ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com/media/feedlogo.gif ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/02/dr-seuss-birthday/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/02/dr-seuss-birthday/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/02/dr-seuss-birthday/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dr. Seuss birthday Horton Hears a Who!

"Horton Hears a Who!" is another Dr. Seuss classic that became a big-screen success. Credit: 20th Century Fox

Theodor Seuss Geisel, the man who created such iconic characters as the Cat in the Hat and the Grinch and generally made childhood more whimsical, imaginative and fun, would have been 107 today. Better known as Dr. Seuss, "In his 48 books, he tied up tidy moral lessons in bright, ridiculous packaging," the Washington Post reports.

In honor of Dr. Seuss, today is also "Read Across America Day," so we suggest cuddling up with your little one and sharing the magic of your favorite childhood story. What was your favorite Dr. Seuss book? The ParentDish team gave a thumbs up to The Sneetches -- a good lesson on bullying -- but we'd love to hear your faves.

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]]>dr seussDrSeussread across america dayReadAcrossAmericaDayColleen EganWed, 02 Mar 2011 12:01:00 ESTBilly Ray Cyrus: 'Hannah Montana' Show 'Destroyed My Family'http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/15/billy-ray-cyrus-hannah-montana-show-destroyed-my-family/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/15/billy-ray-cyrus-hannah-montana-show-destroyed-my-family/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/15/billy-ray-cyrus-hannah-montana-show-destroyed-my-family/#commentsFiled under:

Billy Ray Cyrus

Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus at the "Hannah Montana: The Movie" premiere in 2009. Credit: Kristian Dowling, Getty Images

"Best of Both Worlds" is the name of a concert film featuring Miley Cyrus and her TV alter ego, Hannah Montana, but it certainly isn't a phrase that describes father Billy Ray Cyrus' professional life or his personal life.

In fact, as Cyrus tells GQ, he has nothing but regrets about the "Hannah Montana" show, which catapulted Miley to stratospheric fame. "[I]t destroyed my family. I'll tell you right now -- the damn show destroyed my family," he tells the magazine.

He wants to make it clear that he wasn't cashing in on his teen daughter's fame.

"For the record," he says, "to set it straight, I want to tell you: I've never made a dime off of Miley. You got a lot of people have made percentages off of her. I'm proud to say to this day I've never made one commissioned dollar, or dime, off of my daughter."

In addition to admitting his regrets about "Hannah Montana," Cyrus is owning up to his parenting mistakes.

"How many interviews did I give and say, 'You know what's important between me and Miley is I try to be a friend to my kids'? I said it a lot. And sometimes I would even read other parents might say, 'You don't need to be a friend, you need to be a parent.' Well, I'm the first guy to say to them right now: You were right. I should have been a better parent," he tells GQ.

What do you think? Do you believe Billy Ray Cyrus is sincere, or do you think he put his family in this position and doesn't deserve any sympathy?

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]]>billy ray cyrusBillyRayCyrushannah montanaHannahMontanamiley cyrusMileyCyrusColleen EganTue, 15 Feb 2011 15:15:00 ESTTeen Bullying Victim Meets Philadelphia Eagles on 'The View'http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/03/teen-bullying-victim-meets-philadelphia-eagles-on-the-view/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/03/teen-bullying-victim-meets-philadelphia-eagles-on-the-view/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/03/teen-bullying-victim-meets-philadelphia-eagles-on-the-view/#commentsFiled under: ,




A teen whose bullying attack was videotaped got some surprising new allies when he appeared on "The View" today.

Nadin Khoury of Upper Darby, Pa., was attacked on Jan. 11 by seven older teenagers and hung from a fence by his clothing, ABC 6 reports.

"They were messing with me because I'm one of the smallest ones and, when we first moved to the area, they saw my mom was African and they made fun of my mom a lot," Khoury tells "The View."

After Khoury told his story, Philadelphia Eagles plays DeSean Jackson, Todd Herremans and Jamaal Jackson came out the greet the teen and they told him they 'had his back' in case anyone tried to mess with him again.

Say it with us: "Awww."


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]]>nadin khouryNadinKhouryColleen EganThu, 03 Feb 2011 17:42:00 ESTMemphis Officials Take Action After Spike in Teen Pregnancyhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/19/teen-pregnancy/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/19/teen-pregnancy/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/19/teen-pregnancy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Prompted by news reports last week that 90 girls at one Memphis high school are pregnant or have had a baby this school year, local officials are launching initiatives to stem the tide of teen pregnancy.

