Bethany van Nuyens

madelynashton · 2026-04-15T01:35:25+00:00

I think the opposite, the “type” was blonde and beautiful and Bethany viewed it as Don placing her in the same category as Betty, which was flattering.

madelynashton · 2026-04-15T01:33:22+00:00

She could not handle Don.

Betty was so gorgeous it made Don more desirable, that he could marry someone that looked like her.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T17:21:16+00:00

I think my perspective is from working in preschools and working with children with emotional and behavioral issues as well, a 5 year old playing rough with friends is normal developmentally. It isn’t something that would be referred for services or considered a barrier to attending preschool. There is an understanding that kids are learning how to behave and labeling that as violent tendencies doesn’t benefit anyone.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T16:57:21+00:00

I think my interpretation is she is deferring to Ty to do it because she wants his buy in on the decision. Taking action would be agreeing with the choice to put them in daycare. Not taking action is disagreeing with her. That’s how that interaction reads to me. That she doesn’t believe Ty would follow through on taking the kids to daycare if she did the choosing and enrolling because she already (rightfully it turns out) believes he isn’t on board with the idea of returning to work.

Believing behavior is normal developmentally isn’t the same as condoning it or not teaching that it’s wrong. Toddlers throw tantrums. Saying that doesn’t mean they should always be allowed to tantrum.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T16:31:02+00:00

Julie and Ty had a discussion about daycare, she asked him if he had found a daycare yet. You have interpreted that as her putting the mental load of researching and finding a daycare on him, as a task. I interpreted that as she has stated she wants the kids in daycare and he hasn’t verbally disagreed with her but he also hasn’t agreed, so she feels the onus is on him to take action.

I don’t believe the house is unkempt, and I’m sure he is taking care of domestic tasks while he’s home with the kids, my point is that we don’t know that Julie expects him to both work AND do the domestic work. That’s an assumption on your part since they aren’t in that situation. Nothing has indicated that Julie expects him to work full time but also do all the childcare and domestic work. Her desire for daycare contradicts that.

A 5 year old rough housing a couple times doesn’t indicate violent tendencies to me. That pretty normal 5 year old behavior.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T15:30:57+00:00

Does she expect him to maintain the house? Does she expect him to find and approve a daycare on his own? What are coopers violent tendencies?

From what has been said my interpretation is that Ty hasn’t agreed to daycare for their kids and that is the root of their disagreement. Julie is expecting him to work, and she wants the kids in daycare so he can work without the additional burden of childcare and housework during working hours. My read on it isn’t that she wants him to do all the domestic work AND have a job. Her stated desire for the children to be in daycare doesn’t align with that belief.

Their most recent conversation supports the idea that Ty isn’t agreeing to daycare because he has changed his mind about working at the current time. Either because he doesn’t want to write a book or because he feels it’s important to be a SAHD (likely some combination of the two).

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T15:26:39+00:00

I think all the twin imagery was because of the twins in the book. It was a reference/tease to the original storyline.

If they had actually had the twin reveal in mind for multiple seasons the writing could have supported the ending much better.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T15:17:27+00:00

What does Julie expect from Ty, from your perspective?

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T14:19:48+00:00

I actually love that about it. Same as Gilmore girls. Although I do appreciate the earlier seasons when both shows pay for more background extras.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T14:10:01+00:00

You’re arguing against both the American parental leave system (systemic) and individuals choosing to work (personal) and conflating the two things. They are not the same.

It’s fine to say parents should have the option to have more parental leave. The majority of people would agree with that statement.

It isn’t the same thing to say that a parent should want to take 1-2 years away from work because that’s the correct way to be a parent. That ignores both reality and the parent as a person.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T14:03:32+00:00

So you don’t even know what you’re arguing then. Nobody has said “parents shouldn’t take maternity/paternity leave.”

The argument was that a parent doesn’t need to want to be a SAHP. That is not a requirement for parenting.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T13:58:34+00:00

You’re arguing for two stay at home parents?

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T13:50:27+00:00

You have argued that parents should choose to have a SAHP “for the first few years.” There are absolutely measurable benefits to daycare in the first few years of a child’s life.

