Opinion: Sorry, Jon - Kate Gosselin Is Not an Absentee Mom
Filed under: Celeb Parents, Opinions, Celeb News & Interviews
Jon Gosselin is claiming his ex-wife, Kate Gosselin, is an absentee parent because she's out working to support her family. Credit: Ray Tamarra, Getty Images
Jon Gosselin, formerly known as one-half of TLC's reality series "Jon and Kate Plus 8," is miffed that the mother of his eight children is out trying to make a living and filed for primary custody of the couple's famous twins and sextuplets last week.
His claim, according to his lawyer, Anthony F. List, states that his ex is allowing Hollywood to influence her parenting decisions.
Mainly, Jon Gosselin says he's concerned about the fact that Kate is flying between Los Angeles and Pennsylvania in order to participate in the reality show "Dancing With the Stars."
OK, so let me get this straight: Jon Gosselin has a series of alleged affairs with other women while married to Kate, moves out of the couple's home, shuts down production of the pair's TV show (which has been their primary means of financial support for several years) and then he claims his ex-wife is unfit to have primary custody of their children because she is out trying to support her family?
Oh, and let's not forget that he's also asking the courts to reconsider his child support payments, which are about $20,000 a month. Yeah, that doesn't sound fishy at all.
Trying to take a woman's children away from her because she is out working to support them is so 50 years ago, and her decision to work does not constitute neglect or absentee parenting. Welcome to 2010, Jon! Women have the right to work -- and, get this, sometimes they even wear pants! I know, what a shocker, right?
This is just so outrageous. Here's a guy who did everything possible to make himself look like an immature schmuck and now he wants to spend his days minding the eight kids he left behind for a "nomadic life," bouncing around between New York City, Los Angeles and Pennsylvania? It's hard to believe anyone who gives the paparazzi so much fodder could really be interested in spending his days knee-deep in homework and finger paint.
Besides, what's Kate supposed to do? Sit around and wait for her ex to pay for college times eight? If she did that, she'd be called a "welfare queen." I certainly wouldn't rely on someone who's shown he is capable of, if not prone to, bad decision making and impulsive behavior. If Jon was out trying to make a living, no one would say boo. This is just another example of moms being subjected to a societal double-standard.
The fact that the Gosselins were able to settle their public and pugnacious split fairly quickly, while also putting their kids first (the couple agreed to a "bird's nest" arrangement where the kids stay put and Mom and Dad are the ones who come in and out of the house) gave them a lot of credibility. To open those wounds again, not to mention disrupting the kids' lives, seems petty at best; and, at worst, like really bad parenting.
Related: Kate Gosselin Says Dancing is 'More Frustrating Than Giving Birth to Sextuplets'











ReaderComments (Page 4 of 19)
4-13-2010 @ 12:07PM
Heather said...It can be done if your willing to work for it. No matter what the job. She may not be able to live in a multimillion dollar house and have a cleaning service and nannies to do everything for her, but she could do it.
And what is wrong with the kids working to pay for their own school, why is it that everyone assumes that you automatically have to pay for your kids to go to college. There is nothing wrong with actually working for what you want, rather than having it handed to you on a silver platter. In fact in my opinion you tend to value the things to work for more than those that are given to you.
If they as a couple of parents are willing to do what is needed to make their kids happy and safe then they can do it without the cameras. Millions of people do it every day, and that includes people with 10 or more children.
4-13-2010 @ 2:41PM
Motorpro said...Read the article.She doesn't pay child support. He pays $20000 a month. She can't live on that?
