ParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.comParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.com/media/feedlogo.gifParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/One Military Mom's Struggle With PTSDhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/27/one-military-mom-s-struggle-with-ptsd/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/27/one-military-mom-s-struggle-with-ptsd/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/27/one-military-mom-s-struggle-with-ptsd/#commentsFiled under:

By Louise Farr

Robin Milonas struggles with PTSD after serving in Afghanistan. Credit: Jodi Bieber

The police officer saw Robin Milonas, but she didn't see him. And, even if she had, it probably would have made no difference. On that spring evening in 2006, Milonas was driving home in twilight when she spotted a shadow on the road. Though she was in Washington state, thousands of miles from Afghanistan, she instinctively registered the shadow as a land mine, of the sort insurgents plant.

Panicking, Milonas swerved. The officer came after her, lights flashing, and pulled her over to ask if she had been drinking. She hadn't. She had just left a hair appointment.

After looking at her driver's license photo, in which she wore the uniform of the U.S. Army Reserves 364th Civil Affairs Brigade, the cop backed off. "I'm just going to give you a warning this time," he said. "Go straight home and don't make any stops."

"And take it easy," he added, waving her along.

Nice of him to say, but this was the third time Milonas had been stopped for erratic driving since returning from her tour in Afghanistan. Taking it easy was no longer an option.

Until recently, Milonas had been living on a constant upward trajectory: ROTC and long-distance running in college, followed by five years in the army, then two decades in the reserves while she juggled marriage (to an Army sergeant), motherhood (caring for his three kids from a previous marriage), graduate school (she earned a master's in education) and careers as a middle school teacher and an adjunct college professor.

By the time she landed in Afghanistan in January 2004, she was a much-decorated lieutenant colonel attached to the Special Forces; for a time, she served as her group's liaison to President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, where he showed her the now bombed-out schools he had attended as a child and told her of his hopes for educating Afghan women.

In the U.S. military, women are still technically barred from serving in most direct-combat roles. But in a report to Congress in March encouraging the removal of the bans, the Military Leadership Diversity Commission noted that these rules are based on standards "associated with conventional warfare and well-defined, linear battlefields. However, the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have been anything but conventional."

Click here to read the rest of the story.

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]]>afghanistanptsdwomen soldiersthe editors at More.comFri, 27 May 2011 12:00:00 ESTPassing on Perfection: Why Being a 'Good Enough' Parent Is Greathttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/26/being-a-good-enough-parent-is-great/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/26/being-a-good-enough-parent-is-great/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/26/being-a-good-enough-parent-is-great/#commentsFiled under: ,



Yesterday morning, I got home after my 5:30 a.m. boot camp to find my husband of 16 years had locked one of the cats in the closet, and she had pooped in his favorite carry-on bag.

Neither of the children was up, and the bath I ask him to draw every morning was ice cold. That meant the cranky son wouldn't want to wash his hair in it (and our water pressure doesn't allow us to run the bath and shower at the same time). This was a surefire combination for a sibling battle and just another day in the life of a Good Enough Mother.

I'm René Syler. Welcome to my world! I bet it looks a lot like yours. Three years ago, I wrote "Good Enough Mother: The Perfectly Imperfect Book of Parenting," which outlined my philosophy on parenting and life in general. Back then, I had a high-powered job as a network news anchor, a husband and two beautiful kids -- my daughter, Casey, and son, Cole. I was trying to do it all.

Like so many of my girlfriends, I was running myself ragged trying to provide my precious babies with a perfect childhood when it hit me: I didn't have a perfect childhood, and, yet, I survived. I was so tired of living up to an absolutely unattainable standard of parenthood that left me tired, frustrated and overall unfulfilled.

It was then I decided good enough was going to be perfect. Now, that doesn't mean we don't try to be perfect parents, but we do get to cut ourselves some slack when we fail. And failing, my friends, is a given.

One of the stories mentioned in "Good Enough Mother" was about my son's grade school birthday party. He wanted donuts in the shape of an "8," just like his best friend had. I searched high and low and found a well-known chain that would do just that. So, after working eight hours, I drove to the donut store, only to find the pubescent kid behind the counter had given my 8s to another mother.

The only thing left were 9s. He was completely oblivious to my panic. For a split second, I thought about scrapping the donut plan altogether and getting cupcakes, but there wasn't time for that. So, off I went, mulling over what explanation I was going to give to my crest-fallen 8-year-old boy as to why he didn't have his special donuts.

When I got there, guess what? He didn't care. You know why? Because it was his special day, they got to eat donuts in class and his mom was there to help him celebrate.

That was a big lesson for me. I realized that, even with my faults, which are way too numerous to count, what my children really wanted was me. So, now I preach the gospel of imperfection.

I have screwed up more playdates than I can remember, forgotten permission slips and am a really lousy cook. But I give my kids what they really want, which is my time, love and attention and, with a fair amount of frequency, breakfast for dinner.

Want to be a Good Enough Mother? Try these tips:

  • Lower the expectation: Forget perfection altogether. Understand that you will do your best, and your best will have to do.
  • Enough with the competitive parenting: Do what works for you and your family. Remember, you are parenting for your children, not your mother-in-law, neighbor, sister or best friend.
  • Keep your own hopes and dreams alive: Just because all of these people came into your life, does not mean you have to give up ALL of yourself.
  • Take time to nurture yourself: That means not always putting yourself at the bottom of a long to-do list. How can you possibly take care of others if you don't do the same for yourself?
Years ago, while pregnant with my daughter, an older woman struck up a conversation with me. She must have sensed my palpable fear at giving birth and being responsible for another human being, because she gave me the words that have stuck with me through this whole humbling experience. She said, "You alone will be the best mother that child could have." Instantly, I was put at ease because I understood what she was saying.

I didn't have all the answers then and still do not. But I am smart enough to figure it out. So are you.

Remember, imperfection is the new black!

This article originally appeared on PBSParents and was written by Rene Syler. René is the daughter of two breast cancer survivors. Due to her parents' diagnoses and her own pre-cancerous condition, which led to her own mastectomy, René has made it her mission to help educate and eradicate breast cancer. She travels the country as an ambassador for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She was also awarded the prestigious Gracie Allen award for her television series on breast cancer.

