ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com/media/feedlogo.gif ParentDish http://www.parentdish.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Can They Talk? Joan and Melissa Rivers Chat About Raising a Boy in Hollywoodhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/16/joan-and-melissa/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/16/joan-and-melissa/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/16/joan-and-melissa/#commentsFiled under: ,

When Joan and Melissa Rivers stopped by the office to chat about their new WeTV reality show, "Joan Knows Best?," we had to ask about life in Hollywood as a single mom (Melissa) and a grandma (Joan). The two managed to answer the questions, but not without a healthy dose of sarcasm. Surprisingly, Melissa is remarkably conservative in the raising of her son. Joan, on the other hand, invokes the grandparent privilege.

Take a look.

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]]>joan knows bestjoan riversJoanKnowsBestJoanRiversmelissa riversMelissaRiversSusan AveryWed, 16 Feb 2011 08:53:00 ESTThe Situation and Bristol Palin Hook Up on Teen Pregnancy Prevention - Fuhgeddaboudithttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/16/the-situation-and-bristol-palin-hook-up-on-teen-pregnancy-preven/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/16/the-situation-and-bristol-palin-hook-up-on-teen-pregnancy-preven/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/16/the-situation-and-bristol-palin-hook-up-on-teen-pregnancy-preven/#commentsFiled under: ,



Gym, tan ... condom?

We fell into Bizarroland when we saw this public service announcement featuring "Dancing With the Stars" Bristol Palin and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino extolling the virtues of safe sex.

As the two debate the pros and cons of getting it on, we had to chuckle. We cringed when creepy-yet-charming Sorrentino tried to give his pal "B. Palin" one of his (magnum, he's careful to note) condoms, but since getting girls to come home and sleep with him on "The Jersey Shore" seems to be his raison d'etre, he needs to be safe. Plus, he is truly funny, and perfect to Palin's straight man. In fact, The Situation and Bristol Palin seem to have so much chemistry that we have to wonder if they'll start tangoing off camera ...

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]]>bristol palinBristolPalindancing with the starsDancingWithTheStarsmike the situation sorrentinoMikeTheSituationSorrentinoSusan AveryTue, 16 Nov 2010 16:50:00 ESTBest Middle School Football Trick Play Everhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/09/best-middle-school-football-trick-play-ever/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/09/best-middle-school-football-trick-play-ever/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/09/best-middle-school-football-trick-play-ever/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



When middle school quarterback Jason Garza took to this field this past weekend, his opponents had no idea that he and his teammates were going to pull a fast one.

Actually, it was more like a slow one. The Texas eighth grader took the snap in the fourth quarter and then began a leisurely walk toward the goal line. To help pull off the bait-and-switch move, his teammates acted as if he had no idea what he was doing.

Just as planned, the football fake-out completely baffled the opposing team, leaving them standing still, as 14-year-old Garza dashed to the end zone when he was well out of striking distance.

"This was the coolest trick we had," John De Los Santos, assistant coach of the Driscoll Middle School in Corpus Christi, tells ParentDish. "We hadn't really needed it until the last game of the season and it benefited us in the long run."

The mischievous maneuver tied up the score. But, because of University Interscholastic League rules, middle school football cannot go into overtime, so the game ended with a 6-6 score. Despite the tie, the win went to the opposing team, Wynn Seale Academy of Fine Arts, also in Corpus Christi, because they had two penetrations at the 20-yard line, as compared to Driscoll's single penetration.

De Los Santos says that there's general discontent with the ruling.

"A lot of coaches don't agree [with the league rule]," he says. "Overtime should be allowed in playoffs."

De Los Santos says there were some tears from a few of his players after losing the game, but the kids quickly recovered when the video of the illusion play went viral. The team's efforts -- a month of practicing the clever deception -- certainly paid off, garnering the school kudos from newscasters nationwide.

But where did De Los Santos come up with such a smart play?

"I remember running it when I was in seventh grade," says the first-year football coach. "The other team saw what was going on and hit me. But I always had it in my mind."

