are you going to feel then?!
Before I became a father, I knew becoming one would change my life forever, but even knowing that fact, didn't prepare me for how much it would. With a new born, first waking thought is, "Is my son still breathing?", then you hear it on the baby monitor and you know it's OK.
You find yourself concerned with their bowel movements (sign of healthy eating and digestion). Those thoughts are now mostly gone. But two of my worst fears I never expected are:

"I hope I don't die before he has grown to adulthood"

"And God, please don't ever let me accidently cause serious harm to my child"

Kids are different, you can love your wife and your siblings and your parents, but none of that love compares to the love of your child. At least not for me, and I'm pretty sure my wife feels the same

I love my wife dearly, but if she were to suddenly die, I know I would be heart broken and all, but I also know I could go on, that I would be able to "get over it". If my son were to die, I honestly have no idea how I could function in life after that.

Very well said Bill.

[maggiesmom]

It is Thursday, not TUESDAY.... why is the van still cruzing the neighborhood?

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[Folsom Guy]

Darth not all of the Parkway residents are snobs......most of the them are just sheep who feel safer in a neighborhood where conformity is enforced....Some people feel better about their lives if they know that the peole around them at least live to a certain degree like they do......Or maybe they just like their front lawns mowed for a small fee???? Maybe u can be the big bad wolf who shakes their world...LOL!

P.S.-We don't live in a FOlsom bubble, no matter what people think.....There is crime everywhere and we are not exempt.

If the folks in Parkway are sheep, then what do you call the folks in Hillcrest or other gated communities?

I moved into Parkway 'coz the schools were good, nice trails close by...looks like a clean 'hood, lots of kids running and playing around on the streets in a carefree way.

If it is wasn't HOA, I'd be paying a teenager to mow my yard...

Go to work, earn an honest living by working hard, pay our taxes, donate to charity, do community service...and why is all that snobbish or sheepish?