I must have over read that. Sorry.

You know, I don't typically like confrontation.. but I'm also a journalist and dont like for replies to go un-answered. But looking over the posts, maybe I just read things like this as a mean statement:

"Eh, if some greek letters on a t-shirt make her feel closer to her daughter, whatever." As insulting, where someone else would have seen them as a compliment or nothing at all. (but typically talking about someone like their not a part of the conversation is seen as rude).

All in all, I just came here for some advice, and instead of people saying "well, using someones letters, even the two of you, will make people upset?" Or asking questions like "Oh, that's different, why do that?" I got a whole slew of (what seemed to me) condiscending "why? seriously? for real?" and "Eh, if some greek letters on a t-shirt make her feel closer to her daughter, whatever." It could have all been my perception, I'm fine with that. It's clearly obvious that I know NOTHING about sorority's, never wanted to be in one, never have been in one, never have even looked into one! But thought it woudl have been neat for my 9 yr old.. this situation was my very first experience with a group of people in sororities and although it was not at all a good one, I'm gonna chalk it up to just THIS place, misunderstanding, whatever.. I'll make sure we emphasis some kindness, and helpfulness in my daughters little group though.. I'll tell her all about this encounter I had, and I'll make sure to find letters that are not being used by anyone!

Thanks ya'll

This website looks like pink threw up. If you're interested in P31, try this one: http://www.proverbs31.org/ My good friend LeAnn is the Executive Director and they are all awesome.

Yes, we are together 24/7, but with her little brothers. I am either working (I work 4 hours from home), which she is doing her independent work, or we are doign school work with the boys, or she is watching them, or doing her chores, or playing with them. Our one on one time is VERY limited with a 4 and 1 yr old around. :)

oh no, not her! She literally CRAVES my attention! It can be a little bit daunting at times, because I am so busy homeschooling the three of them, cooking cleaning, taking care of the 1 yr old and working 4 hours every day from home. lol! The boys dont care as much, but she wants some "no boy" time.. lol!

Thanks! :) "Pink Threw up!" ha! It may just be you're uhhh, .... laid back approach to expressing yourself?? that had me thinking you're comment was rude? lol! I see you've got a way with words.. LOL!

Then just say "every Thursday evening (or whenever your husband can take care of the boys) is our no boy time." Making a sweatshirt for it doesn't make it happen. Make a plan and stick to it, no excuses. I guarantee she'll appreciate that more than any Greek letters.

I fully admit to having sarcastic tendencies. Pink throw up could be taken as rude, or taken as a "to each his own, but not for me". Unless it's your website, it doesn't really matter. Either way, I'm pretty flippant around here and don't take much said here seriously...most of us are that way, which is why I think you perceived things different than we meant them.

I'm sorry, 33! You're right! :) I had no idea it would be offensive! I have actually been researching like crazy, but had no idea that it was even slightly offensive.. I wouldn't know, i've never been a part of anything like this, so I was honestly clueless about how strongly you all felt about the letters.. I thought this little venture into the forums would be a good bit of research as well, and it turned out to be, but in a WHOLE different way - I found out I was being offensive by using the greek letters!! and I did NOT mean to offend anyone! Please accept my apology!

I probably did.. Walked in completely blind as to what to expect. :) No, I didn't take the threw up comment as rude at all.. thought it was funny.. lol! Thanks for the help, I like the other site!

Oh I completely agree! and we do already do that as well! The club idea is just more of a theme I guess for us to have projects to work around - together. But again.. I can totalyl just make this soem little group with a name we come up with together.. it doedn't have to stomp on greek lettering. (I didn't know!) I hear you! and thanks!

Oh no, and please believe me when I say I was NOT trying to do that!! In no way were we trying to claim a sorority that already exists! I wasn't even thinking along those lines... Like I said I was just coming up with a meaningful name for us, but I can see now how that can mean something completely different to you all, so I'll reconsider that and just come up with something else. It doesn't have to be greek to be meaninful to her.

From what I can tell, this website teaches girls about Christ using antiquated "princess" stereotypes about women. So, my assumption is that you would essentially be looking to "princessify" the idea of a sorority, and that is distasteful to me, and probably a lot of others here.

