S05.E17: Keep It Together

[Tara Ariano]

"Wasn't the last episode that aired S05E13?" Yes, but EpGuides is treating all the bullshit specials as episodes, so let's just not fighting their numbering and proceed.

 

Chelsea gets unexpected news; Jenelle finds out the sex of her baby; Kailyn struggles to maintain her marriage while raising two kids; and Ali becomes aware of her medical condition.

[wrestlesflamingos]

I bet Chelsea learns that Adam has enrolled in medical school.

[Ljohnson1987]

Chelsea's esthetician license is with held. There was a clip of it on a website, 

[Ffiferoo]

I don't know why Leah is so confused about Ali talking about her disability, as they obviously discuss it in front of her all the time.  Case in point talking about this confusion at dinner with her mom *in front of Ali*.  It's not like she hasn't been at all of her appointments with the doctor too.  I know she's four, but they don't give her a whole lot of credit for what she's already had to deal with.  

[RedKoolAide]

Nathan said he couldn't stand to be away from his "childs" if he went to jail. Not children or kids, but "childs". Janelle sure knows how to pick 'em.

My heart broke for Jace in the bumper scene when Janelle and Nathan left him out of the paint fight. His little face looked so sad. I can see them forgetting all about Jace when the new baby comes. Poor kid.

Kail and Javi deserve each other. As soon as Jo left with Isaac they were gossiping like hens. Ugh. Can't stand them.

Leah's hair is atrocious. It really offends me. She's another perpetual victim. But Ali is a darling little girl.

Who would go out of their way to report Chelsea to the esthetician board? I know who, a "hater".

Edited July 17, 2014 by RedKoolAide

[geekamonggeeks]

I don't know why Leah is so confused about Ali talking about her disability, as they obviously discuss it in front of her all the time.  Case in point talking about this confusion at dinner with her mom *in front of Ali*.  It's not like she hasn't been at all of her appointments with the doctor too.  I know she's four, but they don't give her a whole lot of credit for what she's already had to deal with.  

I honestly don't think Leah knows what she's doing. Seriously. Ali is four-years-old, not four months. She also seems very bright. Of course she's going to pick up on it, especially since Leah is so negative about it. I know that she's devastated, and she has every right to be, but she needs to watch her words before she really affects Ali with her cynicism.

[BitterApple]

I usually never side with Kail, but God, Javi was a dick tonight. Is there some law in Delaware that states a parent can't watch more than one kid at a time? It made no sense for Kail to drag an infant to the grocery store late at night when Isaac was about to go to bed and Javi was home.

I totally don't believe Landon and Chelsea didn't get paid to do that wedding. When Chelsea first brought up the letter, Landon's response was "how do they know, we didn't accept checks or anything." He didn't immediately deny they were paid.

[Universalhunter]

Yeah, Kail actually didn't annoy me at all in this episode, but Javi... I did not understand at all why he had such a stick up his ass about her asking him to watch the kids while she ran to the store. She was right, it was late and the trip would take a lot longer if she took Lincoln. Just watch your kid, Javi. You're his parent.

I can't believe someone reported Chelsea's social media posts to the licensing board. That's just so low it's a little sad. If they can't prove she was paid for it, how can they withhold her license? Like Randy said, anyone can do makeup at a wedding as a free favor. If she was just helping Landon, I can believe she wasn't paid. I was under the impression that Landon was already licensed.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Universalhunter

[Luciano]

I cracked up when Nathan's attorney called him an asshole.

Leah's make-up and hair looked horrible when she and Corey made the exchange.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Luciano

[zenme]

I also though Javi was a dick in his not wanting to watch both of the kids.  That being said, I'm not too sad about it.  Kailyn is a bitch herself, so I could care less that she's getting what she gives.  Also, poor little Isaac seems hyper-aware of the mood level in the house.  I wonder why.

 

What do Leah and Corey think Ali thinks about all those doctor trips and wheelchairs are about.  She's no dummy, and yeah, they're constantly talking Ali's condition within close proximity to Ali.  Also, half of the episode Leah looked like a 70's hooker.