René lives in Westchester, New York with her husband, Buff Parham and children, Casey and Cole. As much as she loves them, she admits part of the attraction speaking to groups across the country is the opportunity to sleep in a bed without three other people in it and not having to answer the question that strikes fear into the hearts of exhausted mothers everywhere: "What's for dinner?"

More From PBSParents.org:

Child Development Tracker

Expert Q&A

Activity Search

Kitchen Explorers

The Parent Show

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]]>good enough motherparenting adviceperfect parentingrene sylerPBSParents.orgThu, 26 May 2011 17:00:00 ESTMilitary Mom Shows Up at Daughter's Classroom for Birthday Surprisehttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/17/military-mother-surprises-daughter/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/17/military-mother-surprises-daughter/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/17/military-mother-surprises-daughter/#commentsFiled under: ,



For her fourth birthday, a little girl in Delaware had only one wish: to see a picture of her mom, an Army captain serving in Kuwait. The little girl's wish came true when her mom walked through the door of her classroom to surprise her. This birthday is one she will certainly never forget.

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]]>birthday surprisemilitary momJessica SamakowTue, 17 May 2011 12:30:00 ESTBeauty After Motherhood: Celeb Before and Aftershttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/06/beauty-after-motherhood-celeb-before-and-afters/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/06/beauty-after-motherhood-celeb-before-and-afters/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/06/beauty-after-motherhood-celeb-before-and-afters/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Maybe it's the extra curves, maybe it's that new mama glow. Whatever it is, these celebs are pictured looking more radiant than ever after they became moms. Check out before and after photos of some of our favorite celebrity moms.

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]]>angelina joliebeautybeauty after motherhoodchildrenGwen Stefanigwenyth paltrowhalle berryjennifer lopezjulia robertsmotherhoodThandie Newtonuma thurmanthe editors at ParentDishFri, 06 May 2011 12:30:00 ESTFamily Turns Grief Into Action, Fundraising for March of Dimeshttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/26/familys-grief-march-of-dimes/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/26/familys-grief-march-of-dimes/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/26/familys-grief-march-of-dimes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

march of dimes

The Spohr family. Credit: Heather Spohr

Two years ago, 17-month-old Maddie Spohr died suddenly after coming down with a respiratory infection.

Maddie's passing captured the emotions of thousands of parents who had followed the Spohr family adventures on their popular blog, "The Spohrs Are Multiplying," written by Heather Spohr and her husband, Mike.

Maddie and her parents had already won the hearts of many devoted readers more than 18 months prior to the toddler's death, when Heather detailed her experiences detailing her high-risk pregnancy with Maddie and the baby's subsequent premature birth.

Maddie had an extended stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and struggled with respiratory issues during most of her short life.

Devastated by the loss of their daughter, Heather and Mike continued to write, chronicling their family's story as they journeyed through grief. Her candid and emotional writing has given a voice to families who have suffered the devastation of losing a child.

Named "Best Mommy Blogger of 2009" by thebump.com, these days the writer and photographer shares the joys of raising her second dauhgter, 14-month-old Annabel, or "Annie," and her escapades as a toddler.

But she also wants Maddie's story to live on.

Strong believers that stories heal and inspire others, Heather, 31, and Mike, 35, also command one of the top fundraising family teams for the March of Dimes, a cause very close to their hearts.

Last year, Heather spoke before more than 10,000 people at the March for Babies event in Los Angeles after her family team raised more than $100,000. The Los Angeles couple also founded "Friends of Maddie," a non-profit that supports the families of critically ill babies in NICUs.

ParentDish caught up with Heather recently as the Spohrs prepare again this year to join more than 7 million people across the country in the March of Dimes, March for Babies "Walking together for stronger, healthier babies," events.

The events will take place in more than 900 communities, with most held the weekend of April 30 to May 1, says Peggy Kelly, media relations coordinator for March of Dimes. The goal this year is to raise over $106 million to help fund research and community-based programs to help moms have stronger, healthier babies.

On Saturday, April 30, Annie will lead the Spohr team of more than 50 walkers from her stroller in the Los Angeles event. The family has set a goal of raising $10,000 this year, weeks after the April 7 second anniversary of Maddie's passing, says Spohr.

march of dimes maddie spohr

Maddie Spohr. Credit: Heather Spohr


ParentDish: Why did you create "Friends of Maddie" and get so active in supporting March of Dimes?
Heather Spohr: When Maddie passed away, our world was turned upside down. But because of the blog and the Internet, people rallied to support us in our grief. Every time Maddie got sick or was in the hospital, moms of other premature babies just like me would reach out to offer inspiration and help. One of my best friends I met on the Internet. She has twin daughters who were born 10 weeks prematurely.

I wanted to help bring this powerful word-of-mouth community to help other families who are going through what we did. Once when we were in the hospital, we got a little picture frame from the March of Dimes and I realized that I could harness the Internet community to be an advocate not just for my daughter but for all kids, and the March of Dimes and our charitable organization seemed like the best ways to do that.

PD: You've shared your high-risk pregnancies and extended neonatal intensive-care experiences, then losing a child and birthing a new baby in a very public way on the Internet. How has that transformed you?
HS: When Maddie passed, people on the Internet went out of their way to support us in our grief, with words and sharing very personal stories of how they had lost a child, too. It is very healing and continues to be. We knew we were never alone. I just kept blogging. In some ways it was selfish of me because I got more from these people then I felt I was giving. But I would have gone crazy and felt so isolated without them. You don't know what to do, but this got me through some of the really rough patches. Writing about your life and sharing can be very comforting.

PD: Lots of moms are writing blogs, what's the key to growing such an engaged following?
HS: I think I was blogging before I even knew what blogging was. In 2002, I was young and stupid and just kind of started chronicling my life and our long-distance dating relationship. It kind of lapsed after we got married, but then the whole mom blog thing started exploding on the Internet.

I started this blog when I was pregnant with Maddie because it was a rough and rocky pregnancy and I wanted to keep our friends informed. Also, I was on hospital bed rest so I blogged to fight the boredom. Maddie was born premature, so I started posting updates and also comments on the blogs I was reading to try to learn more about caring for her. It just happened and I was getting 60,000 page views a month every month writing about having a premature child. There were a lot of other moms who were going through this and the Internet gave us a way to support each other and to help each other learn more about what to do and expect.

