I am so with you on the couple ParentDish commenters. What a drag, for you to put up with and for us to read ;)

good luck on the changes and the new venture!

YES! I say “commenter” is a word. “Commentator” is what my spell-check wants me to use, but that’s not what someone who leaves a comment is. Commentor isn’t right, either. Oh, in fact my Firefox spell-check is now approving “commenter,” I see. APPROVAL FROM ABOVE.

I think the same sort of commenters (hm, Firefox spell-check is not authorizing the plural) plaque Baby Center. I finally gave up on the message boards there a few years ago, when I could stand the crap that people were enjoying spreading all over the place.

Yeah, I thought about commenting on the “do you spank” post (answer: NO!) but I was scared away by the judge-a-thon that ensued.

Can’t wait to read the health/weight loss/exercise stuff. I could use some motivation.

Or perhaps I mean “COULDN’T stand the crap.” Yes.

This is the only blog I read. Am I spoiled?

~Janet

I was so, so afraid over there.

You are a brave, brave woman.

And ditto the can’t wait about the weight loss writing…

can’t wait for the new gig, have started contemplating that titanium bra for some butt support!

I love your blog and I can’t believe it took me this long to find you! You are such a great writer and sooo much fun to read.

As for the ol’ ParentDish, I second you on the enormous amount of crazy that site drags up. I would give just about anything to get a minute alone with “SKL” and kick the shit out of her. God, I should not be getting so fired up over another person commenting on a blog but seriously… that woman is one heinous bitch.

I too second the weight loss gig – can’t wait to see your humor through it all!

Dude, I’ll totally read the fitness blog. Can’t wait. Even though in my current pregnant state my “fitness” involves lots of mint chocolate cookie ice cream eating. :)

I can’t wait to read your take on the health/weight loss. Another place to read your work? Sign me up!

I wouldn’t hit my dog in order to attempt to train him to follow commands, and yet some parents get absolutely up in arms over the idea of NOT spanking. As if spanking actually teaches kids anything other than to ultimately fear their parents. It hinders teaching children problem solving skills, and instead teaches kids that if you do x, y, or z then mommy or daddy will hit you. The same mommy and daddy who probably tell you that it is not okay to hit. So smart kids learn to be sneaky.

On a related note, I’ve seen the way some of the Parent Dish commenters speak to you and other writers over there and I am at a loss as to why PD allows the patrons of its business to speak to their employees the way that some of them do. I have seen some absolutely horrible things said over there, and if that had happened in most workplaces where people are dealing with clients/customers/patrons face-to-face or over the phone it would have resulted in intervention by a supervisor. A supervisor who more than likely would have asked that person to leave, or at the very least insisted they refrain from treating the staff in such a manner.

Most message boards won’t allow members to post insulting or disrespectful messages to moderators, so why does PD allow the community members to speak to the writers, or even other community members like that? I’m truly at a loss. Unless of course they just figure that they can’t keep people from making up a new username or using an alternate IP address, so they simply don’t even bother.

*sigh*…um, my first sentence up above was supposed to end with “their kids”. Guess I get a little rushed when I’m irritated. Go figure. ;)

Man, I was feeling bad for you after reading that shitstorm. Some of those people are stupid crazy. I feel sorry for their kids, husbands, bank tellers, exorcists etc… I’ll bet weight loss and fitness won’t be as much of a snakepit. We’ll see how riled up people can get about resistance bands.

I’m so glad you’re going to write about weight loss/fitness, because I saw those pictures on flickr of you in your Ross dresses, and um, my baby is 3 months older than yours and I look NOTHING like that. NOTHING. I need help. (Sitting in front of the computer during naptime and consuming the kids’ leftover Easter candy probably isn’t the help I was looking for, but here it is. I’m happy there will be an alternative to guilt me into weight loss. Maybe.)