Edited July 17, 2014 by zenme

[00redsvt]

I'm about 2o minutes in and haven't watched this since Jenelle was with Kee-fahhh but, is it just me or have these girls gotten uglier? Holy cow.

Okay...was Leah seriously texting and driving WITH her kids in the car!?!

Edited July 17, 2014 by 00redsvt

[woodscommaelle]

I'm reconsidering watching this in HD.  

Edited July 17, 2014 by woodscommaelle

[LotusFlower]

I didn't like the way Leah told her mother that Corey sounded like he was blaming her for telling Ali she had MD. He was just relaying the story, which I think was the right thing to do as co-parents.

So Nathan is going to jail, has 3 DUI's and a suspended license, and still thinks he did nothing wrong during his arrest. Kudos to his lawyer for telling him not only that he's an asshole, but that everything is due to his drinking.

Javi's take-the-baby-so-I-can-bond-with-Isaac was such bullshit. He just doesn't know how or want to care for a baby. Like Kail or her friend said, you're not a babysitter, you're a father. And you're married with 2 kids now. This is what it's like.

I bet Chelsea and Landon got cash for the wedding. Maybe someone from the wedding party or family ratted them out. It would be sad if she loses her license for this. If she did indeed get paid, it was the wrong thing to do, but when we see low-lifes like Janelle get off for breaking the law over and over again, it's kind of messed up for Chealsea to get punished for something like this.

[ChristmasJones]

Leah looks like a 40-year-old in 1983 in this episode. Talk about a time warp! Twenty years older, but thirty years younger in style.

 

Jace will always break my heart. I feel guilty watching someone (him) have such a horrible childhood.

 

Watching Adam pretend to be so excited about his other baby was too funny. I don't believe that guy has any actual interest in his children.

 

I am sure that Kail pulls plenty of Hulk-smash when the cameras are off.... so I have a hard time making any assessment of Javi's behavior on screen.

Edited July 17, 2014 by ChristmasJones

[Maharincess]

I don't understand why Corey was so upset about Ali knowing what's wrong with her. She's at the age where I'm sure she's noticing that she's a little different than the other kids.

I think she should be told, in age appropriate terms that she has muscular dystrophy.

I just don't understand why they think its such a big deal that Ali said that.

These girls seem to think "getting along right now" is a huge accomplishment in their relationships.

I've never gotten the point of staying in a relationship where you spend the majority of your time fighting. I'm in an almost 30 year relationship and I wouldn't have stayed 3 weeks if all we did was fight.

None of these relationships are going to last.

In my opinion, even though she's a little immature at times, Chelsea is the best of the bunch across all of the Teen Mom shows. I'm so proud of her for putting her kid first, not jumping from guy to guy and really getting her shit together.

I think Chelsea will do great long term for Aubree and herself.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Maharincess

[NikSac]

Do these parents all think their kids have hearing problems?  How do they think the kids DON'T hear and understand what's said a few feet away?

 

Otherwise...I  liked seeing the kids, but I was frustrated with seeing that they're not in happier situations. I don't think I will ever understand "we're getting along pretty well this week so we decided to have another kid."  (last week I was going for an abortion, but this week I want a baby!)  What???

 

So many of these kids born to young girls already have siblings. I suppose they're proving the stats to be true, but man, it's hard to watch.

[alexa]

I agree with much of what has already been said here:

 

Leah--that look was awful.  I couldn't quite believe my eyes when I saw it.  And I, too, could not understand her confusion about Ali.  She can hear for goodness sake...and children understand a lot of things, especially when you talk about it in front of them all of this time.  In fact I am surprised they think she shouldn't have been officially "told" about it.  I have explained things to my son for years, and he is only 5, but we take the time to explain situations, and certainly we would have said you are going to the doctor to find out what is wrong with you.  And then proceeded to explain the medical condition to some small degree, but then do what Corey and Leah do to encourage her that she can do anything.  I would never take him to the doctor and let him leave without knowing something about what is wrong...even if I didn't say it, his doctor would have obviously been communicating in the appointment for him to know.