March of dimes Heather and Maddie

Heather and Maddie. Credit: Heather Spohr

PD. What do you want the world to know about Maddie?
HS: Maddie was seriously the happiest little girl you could ever meet. Our life together was full of adventure. She completed us. I blogged about Maddie's triumphs. I hope now that I can share the joy she brought and continues to bring in a way that will validate and give back something, but also inspire other families and let them know they are not alone.

PD: What do you want your writing to say to other parents?
HS: Really it is simple. Enjoy every minute. Annabel is a lot like me, she can be very stubborn and I could get all frustrated. But I focus instead on her sweet smile because I know life can be unpredictable. There are lots of hugs and kisses in our home and telling each other how much we love each other and appreciate each other. Maddie knew we loved her and we got so much love from her.

For more information and to register for a March of Dimes walk near you go to MarchofBabies.org.

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]]>Heather SpohrMaddie Spohrmarch of dimesmarch of dimes fundraisingMary Beth SammonsTue, 26 Apr 2011 10:00:00 ESTMovie Tells Story of Mother and Her Autistic Daughterhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/20/movie-tells-story-of-mother-and-her-autistic-daughter/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/20/movie-tells-story-of-mother-and-her-autistic-daughter/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/20/movie-tells-story-of-mother-and-her-autistic-daughter/#commentsFiled under: ,

Get parenting tips from AdviceMama

Janet Grillo's new movie is a coming-of-age story about a single mother and her autistic teenager daughter when they find themselves as a crossroads.

However, the filmmaker wants you to know this is not an ABC After-School Special.

Remember those? Then you probably grew up in the '70s and '80s. Each one was a lesson barely disguised as a story. The dialogue served mostly to set up the talking points.

Grillo tells ParentDish she didn't write, direct and produce "Fly Away" as a tutorial on autism. She says she wanted to tell a universal story -- inspired partly by her personal experience as the mother of an autistic teenager -- where one of the characters has the disability.

But "Fly Away" is not about autism, she says.

It's about children growing up and parents letting go. "It's about the nexus point any parent faces," Grillo says. "This is not an issue story. This is about love. It's about what love calls us to do."

The movie opened this month, but because Grillo made the teenage character autistic instead of a vampire, it is only showing in a few cities. This is no one's idea of a Hollywood blockbuster. "This is a roll-up-your-sleeves, do-it-yourself movie," Grillo says.

It tells the story of Mandy, a 15-year-old girl who is charmingly offbeat one moment and impossible the next. This is due to her age and autism. Struggling to cope with both is Jeanne, her single mother. Jeanne finds her efforts to balance making a living, having a social life and caring for a special-needs daughter frustrating at best.

Now as Mandy stands at the brink of adulthood, she and Jeanne face wrenching decisions about the future.

All the conflicts are not necessarily tied up with a pretty Hollywood bow by the end of the picture. This is a true slice of life, Grillo says. "This is not a prettied-up picture. There's no good form of autism."

This is also not a picture of her own life. Grillo has a 17-year-old son with a high-functioning form of autism, but this is not his story. Nor is Mandy supposed to embody autism as a whole. Autism covers too broad a spectrum for anyone to create the quintessential autism character, Grillo says.

"If you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person," she says.

Nonetheless, she says, autistic young people and their parents have a voice that deserves to be heard. "There's a fundamental need to share our story," she adds. "We want the larger world to hear our cry."

Grillo spends a great deal of time talking with people in the autism community.

In 2007, she was the executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning documentary "Autism: The Musical." She also served as a board member of Cure Autism Now (which merged with Autism Speaks in 2007).

It's interesting, she says, how many autistic children have creative and artistic parents. "There's a one-letter difference between autistic and artistic," she adds. "In our case, it's a talent, but at what point does it become a disability?"

Although "Fly Away" is not intended as a sermon or lesson, Grillo says she wouldn't mind if audiences carried something permanent away from it.

"If 'Fly Away' eases the pain of even one parent's torturous decision, or if it expands the heart of even one person untouched by autism to accept our children and appreciate our struggles, it will have been well worth making," she says on the movie's website.

"The authenticity of our story can provide insight and hope. Truth often does."


Check out more from AdviceMama!

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]]>Janet Grillo Fly Away Home Autism Autistic Teenager Single MotheTom HendersonWed, 20 Apr 2011 09:00:00 ESTGrandma Invites Chicago Gang Members Inside for Serving of Hopehttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/11/chicago-gangs/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/11/chicago-gangs/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/11/chicago-gangs/#commentsFiled under: ,

On the gritty, gang-filled streets of Chicago's Roseland neighborhood, a grandma has launched a one-woman campaign against drugs and violence by inviting troubled youth into her home where she serves up kindness, compassion and food.

They call her "Ms. Diane," and, in the last year alone, she has helped more than 300 at-risk teens in one of Chicago's most blighted and gang-infested neighborhoods, according to the website for her nonprofit organization, Kids Off the Block.

In a neighborhood where residents lock themselves inside their homes to escape rampant gang violence, Diane Latiker opens her door, inviting gang members to come inside, CNN, which recently featured her as a CNN Hero, reports.

"They say I'm a nut because I let kids into my home who I didn't even know," Latiker, 54, a mom of eight and grandmother of 13, tells CNN. "But I know (the kids) now. And I'll know the new generation."

Latiker writes on her site that her mother, Evangelist Ruth Jackson, told her to "do something with the youth."

That moment, she says, transformed her and gave her a new mission in life.

In 2003, Latiker was concerned her youngest daughter, Aisha, a high school student, would fall into a gang, since gang members lived next door.

"I started taking (Aisha and her friends) to swimming and movies and whatever," Latiker tells CNN. "My mother saw that, and she said: 'Diane, why don't you do something with the kids? They like you and respect you.' "

That's when she launched the community program Kids Off the Block, with the hope that by providing teens who have been in trouble with support and a place to go, she could bring new hope to a community in crisis.

The program started in her living room, but during the following years "my house started bursting at the seams," she tells CNN.