Now, years later, when it was time for the 26-year-old coach to teach his young team the trick, he designed the play with the other players acting as if they had no idea what was going on either. What made it even better, says De Los Santos, was that the opposing line backer asked the walking Garza, no. 14, what he was doing and the Ranger quarterback answered, "I'm marking off yards," which completely threw off the opposing team even further.

So, now that football season is over, what's next for the crafty coach?

"If I told you, they wouldn't be tricks up my sleeve," he wisecracked. "But tryouts are today for basketball. I joke with the kids that someone will do cartwheels down one sideline and someone else will do back flips down the other. Then we'll run the ball down the middle."

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]]>Susan AveryTue, 09 Nov 2010 14:41:00 ESTWicked Cast to Bullied Kids: 'It Gets Better'http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/06/wicked-cast-it-gets-better/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/06/wicked-cast-it-gets-better/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/06/wicked-cast-it-gets-better/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,



On our list of top 10 things we need daily, a supportive hug ranks almost as high as chocolate. But if that hug can't be in person, we'll still go for a virtual squeeze.

Today we took one from the cast of the Broadway hit, Wicked, who reminds everyone that life gets better. The video, targeted at gay kids, shows actors baring their souls as they talk about their childhood days when they were bullied. But the message, that there is that proverbial light at the end of the bullying tunnel, comes through loud and clear.

We just hope the kids believe it. As Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West sings in the show, "Everyone deserves the chance to fly."

And if you know a kid who's being bullied, after you do your part to make it stop, take him or her to see Wicked. It's all about bullying and power, with a twist even bigger than the twister in "The Wizard of Oz".

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]]>Susan AveryWed, 06 Oct 2010 15:52:00 ESTMichael Jackson and Roberta Flack: A Duet From the Old Dayshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/michael-jackson-and-roberta-flack-a-duet-from-the-old-days/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/michael-jackson-and-roberta-flack-a-duet-from-the-old-days/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/michael-jackson-and-roberta-flack-a-duet-from-the-old-days/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Here's what we love about our new partnership with Marlo Thomas: She just wants to make people happy.

So when she posted this on her website -- Michael Jackson and Roberta Flack singing, "When We Grown up" from her vintage TV show, "Free to Be You and Me" -- it made us smile and we had to share.

"Michael Jackson at 14 was such a sweet boy," Marlo tells her spokesperson, who passed along the message to us. "The song includes the line, 'We like what we look like. We don't have to change at all.' If only Michael had hung on to that notion."

A good message for us all.

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]]>Susan AveryTue, 05 Oct 2010 12:20:00 ESTEllen DeGeneres Speaks Out Against Bullyinghttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/01/ellen-degeneres-speaks-out-against-bullying/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/01/ellen-degeneres-speaks-out-against-bullying/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/01/ellen-degeneres-speaks-out-against-bullying/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,



Ellen DeGeneres knows from whence she speaks. Listen to her. And if you want more help on how to deal with bullies, contact the Trevor Project, the Pacer Center: National Center for Bullying Prevention and Matthew's Place.

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]]>bullyingellen degeneresEllenDegeneresSusan AveryFri, 01 Oct 2010 11:33:00 ESTManners Rule: No Sneeze Necessaryhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/15/politeness-rules-no-sneeze-necessary/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/15/politeness-rules-no-sneeze-necessary/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/15/politeness-rules-no-sneeze-necessary/#commentsFiled under:





How cute is a polite child? Especially one who loves her mom and dad?

This adorable video was sent into our ParentDish YouTube group and we had to share it with the rest of you. Clearly, this blonde munchkin is embracing the concept of proper etiquette.

Bless you, baby!