Officials question the number, noting that more than three dozen girls transferred to Frayser High School to take part in a program designed specifically for teen moms. Nonetheless, they admit teen pregnancy is a serious problem.

"Do we have a community-wide issue of babies having babies? The answer is yes. Unequivocally, yes," Dr. Kriner Cash, superintendent of Memphis City Schools, tells NBC's "Today."

Despite the increase in baby bumps, though, Cash insists the students are not involved in a pregnancy pact.

One teen mom at the school has a different take on why the number is so high. Some girls, she tells the "Today" show, got pregnant by accident and others because they "think it's cute."

Tennessee ranks in the top 10 for the highest teen-pregnancy rates in the country. Also, according to 2008 numbers, Frayser is in one of four ZIP codes in Memphis where at least 25 percent of babies are born to mothers age 19 and younger, WREG.com reports.

"The key is not how bad is it. The key is how many people are working on it, and by that measure I think we're off to a good start," Memphis Mayor AC Wharton says.

One new pregnancy prevention initiative is the "No Baby" awareness program, which will consist of after-school centers run by Girls, Inc. Memphis.

"The whole point of that is to teach them to say no. That's the reason this is 'No Baby.' No, we're not going to have babies. No, we're not going to have sex. Or at least we're going to be protected if we're going to do something. So, that's really our purpose, to teach these girls how to say no. They don't know how," Deborah Hester Harrison, president and chief executive officer of Girls Inc., tells WREG.com.

Psychologist Dale Atkins tells "Today" that both sexes need to be involved in raising awareness.

"We also have to educate the boys, too," she says. "It's not just about educating the girls."


To that end, Memphis has also announced a new program for teen boys with Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, WREG.com reports. The program includes five mentoring sessions and a three-month follow up with counselors, says Meri Armour, president and chief executive officer of Le Bonheur.

The program, called "Be Proud! Be Responsible!" is funded with a $4 million, five-year federal grant that the medical center won in September, Sara Burnett, communications manager with Le Bonheur tells ParentDish. The evidence-based program for kids ages 13 to 18 has proven effective with teen boys, though the new version will also include girls, Burnett says. In addition to sex education, it will focus on developing self-esteem and healthy behaviors.

Psychiatrist Janet Taylor tells "Today" that parents should start discussing sex with their kids early on.

"This is not just about sexual activity," Taylor says. "This is about how our young girls feel about themselves."

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]]>Colleen EganWed, 19 Jan 2011 13:38:00 ESTJustin Bieber to Continue Making Tween Girls Lose Their Minds in 2011http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/04/justin-bieber-to-continue-making-tween-girls-lose-their-minds-in/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/04/justin-bieber-to-continue-making-tween-girls-lose-their-minds-in/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/04/justin-bieber-to-continue-making-tween-girls-lose-their-minds-in/#commentsFiled under: ,

justin bieber

Justin Bieber is sticking around (sigh). Credit: Art Streiber, AP Photo/Vanity Fair

Your case of Bieber fever is about to be upgraded to inoperable tumor.

In fact, the February cover of Vanity Fair asks: "Is this the adorable, inescapable face of 2011?"

We hope not.

As far as teen idols go, Justin Bieber is relatively inoffensive, what with his swooped version of a bowl cut and vanilla, if grating ("Baby, baby, baby ohhhhhh ...") lyrics. In other words, he's not stumbling in and out of rehab or the beds of starlets. But still, he's ... ubiquitous.

But at least The Biebs is self aware.

"Of course, I think that people are just waiting for that time when I make a mistake and they're gonna jump on it. ... There's gonna be haters," Bieber tells Vanity Fair. "I know I'm not going to make a life-changing bad decision, as some people have. I've seen it happen too many times. I could be my own worst enemy, but I don't want to mess this up."

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]]>justin bieberJustinBiebervanity fairVanityFairColleen EganTue, 04 Jan 2011 17:25:00 ESTFormer PFLAG President Adele Starr Dieshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/13/former-pflag-president-adele-starr-dies/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/13/former-pflag-president-adele-starr-dies/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/13/former-pflag-president-adele-starr-dies/#commentsFiled under:

adele starr

Adele Starr was a vocal advocate for civil rights. Credit: Brian van der Brug, Los Angeles Times / MCT

The gay rights movement just lost one tough mama.

Gay rights activist Adele Starr, who founded the Los Angeles chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, has died at age 90.

