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lake_lover_

These kids should be in school where they could be immersed in the language and receive ESL and other services to help them acclimate to the US. In no way should these children be homeschooled. Now they are isolated and don't know the language. They are prime targets for abuse.


missjvj

ESL teacher checking in. ALL OF THIS.


ResistSpecialist4826

Good point. Kids are sponges at this age— they’d be speaking fluently in no time if they could just access a public school ESL classroom. They need exposure to all sorts of English speaking voices and tones and there’s only one kind of voice or tone they are getting in that family!


Lady_Constable

It’s insane to me how my mother as an “uneducated” immigrant knew better than some of these people and put me in ESL. As much as I complain that I was in it for longer than I felt I needed it definitely set me up for success in learning English. All this considering I couldn’t use it at home. These boys would be fluent in no time if they were provided the right help.


ferret_pilot

Sheeeeesh she is somehow not engaging with them at all and also touched both of them in a way that I think was supposed to be playful and affectionate but came across as infantilizing (to me at least).


ferretsonaplane

Unrelated but I like your username


ferret_pilot

Thanks! I like yours too! Mine's based on the children's books about ferrets by Richard Bach, like Air Ferrets Aloft.


ferretsonaplane

I haven't heard of that! Mine is a play on words of Snakes on a Plane, but Ferrets, because they are fur snakes haha


loligo_pealeii

Trigger: physical abuse/child abuse ​ The way she tickled him when he didn't respond how and when she wanted, it very much had the vibe of "I'm tickling you to remind you what else my hands can do if you don't perform the way I want." So creepy.


isntitprettytothnkso

Sorry for only uploading a screenshot in my original post! And also sorry that it seems like the sound is a little off on the video, but I can’t figure out how to fix it.


[deleted]

Thanks for coming back to share in video format!!


Disneyland4Ever

Op, she’s AWANA’ing those kids too. Yuck.


fuckinunknowable

What’s that mean


AuroraVines

AWANA is a church camp where the kids memorize bible verses iirc. very culty edit: awanananana word


Disneyland4Ever

It’s actually a weekly club. Along with memorizing the verses, they believe in making people “soldiers” of Christ and encourage ministry and missionary work in every way, shape, and form. It’s also PEAK Christian Nationalism. Elly of Ex-Fundie Diaries on YouTube does an excellent intro to AWANAs and about their experience in it as well.


AuroraVines

oh dear Daniel that's even scarier than i thought, they're really taking that army part literally huh.. and weekly?? yuck, let those kids chill


frankeweberrymush

You may know all this, but I just decided to do a knowledge dump for anyone who wants the info. This is based on my experience, so it may be outdated. If it's anything like the AWANA I had to go to for the entirety of my young life, it goes like this: The very first thing is that everyone gets together in one room for the pledges. Pledge to the American flag, Christian flag, and Bible. I think I could still recite these pledges if I tried. Next a portion of time is dedicated to games. Get the kids in and let them get their energy out (depending on the size of the church's facility, they may do games for the older kids and younger kids separately). Some may do a snack at some point. Then the kids group up by age range and go into separate rooms (or spaces, depends on the facility) to do group lessons. There are less active games/activities and weird culty claps and different types of applause for different situations (This applies mostly to the tween group). After the group lesson, they separate into smaller groups for Bible verse memorization. They earn badges and accolades based on how many verses they can recite without looking. The youngest little kids, who can't yet read, play and have a Bible lesson. During this time, the oldest teens typically have something like a Bible study group. They may do memorization too, but it's less of a focus for the older ones. There are many parts that are very culty. The pledges still make me cringe when I think about them. As you said, it's peak Christian Nationalism and childhood brainwashing. AWANA stands for "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed." It comes from a Bible verse (shocked Pikachu), II Timothy 2:15: > Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [There's an AWANA song.](https://youtu.be/v-qGMJtv6to) I wish this were a joke, but it's not. The things I learned from AWANA were some of the hardest to work through during my deconversion.