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]]>polite childrenPoliteChildrenyoutubeSusan AveryWed, 15 Sep 2010 16:11:00 ESTMichelle Duggar Chats About Her Breast Milk Ban and Losing the Baby Weight (Again)http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/03/michelle-duggar-chats-about-her-breast-milk-ban-and-losing-the-b/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/03/michelle-duggar-chats-about-her-breast-milk-ban-and-losing-the-b/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/03/michelle-duggar-chats-about-her-breast-milk-ban-and-losing-the-b/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Michelle Duggar with Josie

Michelle Duggar teaches baby Josie to love the camera. Credit: Jim Bob Duggar

Michelle Duggar recently returned to her Tontitown, Arkansas home with her newborn Josie, who arrived three months early. Like any mom of a preemie, there's a lot of "don't touch the baby" going on in the Duggar household, what with 18 others germing up the joint.

But the reality TV star of 19 Kids and Counting has got it covered. The 43-year-old uber mom spoke to ParentDish by phone yesterday about life with a preemie, the surprising cause of her baby's upset tummy and her own plans for losing the (19th) baby weight. An edited version of the interview follows.

ParentDish: Welcome home. How are you feeling?
Michelle Duggar: I'm doing good. I feel much better than I did 7½ months ago, that's for sure. I'm so glad to have Josie home.

PD: Tell me about Josie? Is she your first preemie?
MD: Our second set of twins, Jedidiah and Jeremiah, came at about five weeks before their due date, but they were 5 lbs. each. They were in the hospital for about nine days. Jeremiah's lung collapsed and he had antibiotics. They're 11 years old now and just fine.

PD: Now about Josie.
MD: We are so thankful. It could've been much more serious. We're grateful that it was a diet change that made the difference for her. We changed from breast milk to a predigested formula that has no lactose, and within 12 hours she was better. And, within a week, she was pooing on her own, without us having to give her an enema. She was a totally different baby a week later.

PD: Wow, breast milk was the culprit?
MD: Typically, they never want to take a preemie off breast milk, but in her case the lactose in my milk was causing a problem. Her body was not producing lactase, which breaks down the lactose.

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]]>Duggar familyDuggarFamilyjosie duggarJosieDuggarMichelle DuggarMichelleDuggarSusan AveryTue, 03 Aug 2010 06:59:00 ESTAffirmation Girl Has a Pasthttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/22/affirmation-girl-has-a-past/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/22/affirmation-girl-has-a-past/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/22/affirmation-girl-has-a-past/#commentsFiled under: ,



Back in May, we discovered a most adorable video of Jessica, a little girl who looked in the mirror and cheered to her daily affirmation that everything in her life is great.

Now, we found her younger self, meeting her newborn sister, Vanessa, for the first time. From the way she's able to quiet the baby, it's evident that Jessica is all about making everyone around her happy.

We likey.

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]]>Susan AveryThu, 22 Jul 2010 10:55:00 ESTRapper, 7, Got it Goin' Onhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/22/rapper-7-got-it-goin-on/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/22/rapper-7-got-it-goin-on/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/22/rapper-7-got-it-goin-on/#commentsFiled under: , ,




Our morning smile was inspired by Matty B, a 7-year-old rapper at the playground, who's got a great sound and some nifty pop-n-lock moves.

But don't dare say the obvious (shhhh ... he looks like Justin Bieber). At around :57 seconds, he sets us straight about that resemblance, adding, "There is nothing cute about rappin'. Capice?"

Yeah, we capice. But we still think you're pretty cute.

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]]>Susan AveryThu, 22 Jul 2010 09:43:00 ESTOpinion: Holocaust Survivor and Family Do the Dance of Life at Auschwitzhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/18/holocaust-survivor-dances-with-family-at-auschwitz/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/18/holocaust-survivor-dances-with-family-at-auschwitz/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/18/holocaust-survivor-dances-with-family-at-auschwitz/#commentsFiled under: ,


Some are calling this insensitive but at ParentDish, we call it a pure celebration of life.

Holocaust survivor Adolek Kohn never dreamed he would head back to the concentration camp 63 years later, but he did just that, bringing his grandchildren with him.

It was his daughter's idea to make a music video out of the experience.