 

Kail and Javi...I was very annoyed with him that he acted like he couldn't be around both children.  There is no reason she needs to be there all day with 2 but can't go to the grocery store by herself/leave them with him at night.  And he was getting petty about who he spends time with.  Yes, you want both children to have time with you at some point, but there are many days it is more about daily survival and functioning.  And again it is about being a parent...you suck it up and do what you need to do.  Kail had a good point there, even though it was Kail.  She was right.  You are a parent now, and this is how it is.

 

Janelle--I loved that lawyer telling the dude the truth about his behavior.  I did like seeing them without all of the fighting, but I don't hold much hope for either of them, and I feel bad for their new child.  And for Jace.  But glad Jace gets to go home with Babs instead of them most nights.  He is better off even if sometimes he might not realize it.

 

Chelsea...I think she will get that matter straightened out.  It seemed kind of petty.  

Edited July 17, 2014 by alexa

[wrestlesflamingos]

Landon's "how did they know" is pretty much an admission of guilt. Innocent people ask "what are you talking about?"

[ghoulina]

I'm not sure what to think about Chelsea's issue with her esthetician's license. Frankly, I don't see what she did as a big deal. I'm a bit of anarchist, I'll admit, so I'm not huge on rules. But I just don't see what the problem is with someone having you do makeup for their wedding. Even if she WAS paid. Who cares? So her girlfriend can't say, "hey, I like how you do your make-up, can you come do mine like that on my wedding day? I'll give you $20" without the state getting involved??? As long as she's not purporting herself to be something she's not, I think it should be allowed. But apparently it's not, so hopefully she can straighten it out and advance at her job, because she has worked forever towards this goal and I'm proud of her. 

 

But....did Carlton Gebbia from RHBH sneak into Randy's house and decorate? Because.....that wall of crosses? Yikes. 

 

And, Adumb, here's a parenting tip - please don't leave your crawling daughter unattended to sleep on some random dude's messy bed. Thanks. 

 

 

Now, if you want to stop anyone from doing make-up it should be Leah Messer-Sims-Calvert. Seriously. Does she even look in the mirror before she leaves the house? How can she think any of that looks good? Her hair - it's like a rodent nesting under a bale of hay. And that outfit. Now, I am no fashionista. I'm an ex-punkrocker who prefers a bit of a retro, rockabilly look. But I have younger sister who follow fashion, I think I have a decent grip on what's "in". Never have I seen any of them wearing a purple blazer on top of torn-up jeans. Is that like hillbilly couture? She looked like a Remax agent in Teletubby land. 

 

As for the issues w/ Ali, I couldn't figure out why they were ALL so shocked she knew the name of her disorder. She's not an idiot. She goes to her own doctor's appointments. When Leah flat-out asked and Ali said she'd heard from the doctor, I was all - "SEE??!!!" at my tv. Sheesh. 

 

 

Jenelle. Yawn. So over her playing house. I cannot fathom how they dig up these friends for her to sit and whine about her current woes to and no one calls her out on what a selfish, irresponsible, vile bitch she is. "What if your baby is taken from you and placed in foster care?" - *shrug* "oh well". At least the lawyer called Nathan out on what an ass he is, so there's hope for their community yet. 

 

 

 

The world must have shifted on its axis because I actually found myself agreeing with Kail during her fight with Javi. She's in the house all day with those kids. He can't let her run out to Wal-mart for a minute by herself? I don't think Javi is a bad dad or anything. I bet he's a lot more involved than many. But I do think he prefers dealing with Isaac because it's easier - he's older, can verbalize his wants, can do a lot for himself, is more "fun" to play with. But Lincoln is your kid and you need to suck it up and help out. 

 

On the other hand, it's possible that Javi is just sick of things always being Kail's way with no room for discussion, so he picks dumb things to make a stand about. I just wish they'd simmer down in front of Isaac. FTR, I don't think there's anything wrong with having disagreements in front of your kids. It shows them a realistic side of marriage and teaches them problem-solving skills. But, that's only IF you're actually trying to solve the problem and not resorting to "you're an idiot" and "you sound so stupid right now" when the other person doesn't agree with you. 