Sorry I'm late to this little Club....but I have a few things to add.

First) Have you ever heard of that little organization called THE GIRL SCOUTS?? You want to really bond with your daughter & do stuff, form a troop & be the leader. I did it for 6 years. Some of the best memories my oldest daughter had was me doing that for her.

Second) Most of us are moms, & quite a few of us are "old" (just ask) so it isn't like we don't understand you trying something different with your precious girl.

Third) My oldest had a group of friends who got together every Tuesday after school & us moms would join along. The girls ended up naming the TAS club (Tuesday After School) - not random Greek letters picked by us moms. A club is a club to a little girl no matter what you call it.

Forth) I don't understand if you are journalist that you didn't understand the importance of Greek Life from being in college (unless you got your degree online). Then you come to GC & I believe you didn't read any of the previous post or you would have understood the confusion by stating your randomly wanted to Make a Greek Sorority for you & your daughter.

I have more...But I don't care to go on.

Would you really?? You would be "concerned"? That's a bit confusing to me.. why concerned? She's 9 and she's the only girl in a house full of boys.

oh, I missed this one.. I wouldn't say I'm being dragged.. I just decided to do something for her.. she saw an episode of some show called "greeks" (which she's not allowed to watch at home, by the way!) at a friends house, and ever since has been mesmerized by the idea! LOL! It was her first sight of a sorority, a house, the sisters, the colors, etc.. a 9 yr olds view of it all..lol! A club would do some of the same things though, without the letters, so that'll work too.

I posted that before I realized that I over read the sentence about her age.

Well, I won't be doing any of that now.. because I had no idea of how deep this all ran.. I was just looking for some letters! LOL! I promise that's it! But now I know that it is offensive and becasue I dont want to offend, I'm just gonna go with some little club idea for her..

I have heard of the girl scouts, but she's more intersted in doing things one on one with mom.. From the initial comments, and the many why's? It did seem as if no one understood me trying to do something different with her, but now I see that it may have been why the letters? why a sorority type club? but I wouldn't have known that initially.. I think we're all clear about that now though.. and now that I've learned the importance of these letters, I'll be using something else..

I'm glad TAS worked for you're girls.. I'll come up with something just as cute for my little one, and be sure not to do the greek letters, I get it now thanks to some of the ladies here! :)

I'm not sure I really get what you're saying in your last point there. but, yes, I am a journalist, graduated form Ga State University and had no dealings with greek life, so not sure why its confusing that I didn't know the importance of the letters. Because I never mingled with greeks, all I saw were people with letters.. thats it really.. didnt' really glean anything deeper and never thought a second time about it. Just thought of them like the other clubs on campus, but with sister hoods and houses, I guess.. I did actually read the posts, but they didnt' help me understand anything, most of them (not all) simply said "why?" that didn't lead to any further education on how greeks feel about their letters.. lol! But further into the conversation, some deeper conversation began to develop that did lead to understanding.. and that's what helped me get it. Thanks!

Whatever you end up deciding, I wish you the best. I'm glad you've relaxed a bit and can appreciate things a little from our perspective. Cherish the time with her now! Before you know it, she will be wanting to do everything with her friends and she'll be 16 and hanging with mom won't be nearly as fun!

(Random off topic but the Girl Scouts mention made me remember it... did anyone else see the story about the state politician in Indiana that pulled his daughters out of Girl Scouts because he believes he's found evidence that TGS are a cover for a hidden Planned Parenthood agenda to corrupt the youth in the organization?)

yeah, so very true!! Thanks! :)

Fast typing or not...not knowing how to differentiate between "you're" and "your" makes me question your career as a journalist. For whom do you write??? I'll be the "meanie" and say it...Wanting a "sorority" with your daughter (as in making one up and not enjoying a legacy situation with her joining the sorority of your collegiate years) = weird and somewhat helicopter-mommy in a sense. It does remind me of the cheerleaders, dance moms, or pageant moms who want to live vicariously through their children.

Coming on to a Greek (sorority and fraternity) website and telling many well-educated people that they continue the tradition of making sorority girls look like airheads makes you look really stupid. Yes, STUPID! If you think there is this tradition of us sorority girls looking like airheads then WHY would you want to make up a sorority for you and your daughter to be able to call yourselves sorority girls? Do you want to be part of that airheaded tradition? You are some piece of work, lady.