"We came from the ashes, now we dance," Jane Korman told the Associated Press. She explains that she did it to "awaken people" in the hopes that it "would make them think again about this past."

Seems to us that this is more about the future. And for that, we applaud you.


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]]>Susan AverySun, 18 Jul 2010 07:11:00 ESTBest Camp Letter Everhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/15/best-camp-letter-ever/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/15/best-camp-letter-ever/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/15/best-camp-letter-ever/#commentsFiled under: ,

Credit: Gary Drevitch


When ParentDish writer Gary Drevitch got a letter this week from his son, a happy camper in his first summer at sleepaway, he had to share it.

Nine-year-old Ben did an amazing job of getting right to the heart of what every parent wants to hear.

Now we're looking forward to the next one. We predict something along the lines of: "I love bug juice, baseball and Rebecca."

Stay tuned.

Related: P.S. I Hate it Here

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]]>Susan AveryThu, 15 Jul 2010 11:21:00 ESTBaseball Babe Freaks, Then Textshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/13/baseball-babe-freaks-then-texts/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/13/baseball-babe-freaks-then-texts/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/13/baseball-babe-freaks-then-texts/#commentsFiled under: , ,





At some point, everyone has a brush with greatness.

But when this young lady got smacked in the face by Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, she lost her mind. In a good way. And all cameras went in her direction, probably to the dismay of the guy behind her who actually grabbed the foul ball. And just to make sure we're seeing what we're seeing, this video has four different vantage points.

We can only hope that the person she was texting was her mom.

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]]>Susan AveryTue, 13 Jul 2010 16:02:00 ESTJay Z Ain't Got Nuthin' on This New Dad State of Mindhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/02/jay-z-aint-got-nuthin-on-this-new-dad-state-of-mind/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/02/jay-z-aint-got-nuthin-on-this-new-dad-state-of-mind/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/02/jay-z-aint-got-nuthin-on-this-new-dad-state-of-mind/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,





As we head off into the holiday weekend, we salute all new parents, who lost their independence the day their children were born.

Welcome to the New Dad (and Mom) State of Mind. Give it time. You'll get used to it.

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]]>Susan AveryFri, 02 Jul 2010 18:14:00 ESTGrandpa Gaga Going Viral (And Makes Us Proud!)http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/30/grandpa-gaga-going-viral-and-makes-us-proud/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/30/grandpa-gaga-going-viral-and-makes-us-proud/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/30/grandpa-gaga-going-viral-and-makes-us-proud/#commentsFiled under: ,





We're easily impressed when little kids do amazing things, but when a full-fledged, been-around-the-block-a-few-times grown-up does something beyond expectations, we do the happy dance.

And so it is, as this agile senior takes it to the dance floor to do his rendition of Pa-Pa-Pa Poker Face. We love the spread eagle at 2:12 and the split finale. Frankly, he's better than the two Jersey Shore-style boys who start out mocking him but soon realize they can't keep up.

Hey Grandpa, got a Single Ladies routine in ya?

Related: Is This Single Ladies Video Too Hot For Tots?

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]]>Susan AveryWed, 30 Jun 2010 13:29:00 ESTDaddy Comic's Parody of Billy Joel Video Starts a Fire All His Ownhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/23/daddy-comic-s-parody-of-billy-joel-video-starts-a-fire-all-his-o/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/23/daddy-comic-s-parody-of-billy-joel-video-starts-a-fire-all-his-o/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/23/daddy-comic-s-parody-of-billy-joel-video-starts-a-fire-all-his-o/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,





A really good comedian has an excellent grasp of history. At least enough to entertain us. So when funny guy Bruce Fine came up with the idea to make a year-in-the-life time capsule video, sung to the tune of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire," he had a pretty good sense that this was one of those good ideas.

Turns out he was right. ParentDish caught up with the stand-up comic and an edited version of the phone interview follows.

ParentDish: So you're a cool Los Angeles guy. Truth: Are those your real kids in the video or did you do a casting call?
Bruce Fine: That's my real wife, Shelby, and my real kids, Gabriel and Brady, in the video. We want people to see this and see how much fun the family can have.