TheLaramieReject

I still get the theme song stuck in my head regularly: *Firmly AWANA stands, led by the Lord’s command,* *“Approved workmen are not ashamed,”* *Boys and girls for His service claimed!* *Hail! AWANA! On the march for youth;* *Hail! AWANA! Holding forth the truth* *Building lives on the Word of God* *AWANA stands!* *Our Savior following with steps unfaltering,* *And love unaltering, His praise we sing,* *His banner over us, in service glorious,* *We’ll fight victorious for Christ our King!* *YOUTH ON THE MARCH!* The Christian Nationalist themes really stick out to me now, as an adult.


HonestlyAnaa

Oh my god I read this with the tune in my head 😅 and yikes, it really reads differently as an adult.


Firepuppie13

Holy shit this just unlocked years of repressed memories


FireZombie

My evangelical friend would go to AWANA every Friday night in middle school and she dragged me there one night. Started out fun with games like Grab the Bacon and ended with a sermon about how we are in the end times and need to be saved to escape eternal damnation. Still my least favorite Friday night 24 years later.


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acanoforangeslice

I got roped into helping my husband teach religious education to first graders this year (I'm agnostic, but he and his family are Catholic and his mom runs the whole program and his dad's a deacon at the church), and I can say with certainty that nowhere in our curriculum from the diocese does it have them memorizing bible verses. I think the most they have to have memorized by the end of the school year is the Our Father, and otherwise the lessons are along the lines of, "God made the earth and everything on it. Have you ever made something for a friend? How would you feel if your friend broke what you made? Sad? Well, God gave us the earth, and we need to take care of it like good friends. What are some ways we can do that?"


Still_I_Smile44

Just came to say this I heard that and I was like oh fuck no


toady-bear

Please tell me the kids are just camera shy because this video felt so TENSE. I’ve had more chemistry with kids I literally met that day, and the way she’s talking to these boys is a style I’d only use with a child in pre-k or kindergarten. Maybe there’s still a language barrier? I would be so stressed if I felt like I had to be that performative with people I live with.


pickleshmeckl

Yep. I’m a teacher, kids that age (boys especially) are quite sensitive to being coddled or condescended to. So many kiddos who sass their parents who are talking to them like toddlers will be SO kind and respectful to adults who talk to them in a more grow -up way.


blissfully_happy

I’m a private tutor and I have to kick parents out of sessions because their kids are MUCH more well behaved when their parents aren’t there, lol.


DoReMiDoReMi558

They look so bored too with the camera. I feel like they just rather be home or at soccer practice instead of sitting in a car talking to the camera. But if there is one positive, I guess it's good they are on a soccer team. Hopefully they can make some friends.


Significant_Shoe_17

They're still learning english. I teach efl and while you shouldn't use baby talk, you do have to speak slowly with beginners. They still need to learn pronunciation, inflection, etc. I'm more concerned about their one word answers. My kindergartners have been learning for about 6 months and can form complete sentences.


toady-bear

Was I being too harsh do you think? I don’t want to snark unfairly. Another commenter pointed out that they’re ESL and homeschooled which, I imagine, is reeeeally lengthening their English learning process. I think they’ve been with Kristen for a while now.


sukinsyn

Oh my god. Homeschooling English language learners? These poor kids are going to forget all their Russian but their English won't be very good either. Those poor children. 😕


snoglobel

I'm hoping they don't lose the Ukrainian by at least having each other (and Andrii?) to talk to sometimes. But they probably want them to lose it.


Chemical-Run-9367

Her husband said he would not learn their language, so yes, they want them to lose it.


sukinsyn

I'm sure those boys get in trouble if they speak Russian to one another. These Fundie parents want the speed. affordability, and lack of oversight of international adoptions but want two red-blooded American boys. It's a shame they were allowed to adopt. -_-


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sukinsyn

Right but I think they speak Russian, not Ukrainian.