I call BS on journalism and college. This is just plain weird.

Maybe you could let your daughter have some friends outside your home and you wouldn't need to make up a club for her.

Yes, I am mean and rude, but I also have a close and very special relationship with my daughter. She can choose to join a sorority when the appropriate time comes if she wishes.

What a crock of shit.

I'm guessing you're "training" her to be a submissive helpmeet for her headship of a husband?

Aren't sororities too "worldly" for someone like you?

First up, yes.. I KNOW the difference between your and you're.. you clearly haven't read the whole thread.. like I said, they are typos, just like the ones you made. But, like I also said, I am typing a LOT, with a squirmy 1 yr old in my lap and typing quickly, so there are typos and I'm not going back to fix them.. I don't have time. I understand you are upset, just reading what has been going on, but you have not had time to read through the whole thread and see the end result.. the mis-understandings that occured.

Secondly, I did NOT say that sorority girls "looking like airheads" is some kind of TRADITION! go back and read what I wrote again. I was simply speaking to the way I thought I had been treated, and said that you all should not ALLOW what OTHER people think to become a reality on this board.

If you read to the end, you will see that these issues have already been resolved, that there were misunderstandings and that most were cleared up.

lol! That's actually what I got, a BS in Journalism from Georgia State University, witha concentration in Public Relations, after which I went on to work for an independent PR specialist (I erased her name as to not have this thread pop up in google searches for her company), then on to work for Interface, Inc. in marketing, before coming home to be with my kids.. is that enough info. for you. If you want a copy of my diploma, just ask, we can arrange that! ha!

See, i don't mean to get upset like that, but when people say things like that, and don't even know me.. it's enough to tick me off! So, If I offended you, I'm sorry!

If you read the thread, you would have seen us discuss this already. I stated that she HAS been in many groups outside of the home! but she is CRAVING more mommy time, in a house where we are the only 2 girls, and she spends most of her days with her brothers.

Not sure why you would be proud of being mean and rude. I'm not! and I don't intend to be, but fall into that when I feel I have to defend my self against what I feel to be unnecessary attack. (like people attacking my TYPOS, when I've been writing a BOOK in my defense ALL day!). I also have a close and very special realtionship with my daughter, which is why she cherishing time with ONLY me, and why i am willing to do soemthign like this for her. If YOU and the last few posters aren't upset about me using greek letters, i'm not sure WHAT you're beef is?? Is it worth getting this upset over what THIS MOTHER is deciding to do for HER daughter? Really?? Or is this a matter of just attacking for the sake of attacking.. it's truly very strange.

I am actually not trying to start a sorority, but I didn't know that until these earlier ladies helped me out by making clear the deeper meaning behind all of it. I am looking at more of a "club" and I don't need greek letters for that, like I thought I did initially. I'm simply forming something that she and I can share. Thank you so much for being respectful, I really appreciate that!

oh! and the reason I mentioned "evacuating" the child, is because that's what the POSTER of the previous comment made it out to be..

I have a REAL problem with you bringing up your daughter's need to have "mommy & daughter" time with a house full of "boys". I think it is YOU who has a need, not her.

LOL...my son grew up with all girls: mom, sisters & damn even our dogs were female....but he didn't "need" boy time with dad.

What are these parents doing to these kids today? I do not understand.

Bill Cosby taught us: if we brought them into this world, we had a right to take them out. (damn he is brilliant)

to: now moms are forming individual sororities for their daughters for "special" time.

Give me a FREAKIN" Break!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAFg4zY2itg

One of my favorite exchanges on this show! :)

This is all I have to contribute to this thread.

LOL...& my quote was from his Stand up from the early 80's... a lot of it ended up in the show.

Thank you for posting....it was my favorite show!!!!

I did read the thread. This isn't a mommy blog. Your posts creep me out. I'm not attacking for the sake of attacking, but I wish that I had been as succinct in expressing my thoughts as knight shadow was (to whom you didn't need to respond) who said this: "What a crock of shit."

Good luck with that book you're writing.

