"Can I borrow your purple eyeliner..."

[lindsaycd75]

Deffenatly agree you guys are heros. My wife and I have 5 between us, and spending time with all of them and giving them all that one on is very hard.
you two are very special people, and the world need more of you.

[Dixie]

[SIZE="3"]I too look up to you guys as heros. You are both warm caring and insightful, so if you can't look up to that, then what can you look up to?????[/SIZE]

[Carin's Wife GG]

thank you!


love,


Louise.

[Sheri 4242]

Its great that your kids are OK with your CD'ing.
Mine don't know. But, I have always wondered about teenagers knowing about the parents CD'ing and that is;
1. Teenagers like to talk and gossip, can they keep this a secret?
2. If they ever got mad at you for some reason would they tell people just to get back at you?
3. Depending on the age of your children would "CHILDREN SERVICES" count CD'ing against you for raising your kids?

Tamera, You raise very important questions regarding telling our chidren! I speak not only as a parent, step-parent, and grandparent, but as an educator and coach. In general, I have said many times that today's youth (older teens mainly) are far more accepting of CDing than previous generations. This isn't a 100% thing, but a generalized observation I think is definitely true.

To anwer your #3 question first, I don't know of any children's state agencies that have rules that would count against CDers. Of course, often times you have "under the table" decisions -- not fair, but it does happen. Gays and Lesbians have broader acceptance in adoption laws, so I think that, in the main, CDing is a non-issue.

If I can address your Number One and Number Two together: I do know of some teens (even young adults in their early twenties) who, for the life of them, cannot keep from gossiping, so that "might" be a concern with some. As an example, I recall this one female student (about 18 y.o.) who easily rationalized (and NOT with any viciousness) the breaking of secrets. It was almost humorous -- it was like she felt she had a duty to pass what was told in confidence by one close friend or relative on to another. I truly think she believed deep within herself that the next person would keep what she was telling in confidence, although she was, herself, breaking a confidence. Lesson: it is not wise to tempt fate unless you are absolutely certain!

One of my children knows I CD and is "way cool" with it. She has bought Barbara gifts (to be given in private when my wife gives Barbara presents at times like Christmas or on a birthday). I dress freely around her at any time I want. And, at my request, she has talked (mainly over the internet) to a few children of CDers who needed some peer perspective. She was prettu good at this, too.

My wife and I have reservations about two of our children. One is VERY close-minded (despite never ending proclamations to the contrary). AND, I hate to say it, but one is incredulously vicious -- she'd tell in a heartbeat IF she was mad and IF she thought there was something (reasonable or not) to gain by telling!!!

Another of our children will act negatively about CDing if we bring it up in some innocent context, yet laughs at it on TV or in the movies. My wife and I definitely think she knows -- don't see how she couldn't. She's just the type of person who is like "hey, keep it to yourselves" about anything to do with what she percieves as our private lives. lol

Our other child is someone we never thought about telling -- at least not in the foreseeable future. BUT, recently we learned he has a pretty good idea about it and has known for some time. Apparntly he is fine with it -- but he doesn't want to really discuss it (for no other reason than he is very introverted).

I truly believe several of my past and current students have had more than an inkling -- maybe b/c of the "jokes" I drop about it from time to time -- that I am a CD. Don't know of a one who has a problem with it -- and have never been asked to a conference with the administration about having joked about it, so they are apparently keeping it to themselves. Two actually had the idea that if we lost a "friendly bet" on a playoff game the school was involved in, that my "penalty" would be to play them in a game of tennis with me wearing a tennis dress, etc. I had to chuckle! Of course, you've always got to know where to draw the line and always have to keep it appropriate. I view my role as an educaror as a sacred trust, so while I might joke abut it, I know where to draw the line.

Our teens seem to know what is appropriate to keep to themselves. I cannot ever see ANY of them using CDing as a *weapon* in a disagreemnt, it's just not a part of our family cuture.

Louise, that is truly great! We've tried to rear our children much the same. Unfortunatelty, we do have one who has a vicious mean-streak, and we just believe that she'd tell just to be mean-spirited. Like so much that goes along with CDing, I guess we have to be on our toes and analyze what is apparent.

[Khriss]

..while the "femme" translation ...might be "Mauve" hehe xx"K"