My Mom is from the Southern USA and this is what she did with my sister and I too. Our middle names are her maiden name.

HA! I was going to go there but you beat me to it!

The first thing I thought when I read this is, he was probably jerking off while he talked about it. Then I barfed in my mouth.

This!!! Why wasn’t this pipsqueak on the phone calling parents and lawyers?

You know the mere act of telling them they couldn’t tell their parents means that every adult there knew this was absolutely not okay and did it/let it happen anyway.

Same where I’m from. Midwives hold medical masters degrees and have hospital privileges while working in conjunction with doctors. Home births are also only an option in specific low risk cases.

I can’t imagine how that kid is going to feel growing up knowing his own Mother would have preferred he died. Seriously sick.

Right!? What sort of editor doesn’t cross all that shit out with a hard “no” and possibly anonymously suggest to the other staff that they never leave him alone with their kids?

Right!? I always wondered why the girls weren’t taken from the house or the authorities didn’t insist he be removed. Those parents were clearly dropping the ball.

And then there’s the whole dying in childbirth thing.

Totally! I have a history degree and therefore know to run screaming from a time machine.

Absolutely brilliant. Ex freaking actly.

I thought I was the only one who had this happen! I technically have no middle name at all. My Mother stuck in a hyphenated last name instead but to this day for some reason it’s all screwed up on my documents and my sister and I both have the same very obviously a last name as a middle name.

Totally agree. I’m 100% whatever gives you closure then go for it. But somehow this reeks of an insidious attempt at having people confuse compassion for control.

Right!? Every time I read something like that I always wonder, if you really are still,“the best of friends who love each other” then why the fuck are you getting divorced?

This!

I have shared this with everyone. I laughed so hard.

Yeah that part gutted me too.

“They know we can’t do anything about this.” Freaking terrifying.

What an absolute nightmare that this even has to be a thing where you live. I’m so sorry.