I usually keep quiet, but I have to say something here. If people see you guys in public wearing that stuff, they are going to laugh.
Now I am going to go start a co ed sorority for my dogs. They are like my kids, and I do need to bond with them more. Hollaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

As 4th child of 5, and 4th within 5 years, I understand the desire to spend one on one time with mom. We got our time together when she drove me to swim team to be around other kids and gain confidence by being good at something other than academics. I don't necessarily have a problem with home schooling, but when it's done correctly (and I have seen it done correctly) the kids get out and away from mom and dad on a very frequent basis, play in sports, participate in Girl Scouts (or one of the other myriad groups for girls that moms can also participate in), and perform community service. Finding another way to be only at home and only with mom can only be unhealthy.

Whether you call it a sorority or a club, it's still creepy and feels like the first 5 minutes of the Lifetime Original that ends with Mom throwing herself and all of her kids off a cliff. And no, I'm not kidding. I think both you and ALL of your children need help.

This is what I was thinking, but I didn't want to say it.

I don't have kids, and I won't pretend to be an expert on the subject.. However, if your daughter is spending her entire day with you, and she wants to be with you more, I don't think you should then try to create an exclusive club that includes only the two of you.

Again, a group like the Girl Scouts (or something similar) provides a good opportunity for your daughter to spend time with you, but to also branch out and meet other young girls her own age.. Which is very important at this stage in her life. You don't want to pull her in more and inadvertantly make her attached to you. I've seen it happen - one of my friends in college did EVERYTHING with her mom growing up (almost every story she told started with, "My mom and I..") and then she couldn't even get a C on a paper without calling her mom and crying about it. She dropped out halfway through her sophomore year to go to a community college 10 minutes from her house.

It's great that your daughter wants to spend time with you.. Just make sure she's getting out and meeting other people. And don't try to "shut out" the outside world by creating an exclusive group for just the two of you. You're mother and daughter.. That's a pretty special club in and of itself.

And if your daughter saw the show Greek and is interested in what Greek life is about, explain to her that sororities are groups that girls join in college, and when she gets to college, she can try to join one too.

Everything else aside, I really don't understand why some are finding it so hard to believe that it's possible (very possible in my experience, if not the norm) for people to go to a school with Greek life and still know next to nothing about fraternities and sororities beyond what popular culture has told them. If Greek life wasn't on their radar screen while they were in school, and if their social circle in school didn't intersect with Greek circles, why would they really know anything about it, especially if the school was a large one where it is quite possible to go without really interacting with Greeks?

^^^Speaking as one of those people - yes to all of the above (and for the record I agree with everyone else that this whole thing is too weird for words, but hey, if a club makes her daughter happy and her happy...whatever).

Now back to MysticCat's point......


Als463, I don't know what the campus culture is like at Georgia State. Maybe Greek life is the dominant social force there and a person would have to be a hermit not to have some passing awareness of how Greek life works and what it means, and I agree with you that there are several other holes in this story. Still, I can tell you as someone who attended what I think is a typical public university, with a typical size Greek system and a typical percentage of the student body involved that I wouldn't have had a clue how Greeks viewed their letters, whether or not they were important to them, or how they differed from any other campus club and/or organization.

I had some friendly aquaintances that were Greek, but I couldn't have told you at the time what chapter they were in or whether or not it meant anything to them - never came up in our casual conversation. I had a general awareness of where our Greek row (or block) was located and I knew where the two houses they used to film "Animal House" were at because that was an orientation requirement (LOL). That was the sum total of what I and any of my friends knew about Greek life or, frankly, cared to know at the time.

In addition (and this may be a regional thing), I met many people after college who were in fraternities and sororities in college; I can tell you that most, not all, didn't take it any more seriously than I took my college activites. To them, it was strictly something they did as a way to make friends and have some fun while they were in school. On that basis I can understand why it might not occur to the mom that some people would find this offensive. That some people would find it freakin' weird - okay, that should have occured to her.

GSU is a commuter campus heavy on the nontraditional student smack dab in the middle of Atlanta, so it's possible to attend there and not be aware of the usual things with which traditional students at traditional campi would be familiar. There are NPC sororities on their campus.

I'm also fairly certain their English department teaches students not make words plural by adding apostrophe s.