PD: How did you come up with this idea?
BF: Someone on Facebook mentioned that it's 20 years since Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire" video came out. I had the idea of doing a time capsule of what it's like to be a dad now and live in this crazy country.

PD: So you're one of those rich comedians who can just reserve a studio and get it done?
BF: We did this for $150. Asher Glaser, my sidekick, used a little HD camera, like what someone would use on Thanksgiving. We borrowed a green screen from a comedian friend and then my son Gabriel came out dressed in a black jacket and sunglasses.

Continue reading Daddy Comic's Parody of Billy Joel Video Starts a Fire All His Own

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]]>Susan AveryWed, 23 Jun 2010 17:19:00 ESTWhich Is More Delicious? There's No Contest, as Far as We're Concernedhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/21/which-is-more-delicious-theres-no-contest-as-far-as-were-con/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/21/which-is-more-delicious-theres-no-contest-as-far-as-were-con/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/21/which-is-more-delicious-theres-no-contest-as-far-as-were-con/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A scrumptious baby tops a cake any day. Credit: Courtesy of Amy Preiser



Is it okay to eat a piece of cake that's bigger than your grandchild's head? That was the conundrum at a Father's Day lunch this past weekend, as Grandpa Arnold was feted by his family at a Long Beach, California restaurant.

Our friend and colleague at ShelterPop, Amy Preiser, shared this photo of her 4-month-old niece Zoey, and we had to post it.

Frankly, Zoey is much more delicious than any piece of chocolate cake. Mommy Natalya, Daddy Mark, Grandma Sonia and Grandpa Arnold indulged in the cake, but the sweetest gift is truly this baby dumpling. Maybe next Father's Day, when Zoey has a little more mileage on her frilly attire, she'll join her older brother, 3-year-old Joshy, for a taste.

With milk, of course!

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]]>Susan AveryMon, 21 Jun 2010 18:14:00 ESTAnother Dancing Baby Makes the Roundshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/17/another-dancing-baby-makes-the-rounds/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/17/another-dancing-baby-makes-the-rounds/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/17/another-dancing-baby-makes-the-rounds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,




This dancing baby, who hails from the dance capital of the universe, Brazil, grooves an enviable samba. But many don't believe it's real video, including Today show anchor Ann Curry.

My money is on authenticity.

As a dancer all my life, I've seen kids, and yes, babies, who can move like this. They see their families get down and the little ones then do what they do best, mimic. It's not all that difficult to connect the dots.

Let's hope the family continues to post videos of the dancing baby so we can watch him bust a move on a regular basis.

...5, 6, 7, 8.

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]]>dancing baby videoDancingBabyVideoSusan AveryThu, 17 Jun 2010 11:43:00 ESTCutest Video of the Day Goes to ...http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/16/cutest-video-of-the-day-goes-to/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/16/cutest-video-of-the-day-goes-to/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/16/cutest-video-of-the-day-goes-to/#commentsFiled under:





... this moment in time between 11-month-old Lula and her BFF African Leopard Tortoise Leonard. It's as sweet as it gets, folks.

No need for any sugar in your morning coffee.

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]]>Susan AveryWed, 16 Jun 2010 11:14:00 ESTThe French and Their Tall Taleshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/16/the-french-and-their-tall-tales/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/16/the-french-and-their-tall-tales/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/06/16/the-french-and-their-tall-tales/#commentsFiled under: ,




It's been said for eons, a child's inner beauty transcends all barriers. Even if that barrier is failed high-school French. Thankfully, the subtitles help us out -- gotta love that disease "chicken box" -- but even without 'em, the creative purity of a little one's mind is remarkably captivating.

We hope she grows up to put her tales in print. The world needs her and her heavenly menagerie.

Merci beaucoup to the family for sharing.

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]]>Susan AveryWed, 16 Jun 2010 10:12:00 EST