Starr was initially disappointed when she found out in 1974 that her son Philip was gay, the Los Angeles Times reports. At the time, "being gay was still seen as a mental illness," Philip Starr tells the Times. "And parenting was often blamed as the cause," he says. "So parents really felt bad -- they felt like they were bad parents."

He encouraged his mother to form a support group, which eventually evolved into the organization that is now known as Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or PFLAG. Starr became PFLAG's first national president in 1981, and she continued to serve as an outspoken advocate for civil rights and the legalization of same-sex marriage throughout her life.

PFLAG, which has added transgendered people, is now a Washington-based nonprofit group with 200,000 members and supporters and 500 affiliates worldwide, the Times reports.

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]]>adele starrAdeleStarrpflagColleen EganMon, 13 Dec 2010 16:12:00 ESTToday's Riddle Me This Answer -- Dec. 7, 2010http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/07/todays-riddle-me-this-answer-dec-7-2010/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/07/todays-riddle-me-this-answer-dec-7-2010/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/07/todays-riddle-me-this-answer-dec-7-2010/#commentsFiled under:

Why was the baby ant confused?

ANSWER: Because all of his uncles were ants.

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]]>Colleen EganTue, 07 Dec 2010 06:00:00 ESTToday's Riddle Me Thishttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/07/todays-riddle-me-this/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/07/todays-riddle-me-this/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/07/todays-riddle-me-this/#commentsFiled under:

Why was the baby ant confused?

Click on this link for the answer.

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]]>Colleen EganTue, 07 Dec 2010 06:00:00 ESTToday's Riddle Me This Answer -- Dec. 6, 2010http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/06/todays-riddle-me-this-answer-dec-6-2010/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/06/todays-riddle-me-this-answer-dec-6-2010/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/06/todays-riddle-me-this-answer-dec-6-2010/#commentsFiled under:

Who can shave all day and still have a beard?

ANSWER: A barber.

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]]>Colleen EganMon, 06 Dec 2010 06:00:00 ESTToday's Riddle Me Thishttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/06/todays-riddle-me-this/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/06/todays-riddle-me-this/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/06/todays-riddle-me-this/#commentsFiled under:

Who can shave all day and still have a beard?

Click on this link for the answer.

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]]>riddlesColleen EganMon, 06 Dec 2010 06:00:00 ESTSarah Palin's Daughter Willow Uses Homophobic Slurs in Facebook Posthttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/17/sarah-palin-willow/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/17/sarah-palin-willow/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/17/sarah-palin-willow/#commentsFiled under: ,

sarah palin willow picture

Willow Palin lashes out at haters with harsh language. Credit: David McNew, Getty Images

Willow Palin, the 16-year-old daughter of Sarah Palin, wrote several homophobic slurs and used foul language on Facebook on Sunday night, TMZ reports.

The teenager wrote the remarks after a Facebook user named Tre criticized her mom's new TLC show, "Sarah Palin's Alaska." Tre wrote, "Sarah Palin's Alaska is failing so hard right now," and Wilow fired back, calling Tre "so gay" and a "f**got."

Bristol Palin also responded to Tre's post, writing, "You're running your mouth just to talk sh*t," TMZ reports. She also shot back at a Facebook user named Jon, writing "You'll be as successful as my baby daddy, And actually I do work my ass off. I've been a single mom for the last two years."

A source connected to the Palin family tells TMZ that Willow doesn't usually use this kind of language, but she felt like she and her family were being attacked.

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]]>bristol palinBristolPalinSarah PalinSarahPalinWillow PalinWillowPalinColleen EganWed, 17 Nov 2010 10:24:00 ESTJosh and Anna Duggar Expecting Second Childhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/11/josh-anna-duggar/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/11/josh-anna-duggar/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/11/josh-anna-duggar/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Josh and Anna are expecting baby no. 2! Credit: Scott Enlow, TLC


When the Duggars, one of America's most beloved supersized families, expands, the news is well, huge.

Today Josh Duggar and his wife Anna announced that they are expecting their second child. The young couple stars with Josh's parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and his 18 siblings, on TLC's reality show "19 Kids and Counting."

Josh and Anna chatted with ParentDish about their big news. Also, check out TLC's "19 Kids and Counting: GrandDuggar First Birthday" this Sunday at 8 pm EST/7 pm CT.

ParentDish: Congratulations on your big announcement! How far along are you, Anna?
Anna Duggar: Ten weeks.