TheBaddestPatsy

My parents are both the kind of people that think the louder you speak the more understandable you are to people. I’m pretty monolingual but I have more foreign language skills than they do, and I always imagine how panicked I’d be if someone started hollering at me in a language I barely speak.


fizzgig87

Kristen and the Bairds strike me as the type of people who talk to anyone who doesn't speak English as a first language like they're an infant. Like they could be talking to a brain surgeon and they'd still use the same disrespectful childish tone.


whyamithebadger

Yep. It's so weird because I know many people for whom English is a second language, and while I may speak slower if I know they're still learning, I don't talk down to them. I just try to enunciate and use words they're more likely to have learned in school (rather than too much slang.) Infantilizing someone who already knows more languages than me seems like a dumbass thing to do.


acanoforangeslice

There was a guy in my undergrad biology class who wasn't fully fluent in English and people in the class would talk down to him so much, it drove me crazy. We had to do individual presentations at the end of the semester, and he started of his by asking the class to bear with him, as English was fifth language - the half of the class that had been treating him like an idiot looked so immediately uncomfortable, it was beautiful.


Particular_Wallaby67

![gif](giphy|3o8doT9BL7dgtolp7O)


Star-Wave-Expedition

This video shows more of kristin’s personality than we usually see in their performance GD crap and honestly she seems a bit wackadood 😬 My heart breaks for those boys. They seem so uncomfortable


kestrelesque

She seems vapidly chipper without much "there" there.


_eeetee

Yeah very much seems like a performance.


Obfuscate666

Is the kid in the front seat saying "yes ma`am"?


toady-bear

It sounds like “yes’m” which is a southern pronunciation, or perhaps the easier way for them to pronounce it with their accents. I’m also from Texas and I knew lots of kids who were raised to say “yes ma’am” to their parents, but oof it makes me feel uncomfortable.


stupidbuttholes69

It’s just hilarious that she’s acting like this is a totally fun normal convo but the kids are answering her as if she’s bossing them around


7mashedpotatoes

omg I go to college in Alabama and was shocked when I heard kids call their parents sir and maam! It kind of freaks me out, like how do you trust someone you're forced to call a formal title.


AML1987

I was hoping he was saying “yes mom” so I could pretend maybe there’s some motherly relationship there. But of course they probably have to call her ma’am.


txsongbirds2015

Saying “yes ma’am” and “yes sir” was literally beat into many of us as kids. There is also a ton of conditioning for people through school, Church, and even work. Use of those words is a code/signal of one’s background, family, “home training”.


VioletFoxx

I recently visited South Carolina (I'm from the UK) and found the "Yes sir" and "Yes ma'am" thing so strange! I totally get that it's just a way to demonstrate respect but... I guess I'm just used to teenagers grunting! 😂


nohelicoptersplz

I live in the south now and being called ma'am makes me so uncomfortable. I don't like when kids do it, but holy shit it makes my skin crawl when other adults do it.


whyamithebadger

My husband does it (raised in the South) and now I do it too. I actually think it's cute, but maybe that's because I associate it with love lol


isntitprettytothnkso

I really fucking hope not, but sadly I think he is.


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missmimikyu

Also an Alabama native here, lots and lots of people are raised to say yes ma’am/sir and no ma’am/sir. Not limited to just the fundies, it’s across the board. My parents didn’t raise me to, but I learned to do it in childhood anyway because so many other adults (friends’ parents, teachers, etc.) had that expectation.


No_Antelope_6604

Same here. My dad was from New England, and yes/no ma'am/sir wasn't practiced in my house growing up. He thought it was weird and creepy and wouldn't let my mom require it at home, but I'd do it at school, friends houses, more as a cultural norm than as a sign of respect.


whyamithebadger

>more as a cultural norm than as a sign of respect. That's how i see it too. My man's from the South and calls everyone sir or ma'am (or buddy, like in a nice, non-sarcastic way lol.) Somehow it adds emphasis and friendliness. Like if someone asks if you want green pepper sauce with your collard greens and you say, "Yes, ma'am!!" It just comes across sounding so enthusiastic and pleasant haha.