I actually think some of the commenters over there–the ones who comment so frequently–are not actually parents. Just some freako sitting in his basement getting turned on by stirring up shit on a parenting site. It’s such a strange site, with not a whole lot of useful information, it seems really odd to me that anyone would spend so much time there. But I do love your posts. And Kristins. And that’s all I think. Maybe Sandys.

Cool! I can’t wait to read your weight loss gig, if you can read a gig that is. I’m in some desperate need of inspiration. And it’s posts like these that make me glad I’m not famous enough to warrant hate mail/comments. If you want some pine cones to hurl back at them let me know, my back yard is full of them.

Oh Linda, I have such a girl crush on you it is unreal. I can’t wait for your healthy eating/exercise blog, if only for the hope it might motivate me to get off my ass and put down the chips.

Also, holy crap the ParentDish thing is CRAZY. I have no problem with people reasonably tapping their kid on the butt for big things (kid runs into street – tap on the butt, etc). I don’t think that’s what I want to do, but that’s how I was raised and besides occasionally yelling at the boyfriend I think I’m okay. But man, to equate not smacking with laziness, or any form of tapping with straight up abuse and inability to parent is insane. And those two or three commenters (I’m going with you and Swistle here) are straight up comedy gold and they don’t even know it.

I’m willing to bet my next pay cheque that the people rabidly defending ass-wacking little kids on ParentDish are the same people who think the torture bill is a good idea. I mean, if a little kid whose intellect is woefully undeveloped deserves a spanking for reaching out to touch a hot stove or running away from mommy, all adults accused falsely or otherwise are fair game for heavy duty humiliation and waterboarding. By a “calm and detached” administrator. Yeah, right.

Parent dish commenters have some serious anger management issues. No wonder their kids run into traffic.

Maybe if the moms got out more, they’d be less tense and fisty with their young.

I’m glad you’ve got a safe haven here. I see a couple of those asswipes comment here periodically, but they don’t stand a chance with the Sundry Army. That’d be us in the comment section.

I am an avid reader of all your blogs, but I must confess, as someone with no children, I only venture over to ParentDish because the holier-than-thou comments totally crack me up.

I am sorry but I stopped reading your blog over at Parentdish because I couldn’t deal with the commenters. I know freedom of speech. So, I excercised my freedom of not giving my business to Parentdish. I read all of your other blogs and will read the new one also. I guess I am like the commenter above, I have a girl crush on you. Because you say all the things that I am thinking. :)

Commenter is preferable to commentator, IMHO.

Vis a vis the outraged comments, maybe I can ofer some insight, since I am the kind of person who leaves a lot of outraged comments? And have a long and colorful history of offending bloggers I adore?

I think there are some people in this world who are simply prone to outrage and indignation. We’re always up in arms about something. Sometimes I think that there is an “emotional center of gravity” to everyone’s personality. if you’re lucky, your emotional center of gravity is serenity, or joy, or love. If you’re unlucky, like me, you’re stuck (for whatever reason, nature or burture, I don’t know) with a less appealing e.c.o.g., like uh, indignation.

I see this trait in myself and am working on correcting/compensating for it, yet it still expresses itself all the time. I’m just always in a later about *something*.

Anyway, if the other bossy, loudmouthed, finger-waving commenters on your blogs are getting on your nerves, please know that it’s just their nature. They can’t help it.

Also, take it as a compliment. It means they’re absorbed and engaged with you, care about you, and want to be involved in your life. They just tend to express this interest in ways that are extremely unattractive.

Sorry, I meant “nature or nurture” and “always in a lather.”

Can’t wait for the new blog.

I don’t have kids, but read your PD posts and the wild comments just to see what sort bullshit they’ll come up with next. There are a couple names in particular that I alway focus in on. Hot damn, it must be one groovy ride to be their kiddo.

For your next PD post, may I suggest a recap of your day when you Spank Dog, leave her alone in your car with a DVD player running while you pick Riley up from daycare. That ought to do the trick.