"It doesn't matter where they come from, what they've done," Latiker tells the network. "We've had six gangs in my living room at one time. ... But that was the safe place. And you know what? They respected that."

The South Side neighborhood where Latiker runs her crusade has been hit hard by the recession, and even more so by gun violence. With just one month left in the school year, 118 youth already have been shot in Chicago public schools, according to Chicago Talks.

"How can a kid get a gun like he can get a pack of gum? It's that crazy," Latiker tells CNN.

Latiker told the kids her house was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They could come over for food, help with their homework or just to talk about their hopes, dreams and fears, she tells CNN.

"I invited them into my living room," she tells the network. "They all started saying: 'I want to be a doctor. I want to be a rapper. I want to be a singer.' They didn't want to be out here running up and down the street. They wanted to be involved in something."

Eventually, Latiker quit her job as a cosmetologist to focus on the kids full-time. Through the KOB Youth Community Center, she has set up tutoring sessions with teachers and retired educators and has provided job interview training and opportunities to play football, basketball and soccer. Latiker and volunteers also started taking the kids on field trips to museums, movies, skating rinks, water parks and professional sports games.

Every day, 30 to 50 young people show up at the center for tutoring, counseling or activities such as sports, drama, dance or music.

KOB caters to people age 11 to 24, but 80 percent of those in the program are male, Latiker tells CNN. She emphasizes activities that target males because they are most often perpetrating or confronting the violence of the streets.

Maurice Gilchrist, 15, is one teenager who credits Kids Off the Block with turning his life around, CNN reports.

Gilchrist joined a gang when he was 12, and tells the network life in a gang meant looking behind his back every day.

"We always used to jump on people, rob everything, steal," he tells CNN. "Miss Diane, she changed my life. I love her for that."

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]]>chicago gangsgangskids off the blockMary Beth SammonsMon, 11 Apr 2011 12:30:00 ESTCrazy U, or, Getting Your Kid Into College: Author Q&Ahttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/05/getting-into-college/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/05/getting-into-college/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/05/getting-into-college/#commentsFiled under: , ,

getting into college

Crazy U. Credit: Andrew Ferguson

Add this to the laundry list of things that were simpler when you were a kid: Applying to college.

Back then you selected your reach and safety schools, filled out the applications, wrote an essay, dropped it in the mail and hoped for the best. Today it's like trying out for the Olympics -- after so diligently researching and preparing, let alone being in possession of excellent credentials, even the cream of the crop seems to get rejected.

ParentDish spoke with Andrew Ferguson, author of "Crazy U: One Dad's Crash Course on Getting His Kid Into College," about the 18-month process that nearly put him over the edge. Following is an edited version of that conversation.

ParentDish: What is the college application process like today?
Andrew Ferguson: You get pulled in five or six different directions at once. It's sort of like if you're trying to buy a luxury good that you can't really afford, where there are so many different kinds on offer and everybody is trying to pretend that theirs is completely unique, and by implication the other guy's luxury goods aren't as good as theirs.

PD: Ugh.
AF: I discovered this iron law of nature called the Principle of Constant Contradiction where if you're seeking advice about college admissions, for every piece of advice you get, within a week you will get a totally opposite piece that cancels it out.

PD: Sounds exasperating.
AF: It's especially bad on the Web. Somebody on College Confidential or [similar] bulletin boards will write, "You know, you really ought to give flowers to your counselor who writes your recommendation," and then someone writes, "No! That would be a bribe!" Meanwhile they're all people who have Internet names like PuppyWuppy and LoveSavage69. So you, as a parent, are thinking, "OK. Which is the crank? Is PuppyWuppy crazier than LoveSavage69?"

PD: Everything seems so arbitrary. How can a parent stay sane?
AF: That's why I wrote the book the way I did, which is as a story rather than as a long series of tips. The thing that really gets you through, and this sounds slightly sentimental, is your bond with your kid. In a way, you're both doing this for each other.

PD: How long did it take you to figure that one out?
AF: The ultimate piece of advice I give people, which sounds so banal is, "Relax. Believe it or not, just relax." There's nothing more infuriating than telling someone who's nervous to "relax." It could really send you around the bend. If I had a dime for every time somebody told me to relax in this process I could afford my son's tuition bill.

author andrew ferguson

Author Andrew Ferguson; Credit: Jack Shafer


PD: Ha!
AF: The vast majority of kids end up going to one of the top three schools that they wanted to go to. And any type of heartbreak that they endure is certainly going to be temporary. They end up in a place where they're happy and if they're meant to be happy and lead happy and fulfilling lives, they will, regardless of where they went to school.

PD: It sounds like you were very hands-on. Is this high level of parental involvement a fairly new phenomenon?
AF: I'd say at the intensity it is now, yes. It was about the early '90s where there was a tremendous increase in the amount of marketing and the pressure and this sense that kids had to go college to succeed. Something happened in the past 15 years to convince people that you cannot be happy in life unless you've got a college education. I think that is sort of disgraceful, in a way. And it becomes a self-fulfilling thing.

PD: How do the admissions officers handle this intense process?
AF: My impression is that these admissions officers are really tortured people. On the one hand, they know that they have to distance themselves from all this craziness and kind of tut-tut and say, "Oh, isn't it awful that it is this way," while on the other hand they're in a professional situation that demands they perpetuate the system they're supposedly finding so annoying.

PD: What do you know now that you wish you had known then?
AF: I wish I had been more selective in what I read, where I took advice. The Internet bulletin boards like College Confidential, I found to just be worthless precisely because there was no principle of selectivity. You simply couldn't figure out what was true and what wasn't. There are really good Web resources like the Department of Education's College Navigator. I wish I had known about that because that is fantastic data that they have. It's all very current, it's all been fact-checked and it's indispensable.

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]]>authorauthor QAJulie Z. RosenbergTue, 05 Apr 2011 10:00:00 ESTMom's Photo Captures Magical Moment Under the Rainbowhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/01/moms-photo-captures-magical-moment-under-the-rainbow/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/01/moms-photo-captures-magical-moment-under-the-rainbow/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/01/moms-photo-captures-magical-moment-under-the-rainbow/#commentsFiled under: ,

rainbow boy picture

Credit: Avena Singh, Solent News

We all have those moments with our kids that seem so perfect, you just want to stop the world.