4-13-2010 @ 3:01PM
redbull said...Yeah sharon- nurses can definitely make good money if they work in the right scenario- with kates connections am sure she could do something worthwhile in her previously chosen career- it worked well enough in the beginning with their children- but you forget that she now has champagne taste, and excuse me those kids college funds can be gotten just like lots of other american children...community colleges, scholarships, work study programs..welcome back to our world..how much is TLC paying the media to try and represent kate in a positive light...where is all the MONEY they made off 3 books and the television series....Kate is seriously star struck with the notion of being a celebrity and her last appearance on dwts was hilarious with all that crying...she is not the only one to have stuff in the paper--they really drug poor jon thru the mill-jon definitely let his money and notoriety go to his head-but atleast he finally came to his senses, while it seems love her grandiose world- but kate was very vicious with comments about penis size--i bet a few weeks of no comments from both of them and things would settle down- but i am afraid kate runs to get the paper for the other reason- oh my god i am not in the headlines today---oh woe is me.....if i ever hear her say for the sake of the kids it will be way too soon..this is all for the sake of kate and stardom----enough of both of them..
4-13-2010 @ 3:44PM
gdmaclaren said...Suzanne, you are right, in the fact that MOST single Mommies don't have chefs, make up artists, hair stylists, fake teeth, fake tan blah blah blah. The key word is "MOST". Kate (along with Jon) found a way to make money by creating a reality TV show. Now, Jon says NO to the show (after he capitalized on it) and he is trying to say NO to Kate being on ANY show. Kate doesn't have to go back to being a nurse. Why should she? She has found a creative way to make more money than she would as a nurse and still be home when the kids get off of school. She dances at home and stops when the kids come home. If she was a nurse, she would still be working her 12 hr shift when the kids came home from school. So, again why should she go back to nursing? For what $30 to $60 an hour? Get real. PS I was a single Mother and I was smart enough to make enough money to buy my fake boobs, fake teeth, whiten teeth, real tan, tummy tuck, nose corrected, both daughters went to College (one is still in college). I wore/wear high heels and dress very chic. i would not have had it any other way. If you DON'T want to live like this and if you DON'T want to buy your self "Fake anything" than don't. But, why do you care if someone else does? I don't care what you look like. Peace and Love!
4-13-2010 @ 6:01PM
Lyn said...See the thing is she doesn't have to work her ass off as a nurse now. Na Na Na Na Na Na. I just thought I would act just like the other children who are commenting on this blog. Because a grown adult would not be telling a hard working woman, who is doing honest work, who is not on welfare, who is making sure her children are cared for, that she should go back to her other job. One day she might. But that is her choice. Right, grown-ups?
I can see why you might not like her hair-do. She does not have a knack for hair style. But to say there is something wrong with the work she is doing.
Jealousy, envy, maybe a phychopath somewhere in here?
4-13-2010 @ 8:33AM
Sara said...Any parent who leaves their child for days in the care of nannies instead of with their other parent (or any other family member) who is available to be with the kids has their priorities messed up. It's more important for her to punish her Ex than to be a good parent.
I don't think it's horrible that she's working or that she's away from the kids, but when she's away her kids should be with the other parent if they're available to be there. I'd say that about any parent that travels for work. So yes, she's an absentee parent and her kids are suffering because they're being left with hired help when they could be with their father.
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4-13-2010 @ 1:29PM
Stephanie said...god heather..just STFU
if u hate her so much, don't read the articles..im no fan of her either, but she is definatly a better parent then john, she getspaid what i would make in 2 yrs for doing DWTS...she has 8 kids, and is takin care of them...so do the world (and us) a favor, and find some other article to troll
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4-13-2010 @ 3:07PM
redbull said...how ridiculous are you- heather cant write what she wants but you can and you told her to stfu-- you definitely sound like a kate follower to me.....i do believe heather can trolll any articles she wants to---u go heather---
4-13-2010 @ 6:04PM
Heather said...I think you just don't like the fact that what I am saying actually makes sense. Heaven forbid anyone say anything bad about Kate, she is just perfect. Oh Please!!
Thanks redbull!!! You rock.
4-13-2010 @ 6:42PM
Stephanie said...heather there u go putting words in my mouth , i don't care for either jon or kate, never watched show, wont watch dancing with stars either, i think she is a joke...but that being said..jon is worse..he is a playboy wannabe, a child, who is acting out...she is doing her thing getting paid..i would do it for the money, if it would help me care for my kids too. Anyone else who says otherwise is a hypocrite. I don't know why i hate kate so passionately, but i bet there are better things u could be doing, troll. What about all the CEO's who are never there for their kids? Nurses work 12 hours, as do alot of professionals. Are they unfit parents? what about judges and cops? pilots? stewardesses?