PD: What made you decide to share the news so early on?
AD: When you have good news, it's hard to keep it in!



PD: Josh, since you and your 18 siblings all have names that start with "J," are you going to continue the tradition and give your kids "M" names like your daughter Mackynzie?
Josh Duggar: Everybody asks us that, but we're not sure. We'll have to wait and see what happens after we have an ultrasound to find out if we're having a boy or a girl.

PD: You just celebrated Mackynzie's birthday, which will air this Sunday on TLC's "19 Kids and Counting: GrandDuggar First Birthday." How is she doing?
AD: She's doing great! She's walking everywhere.

PD: Now that you have been married for a few years, how do you keep things romantic?
AD: Josh is amazing. He still opens the door for me.

PD: How do you find time to focus on your relationship?
AD: One thing is having a date night once a week. It doesn't always mean that we have to go to dinner -- sometimes we can just go for a drive. And Josh is a night owl, so we have time to talk after Mackynzie goes to bed.



PD: Anna, you recently revealed that you had a miscarriage last summer. How are you dealing with that?
AD: It was not an easy thing to go through. You experience so many emotions so fast. One thing that someone shared with me that helped was to thank God. I was so thankful to God when I found out I was pregnant, but it was hard to be thankful when I found out I miscarried.

PD: Anna, since you and Josh come from such big families (Anna is one of eight children), do you feel any pressure to have a lot of kids?
AD: No, I do not in any way feel pressure at all.

PD: Since Josh's youngest sister Josie was a preemie and experienced a lot of health issues, can you tell us how she's doing now?
AD: She's doing great -- rolling over, trying to scoot. It's amazing. She's developing so well for being a preemie baby.

PD: What's it like parenting in front of TV cameras?
JD: it's been a lot of fun! People will write with advice about what worked for them when their kids went through the same things. We've definitely been able to learn a lot.

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]]>anna duggarAnnaDuggarduggarsjosh duggarJoshDuggarmiscarriageColleen EganThu, 11 Nov 2010 18:24:00 ESTMom Defends Son's 'Daphne' Halloween Costumehttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/08/mom-defends-sons-daphne-halloween-costume/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/08/mom-defends-sons-daphne-halloween-costume/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/08/mom-defends-sons-daphne-halloween-costume/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Jump in the Mystery Machine, boys and girls, because one mom is trying to figure out why her son's Halloween costume -- Daphne from "Scooby-Doo" -- caused such a national uproar.

The Kansas City-area mom identified as "Sarah" says her 5-year-old son loves Scooby-Doo and initially wanted to dress as Daphne, but reconsidered because he was afraid people would laugh at him. Sarah says she assured him no one would make fun of him, but writes that she was taken aback when mothers at his Christian preschool posed "noisy, probing questions" about his costume, KBMC.com reports.

In fact, she says it wasn't her son's classmates who had a problem with the costume. "No child said a word to him that day in any sort of negative capacity," Sarah says on the "Today" show. She says that most parents were supportive, but when a few mothers criticized her, "I just sort of played it off. I didn't want to cause a big scene," she tells "Today," adding, "I didn't want to make a mistake in front of my son by reacting in a negative way."

Sarah says one mother told her that children are mean and she had opened her son up for ridicule. She writes, "My response to that: The only people that seem to have a problem with it is their mothers."

The negative reaction to her son's costume prompted Sarah to write about the incident on her Nerdy Apple Bottom blog.

"If you think that me allowing my son to be a female character for Halloween is somehow going to 'make' him gay then you are an idiot," she writes on her blog, adding, "If my daughter had dressed as Batman, no one would have thought twice about it. No one."

She writes that these mothers are guilty of bullying. "IT IS NOT OK TO BULLY," she writes on her blog. "Even if you wrap it up in a bow and call it 'concern.' Those women were trying to bully me. And my son. MY son."

Sarah, who writes that it was "heartbreaking" that her son was right to be worried about what people would say, adds, "My job as his mother is not to stifle that man that he will be, but to help him along his way. Mine is not to dictate what is 'normal' and what is not, but to help him become a good person."