But unless you've got a time machine stashed away in your basement, a great photo or video may be the best way to savor that delicious memory for years to come.

Which is just what Avena Singh, a 35-year-old amateur photographer from Oregon, attempted to do while exploring Shore Acres State Park with her 3-year-old son.

Singh, who lives close to the park, headed there in the hopes of getting some great photos after the local weather report predicted high waves. But little did she know the day would bring her the shot of a lifetime.

'I had noticed remnants of rainbows once in a while when the waves crashed and was trying to capture them with little success," Singh tells the Daily Mail. "A couple of photographer friends were with me and got my son, Rishabh, to pose as the waves hit."

But after her friends took their photos and turned away, Singh saw the rainbow arc right over Rishabh and started snapping away like crazy, hoping to catch a bit of it.

"The remnants of the wave just fell straight down, and the rainbow disappeared as quickly as it had come," Singh tells the newspaper. "My son stood perfectly still in complete awe of what he discovered, his very own rainbow."

And when Singh got home, she was, too, overtaken with awe.

"I was overjoyed when I uploaded the images to my computer and was able to see them in all their glory, it was something I could never replicate," she tells the Daily Mail. "It felt amazing. Having my son be right in the middle only made it more special. My children are everything in the world to me and had my son not been there it still would not have been as special."

You can bet we won't forget to bring the camera the next time we venture out with our kids.

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]]>photographyphotosphotos of kidsstrange but trueHoney BerkFri, 01 Apr 2011 18:30:00 ESTThe Hero Next Door: Kim Tschirrethttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/25/the-hero-next-door-kim-tschirret/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/25/the-hero-next-door-kim-tschirret/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/25/the-hero-next-door-kim-tschirret/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Kim Tschirret, a mother in Raleigh, N.C., started Hope Reins, a program that puts together troubled children and rescued horses.

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]]>the editors at MarloThomas.comFri, 25 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST'Parentless Parents': Q&A With Author Allison Gilberthttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/17/parentless-parents/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/17/parentless-parents/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/17/parentless-parents/#commentsFiled under: ,

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parentless parents

"Parentless Parents" looks at the growing number of adults whose parents have died. Credit: Hyperion

People are living longer, but apparently not long enough to make up for the "advanced maternal age" in which women are having children today, resulting in many parentless parents and grandparentless grandchildren.

It's a growing demographic, and one that's underexplored, says Allison Gilbert, author of "Parentless Parents: How the Loss of Our Mothers and Fathers Impacts the Way We Raise Our Children." A parentless parent herself, Gilbert says she was surprised no one was writing about the phenomenon or doing the requisite research.

So, Gilbert, who lives in New York with her husband, Mark, and her children, Jake, 10, and Lexi, 8, took it upon herself to explore this emergent population. ParentDish recently spoke with her about her new book. An edited version of the conversation follows.

ParentDish: What are some of the unique challenges for a parentless parent?
Allison Gilbert: I'll give an example from my own life. When my husband's parents talk about, "Oh, your dad used to do X, Y and Z when he was a kid," or, "I remember when your dad used to do that," my kids don't have that (from my side of the family). So, as their mom, I'm less complete to them because they can hear those stories about my husband from his parents and they get to see my husband being a son (but) they don't get to see me doing those things. I'm much more one-dimensional to them.

PD: That's tough. Are there positive aspects about being a parentless parent?
AG: There are so many things that are life affirming. If you approach this in a proactive way, there are so many things you can do to keep the memory of your parents alive in very fun, creative, age-appropriate ways. When you close that last page of my book, you're not sad that you've read this book. You're actually feeling empowered and supported and you come away with great ideas.

PD: So, it's not all doom and gloom?
AG: The most important takeaway I can give to anyone who is thinking about reading the book, (is that) there is so much empowering information in here. It's not doom and gloom, it's not "woe is me." But, more than that, your children can actually benefit because you've actually been through this experience; you've learned life lessons you can actually use for your own parenting and children.

PD: Such as?
AG: Parents who have been through this loss have a very fine appreciation for what's a small problem and what's a big problem. When your kids are going through ups and downs -- "You're going to get a bad grade. That boy is going to break up with you. You're not going to make the baseball team" -- I really think that going through this experience allows you to have perspective, and that can help you help your kids also gain perspective. A parent who has gone through some negative experiences can let kids pull back the curtain and see the other side perhaps more readily.

Author Allison Gilbert. Credit: Robert Tardio


PD: You wrote a chapter about keeping the memory of your parents alive. Any examples?
AG: My father was an architect and he was involved with building the corporate offices of the New York Giants. And my son is a huge football fan. I called the Giants corporate offices, explained who I was and what my dad did and asked if I could bring my kids on a tour of the corporate offices. We got one better and went to Giants Stadium before a game and got to be on the field during warm up. My son was in heaven.

PD: How old was he when you did this?
AG: Jake was 9 1/2. I guarantee you he knows his grandfather was an architect, he knows that one of his clients was the Giants, and, for the rest of his life, he will remember that it was his grandpa who paved the way for him to have this incredibly memorable and important experience. It made my father become more real to them.

PD: Wow. That's fantastic.
AG: My mom worked in a typical office, but I did the same thing with my kids for her. I wanted them to meet her coworkers. I wanted them to see the view outside Grandma's window. I think those kinds of trips and experiences are really possible. These types of field trips have the ability to make people more real, who perhaps your children have never met.

PD: What about introducing surrogate grandparents?
AG: One of the wonderful lessons that I have come away with is that there is such a thing as redefining family. That just because your immediate family is now different than what it once was, and that the two people who you would want most to share in your children's milestones and actually applaud at your child's dance recital or cheer at your son's basketball game, they are not ever going to be replaced. But you can develop relationships with people who can fill the gap. Certainly never completely, but you can move in that direction.

PD: How does one go about finding such surrogates?
AG: There's a matter of extending yourself and realizing that these relationships aren't going to just show up. You actually have to be proactive and seek them out and be receptive to them when they materialize, because people don't know if you want that from them. If you are open and receptive, these are relationships you can gain not just for yourself, but for your kids.

Watch the "Parentless Parents" book trailer.