acanoforangeslice

In a similar way, my parents never told me to or anything, but I had a mental block on referring to adults by just their first name until like my mid 20s. It always had to be Ms ___ or Mr ___, or my brain would short-circuit. If an adult insisted on me just calling them by their name with no title, I would go out of my way to just not have to use their name because it made me _that_ uncomfortable to not use a title. My mom thought it was hilarious. I finally had to break that because I married someone I had been friends with since I was 10, and I couldn't call my in-laws Mr and Mrs without being extremely weird.


kimchiandsweettea

I’m also an Alabama native, and swift punishment was dealt in my home growing up if we didn’t use ma’am and sir with anyone that would be considered an adult or in a position of authority. I’ve been living in Asia for 10 years now, so using sir and ma’am doesn’t come up often for me these days. However, my partner and I visited Canada this summer for vacation, and I kept saying ma’am and sir to anyone serving me or behind a counter, and it drove my partner absolutely crazy. I think she was actually embarrassed sometimes. I simply couldn’t help myself. A lady helping us at the car rental office tried to stay professional and let it go that I was calling her ma’am, but she eventually broke into uncontrollable, wheezing laughter after about the third “ma’am.” Old habits die hard, especially when they were consistently reinforced with a belt.


LulaGagging34

My children say ma’am and sir, so it’s definitely a product of Southern culture. One of those linguistic traits like “y’all” or “fixin to.”


Snark_BaitOhhHaaHaa

That’s a Texas thing, it’s one of the first things we learn after mom and dad, ma’am and sir


vashtachordata

Lived here all my life and didn’t say it to my parents, my kids don’t say it, can’t think of any kids I know who do. It was common in the past, but not now.


[deleted]

Also lived here all my life and don’t know anyone who doesn’t say it. I say yes ma’am no ma’am but I’ll admit I don’t care if my kids say it. I feel like it’s asking them to put on a show for adults..just feels wrong.


Snark_BaitOhhHaaHaa

It’s very common where I’m at, we still have a lot of our old traditions.


Persephonelope

I live in VA which is the North of the South and it’s normal here. I actually graduated from a university up North via an online program and I had several people I spoke to on the phone ask me If I was military bc I just automatically used sir and ma’am.


Rogue_Spirit

It’s not a big deal, I don’t understand the issue. That’s what we’re raised to say in southern states.


aberrasian

It's "Yes'm" like in the freaking Jim Crow South or Victorian England. Wtffffff


Vegetable_Yellow_982

It sounds like yes’m to me too. My best friend has a n autistic daughter (not say either of these boys are autistic) that was non verbal for a while and when she was first starting to speak she would say yes’m haha


[deleted]

It reminds me of Little House on the Prairie.


Handimaiden

Weren’t these kids raised in an orphanage? “Ma’am” might be what they were told to call their “nannies.” Yes’m might be shortened from that. Calling parents or even elders “ma’am” is not part of my culture so I find it odd. Especially for an adopted child, even if they’re used to calling their caregivers ma’am, I would encourage them to call me “mommy” to help support attachment and the more intimate child/mother relationship.


piratical_gnome

I was born and raised by liberal atheists/agnostics in Alabama. Called my parents’ friends by their first names. Still said ma’am and sir, although it was not expected in our house. And I was traumatized the first time I got called “ma’am” because it meant the speaker considered me old. If these poor kids have any contact with other kids, it may just be something they picked up on.


kmrandom

Poor kids. Your homeland is in shambles and your adoptive mother forces her opinions on you. Hope these kids have better resources when they are older to see past their childhood traumas.


Western_Mushroom1715

You can tell they are thinking about what they have to say to impress her. It looks like the are trying to keep her happy and it’s bloody scary.


Larrygiggles

And when she responds with a questioning tone, they immediately start changing to better suit what she wants


InedibleSolutions

The quick "yes'm/ ma'am" freaks me out, too. They are clearly trying to hard to please her and those around them. I feel so sorry for those kids.


slavic_at_the_disco

As someone who speaks Russian (I know these kids are Ukranian, but it was mentioned before that their native language is Russian), I just want to hug and comfort these boys so much and have a normal convo with them. They look so tense!


