happyOOTer

Twice. Technically though, they are “Foster Fails”. They are 7 and 3 now and a part of the family

On one hand, it makes sense that you should buy the house you want now, before iyH your family grows even more. OTOH, we used to be on scholarship and I felt like a neb, esp. because we knew scholarship committee members. Now we’re in a “fixer-upper” but pay full tuition. It is really a HUGE relief to not have to apply for and accept scholarships anymore. This is how I comfort myself when I look around at home. I compare prices online for what I need or shop at places like Amazing Savings. I don’t have an expensive sheitel(s). We don’t take vacations or have expensive cars. I feel like this is the responsible thing to do for the sake of our children’s chinuch both at home and for their yeshiva.

Someone with all the materialistic trappings applying for and using food stamps is “playing the system”, no matter how you justify it. IMO it is not a matter of “if Hashem wants me to have it, what’s wrong with that”, because we choose how we spend the income Hashem provides us with. Friends and neighbors see that someone is dressed to the hilt but don’t know if they’re on scholarship, right? But is that managing what Hashem has given us responsibility? What if a scholarship could otherwise be going to a family who only has chicken on Shabbos? JMHO…

Lost my what?

Thanks! 🙂

“WAIT WAIT WAIT!! Let me finish what I was saying!!”

Simcha Alteheimer

Can I ask asome different questions, for the sake of argument?

Are these camps trying to make money or are they non-profit, or raising money for a yeshiva/seminary/etc?

Second, does a boy/girl in high school NEED to have a job? Why are you doing this, just so you’re “not bored”? What are you doing with the money you earn, buying clothes? Do you give to tzedakah from it?

Third, doesn’t being a camp counselor during the summer, helping nuture the yiddishkeit of kinderlach, look better for shidduchim than being a cleaning lady, just for the money?

Finally, maybe we should look at the message the parents of these young people are giving. Are parents communicating the tremendous ahavas Yisroel of spending the summer influencing kinderlach, who may look back and remember their camp counselors, especially the ones that really made a difference, for the rest of their lives?

Just asking.

Now I see I basically repeated what others said… but you did say, “I do feel it is a zechus to send nice Mishloach Monos” – nothing wrong if that is your choice, but some people really could only swing a raisin and a peanut this year (maybe not a peanut – some people are allergic…)

Lavdavka, there are vast expanses of land out there (OOT, I should know) with pockets of frum Jews who don’t know from kosher Chinese. They’d have you for Shabbos, and you’d probably enjoy it, even.

If a CD would be OK, try J-Walking. I have #2 and it’s great fun. I think it’s the Neshoma Orchestra.

For awhile when my daughter was around 4, I kept a log of some of the things she said.

“I need some salad to help me relax.”

“I can’t get it. It makes my brains all sweaty.”

(5 mins later) “Look! My brains aren’t all sweaty anymore!”

In the car on the way to preschool she said, “Mommy, my Madeline doll is broken.” I said, it is? “Yeah, it needs batteries.” Honey, your Madeline doll doesn’t need batteries.

“Then how am I going to get it to walk and talk?” I laughed and said, she doesn’t really do those things – you have to use your imagination and pretend.

“Mommy, can I pretend she has batteries?”

“I’m not ready to be a grownup. I’m not ready to be an adult. It’s not fair. Mommy’s too short.”

“Mom, do you like rubber chickens?”

“I’m not a kitty – I’m just a human.”

I have had these saved for posterity (and the YW Coffee Room) for years…

Both amusing and sad…

NTT: la la la laaaaaaaa…

I like ABBA too… heh heh…

jphone, I had to laugh…

Would someone please post a list of “acceptable” camps so I don’t ruin my kids’ chances at shidduchim this summer??

*sigh*

Hey, are you guys licensed?? LOL…

I have to say I am very impressed that frum yidden know this stuff (not my experience, excpet for the real electrician we had to hire)

anuran – (picking my jaw up off the floor) If people stop accepting your Shabbos invitations, it’s nothing personal, it’s only out of fear…

Wikipedia is one really big Coffee Room! LOL

Feh, must have been a different Oomis Von Shlepp! Besides, I forgot, I didn’t go to Bais Yaakov, LOL… 😉

So, back to the subject, I wonder about the expectation that the wife is “in charge” of the shalom bayis of the house. I wonder if that gives some husbands, in their minds, a “free pass” not to work on themselves, because “it’s his job to learn and her job to run the house.” Anyone?

I think that if all singles in the shidduch parsha would do that kind of thoughtful cheshbon from the beginning, there would be far fewer divorces.

BP Totty – more pressing issues? Like what??

Wow, I DO feel like a yenta…

haifagirl – good answer!

Mishugas yes, but I wouldn’t want my daughter marrying into that type of family anyway. These days good middos are sorely lacking. A boy who sits and learns 20 hours a day but has lousy middos is not truly shomer mitzvos.

There’s a moose loose in the hoose!

I can answer one question!

I asked my dad what his hair color is on his driver’s license, and he said “BAL” 😉

(his hair is all on his face!)

bein_hasdorim, I commend you on your well-thoughtout and thoughtful responses!