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]]>allison gilbertAllisonGilbertbookparentingparentlessparentless parentsParentlessParentsQAJulie Z. RosenbergThu, 17 Mar 2011 16:00:00 ESTFilmmaker Documents a Year of Saying Goodbye to His College-Bound Daughterhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/04/doug-block-the-kids-grow-up/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/04/doug-block-the-kids-grow-up/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/04/doug-block-the-kids-grow-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

doug block the kids grow up picture

Doug Block and a young Lucy. Credit: Marjorie Silver

Like millions of parents, Doug Block armed himself with a camcorder to video tape his child's birthday parties, baseball games, dance recitals and high school graduation.

But instead of downloading those memories onto a DVD and watching them on a rainy day, in 2007 Block decided to take his home movies of his only daughter Lucy and turn it into a 90-minute documentary film called "The Kids Grow Up."

The heartfelt movie, which is currently playing in select theaters nationwide and will also air on HBO on Father's Day 2011, touches on subjects like depression, sex and how a father must come to grips with letting his only child go.

ParentDish caught up with Block and discovered how following Lucy, now 21, around with a camera in hand for years led to the father and daughter relationship they have today.

ParentDish: Was it always your intention to create a documentary about Lucy's life?
Doug Block: No. Lucy has the misfortune of not only being born when the camcorder was created, but to a dad who is a documentary filmmaker. There was no intention to document her life when I originally started filming her.

PD: When did you start filming Lucy's life?
DB: When she was 2 years old.

PD: How many hours a day and a week did you shoot Lucy?
DB: It was not every day, despite what you may think. I shot for maybe 10 minutes one day and then a few minutes more a month later.

PD: So when did you decide to make her life into a documentary?
DB: When I was able to figure out how to frame all of the footage I shot into a story, the film was born. Aside from learning all about Lucy and parenting, this movie also tells the story of how I learned how to let go.

PD: You touch upon many personal subjects in this film including your daughter having sex for the first time and your wife's [Marjorie A. Silver] bout with depression. Why go there?
DB: It was honest and it shows what families go through.

The Kids Grow Up - trailer from Copacetic Pictures on Vimeo.


PD: And Lucy was OK with all of this?
DB: Lucy wasn't thrilled with me talking about how she and her former boyfriend Romain were sleeping together when she was only 17 years old. That scene where we talked about her having sex gave her trouble.

PD: Not surprising, huh?
DB: It was a surprise to me to learn how uncomfortable she was with it, since she was pretty open with us about Romain at the time. We talked about it at length when she first saw the scene and Lucy ultimately understood that the film is coming from my very distinct perspective as a father and the scene is being played for laughs. But even now, a good year or two later, she's not thrilled.

PD: Do you blame her?
DB: Lucy was more concerned about what her teachers or people she associates with might think of her having sex at 17 years old.

PD: And Romain?
DB: As for Romain, I only heard his reaction through Lucy and she said he likes the film. I don't think he had a problem with that scene at all. But then he's a boy. And a French one, at that.

PD: Did making this film ever make waves with Lucy?
DB: About a month before Lucy left for Pomona College in California, things got difficult. There was a day Lucy got really upset and was in tears. So much so, she wanted me to turn the camera off because she was just stressing out over leaving her home, leaving her friends and having to start over in a brand new surrounding. But overall Lucy was a good sport about the whole thing.

PD: How did you deal with her on-camera breakdown?
DB: That scene still haunts me to this day because instead of comforting her the filmmaker in me took over. I mean I knew there were moments that the camera irritated her. When you see your daughter in tears it is never a good feeling. I kept rolling because Lucy never told me [explicitly] to turn the camera off.

PD: What were the pros and cons of making this film with Lucy?
DB: The cons were always, 'How will this impact Lucy and is she really OK with it or doing it to please me?' The pro was I had never seen a film about the parenting privilege and I have this wonderful opportunity to show them what it is like.

PD: Did Lucy ever come to a point where she was like, "Dad, enough?"
DB: With the exception of that one day we just spoke about, no. If she did I would have stopped filming immediately. I even gave her the opportunity at one point to pull the plug and she didn't.

PD: In the film, your wife compares you to the cartoon character Peter Pan. Would Lucy agree with that analogy?
DB: I don't know. That is a good question. Lucy and I had a buddy relationship and I did enjoy palling around with her. We had a great dynamic when she was younger.

PD: How do you compare your relationship with Lucy as a child to your relationship with Lucy as an adult?
DB: As an adult, it is an adult relationship, but every now and then the kid comes out. Just the other day as she was thinking about life after graduation she said, "Dad, if I have to intern for a while can I have my room back?" [Laughs]

PD: So you didn't give her room away or rent it out?
DB: No. [Laughs] We would love it if she came back.

PD: Did Lucy see the film before you showed it to an audience?
DB: Yes. I flew to California because I wanted to see if there was anything she was uncomfortable with.

PD: Now that Lucy is a senior in college how often do you talk?
DB: At least once a week. We either text, Skype, email or use the phone.

PD: Lucy mentions in the film she wants to go into the environmental field. Is that still the case?
DB: Yes, very much so.

PD: As the reviews start to come in, what was Lucy's?
DB: She thinks it is a good film. When she saw it at The Silver Docs Film Festival in Washington, D.C. this past June and saw how the audience responded really well, she was happy.

PD: Any post-production thoughts?
DB: Yes, how quickly time goes. You think it doesn't when you are in the day-to-day routine, but it really does fly by in the blink of an eye.

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]]>doug blockDougBlocklucy blockLucyBlockthe kids grow upTheKidsGrowUpIlyssa PanitzThu, 04 Nov 2010 14:00:00 ESTTransracial Adoption Leads to Stares: How One Mother Dealshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/04/transracial-adoption-leads-to-stares-how-one-mother-deals/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/04/transracial-adoption-leads-to-stares-how-one-mother-deals/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/04/transracial-adoption-leads-to-stares-how-one-mother-deals/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

transracial adoption picture

Ilie Ruby and her three children. Credit: Ilie Ruby

There is a natural curiosity about a Caucasian woman holding the hands of three African kiddos at a Chinese restaurant. Visually, things don't quite jive. Transracial families are still, in most places, an oddity, and staring comes with the territory. This is what I tell my three children, all adopted from Ethiopia.