I can’t even believe you write there. You are way more talented and they don’t deserve you. I honestly am not happy with the changes and am disgusted by the commenters. If you can’t post about real life…your life…then why bother posting.

I love reading you. I just wish they’d shut it already.

I hope those commenters stay away from my blog. What ever happened to: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” That’s a good saying and people should live by it.

This is one of those (many) times I wish my bank account were better funded. So I could pay you to start a new blog entitled Spank the Dog.

I think it would be a hit.

I thought you knew what the hell you were up against BEFORE you posted the spanking post. I read the post and thought “Oh shit. Linda’s in for it now!”

Some of those women are the ones that give us all a bad name. I’d hate to run into any of them in a dark alley.

Looking forward to your new blog! I don’t know how you keep up with all of your projects but am sure glad you do!

Those ParentDish people AMAZE me. Some people just LIVE to piss on everything anyone does or says. I’m all about being able to voice your opinions but god, you’ve got to figure that in real life those people are just downright miserable to be around and have to be absolutely sick of themselves. Ugh. You’ve got to feel for the little kids who have to grow up with such toxic parents…

“getting people honked off” is my new favourite term. It makes me laugh. Which helps with the pain I have from the pinecone up my butt.

I know, what is up with some of those ParentDish commenters? They get ME HONKED OFF!

Can’t wait for the new blog!

You know, as someone who spends FAR too much time on parentdish, you wouldn’t believe how addicting flame wars can be. Even if they piss you off you (and by you of course I mean I) just can’t help going back again and again to see what more has happened. (It probably helps that I have a thesis I’m supposed to be working on and ParentDish is one of my sure fire time wasters). With the spanking thing though, I think it wasn’t so much your post that stirred things up (though the topic is always volatile) as it was the utter disregard displayed by commenters for each other.

Good luck with the new blog, and with the new track at ParentDish. I always love hearing your stories whether they cause an uproar or are just entertaining personal accounts (that as you pointed out occasionally also cause an uproar for some reason)… People are nuts.

YAY!! As a reformed fat girl I love reading about other reforming fat girls. Also love reading about ass munching dogs. You know since I have one to beat with my belt at home.

I don’t have any children (And I won’t be anytime soon, Mom.. so you can just stop hoping for grandchildren) but I love reading the train wreck that is ParentDish and just thinking “Wow. Let me stay childless a little bit longer if THIS is what I have to put up with along WITH the ‘joys’ (and the real joys) of kids.”

Lesley… “No wonder their kids run into traffic.” You just made me spit water onto my keyboard.

Oh WORD on the pinecone placement on the PD commenters. I was thinking “my gosh this woman must have some kind of stick up her ass” but I think you’re right – pinecone is much more likely.

Oh by the way, I cracked up when I saw you respond to one commenter as “Isiswhatsyername,” I am still laughing at that right now. You rock.

One of the reasons I love your blog here (besides the fact you crack me up) is because you have always had the most rational, sensible commenters. Awesome the way different points of view are respected.

But when I ventured over to Parentdish, I was appalled at the comments. Some of those people are seriously out of whack.

Dude, that was fucking nuts. I’m sorry, but that was – is – ridiculous. And what upset me the most is the things they say about your parenting, implying that Riley is out of control and crazy and you are SO INSANE that you are ONE SMALL INCH away from beating him to death. This, from people who spend a shitload of time defending spanking their kids. It was SO WRONG. The whole thing! So wrong!

Honestly, I’m still pretty cheesed off about it if I think about it too much. That kind of talk is so cruel, and so unnecessary.

First of all…. I noticed that at the end of your spanking blog entry you asked what people’s opinion of spanking was. You didn’t ask people to weigh in on YOUR opinion of spanking. Of course there a few whackjobs out there (SKL) who can’t give their opinion without criticizing others.
Secondly…. some people were born without the filter between the brain and the mouth, so they are unable to censure their inappropriate comments. Unfortunately the anyonimity of the internet makes it even easier to say whatever the hell you think without considering others, since bascially nobody knows you and you don’t need to look anyone in the eye.