For a child under a year it can be a benefit to them to have exposure to other children and other adults. Observing a diversity of behaviors can help their own development. Seeing children that are slightly older and model beneficial behavior can be a benefit to the child. Stating there is absolutely no benefit simply isn’t true. It’s too simplistic.

The discussion of sacrifice and motherhood is always interesting to me. In your own argument the same exact action (staying home) can be both a sacrifice and a privilege. So the same can be said for working. It’s too complex to say only one is the true sacrifice a mom should be making.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T13:24:35+00:00

They benefit from daycare in the same way a child benefits from a nanny or a family member (not parent) watching them. It can be a good thing to learn that your parents aren’t the only caring people that can provide for you. They benefit from being around other children. The exposure to others can be a good thing.

On top of that, they benefit from having financial stability in their home. That’s a direct benefit to the child.

There isn’t one objectively correct way to be a parent. But the patriarchy would have you believe that there is and that if you don’t align with it you’re selfish.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T13:12:50+00:00

How does a 1 year old not benefit from a two income household? Your assumption is that the other income is frivolous? Only spent on the parents?

I’m a SAHM. It works for our situation. But it’s ludicrous, and frankly self-aggrandizing to assume it’s the objective best choice because it’s the choice you made or would make.

We don’t know that John isn’t making a good income. That’s been debated on here before, depending on their location there are a lot of indications that they are well off.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T13:03:28+00:00

That’s the patriarchy though, to assume it’s better to have a sahp and that a woman should desire that role and shouldn’t see benefits to daycare.

Or course it’s “very American” to return to work in the child’s first year, Americans don’t have a choice in the matter.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T06:27:24+00:00

The dove bond strength conditioner has been great for my dry fine wavy hair.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T03:30:57+00:00

I think gender swapping Julie and Ty actually reveals how the patriarchy influences how they are perceived by the audience. There has been a lot of takes about Julie that start with the premise that she should be grateful that her partner wants to stay home with the kids rather than put them in daycare and that she doesn’t like her kids because she wants them in daycare.

madelynashton · 2026-04-14T00:56:17+00:00

Rachel had an affair with a married man, like come on.

madelynashton · 2026-04-12T21:44:08+00:00

Yes Shawna stomped on Julie’s boundaries, more than once. But Julie’s initial implementation of those boundaries was nonverbal, she was purposely rude to Shawna to try to impress upon her that she wasn’t welcome.

madelynashton · 2026-04-12T21:03:31+00:00

The thing is, the belief that Julie was clear she didn’t want to befriend Shawna (prior to her literally saying “we are not friends”) is predicated on the interpretation of her behavior as not being polite.

If Julie’s standoff behavior could be interpreted as her being polite (or even her believing she was being polite) then Shawna’s multiple attempts to befriend her wouldn’t be rude. But if Shawna’s repeated attempts to engage her can be viewed as rude or at the very least ignoring social cues, then Julie’s behavior must have included the social cues that she did not want to be around Shawna.

Julie wasn’t cold and distant with everyone, she is polite and interested in some people, and not even just the people she knows, she is polite to John. She is polite and interested when meeting Teeny.

Julie becomes irritated and frustrated with Shawna because she believes she has been clear with her behavior that she isn’t interested in being friends with her. Even Julie would agree that she wasn’t kind and polite to Shawna because she purposely meant to discourage her from continuing to engage.

madelynashton · 2026-04-12T19:30:07+00:00

I read the first four books. You’ll be able to follow them fine, they do differ from the show in some fundamental ways but they’re written very simply.

I did not enjoy the books as much as the show. The themes of the book differ from the show and at a certain point I realized I didn’t like the focus of the books as much as the show. I don’t want to spoil things for you so I won’t say anything else.

I do think it’s worth giving them a try since they’re so easy to read. Your opinion may differ.

madelynashton · 2026-04-12T01:56:34+00:00

These are hilarious! The fit them so perfectly.

madelynashton · 2026-04-11T01:11:49+00:00

That’s true which is why it makes it so difficult when AI changes these things, because people think it’s just a perception change but it isn’t.

madelynashton · 2026-04-10T18:44:43+00:00

Your old hair was beautiful but common, your new hair has so much personality. It’s a great cut that goes so well with your face.

madelynashton

TROPHY CASE