 

Yea, a whole lot of maturity going on in that house - including Javi refusing to even speak to Jo, who was nothing but polite with him. 

[geekamonggeeks]

Here's what I had to say about the Kail/Javi argument on imdb:

 

I feel like Kail might have set herself up for this, though. She was so intent on forcing a father-son relationship between Javi and Isaac instead of letting one form organically. Now she's trying to stop them from bonding? Isn't that what she wanted in the first place? It also sounds like Javi was trying to express concern that Kailyn may not be as emotionally bonded to Lincoln as she should be. I don't know. She's already admitted that she didn't feel close to Lincoln during her pregnancy. Is it possible that she could have PPD or something that is getting in the way of their bond?

[Chicken Wing]

I love the bond that Javi and Isaac have, and I want for it to grow and develop because they're great together. Javi isn't a replacement for Isaac's real father or anything, but as another caregiver he's good with him. However, sometimes you just have to get shit done. Is it really so important that Javi has his "Me and Isaac" time right this very moment that Kail should inconvenience herself by hauling the baby with her to the grocery store when Javi could just watch him for her so she can get her errands done in half the time and half the stress? It's not that big of a deal. Another time, Kail can take Lincoln out for some "Mommy and me" time at the park or something while Javi has his time with Isaac, but right now she's just trying to go to the store and it's a lot easier to just leave the baby with his other parent, who's sitting right there, than juggle the baby while she's trying to pick up her little whatevers.

[PlanetSassy]

At the beginning, when Leah and Jeremy climbed into cheeto-baby's crib with her, my 6-year old daughter caught a glimpse and squealed "What are they doing?!"  I was just waiting for that crib to crack and drop, from the weight.  And they acted like all three of them sitting in the crib was a regular occurrence. 

 

Janelle and Nathan pulling up to the attorney's office in that yellow Hummer... yeah, they've got their priorities straight.  WTF?!  How is it that either of them are even allowed behind the wheel.  And that ultra-sound clinic looked like a for-profit place, rather than a real medical office.  It had me scratching me head. 

 

I agree that Chelsea did accept cash for doing that wedding makeup, and all the while, with that hideous red lipstick and major cat-eye liner I wondered how in the world she found someone to pay her to do makeup. 

 

The best quote of the night; "I can't not be away from another one of my childs."  ~ Nathan

[woodscommaelle]

Jenelle is one loony fucking chick talking about her plans to be a medical assistant.

[PlanetSassy]

I forgot to add that Javi totally reminded me of the attitude my EX husband had, when we first became parents.  I had to wait till our infant daughter was asleep for the night before I could run to the grocery store, or I had to take her with me.  I'd try to get gardening done when she napped, and my husband would yell for me to come into the house as soon as her heard her stirring.  I could go on and on, and that is a big reason why he is my EX husband.  He would only pick her up to hold her when I explicitly asked... just like I noticed Javi doing.  He really had this attitude like only moms are equipped to watch tiny baby's.  It was infuriating, so I could really feel for Kail. 

[Universalhunter]

I don't think asking Javi to watch both kids for a little while is trying to stop Javi and Isaac's bond. Javi has two kids to help take care of now- when Kail has to be home with both kids, it isn't destroying her bond with Isaac. It's her being a parent. Sometimes Javi will need to watch both kids- it's what he signed up for when he became Isaac's stepdad and had Lincoln.

Anyway, it sounded like it was about Isaac's bedtime. So idk what Javi was going on about. Sounded like Isaac would be in bed, so I think he was just trying to deflect.

I never thought I'd defend Kail again, but not everything's her fault.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Universalhunter

[gunderda]

I don't understand why Corey was so upset about Ali knowing what's wrong with her. She's at the age where I'm sure she's noticing that she's a little different than the other kids.

I think she should be told, in age appropriate terms that she has muscular dystrophy.

I just don't understand why they think its such a big deal that Ali said that.

 

 

I think Corey's big deal about it was because she said "I am not strong - I can not do this because I have....."  and they don't want her to have that mindset.