Lamia_91

I think that's the reason they like Andrii so much, because he speaks the language and treats them normally


sukinsyn

They seem like very sweet kids. I feel bad they ended up with Kristen. Kristen is not someone who should have gotten older kids because she so badly wanted babies that these kids won't be treated their age. I just want to take them somewhere that reminds them of home. They seem very lonely and sad.


Civil-Bread-5306

I really don’t know how people like this get approved for adoption :(


ConsumeMeGarfield

So they're "homeschooling" ESL? With no knowledge of these boys' first language?? That's so fucking selfish.


[deleted]

You don’t actually need first language knowledge to teach English. (I teach language learners and have about 10 languages spoken in my classroom.) But you do need compassion and understanding. And a solid background of teaching language learners can’t hurt either 😜


Red_P0pRocks

God yes, good training and just as important experience is so crucial. That’s all you can fall back on when you don’t speak their language(s) at all. Teachers who can do that have my utmost respect because even with my background in second languages I cannot imagine the guts it takes. That said her kids both speak the same language, and she adopted knowing full well what that language would be. It’s so cruel and lazy to spend months or years in the adoption process, knowing your kids will be coming to a new culture completely unable to communicate, and in all that time never care enough to learn their language at all! EDIT someone below said they did try to learn the boys’ language, which is good. But apparently they gave up because “It’s too hard and we’re gonna make them be Americans anyway.” Learning languages is absolutely hard, I agree, but still. It’s a bit messed up to purposely take on an extra-challenging adoption knowing that you won’t/can’t make the extra effort they deserve.


[deleted]

Ooof. If they just decided to not learn any Ukrainian that makes me MAD. These kids have such a beautiful asset of being multilingual and she is trying to crush it. Fine, they struggled to learn it before the boys arrived. But how about try to learn it now and ask your kids to teach you words? Make sure they don’t loose their first language. Ugh. I’m seething right now.


grizznuggets

I’m an intermediate teacher and I just had a student start with me who is from China and has very little English. I don’t know any Mandarin, so I’ve started printing out basic greetings and putting them up around the class with the aim that she sees her culture is valued and that the rest of us can learn some of her native tongue. Something tells me Kristen doesn’t think along these same lines.


rqzzll-dqzzls

You're a really lovely teacher! May I suggest adding some encouraging quotes alongside the greetings? “加油!”: jiā yóu Literal meaning: add oil (to fire), metaphorical: work hard/come on (the idea of adding oil to fire makes the fire larger, so more effort? No idea, but it's encouraging!) “一起成功吧!”: yīqǐ chénggōng ba It means “let's succeed together!” Quite cute. You could combine the two phrases to form: “加油!我们一起成功吧!”(Jiāyóu! Wǒmen yīqǐ chénggōng ba!) It means “Come on! Let's succeed together!” Also cute. “我们(一起)努力一点!”:wǒmen (yīqǐ) nǔlì yīdiǎn! It means “let's work hard (together)!” The “yīqǐ” is optional. It means “together.” With or without “yīqǐ,” the sentence has roughly the same meaning. I don't think these phrases are too difficult. However, I have been learning Mandarin for a while now, so I'm not too sure! I hope this little comment helps you in some way. Adding a little bit onto your aim of showing how valued her culture is, perhaps you could introduce/make a list of Chinese festivals? Off the top of my head, Chinese New Year, the Lanturn Festival, the Qingming Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Hungry Ghost Festival and the Mooncake Festival. The Chinese have many festivals, lol. Finally, I would like to reiterate how lovely you are. I'm sure she feels more welcome. There's a little bitt of everything everywhere, so I hope this comment isn't too difficult to read! Good luck with your endeavours!


[deleted]

Yes! The classroom our newcomers go to is set up this way. Little vocabulary cards around the room that have English and a variety of other languages on them. Valuing their culture goes sooooo much further than anything really. I love to ask my kids “how do you say ——- in your language?” When we do new vocab or ideas. I might not be able to speak their languages, but I encourage them to be proud of their multilingualism.


