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Update on 'brain washing'.
Dear Abbots,
I don't usually write people I haven't met, but I saw you guys on TV and I thought you might be interrested in learning of a wonderful camp (tho I suppose you might have heard of it already).
It's called Not Back To School Camp. There's alot of amazing people, plenty of music to share, plenty of barefootedness. The attendees are mostly homeschooled and the meals are vegetarian and mostly organic.
If you want to learn more go to www.nbtsc.org. They have a great website.
The camp is directed by a wonderful woman named Grace Llewellen. She's written some interresting books, including the Teenage Liberation Handbook
I've gone to camp three years in row, and I 'm going back.
Hope to see you there.
Love, Crystal
I don't usually write people I haven't met, but I saw you guys on TV and I thought you might be interrested in learning of a wonderful camp (tho I suppose you might have heard of it already).
It's called Not Back To School Camp. There's alot of amazing people, plenty of music to share, plenty of barefootedness. The attendees are mostly homeschooled and the meals are vegetarian and mostly organic.
If you want to learn more go to www.nbtsc.org. They have a great website.
The camp is directed by a wonderful woman named Grace Llewellen. She's written some interresting books, including the Teenage Liberation Handbook
I've gone to camp three years in row, and I 'm going back.
Hope to see you there.
Love, Crystal
Comments
So, yesterday it occurred to me that the stranger and my mother were both judging our family from the vantage point of their experience, and indeed the American experience. My mother was a rebellious teenager, I was and immigrated to Australia at 20. In our culture the teenage rebellion from parents is normal! Our family has none of that, thus in the stranger's and my mother's eyes, we're abnormal... something is wrong with our family. Obviously, I must be 'brain washing' the boys, for how else could they have turned out to be the gentle, respectful, hardworking, honest, reliable, sincere, creative, and cooperative young men that they are.
I passed that analyses by her and, after some pondering, she thought I might be correct. At 92 she?s able to glimpse past her paradigm. That?s the upside of aging!
Wonder if this show plays overseas? I'd bet the bed sharing for example doesnt raise a single fuss over there, wonder how familes over there where the Father is still more in charge will take Carl's supposed 'brainwashing'?
Anyway, I'm not sure if people can get it in the east but if they got a sattelite, they should be able to.
Everyone in both families, Abbotts and Lowes are best of friends. That was true pretty much right of the bat. True, Vickie had some difficulty with the ocean and the forest (she's a bit afraid of nature), but she was a great sport, in fact.
We talk to the Lowe family a few times a week, and we can't wait to go out and visit them, and they are likewise eager to visit us.
Speaking as someone who was raised in a mind control cult ( hint: Saturday morning knock on your door ) these guys are not brainwashed. Brainwashing is the control of persons through fear, deception and isolation. Lies are shrouded within an abundance of truths and questioning the validity of what is taught is not tolerated.
It's a parent's job to instill proper values and be a positive influence in their childrens lives. Based on what I've seen of the Abbott family, I would have to say, "Carl and Leslie, job well done."
None of the Satellites that go over Japan carry Fox.
I record (capture it to my computer) it using NTSC encoding so it won't be a problem. We're gonna make a 2 DVD (one per episode) set to give out to our friends (who live around in the US so no need for region problems). Not just any DVD, a DVD with special features and Directors cut! We'll include our own personal interviews to tell about what actually happened and how we felt at the time. We'll even include the commercials that were running that day! (maybe) A dual-layer disc would save a DVD but probably isn't as compatible.
Hi Lynn. Yes we're neighbors and we've met before.
My first thought was that people wouldn't think that way if Carl and the boys were at all the 49er games together, or playing basketball, or hunting together. The fact that you do yoga and tai chi together is seen as weird, controlling, whatever. Go figure.
Even though I haven't been around the boys for about 3 years, I've seen how mature and responsible they are. I guess people think it would be better for Carl to work 60-70 hours a week at an office, not participate in the boys life, and watch them turn out to have drug or alcohol problems, or whatever. It's ironic that sometimes we Americans think that being independent has been a positive thing in our growing up. Family stability seems to be more & more in short supply. (I have a brother and a friend who are going through divorces right now.)
Anyway, as a member of Carl's church for about 15 years, and a friend of the family for the same, I've always found their lifestyle, including raising Kyle and Luke, refreshing and solid, down-to-earth. Their example helps me in raising my 9 yr. old daughter, in trying to keep our family life on an even keel, when so many families are experiences such internal turbulence.
I'm so glad to hear that the Abbotts and the Lowes are staying in touch, and came away friends. I was disappointed and upset by the apparent negativity portrayed on the show; I couldn't believe that that's the kind of experience either family would have had. (No wonder I can't stand to watch Reality TV.)
After digging up this site and learning about the family -- including reading the posts and blogs by the boys -- it's clear that the show is anything BUT reality. I'm seriously disgusted by what the network did; it's not that I ever thought them to be angels, but I didn't think their actions would go so far past any boundary of integrity. Likewise, I've learned a great lesson about my own tendency to latch onto negativity and get too involved in judgement.
In particular, the show made the boys look like sheltered innocents who were literally afraid to be out in public (the scene in the shoe store?). If you take the time to read what the boys post, it's clear however that they do have ample exposure to American pop culture: video games, television, etc.
The good news is that they have exposure to an alternative mindset as well. Unfortunately, most citizens in the US do not!
Amy
But I digress
I am so very, very impressed with both you and your intelligent, articulate sons. You must be so proud of how well both Luke and Kyle are growing up. As the mother of a teenager I understand how difficult it can be to raise a child who doesn't feel the need to rebel just to get their point across. My daughter still actually speaks to me (usually in a pretty loving manner, I'm happy to say) and we share time and experiences which I treasure. I am striving to let her be herself, no matter how different a person from me she is turning out to be. Rather than imposing my will upon her (or my beliefs) I am trying to give her the freedom to make her own decisions. I know that some decisions she makes will be tough for me to deal with, but I also know that she is learning with each step she takes. (Unfortunately those can't be barefoot steps, given that we live in Wisconsin and the windchill tonight is about 3 degrees.)
I plan to visit your website often because you and your sons are giving me the inspiration I need to remain a patient and understanding parent. You may not be a sage, you may not be a perfect dad (I'd guess that Kyle and Luke might agree with that comment once in awhile!) but you are offering us some great words of wisdom. We need to allow our children to bloom at the pace that best suits them.
Congratulations to your family for surviving this "reality" and thank you for allowing us into the REAL reality of who you are. Yours is an awesome family.
sooooo much about computers i dont' know. i should go to college and study them...
Susan
go to gmail.com to find out