BTW I agree with YOU Linda. Spanking is out of the question. I say to SKL “Pick on someone your own size!”

I think if you want an intelligent dialogue about a contraversial topic, post it at All & Sundry, because we have the brain-mouth fliter and treat eachother with support and respect.

Whoa, that ParentDish thing was… whoa. As a new mom, I kinda wanted to join the fray as I have had beliefs on this subject since childhood, but I’m sooo glad I didn’t. Scary commenters! Am looking forward to the health and weightloss site, as that aspect of postpartum-ness is proving to be very frustrating right now.
Also, the Dylan videos are awesome!

Lesley is right, at least with me. I have spanked my kids (and it’s something that I’ve struggled with, but that’s MY issue) and I support torturing terrorists. Of course, they’re barely tangently related… but there you go. You don’t have to bet your paycheck after all.

Linda, I still love you and your writing. I think you’re a great mother, at least from the info that you present about yourself and your family both here and on PD. I don’t agree with you on everything (it would be creepy if I did), and I wouldn’t expect you to agree with everything I or any other commenter believe in. As I posted on PD, I separate the act from the actor. I think it’s good that you don’t want to spank Riley, and I don’t think his behavior is really that egregious anyway. He’s a typical toddler. I guess I just wish other commenters would have the same amount of respect for my parenting decisions (and for those other people who may think similarly) as I do for theirs.

Of course, I’m a hopeless optimist when it comes to these things. And I’m addicted to flame wars (guilty pleasure and all). I don’t always feel particularly welcome commenting at PD (because I’m typically more conservative than the majority there), and I’m not sure if I’ll still be welcome here after this comment (after all, I’m a spanker).

Oh, and totally cool about the fitness thing. I need to get my seriously flabby ass in gear. Good on you.

Those Parent Dish bitches are nuttier than squirrel turds, I tell ya what. I had to quit reading your posts over there before my head exploded from the crazy. I’m looking forward to the diet and exercise gig.

I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in hoping Isisaquaria’s husband ties her shoelaces together someday. Near a cliff.

looking forward to the new weight loss endeavor! not that weight loss is (ahem-cough) an issue for me or anything (clears throat).

Linda, you’re a rock star! I have NO IDEA how you care for a family and do all this writing…all while you’re ON LEAVE from your job. Whew. Wherever you’re writing, I’ll be reading!

I wonder if there’s a spank-the-flab away exercise machine for the ladies that support spanking kids. Linda, you must look into this.

Btw, what does SKL stand for. Spanky Krazy Lady? Or maybe it’s Skanky.

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

drat, links don’t seem to be working. I’ll try posting this find on Parent Dish.

Clearly I’ve read too many baby books/magazines this week, but I ran across a blurb *somewhere* which I cannot find now that said…

Mothers would be a lot better off if we could recognize the judgements of others as the manipulation that it really is.

Don’t take it personally. There are just some people that are itchin’ to spread their doctrine as law to the masses via the interwebs. They just can’t help themselves. :)

You are my hero! Seriously-you write so much, and care for your kiddos, and somehow still find time to join a gym and ACTUALLY ATTEND A CLASS THERE! I am jealous.

Can’t wait for the new blog!!! I’m still hanging on to the last 15 (okay, maybe 20) lbs. and I’m 2 1/2 years post pardum – is that even considered post pardum – 2 1/2 years, come on!!!! I guess it’s time to get my ass in gear and hopefully you’ll be able to help!

And I have to admit that I read your Parent Dish blog mostly to see what the crazies have to say – in a sick sort of way, it makes me feel more normal :) The first thought that popped into my head when I read the title of the spanking entry was “oh no, here we go!”.

So, thanks for the entertainment and hurry up with the new blog please!!!