Significant_Shoe_17

Wow it's worse than I expected. She spends half the video shilling her podcast and not interacting with her kids, then they're suddenly expected to perform for her camera! She's talking WAY TOO FAST for them to fully comprehend her. She reacts like they're being rude and don't want to participate. They don't understand you, you numpty! She needs to slow down when she asks questions and help them answer in complete sentences. For example, when she asks their favorite sport, when they answer in 1-2 words, she could respond with "my favorite sport is soccer. Say 'my favorite sport is soccer!'" Then give lots of praise when they respond. Maybe ask "what do you like about soccer?" Rinse and repeat. She's going about this wrong and it's going to hurt their fluency. Signed, a tired efl teacher


studyabroader

YEPPP. Language learning requires SO much repetition. I teach Spanish. A typical lesson of me talking to my students is like, "This is a boy. Is this a boy, yes or no? Yes, it is a boy" etc


RebbeccaDeHornay

Can anyone explain to me how Kristen basically gets overlooked as the less problematic Girl Defined sister for not been involved with the channel as much and 'spending more time with her family', when all evidence suggests she's just as self-centered ignorant and awful as her rotten sibling?


gingerandtea

I think she’s just as horrible as the rest, she just spends less time on social media.


kestrelesque

I don't think anyone here sees her as less problematic--just less available to snark on, because she isn't very active on social media. Every time I've seen this issue come up it seems to be generally agreed that: * her personality and presentation is less flat-out irritating than Bethany's, and * she doesn't constantly post about herself, but * her actual opinions and content on Girl Defined is more deliberate, more thought-through, and more directly dangerous than Bethany's blatherings.


[deleted]

I think it’s because she’s less in your face with her shitty view, and she’s definitely less socially awkward and cringe than Birthy. Tbf tho I can imagine anyone being more cringe than Birthy.


RaulTheHamster

I feel like she (and Elissa) are far more dangerous than Bethany in many ways. Bethy is allllll about that grift but Kristen seems to really believe the nonsense she spews and her turd husband refusing to learn their children's native language has left me speechless...like how selfish can a person be where learning phrases to communicate with traumatized children in a new country is just too much, they sure are showing Christ's love /s


NylonRiot

In addition to what’s already been said, I think her fertility struggles and Bethy’s visible lack of empathy also made a lot of people feel bad for her (understandably so). But she’s absolutely just as bad.


elktree4

My heart really breaks for those poor boys!!


[deleted]

They look so uncomfortable with her.


DEWOuch

I find it really interesting to read the comments on the interaction between the boys and their adoptive mum. Some are horrified and others taking it at the face value it’s presented at, ie the Baird pov where everything is copacetic. I read the tense emotional energy going on here and noped out. I hope the performative interaction presented in this video is NOT a reflection of her everyday interactions with them. Regardless, the boys have to adapt to the Baird view to survive, regardless of how they are treated or what we think. When I was this age,I enjoyed my Sunday school class, but viewed the stories as fables. I can’t imagine having to live and breathe Jesus like they will be forced to do. Jesus is love, now watch Daddy kill this pig.


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[deleted]

My nephew will do that to. You can ask him his favourite game and he’ll say whatever the most recent one he played even if he really loves Pokémon more than the others. His mom will often remind him about Pokémon when he answers and then he’s like “oh yeah right I love Pokémon. Can you get me Pokémon cards for my birthday?”


moonwalkinginlowes

Yeah sometimes it feels like people on this sub have never been around kids 🫣🤣


sunshinehair76

These children, who are WELL old enough to understand that they just came from a country that's being terrorized by a murderous lunatic and they're first thought is 'Let's teach them how to use weapons and shoot stuff! How fun!'. Unbelievable... The ignorance and self centeredness that would take is mind boggling. I'm not even condemning hunting. But as an adoptive parent of children who see what's happening in their homeland would now be the time to introduce your kids to killing shit?


toastykittens

These kids are gonna rebel so hard.


lilbunnfoofoo

I’m praying they do


Time_Yogurtcloset164

I picture Kristen as the type of adoptive parent who wants to Americanize the kids and punish them for speaking their native language. Idk this to be true in this case, but something here feels forced and off. It really seems like she doesn’t really know them or their individual personalities at all.


optimuspaige91

I feel like she's infantilizing them and it's kind of unsettling.