Two years ago, when my children first arrived, people stared at us wherever we went -- a water park, the mall, the grocery store, the train station, the beach. During our first summer as a family, people seemed to be riveted by the striking beauty of my eldest; the dark shade of her skin made even more luminous by the summer sun.

The problem is compounded because my daughter has a penchant for lo mein.

The Chinese restaurant that my daughter insists on dining at has been the site of the most overt staring offenses. At one dinner in particular, the family behind us (whom she was facing) was staring at her, which included two little girls whispering. While she tried to ignore it, she said that the situation was hurting her heart. I leaned over the booth and politely waved at the staring family.

"Geez, my daughter thinks your girls are staring at her," I offered. "Is it because she is so beautiful?" Thankfully, the mother caught on quickly, and agreed that yes, it was because my daughter was so beautiful.

Not long after, it happened again in the same Chinese restaurant. I had just returned from taking my toddler to the restroom when my eldest reported that the people at the facing table were staring at her (different family than the previous offenders). So this time I told her to smile and wave. She did. Then I turned around and smiled and politely waved at them. They all waved and smiled back. "Your kids are beautiful," the mother called out. "And so well-behaved." I thanked her.

Now, two years later, we ignore the staring. Perhaps we don't notice it anymore. Perhaps we have become part of the fabric of our community. I am acutely aware that my repertoire of responses and reactions will continue to evolve as I grow in my own understanding of our family and its place in the world. And I also know that my children's reactions will change as they move through varying developmental stages. So we take each day and each situation as it comes. On occasion, when I am confounded, I call a very wise adoptive mom of six Ethiopian children for her best advice. It truly does take a village.

Thankfully, now, with some time under her belt, my eldest has a confidence that humbles me and a zest for life that gives her a rare charisma. She has a group of friends who adore her. She is charming, funny, and if you cross her, she'll stand up for herself.

Does race get in the way? Sometimes. Does it still hurt? Sometimes. As I cuddle my children, talk to them, walk them through scenarios and keep them from harm's way, what I try to keep in the front of my mind is that I can never truly understand what this particular issue feels like to them. I can share my own childhood struggles, but I can't pretend to know this particular struggle intimately. And I can't tell them not to let it hurt their hearts.

Though painful at times, I must let my children have their feelings. I can help them speak their truth and equip them to deal with whatever comes their way. But in order to flourish, we have to accept that "looking different" is a part of our lives, and assert that this is a real family built by adoption, bonded by love. My children have a place where they belong and parents who love and adore them. This seems to take the sting out of things, I've found. For all the questions and staring from strangers, the racial divide has, in some ways, strengthened us. Because when held up against the bond we have -- the humor, the connection, the trust, the love -- well, nothing really stands a chance.

As for the Chinese restaurant, my eldest has the standing option of never going back there. But my outgoing, glorious daughter has a penchant for lo mein. And regardless of what has gone on before, she continues to insist on going back to that Chinese restaurant.

Ilie Ruby is the mother of three children from Ethiopia and the author of The Language of Trees, a novel about healing, second chances and how far we will go to protect the ones we love. Read her blog on Red Room.

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]]>adoptiontransracial adoptionTransracialAdoptionIlie RubyThu, 04 Nov 2010 12:00:00 ESTReal-Life Partridge Family Too Wholesome for TVhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/13/real-life-partridge-family-too-wholesome-for-tv/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/13/real-life-partridge-family-too-wholesome-for-tv/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/13/real-life-partridge-family-too-wholesome-for-tv/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SheaLaurel band

Credit: ShaeLaurel.com


They're like a real-life Partridge family.

Well, except there are four kids instead of five. Plus, the father is still alive.

Oh, and they can actually play their own instruments.

Other than that, the similarities are amazing. They are, anyway, if you're looking for an angle to plug a new reality show. There's only one problem: Andrew and Janet Witchger and their four kids are too wholesome for television.

Yep, this would-be Partridge family out-wholesomed the TV Patridge family.

Producers have tried, CNN reports, to base a reality show on the Witchgers and their traveling family band, yet two years of tapes are gathering dust.

Continue reading Real-Life Partridge Family Too Wholesome for TV

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]]>family tv showFamilyTvShowpartridge familyPartridgeFamilyreality tvreality tv familyRealityTvRealityTvFamilywitchgerTom HendersonMon, 13 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST'Magic' Quilt Prompts Toddler to Speakhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/06/the-magic-quilt/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/06/the-magic-quilt/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/06/the-magic-quilt/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Judi Ketteler author of the magic quilt with her son

The author and her son, Max, on the "magic quilt." Courtesy of Judi Ketteler


As parents, we eagerly look to each milestone -- trying so hard not to compare kids, but desperately wanting to make sure our own are keeping up their peers (and holding out hope that they are secretly brilliant).

But at 22 months, my son's vocabulary still consisted of just "mama," "dada," "tiger" and "no no." And sure, he could bark like a dog and moo like a cow -- which was entertaining, but didn't help me check off that "language development" milestone.

I lost count of how many conversations I had with my now 2-year-old son that went something like this: "Hey Max, can you say cat? Say: 'ccccc' and then 'aaaattt.' 'Cat!' "

His response? A coy smile, and complete disinterest. As if to say, "Yeah, cat this, lady."

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]]>quiltquiltingJudi KettelerFri, 06 Aug 2010 11:00:00 ESTMoms Work Full-Time for Hikers' Release From Iranhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/30/moms-work-full-time-for-hikers-release-from-iran/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/30/moms-work-full-time-for-hikers-release-from-iran/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/30/moms-work-full-time-for-hikers-release-from-iran/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Iran hikers, shane bauer, sarah shourd and josh fattal

In May, hikers Shane Bauer, left, Sarah Shourd, center, and Josh Fattal were briefly allowed to visit with their mothers. Credit: AP

PINE CITY, Minn. (AP) - Cindy Hickey was sitting in her home office last summer, preparing a receipt for a client of her animal physical therapy business when the phone rang. She picked up, then nearly hung up, thinking it was a sales call.

"Then I heard 'Baghdad' and 'embassy' and that got my attention," Hickey said. "And she told me, 'Your son Shane is believed to have been taken by Iranian authorities. That's all the information we have, we will call you as soon as we have more information.' My adrenaline peaked. My heart sank. And I immediately went into a mode of, what are we going to do to take care of this immediately?"