Plus i think he's still in denial-land.

[Chicken Wing]

It boggles my mind when these people act surprised when their kids know what's going on around them. If they're old enough to listen to you and understand when you tell them something, they're old enough to listen and understand everything else. I don't know why they think their kids are stupid.

[gunderda]

My heart broke for Jace in the bumper scene when Janelle and Nathan left him out of the paint fight. His little face looked so sad. I can see them forgetting all about Jace when the new baby comes. Poor kid.

 

 

He was included later - the official photo they released awhile ago had Jace in it. It's not unusual for couples to want to get pics of only them before adding the kids in.

It boggles my mind when these people act surprised when their kids know what's going on around them. If they're old enough to listen to you and understand when you tell them something, they're old enough to listen and understand everything else. I don't know why they think their kids are stupid.

i'm constantly surprised at how often these moms talk about things in front of their kids.  it blows my mind!

when chelsea got that letter i thought for sure it was a custody thing from adam and i thought "omg she is not going to talk about this in front of aubrey on the phone again....."  so glad it was only the license thing!!

[BitterApple]

The problem with Javi and Kail is their fights are never really about the immediate issue at hand. Javi kept saying "it's always your way" even though in this instance "Kail's way" was the logical solution to the problem.

Regarding Chelsea, I agree ratting her out was a petty thing to do. She should have known better, but it was hardly the ultimate crime against humanity. Although given Chelsea's hair and makeup, maybe it was...

[RedKoolAide]

He was included later - the official photo they released awhile ago had Jace in it. It's not unusual for couples to want to get pics of only them before adding the kids in.

Yes, I've seen those pics and I understand couples want photos of just them together. My concern was the expression on Jace's face in that moment. He makes me sad. Maybe I'm extra sensitive about Jace because he seems to have it worse than the rest of the kids.

Did anyone catch Leah saying "girls" instead of "girlses" in one of her voiceovers? Hee.

[Primetimer]

New hair colors can't disguise the same old storylines.

Read the story

[Bobsterfest]

Two things regarding Chelsea....Was Adam really trying to say he wasn't at fault when he hit that couple when going 90mph on a suspended license (AFTER 3 DUIs!) and no insurance?  And the very next answer admitting he got "some tickets".  I can't with him. 

 

And did you catch Randy's face when Chelsea said "at least I don't say 'he's my boyfriend'"  But you've been hooking up with him for a while? Right?  Not to take any responsibility from Adam, he's the scumbag cheater, but you're not fooling me or Randy, Chelsea!

[BitterApple]

Does anyone on here have experience with disabilities? I ask because I wonder if parents can make things worse when they continuously insist a disabled child can do "anything they want" when the reality is they sometimes can't.

I just wonder where that fine line is between wanting to remain positive and causing frustration for a child who may have inevitable limitations.

[MPF54]

Yes, I've seen those pics and I understand couples want photos of just them together. My concern was the expression on Jace's face in that moment. He makes me sad. Maybe I'm extra sensitive about Jace because he seems to have it worse than the rest of the kids.

I noticed his sad look as well. Apparently, someone asked Nathan about it on twitter. He said that "jace thought they were fighting". Yeah I wonder why he would ever think that.

[KYBlonde]

I think Chelsea's hair looks better than it ever has.  However, I'm afraid she is now styling Leah's.

[ghoulina]

Does anyone on here have experience with disabilities? I ask because I wonder if parents can make things worse when they continuously insist a disabled child can do "anything they want" when the reality is they sometimes can't.

I just wonder where that fine line is between wanting to remain positive and causing frustration for a child who may have inevitable limitations.

 

I wondered the same thing. I would certainly want to stay positive, and tell my child we can TRY to do the things they want to do, the things the other kids are doing. Thanks to technology there are many ways for kids with disabilities to keep up with their peers, despite their limitations. To a degree. But I can see where constantly giving your kid rose colored glasses might set them up for disappointment. So yes, you bring up an interesting question and I would curious to see if someone with experience in this area could weigh in. 