So look at yourself, heather, and ask yourself why u are so filled with hate, cause it makes u one ugly troll
4-13-2010 @ 1:09PM
Stephanie said...i bet heather is JON!!!
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4-13-2010 @ 2:47PM
KDawg said...Good one Stephanie! LMAO :))))
4-13-2010 @ 2:32PM
Vj said...I'm so sick of hearing "she has to make a living". How did they expect to make a living when she decided to bring all these kids in the world.... exploit them? Yep!
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4-13-2010 @ 2:41PM
chastity said...wow so she is a great parent..you guys must not have been watching the jon and kate i did..i stopped watching her harp and scream at everyone because they werent perfect like her years ago..she is what jon has said she is...a diva who tries to control everyone and everything...her own family wants nothing to do with her..says a lot about her..not her kids..just her
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4-13-2010 @ 2:38PM
ev said...This is the problem with reality tv: it gives people the false impression that they are some sort of "star" and therefore entitled to certain "star" perks and such. Why can't she get a job like she had before to take care of the kids; no--she has gotten used to being a "star", thus having to have a star's lifestyle. Jon had a job too before the show, now he doesn't and since he's a "star" he's gotta be in the limelight too. The kids are the losers here, they are learning that it's only worth it if there are cameras following you around and you get to do all sorts of "special" things on the chap cos you're famous. get thee to a therapist, Gosselins one and all!!
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4-13-2010 @ 2:45PM
Laurie Cook said...Hey, I had no problem with them having the kids on the show. Some people say that they were taking advantage of them, I say they providing for thier future. Their kids were no different than any other child star except that their parents were there for them 24/7. It's stupid that she was forced out of that show and its MORE stupid that people can even try to fault her for what she's doing now. I know that Kate doesn't exactly come across as America's sweetheart but she's got hutzpah! I say good for her!
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4-13-2010 @ 2:45PM
Val said...They are BOTH sucky absentee parents.
Just because Jon openly flaunted his girlfriends and wigged out does not give Kate a free pass to do what she is doing. She is letting NANNIES raise the kids while she goes off to be a celebrity. She spent 1 and a half days in PA last week and half that time she was at the tanning salon, getting her nails done and rehearsing. The kids were lucky to maybe have a couple hours of her time in an entire week.
The woman got a million freakin' dollars for 3 books. Why is that not enough for a little while? She acts like her power is going to be shut off and her car repo'ed if she doesn't "work" in LA. Her poor kids are going to starve!!!
She is living WAY WAY beyond her means and does what she does because she refuses to give up the lavish lifestyle. Why did she need a $70,0000 SUV that can't even fit all of her kids? Do they really need a million dollar house with 24 acres? She is trading time with her kids for luxeries, plain and simple. Letting nannies do all the hard work while she plays in Hollywood.
And her arrogance and self entitlement and hateful attitude just makes all this 100x's harder to take.
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4-13-2010 @ 2:48PM
jannykmac said...With Jon's lack of morals and judgement it would be a crime if those kids ended up with him...
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4-13-2010 @ 2:48PM
cher said...Hey Jon, why aren't you working. All I ever see is picutures of you having fun like being in the clubs, working out, on the beach. What kind of job are you doing????? I hardly ever see Kate doing anything fun. She is either working or with the kids. Get off your high horse and get a jobbbbbb.
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4-13-2010 @ 2:53PM
liana said...I stopped watching the show just after they moved into the new house because I could not stand the way the kids were treated by one of the parents. Someone on that show is deeply deluded on the aspects of having kids...... sleeping past 9am? coffee in bed?? tanning??? flying across the country to be on a show???? That PERSON should stop and think, put themself in the kids shoes and think about what they will be telling their kids one day when it comes to their childhood. I don't feel for anyone on the show except the children- the adults both made mistakes, but the kids really had no say in anything. As to needing to support the kids....... has anyone wondered about royalties?? Need I say more??
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