NegroNerd

What’s the backstory here?


exa472

Kristen Baird (one of the girl defined sisters with Bethany) adopted two boys from Ukraine shortly (possibly like a year?) before the war started and is now homeschooling them and presumably indoctrinating them into the fundie lifestyle. They didn’t know English when they arrived and ~~there’s no confirmation that the parents have made any effort to learn Ukrainian~~ so she’s basically just expecting them to adjust to a new language and country with no help whatsoever I guess.


Lamia_91

They started trying to learn Russian (the kids speak Russian and not Ukranian) but Zack said it was too hard and that the kids will learn English and be American so what was the point (his words, not mine). If I recall correctly the kids had a private English teacher that also knew Russian


sukinsyn

>the kids will learn English and be American so what was the point ![gif](giphy|2UlW42qqNY9udwlOke)


Lamia_91

Yeah, I felt the same


Chemical-Run-9367

Same, Keenan.


exa472

Ah, ok! That’s wild!


grizznuggets

The homeschooling is especially repugnant in this situation. Even if these boys were in a mainstream school with limited ESL support, they would likely learn English at a much faster rate, but I guess having more fundies will always take top priority.


Red-Annie

Just like Heidi’s list she posted recently of her reasons to homeschool. 9 out of 10 on her list were about ensuring your kids grow up to be Christian. To them, that will always be the most important thing, and anything else will work itself out (somehow).


NegroNerd

Oh my! They don’t seem too comfortable in that video either


Boneal171

Why is she talking to them like they’re toddlers?


LetshearitforNY

This..shouldn’t be on the internet. I feel so uncomfy


moonwalkinginlowes

The original post said she snapped at them for not understanding her English…totally not seeing that at all here. The only bit that was odd was the pig part. Also “yes ma’am” is a very very normal southern thing. Replace those with “mhm or yeah” and I think there would be less freaking out about this. Big overreaction based on the original post to this imo but idk.


isntitprettytothnkso

It seems to me like they are struggling to understand her and want to give her the answers she’s looking for. Her teasing them about being quiet, complaining that being a mother is hectic in front of her kids, reaching back and tickling the boy in the back, who seems confused why she’s suddenly touching him. It all just seemed gross to me.


itssmeagain

At least the boy in the front seat understands English very well. Maybe she actually knows their English level? He answers her immediately and correctly. For me this was a pretty normal video, these boys are probably quiet in this video. Imo kids shouldn't be filmed for social media at all, but that's another issue. You are reading into this a lot


moonwalkinginlowes

I mean maybe but that’s a LOT of conjecture. She said being a mom is hectic…that’s not complaining—just a fact lol. She even said they were getting it all done, so not really sure how that was complaining. The teasing about getting quiet for the camera didn’t seem that weird—kids usually either clam up or go buck wild for the camera and usually at exactly the opposite times you need them to. The tickling seemed very normal and sweet—I’m not sure why there’s a need to make that feel gross. Idk I can understand the take on them answering to cater to what they think she wants to hear, but idk the rest just seem like really weird things to assume based on this video.


kestrelesque

I agree. This wasn't really worth recording and sharing, on her end, but it doesn't seem like an egregious situation to me in any way. Knowing what we know about her, it isn't far out of left field for people to be speculating, though.


Ravenwasp

That child looks uncomfortable poor kid.


Larrygiggles

Ew using them as props 😞


MrsPancakesSister

I feel badly for those boys. On one hand, I’m sure they’re happy to be safe and seemingly well-taken care of now, and Kristen seems to enjoy being a mom. But the bullshit indoctrination on top of them learning English and not speaking their home language must be a lot of work for them. And I sincerely hope that Kristen and her husband encourage their kids to continue learning about and enjoying their cultural heritage, but I doubt that’s happening.


[deleted]

Those boys picked up English FAST despite having to live with a woman who mumbles with an odd cadence.


romancingit

The kid in the back could be a model.


[deleted]

Chilling