[Latverian Diplomat]

Naming a child "Kaiser" just in time for the WWI centennial is all kinds of classy.

[RedKoolAide]

Yea, a whole lot of maturity going on in that house - including Javi refusing to even speak to Jo, who was nothing but polite with him. 

I have think Jo is far from perfect, but he must have the patience of a saint to deal with those two. Javi is as big an asshole as Kail. Their smugness must ooze out of their pores. I know it's important that Javi bonds with Isaac because that's who he lives with the majority of the time, but there's something calculating about the way Kail and Javi do things.

[PinkSprinkles]

I don't see why Javi was giving Kail a hard time about watching his child and step-son. Isaac was going to bed and seems like an easy-going kid to me. All Javi had to do was make sure Isaac put his pajamas on, brushed his teeth, got into bed, and read him a story (which I pray they are doing). He has it easier than a lot of parents who have their kids so close together that all the kids need a parent to do everything for them. This fight was probably stemming from other unresolved issues.

 

The lawyer they featured on Janelle's segment is a goddess and deserves a "Telling It Like It Is" award for laying out Nathan's situation. I haven't seen something like that since Francesca (Saul Goodman's receptionist from Breaking Bad) told off Walter for getting himself into the mess with Gus. 

 

Is the state of North Dakota so caught up with police work that Chelsea doing makeup illegally for a wedding is their top priority? 

 

I don't think it's wrong to tell Ali she can do anything. This condition affects her physically, but not mentally. Ali seems like a precocious child and could go on to university and have almost any career she wants. If she can do anything athletic remains to be seen due to the unknown complications she may face. I'm rooting for her. 

[Nellise]

I wondered the same thing. I would certainly want to stay positive, and tell my child we can TRY to do the things they want to do, the things the other kids are doing. Thanks to technology there are many ways for kids with disabilities to keep up with their peers, despite their limitations. To a degree. But I can see where constantly giving your kid rose colored glasses might set them up for disappointment. So yes, you bring up an interesting question and I would curious to see if someone with experience in this area could weigh in. 

 

I have a type of muscular dystrophy, but mine came later and I didn't need to start using a wheelchair until I went to college. I never felt like I couldn't do anything and my parents never discouraged me from trying anything. But the hardest thing with muscular dystrophy is that it's a progressive disease and things I liked to do when I was younger I suddenly wasn't able to do any more. I was old enough to know what I had and what I'd lost, whereas for Ali her whole life is going to be with the disease being very prevalent so she may never experience that. I think it'd be very important to try to get Ali interested in things that are more or less future proof from the disease progression, like school, computers, reading, or writing.

 

I don't think Leah and Corey were purposely being dumb about Ali picking up something was wrong. I think they were hoping that as long as Ali didn't know that they could also pretend there wasn't something actually wrong with her and she would get better some day. Ali acknowledging it meant accepting it finally. Corey especially didn't seem like he wanted to do that yet, but Ali forced it on him which is why he took it so hard.

[ghoulina]

I have think Jo is far from perfect, but he must have the patience of a saint to deal with those two. Javi is as big an asshole as Kail. Their smugness must ooze out of their pores.

 

I agree. Jo has made his mistakes, but I think when the kids are there he tries his best to be civil. For instance, he politely asked about the baby. When he was leaving he said something to the effect of "bye, guys" or "take care, guys" - something intentionally addressing both Javi and Kail. Javi said nary a word. He also opened the door without saying "hi" and officially inviting Isaac's father into the house. I can tell you this, Isaac and Javi may have a great bond now, but if he continues acting this way that might not last. My step-father made no secret of his disdain for my father (what issue he had with him I could not tell you) and it ended up being a HUGE wedge between us when I was older. So, basically, Javi needs to stop being a petty bitch. 

[Chicken Wing]

He also opened the door without saying "hi" and officially inviting Isaac's father into the house.

 

That caught my attention right away. He can't even manage a vague and disinterested "Hey" before turning back to sit down? Jeez.