A year later, Hickey and the other mothers of three Americans detained in Iran since July 31, 2009, are still in that mode. They have put their own careers on hold and turned to what's become a full-time job for them: attempting to secure their children's release from Tehran's Evin Prison in the face of espionage accusations by the Iranian government.

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]]>expire-images:2011-6-30iran hikersIranHikersAssociated PressFri, 30 Jul 2010 09:15:00 ESTCrikey! It's the Australian Mutant Ninja Mamas!http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/29/crikey-its-the-australian-mutant-ninja-mamas/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/29/crikey-its-the-australian-mutant-ninja-mamas/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/29/crikey-its-the-australian-mutant-ninja-mamas/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Australian mothers are taking up jujitsu

Fed up with street crime, Australian mothers are taking up jujitsu and getting ready to kick some serious butt. Credit: Getty Images


"M" is for the multiple contusions she gave you.

"U" is for all the food you'll have to gum.

Because "M" is for how she'll mess you up, and all your crying will not save you.

Put them all together, they spell MUM.

OK, so it's not exactly the same ode to motherhood Eddy Arnold sang back in the days of June Cleaver. But they're singing a different tune these days in Australia.

Mothers Down Under are baking brownies, knitting baby booties, kicking butts and taking names.

Continue reading Crikey! It's the Australian Mutant Ninja Mamas!

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]]>australiajujitsuninjaself defenseSelfDefenseTom HendersonThu, 29 Jul 2010 16:00:00 ESTMom With Liver Transplant To Defend Her Medal in U.S. Gameshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/29/mom-with-liver-transplant-to-defend-her-medal-in-u-s-games/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/29/mom-with-liver-transplant-to-defend-her-medal-in-u-s-games/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/29/mom-with-liver-transplant-to-defend-her-medal-in-u-s-games/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The National Kidney Foundation Lauren Donkar

Lauren Donkar, right, with her daughter Allie and her husband Nick. Courtesy of the National Kidney Foundation

When 32-year-old Lauren Donkar of Atlanta, Georgia, hears other women telling their childbirth war stories, she's careful to stay out of the conversation. No one can top hers, but she's not looking for sympathy.

When Lauren delivered her daughter Allie, now nearly 4, she began violently coughing up blood only 12 hours after laying eyes on her beautiful firstborn's perfect little toes. Four weeks later, she awoke from a coma to learn that she had undergone not one, but two liver transplants.

Due to a complication from pre-eclampsia, Donkar's liver failed and the situation was so desperate, they transplanted a liver from a donor with the wrong blood type. That one lasted two weeks until a compatible match was found -- a liver that's been standing the test of time, so far.

Donkar recognizes that she experienced a complete medical miracle due to someone else's sacrifice, but in her opinion, having a transplant "doesn't make you special ... it's how you cope with the challenges that are thrown your way that counts and what you do with the second chance at life you've been granted."

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]]>kidney transplantKidneyTransplantnational kidney foundationNationalKidneyFoundationtransplant gamesTransplantGamesthe National Kidney FoundationThu, 29 Jul 2010 10:30:00 ESTBlind Couple Reunited With Baby Taken Away by Statehttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/23/blind-couple-reunited-with-baby-taken-away-by-state/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/23/blind-couple-reunited-with-baby-taken-away-by-state/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/23/blind-couple-reunited-with-baby-taken-away-by-state/#commentsFiled under: ,

Erika Johnson and Blake Sinnett

Erika Johnson and Blake Sinnett's daughter, Mikaela Sinnett, was returned to them after 57 days in foster care. Credit: David Eulitt, Kansas City Star / MCT


Erika Johnson and Blake Sinnett of Missouri had a baby. For two days. Then they had a nightmare. State authorities took their baby away because both Johnson and Sinnett are blind.

Following a public outcry, little Mikaela was returned to her parents this week, and authorities were reminded of an ancient truism: None are so blind than those who will not see.

But Johnson tells the Kansas City Star she's not bitter.

Erika Johnson and Blake Sinnett

Blake Sinnett is guided to his mother's van with Erika Johnson as the two parents left for their Kansas City, Missouri apartment with their 2-month-old daughter. Credit: David Eulitt, Kansas City Star / MCT

"I'm a forgiving person," she says. Nonetheless, she adds, she resents the lingering prejudice people in power have against the handicapped.

"Disability does not equal inability," she tells the newspaper.

Mikaela was born May 21 at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Mo. The Star reports doctors let Sinnett "see" his daughter's birth by feeling the crowning of her head.

According to the newspaper, Johnson's first attempts at breast-feeding were clumsy. A nurse noticed Mikaela's nostrils were covered by Johnson's breast, and Johnson felt that something was wrong. She switched the baby to her other side, but not before Mikaela turned blue.

A nurse wrote on a chart: "The child is without proper custody, support or care due to both of (the) parents being blind, and they do not have specialized training to assist them."

Continue reading Blind Couple Reunited With Baby Taken Away by State

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]]>blindblind parentsBlindParentschild custodyChildCustodydisabilityexpire-images:2011-7-23Tom HendersonFri, 23 Jul 2010 17:09:00 ESTWoman Having Babies from 2 Separate Wombshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/21/woman-having-babies-from-two-separate-wombs/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/21/woman-having-babies-from-two-separate-wombs/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/21/woman-having-babies-from-two-separate-wombs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Video Courtesy of KSL.com



Angie Cromer got pregnant -- while she was pregnant.

The Murray, Utah, woman was born with two uteruses. That means her babies will not be twins. They likely will be born a few days apart from two separate pregnancies.

KLS, the NBC affiliate the Salt Lake City, reports the odds of that happening are about one in five million.

Such births are extraordinarily rare, Cromar's obstetrician, Dr. Steve Terry, tells the station.

"Probably less than a hundred so far worldwide have been reported," he says. "So she's a member of a very small elite club."

Continue reading Woman Having Babies from 2 Separate Wombs

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]]>didelphysmultiplespregnancystrange pregnancyStrangePregnancyTom HendersonWed, 21 Jul 2010 16:30:00 EST