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]]>bullyingscooby-dooColleen EganMon, 08 Nov 2010 14:00:00 ESTStella McCartney Goes Kiddie Chic With 2010 Holiday Collectionhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/03/stella-mccartney-goes-kiddie-chic-with-2010-holiday-collection/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/03/stella-mccartney-goes-kiddie-chic-with-2010-holiday-collection/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/03/stella-mccartney-goes-kiddie-chic-with-2010-holiday-collection/#commentsFiled under: , ,


stella mccartney clothing line picture

Snap up the Leo sweatshirt and give money to Meat-Free Monday. Credit: Stella McCartney

Famed British designer Stella McCartney launches her first kids' collection today under her own label, and, seeing as how she's expecting her fourth child, we're pretty sure she knows what kids -- and moms -- want.

"I wanted this first collection to include basic pieces that are comfortable and that address a child's needs, without sacrificing the fun and carefree elements," she says in a statement.

The celeb-favorite McCartney, who has designed two collections for Gap Kids, stocked her kids' line with stylish staples including side-zip stretch skinny jeans, classic wool pea coats and luxe cotton cashmere hoodies. Items from the line, which is for boys and girls from newborn to age 12, start at $20.

We're big fans of the organic cotton Leo sweatshirt (shown here), especially due to the fact that a portion of online sales will benefit "Meat Free Monday," an environmental campaign that the vegan designer started with her Beatle dad Paul McCartney and sister, Mary.

Available at stellamccartneykids.com.

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]]>stella mccartneyStellaMccartneyColleen EganWed, 03 Nov 2010 14:00:00 ESTFriday Giveaway Rounduphttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/29/friday-giveaway-roundup/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/29/friday-giveaway-roundup/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/29/friday-giveaway-roundup/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Trick or treat! Credit: Dunkin' Donuts

Get a great start to your weekend! Enter these awesome contests across the AOL Living sites:

Parentdish: Dunkin' Donuts Spooktacular Halloween Trick-or-Treat Bag
Deadline to enter: Friday, October 29, 2010

Parentdish: Colgate Toothpaste Prize Pack Giveaway
Deadline to enter: Friday, October 29, 2010
Lemondrop: Yummie Tummie Ella Rae Long Sleeve Dress Giveaway
Deadline to enter: Friday, October 29, 2010

Aisledash: Pair of FitKits Giveaway
Deadline to enter: Friday, October 29, 2010

AOL Health: EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook Giveaway
Deadline to enter: Monday, November 1, 2010

That's Fit: Bob Harper Kettlebell and Workout DVD Giveaway
Deadline to enter: Friday, October 29, 2010

Holidash: I Want Candy Cane Christmas Tree Giveaway
Deadline to enter: Friday, October 29, 2010

Feeling lucky? Enter them all!

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]]>colgatedunkin donutsDunkinDonutsColleen EganFri, 29 Oct 2010 10:20:00 EST7-Year-Old Rapper Mocks Willow Smith's 'Whip My Hair' Videohttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/28/7-year-old-rapper-mocks-willow-smiths-whip-my-hair-video/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/28/7-year-old-rapper-mocks-willow-smiths-whip-my-hair-video/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/28/7-year-old-rapper-mocks-willow-smiths-whip-my-hair-video/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The playground rap wars have officially begun.

Rapper Matty B., 7, has posted a YouTube video in response to 9-year-old Willow Smith's catchy-yet-maddening "Whip My Hair" video, in which he questions if the hair whipping is really a neck spasm, Jezebel reports. "This makes me worry about these ladies' safety," he raps.

"Guys, we totally just owned them," Matty B. says to his swingset cronies.

That sounds like a challenge, Willow.

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]]>whip my hairWhipMyHairwillow smithWillowSmithColleen EganThu, 28 Oct 2010 08:54:00 ESTBreak-Ups Made Easier: New York No-Fault Divorce Law Goes Into Effecthttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/14/break-ups-made-easier-new-york-no-fault-divorce-law-goes-into-e/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/14/break-ups-made-easier-new-york-no-fault-divorce-law-goes-into-e/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/14/break-ups-made-easier-new-york-no-fault-divorce-law-goes-into-e/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

divorce picture

Divorce in New York doesn't have to be a battle anymore. Credit: Getty Images

Ending a marriage in the Empire State got a whole lot less contentious (well, potentially at least) when the no-fault divorce law went into effect Oct 13.

New York was the last state in the nation to adopt a no-fault option, which allows a couple to break up without forcing one party to take the blame for adultery, abandonment or cruel and inhuman treatment, the New York Post reports.

"This is not divorce on demand. This allows an option of divorce with dignity, and brings New York in line with the rest of the country," says State Assemblyman Jonathan Bing, one of the sponsors of the bill.