 

This is my take on the whole deal: Javi is married to Kail. Kail has a child with Jo. Jo is involved in that child's life and, as such, will be crossing paths with them on a regular basis. Javi does not have to be buddies with Jo. He doesn't even have to like him. But considering Jo will be involved in their lives, if only in passing, it would make everyone's life easier if they can all just be civil and, you  know, human around each other. This passive aggressive death stare and pointed silence thing is just going to make the dynamic more awkward for no good reason. I don't know why people insist on making their lives more stressful than they need to be. I don't see that Jo likes Javi, either, but I also don't see that Jo dislikes him. I honestly don't think Jo cares enough about him to form any opinion one way or the other. He cares about who Javi is as a fixture in his son's life and a person living in his son's house, but beyond that he could really give a crap.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Chicken Wing

[shelley1234]

Leah's make-up and hair looked horrible when she and Corey made the exchange.

 

I came here to same the same....Leah's hair and makeup was horrific.  Chelsea usually takes the cake, but damn...Leah looked downright clownriffic!

[configdotsys]

I hate Kail so Javi pissing her off makes me happy.

 

That being said, I believe that Javi summed it up perfectly when he said "It's always your way" because it has seemed that way forever on this show. It's pretty obvious that Kail does not say to Javi, "Okay, here's the deal, we need groceries and laundry done and baths. What do you want to do?" No, she barks "I have this, so you have to..." and that is a recipe for a very negative response. I can see that Javi is using an extreme form of passive aggressiveness here and frankly, I cannot blame him. Kail treats him like a child and he's finally tiring of it.

 

Chelsea's problem with the labor board puzzled me. Wouldn't they contact her in a more information gathering type way if someone logged a complaint? The letter sounded as though they believed whatever information they received. Withholding someone's license no matter their occupation should not be done if the only evidence were links to a social web site that never indicated she received pay. I'm thinking we are missing a lot of information here.

 

I don't have a lot of interest in Leah. She is always whining about something and it drives me nuts. 

 

Jenelle is the usual train wreck. There is something very scary looking about Nathan. He looks like a bomb that is always on the verge of exploding and doing something terrible.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Config

[shelley1234]

I was really impressed with how Kail was with the handoff with Jo.  She looked like a real co-parent and it seemed like Jo appreciated her support and that she wasn't gloating about him not wanting to go (which is such a normal 4 yr old response).  

 

I also think Javi doesn't have a realistic view of what it means to be a parent.  

[NikSac]

Does anyone on here have experience with disabilities? I ask because I wonder if parents can make things worse when they continuously insist a disabled child can do "anything they want" when the reality is they sometimes can't.

I just wonder where that fine line is between wanting to remain positive and causing frustration for a child who may have inevitable limitations.

 

Yep... my own. I had a very rare muscle disorder as a child where my immune system basically attacked my muscles. I was in the hospital for nearly a year during the worst of it, considered quadriplegic, couldn't swallow, couldn't talk above a whisper, and I was in a wheelchair from ages 10-16. I learned later it was the worst case of it they'd ever seen anyone live through.  I later regained strength including being able to walk, which they never thought would happen.  Now at age 40 I walk pretty slowly and I still can't run, jump, hop, climb steps/curbs without railings, etc. I did very well in school in spite of all the missed time, graduated from college, got a good job... it wasn't the end of the world but it's had a huge impact on my life. Fortunately for me I loved school, computers, and not so physical things.

 

There are also lots of services out there that they can hopefully take advantage of  as long as she's able such as therapeutic horseback riding, pool therapy (no ranch w/pool required), and more.  I even went to a week long camp where we did the usual camping stuff without the pressure of trying to keep up with the other kids or stigma of being different. We did wheelchair basketball, archery, badminton, and all kinds of other stuff along with the usual camping things like campfires, s'mores, singing, telling stories. We could enjoy ourselves because we didn't have to worry constantly about "what if the kids all go to do _____ and I can't get there, or my body won't let me do it?"  I know some would see the camp thing as sad or depressing, but it was actually very freeing to be able to go do all that "normal" kid stuff while still feeling physically safe.

 

Of course, this isn't about me, it's about Ali, but I wanted to give a little background. As I regained strength things got better, but it frustrates the hell out of me when people imply I'm being "lazy" or "not trying," or I could do XYZ if I just put my mind to it.  I do a lot of things, but I also CAN'T do certain things. I would love, love, love to go hang out on the beach but know what?  I'd never get up from the sand or one of those low beach chairs without a lot of help, or risk of injuring myself. It's fine, just a fact of life for me.

 

I imagine Ali will begin running into more and more things that she can't do or needs to do differently, and I hope she'll be able to focus on the positives instead. There are ways to cope - the wheelchair is one - but I hope the people around her won't somehow make her feel guilty or "less than" when there is something she can't do or that she needs to do in a modified way.  For example, use a tall beach chair instead of those ones that are a few inches off the ground, or ask in advance if you're going somewhere new so you're not embarrassed if you get there and it's a no-go because of a big ol' flight of stairs. I don't think anyone around her would make her feel bad intentionally, but even when it's unintentional it can be frustrating and upsetting. 

 

Very long winded reply, sorry, but to sum it up I think it's smart to stay positive and encourage her, but also acknowledge her limitations and creatively work around them.  I don't think it'll do her any favors to pretend her condition doesn't exist or she can just overcome it because she wants to. I have high hopes for her. She seems like a sweet, easygoing, smart, and very determined kid. Granted she's still very young but I don't see her using this as an excuse not to do things. I worry more about her trying too hard to live up to being "normal" and hurting herself.

[WhitneyWhit]

OK, I give up, what has Jo ever done to Kail and Javi? OK, yeah he can be an ass, and he's not perfect, but has ever done anything specifically to either one of them? Other than not kiss Kail's ass and block her attempts to remove him from his son's life?

 

Leah and Jeremy crawling into the crib reminded me of the time Peter crawled into a Kangaroo's pouch on Family Guy.

 

I love that Landon pretty much admitted they were guilty, If you're trying to get away with something, usually you want to avoid blurting out "How did they found out?" I also loved that he pointed out that they didn't leave a paper trail.

 

 

[Ljohnson1987]

Leah's make up was clown like. What was the point of crawling into the crib? 

[DangerousMinds]

Two things regarding Chelsea....Was Adam really trying to say he wasn't at fault when he hit that couple when going 90mph on a suspended license (AFTER 3 DUIs!) and no insurance?  And the very next answer admitting he got "some tickets".  I can't with him. 

 

And did you catch Randy's face when Chelsea said "at least I don't say 'he's my boyfriend'"  But you've been hooking up with him for a while? Right?  Not to take any responsibility from Adam, he's the scumbag cheater, but you're not fooling me or Randy, Chelsea!

Yes, i noticed Adam's comments that the accident wasn't his fault. He claimed the other couple went through a green light (?) and rammed into him. However, if that was the case, why would they ticket Adam for anything?

 

RE: Javi. I know he comes from a big family. Maybe the women in his family/extended family are the only ones he's seen care for infants. Sad, but true for some families. The dads don't get involved much until their kids are toddlers. Ryan?

Jenelle is the usual train wreck. There is something very scary looking about Nathan. He looks like a bomb that is always on the verge of exploding and doing something terrible.

Apparently Nathan has PTSD (or whatever his official diagnosis is) seriously enough so that he was approved for and is getting Disability payments. It's very difficult to get approval, so he has to have serious symptoms. Obviously, he has a drinking problem. An anger problem too? More issues than we're seeing. I hope he is OK with an infant. Child services needs to keep a close eye on those two idiots.

Edited July 18, 2014 by DangerousMinds

[LotusFlower]

Does anyone on here have experience with disabilities? I ask because I wonder if parents can make things worse when they continuously insist a disabled child can do "anything they want" when the reality is they sometimes can't.

I just wonder where that fine line is between wanting to remain positive and causing frustration for a child who may have inevitable limitations.

They kept repeating the "when you fall, you get back up" mantra, and I wasn't sure if they meant this literally or metaphorically? Because Ali's going to get to a point where she falls and can't get up. Do they know that? Isn't she going to feel like a failure when this happens?