Bing says people had told him they'd moved out of New York to get a no-fault divorce in another state.

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]]>divorceno-fault divorceNo-faultDivorceColleen EganThu, 14 Oct 2010 14:30:00 ESTFamily of Dying Child Cyber Bullied by Neighborshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/family-of-dying-child-cyber-bullied-by-neighbors/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/family-of-dying-child-cyber-bullied-by-neighbors/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/family-of-dying-child-cyber-bullied-by-neighbors/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,




The family of Kathleen Edward, a 7-year-old Michigan girl in the late stages of a terminal illness, is dealing with not only the girl's deteriorating health, but also online and in-person harassment from their neighbors, ABC News reports.

Kathleen is in the late stages of Huntington's Disease, a genetic degenerative brain disorder that her mother, Laura Edward, died of last year.

The Edward's neighbor, Jennifer Petkov, posted images on Facebook of Laura in the arms of the Grim Reaper and Kathleen above a set of crossbones. She and her husband, Scott Petkov, put a coffin on their truck and drove past the Edward home, honking the horn, ABC News reports.

Jennifer Petkov tells Detroit news station WJBK that she posted the photos for "personal satisfaction" and to upset Kathleen's grandmother.

Since the story has been reported in the media, Jennifer Petkov has been attacked on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Also, Scott Petkov tells the Detroit News that, as a result of the Facebook page Jennifer created, last week his employer suspended him with pay from his job as a forklift repairman, and he could be fired.

The Petkovs have since apologized to the Edward family, telling the Detroit News their actions were "ignorant." They say they would apologize in person, but the Edward family has personal protective orders against their neighbors.

"What I did was ignorant and wrong and I would walk right across this street now and apologize, if it weren't for the PPO (personal protection order issued against her earlier by a court)," Jennifer Petkov tells the Detroit News. "I'm not proud of myself because this went from a neighborhood dispute to a huge thing."

Cheryl Dellasega, author and professor of humanities at Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey, Penn., calls the situation the "most extreme case [of cyber-bullying] I've ever heard of." She adds, "I have to wonder if there wasn't some pathology involved that they would need to express something so heinous online. They couldn't work their negative feelings out in some other way, like through counseling."

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]]>bullyingcyber bullyingCyberBullyingColleen EganWed, 13 Oct 2010 15:30:00 ESTNot Just 'Big Boned': Chinese Toddler Weighs 140 Poundshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/not-just-big-boned-chinese-toddler-weighs-140-pounds/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/not-just-big-boned-chinese-toddler-weighs-140-pounds/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/not-just-big-boned-chinese-toddler-weighs-140-pounds/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Fat toddler picture

Three-year-old Xiao Hao is five times the size of a normal child his age. Credit: CEN / Europics / Rex / Rex USA


A 3-year-old boy in China weighs 140 pounds, more than five times a normal child his age, which has his mother seeking the help of doctors.

Some medical experts think he might have a growth hormone disorder, but others think Xiao Hao has China's "Little Emperor" syndrome, where families are allowed only one child, so they spoil him, the Sun in London reports.

Doctors are concerned, but hopeful about Xiao Hao.

"He is not just overweight but very tall, as well, so we may be able to treat him if it really is hormonal," says Dr. Lu Hong from the Guangdong children's hospital. "But he cannot remain like this or his heart will never stand the strain."

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]]>childhood obesityChildhoodObesityobese childObeseChildColleen EganWed, 13 Oct 2010 11:25:00 ESTCute Laptop Case? Yes, It's Possiblehttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/29/cute-laptop-case/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/29/cute-laptop-case/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/29/cute-laptop-case/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

laptop cases

The Ocean Surprise laptop case by Athena is a refreshing alternative to boring bags. Credit: Athena


Laptop bags tend to be so ... uninspiring.

Clunky black faux leather case? No thanks.

So, we're loving the sleek new line of laptop cases from Athena, which feature bold designs, bright colors and, most importantly, functionality like handles and clip-on shoulder straps.

The neoprene bags are available in styles for 12-inch and 14-inch laptops, and Athena also has a line of laptop sleeves for 8.9-inch and 12-inch computers.

If you're shopping for a new laptop (and you're obsessed with coordinating your tech accessories), check out Athena's line of designer Style PC notebooks and matching cases, as well!

Available at athena4me.com for $79.99.

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]]>athenalaptop bagLaptopBagColleen EganWed, 29 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST