ParentDish

Nannies on Vacation, July 4 Parties, and More - Links We Love

Bethany Sanders — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST

Would you take a nanny on vacation with you? Image: sxc.hu

Planning a road trip this weekend? Or any weekend, for that matter? Keep things calm and quiet in the backseat with these free downloadable games from LilSugar.

Tired of feeding the kids chicken nuggets and mac and cheese? These restaurants have figured out how to do kids' menus right. -- When Blog

Time to hire a sitter! Here's the top 10 July 4th parties, going on across the nation. -- Digital City

Want your kiddo to look patriotic at the fireworks this weekend? Here's a quick, last-minute craft: Fourth of July tie-dye tees. -- AlphaMom

Family vacations are for spending time with family, but bringing the nanny along -- that doesn't seem like such a bad idea. What do you think? Smart? Or pretentious? -- Strollerderby

Your daughter got your hair, your chin and your ... sarcastic wit? Do your worst traits ever show up in your children? -- Mommy Track'd

You're comfortable with just one, but are worried about only-child syndrome. Would you have a baby just to give your child a sibling? -- Work It, Mom!

An ultrasound picture you can hold? That's right. An artist makes a model of your baby based on your ultrasound pics. Cool or creepy? -- LilSugar

No one ever wants to think about it, but it's smart to plan for it anyway: Who would you choose to be the guardian of your child? -- Motherlode

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High School Secretary Changes Daughter's Grades Electronically

Bethany Sanders — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Teens & tweens, In the news

A mom takes her daughter's grades into her own hands. Photo: Marja Flick-Buijs/sxc.hu

How do you know when you've become a little too entangled in your teen's life? Changing her grades to improve her class standing on a school computer is probably a red flag that you've crossed that line.

Caroline Maria McNeal, a high school secretary and mom of a 2008 graduating senior did just that. Not only did she tamper with daughter Brittney's test scores -- in one case, changing her SAT score from 1370 to 1730 (which is actually kind of clever because it could just be perceived as a typo except that she put the score in a week before any other students' scores were entered) -- she also changed other student's grades as well so that Brittney's class standing would be improved.

Bad move, mom.

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Fantasy Escape Plan - Do You Have One?

Sandy Maple — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Just for moms, Just for dads

What does your fantasy escape look like? Image: sxc.hu

When I was raising my first child, I often had days of overwhelming stress. The pressures of being a single parent, working a full time job and struggling to make it all work out was sometimes quite intense. Most days, I was up for the challenge and nothing could throw me. But every once in a while, the weight of it all became too much and I would fantasize about escaping to a world where everything was easy.

I had it all worked out in my mind. I would live alone in a simple house on a beautiful beach and make my living selling hot dogs from a cart. I would wear bathing suits and flip flops to "work" and spend my evenings in blissful solitude with only my books and music for company.

Of course, I never seriously considered running away. But often just dreaming of that world was enough to get me through the day. And judging by this post at Cafe Mom, I am not the only one with a fantasy escape plan. And based on the comments, my beach scenario isn't even all that original.

But while moms may freely admit to hatching secret getaway plans, I rarely hear a dad acknowledge similar thoughts. I can't help but wonder why.

Are moms more stressed than dads and therefore more in need of a break from reality? Or, as one father suggested to me, are dads more likely to skip the fantasizing and head straight for the beach when things get tough?

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Don't Let Swine Flu Spoil Summer Camp

Amy Hatch — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Health & safety, In the news

Don't let swine flu stop you from sending your kids to camp this summer. Image: sxc.hu

Cases of swine flu may popping up at summer camps all over the country, but both medical experts and the American Camp Association say there's no reason to keep your child home this summer.

"It's important for parents to know it's safe to send their healthy child to camp. Camp is an extraordinary experience, providing friendship, leadership, and enrichment activities," says Peg Smith, chief executive office of the American Camp Association. "ACA-accredited camps have been monitoring the H1N1 situation since mid-April, and they are doing everything they can to provide a safe and healthy environment."

Indeed, camps like the Frost Valley Y.M.C.A camp in Claryville, NY are adding some new chores to their pre-camp checklist, such as wiping down doorknobs with bleach and preparing three negative-pressure isolation rooms to accommodate any campers who may fall ill.

"We think we're ahead of the curve, but who knows?" says Jerry Huncosky, chief executive officer of Frost Valley. "I think it's the 'who knows?' that we're preparing for."

New York City physician Dr. Erika Schwartz is medical director of Cinergy Health, and she says Frost Valley is doing exactly what it should to prepare for the swine flu -- and, she says, it is also what camps already know how to do.

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Bricks and Bubbles

Sarah James — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Daily Cutie

Daily Cutie

We really love the composition in this shot. Thanks to ( .Victory. ) for the cool photo.

( .Victory. )/Flickr

We agree with Boom Got Em - God did send him an angel!

Boom Got Em/Flickr

Nobody puts baby in a corner. Thanks to Sarah Stewart for this adorable shot.

Sarah Stewart/Flickr

A future phone-talker is in the works. Thanks to anuragyagnik for this glimpse into the future.

anuragyagnik/Flickr

Such a happy little cowgirl. Thanks to 4peasinapod for this adorable portrait.

4peasinapod/Flickr

What's this little one pondering? Thanks to kiu101 for this beautiful photo.

kiu101/Flickr

Sick and snotty, but still a doll. Thanks to bilquest for sharing this cute photo.

bilquest/Flickr

This bathing beauty makes us all smile. Thanks to kmorae3 for this darling photo.

kmorae3/Flickr

Oh that first tub bath! So cute. Thanks to FabFio666 for sharing this special moment.

FabFio666/Flickr

This precious tot doesn't mind getting his hands (or face!) dirty. Great shot, mamadowdell!

mamadowdell/Flickr

If you'd like your own picture featured here, simply upload photos into the ParentDish Flickr Pool. We'll highlight an image every day. Remember: We're on the lookout for shots with interesting backgrounds, cool angles, or original composition. Be sure to read the intro on our main Flickr page for more information and limit your uploading to 5 photos per day.

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Obama Girls Take in Paris Shopping

Susan Wagner — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celeb kids, Life & style

Sasha Obama leaves Paris boutique Bonpoint. Photo: Bauer-Griffin

When Sasha and Malia Obama accompanied their parents to France last month, they visited some iconic historical landmarks. They lit candles at Notre Dame cathedral and explored the Eiffel Tower. But they also had a chance to take in some modern culture as well, with a stop at the French children's clothing store Bonpoint.

Making this excursion extra special was the fact that Mrs. Obama and the girls were allowed into the shop on a Sunday, when, by law, France's retail outlets are closed (only stores selling food or those with "recreational" or "cultural" value may be open on Sundays). We don't know if the First Lady or her daughters bought anything at Bonpoint (although how could they resist?) but we think it's really cool that this was part of their first trip to Paris.

Fashion is an important part of popular culture, particularly for the French; Mrs. Obama herself has become a style icon in her own right, both at home and abroad. We love the idea that Sasha and Malia's visit to Paris included an afternoon of browsing in a boutique, and taking in some pop culture as well as the conventional art and architecture.

Malia Obama follows a Secret Service agent into the streets of Paris. Photo: Bauer-Griffin

We also love that Mrs. Obama and her girls were able to do a normal mom-and-daughter thing together; we would imagine that it's tough these days for the First Lady to pop over to the Gap with Sasha and Malia for a little shopping. To have an hour to flip through the racks and look at clothes and just be together was probably a nice break from their very public lives.

But what about the store opening on a Sunday for the First Family, when regular French citizens aren't able to shop? There are a lot of reasons why it would have made sense to make this exception for Mrs. Obama and her children. It's possible that this was a security measure, or that the Obama's schedule didn't allow for any other opportunity to visit Bonpoint. When you're traveling with a full security detail, stopping into a shop can be a major undertaking; for the staff at Bonpoint, it was probably more manageable to have the Obamas come in for a private visit.

Whatever the reason, we're delighted that these kids are getting to be kids, even though their father is the President of the United States. And we're even more delighted that they're getting to do some really wonderful, special things with their parents as part of this experience.

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Under-Scheduling Children - How Bad?

Sabrina Weill — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Development

I don't know, what do you guys want to do? Photo: stockexpert.com

This year many mom-friends are skipping the camp-gymnastics-art-class-tutoring routine for a more relaxed (not to mention cheaper) summer. One the one hand, this sounds ultra-appealing, and gives many opportunities to be flexible, slow down, and have the occasional ice-cream breakfast (for instance).

At the same time, what's a kid (and a kid's mom) to do on these long days? And is it helpful for children to be around other kids in some kind of structured environment or is it totally fine, maybe even better, to skip the structure for the summer? To find out, I called Parental Advisor Robert Schachter, a New York City-based psychologist and faculty member of Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

"It's not so much about about scheduling as it is about how much a kid has to do," he says. "If kids are booked morning to night and can't catch their breath, it's not necessarily the best thing."

Continue reading Under-Scheduling Children - How Bad?

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Economy Hits Summer Camp, More Free Time for Kids

Bethany Sanders — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Money & work, Fun & activities

Summer camp attendance is down, due to the economy. Image: Pink Sherbet Photography/Flickr

As families everywhere tighten their belts and pinch their pennies, summer camp attendance is taking a hit. The American Camp Association reported at 10 to 15 percent decrease in enrollment this spring at sleepaway and day camps alike. But while our little ones aren't off learning about horseback riding, soccer and pottery, childhood experts are hoping something else is happening: Boredom.

A little boredom, after all, is an important part of growing up. And our heavily scheduled kids just don't seem to have as much free time as we did as kids. A camp-free summer, say experts, just might give our kids that free play time they so desperately need. "Parenting is a higher calling than being a cruise-ship activities director," Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, psychiatrist and author of "The Overscheduled Child," tells Newsweek. "Boredom is not necessarily our children's enemy. It can stimulate [children] to think, create, and hear the soft murmurings of their inner voice, the one that makes them write this unusual story, draw that unique picture, or invent some new game."

A friend of mine -- her son is 12 -- had to drop camp this summer. She's using her own mother's method of handling boredom. "When he comes to me and complains, 'I'm bored,' " she says, "I just tell him, 'That's okay, I can find something for you to do.' Suddenly, he'll make himself the busiest kid on the block."

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Michael Jackson's Mother Gets Custody of His Children

Susan Wagner — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celeb parenting, Rumors

Paris and Prince Jackson, uncovered. Photo: X17online

We can't stop thinking about what will happen to Michael Jackson's children now that the King of Pop has passed away. Who will raise them, and what will their life be like without their father?

In the onslaught of news about Michael Jackson's death, this announcement would seem like a mere detail: On Monday, Jackson's 79-year-old mother, Katherine, was granted temporary guardianship of his children. For most families, the idea that a grandparent would step in and take charge in a crisis is a given, but for the Jackson clan, it's not that simple.

Jackson was raising his children alone. His ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, who is the mother of Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11, surrendered her parental rights in the couple's divorce, while Jackson's youngest son, Prince Michael II, or "Blanket," was born to an anonymous surrogate. But in the last week, all sorts of rumors have been swirling around about who wants the kids and what their legal rights may be. Debbie Rowe reportedly told a British tabloid that she had no desire to seek custody, but her representatives are now saying that the interview never happened. Rowe also reportedly claimed that Jackson is not her children's biological father, although it's unclear how true that claim is either. But it does raise questions about the paternity of all three children, and about the best options for permanent custody.

In the face of ongoing chaos it makes sense that the children would go to live with their grandmother. Court documents fiiled by Katherine Jackson assert that the children "have a long established relationship with [their] paternal grandmother and are comfortable in her care." During his 2005 trial for child molestation, Joe and Katherine Jackson told Barbara Walters they would pursue adoption of the children if Michael lost custody.

Jackson is reported to have a good relationship with his mother, but his relationship with Joe Jackson was far more complicated. The singer and his siblings had accused Joe Jackson of abusing them as children, and Joe himself admitted to cheating on his wife and fathering a daughter out of wedlock. Katherine and Joe Jackson are still married but have not lived together since the 1980s, and only Katherine has been granted custody of her grandchildren. Joe, however, has resumed his role as spokesperson for the family, telling the press this week, "This is where they belong ... we love those kids ... we're going to take care of them." But is that what Michael would have wanted?

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson, center, wearing a traditional Arabic woman's veil and all-covering gown called an abaya, with his son, Prince Michael II, also veiled, as they walk in Bahrain in 2006.

Hasan Jamali, AP

Michael Jackson, center, is supported by his security personnel as he walks into the courthouse with his father Joe Jackson, right, after arriving late to Santa Barbara County Superior Court, on March 10, 2005.

Kimberly White, Pool / AP

Michael Jackson applauds his fans while on top of his car after his arraignment on child molestation charges in Santa Maria, California on January 16, 2003.

Hector Mata, AFP / Getty Images

Michael Jackson's booking photo and personal information shown in this copy of a release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department after Jackson was booked on child molestation charges in Santa Barbara, CA, on November 20, 2003.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department / AP

Michael Jackson holds his eight-month-old son Prince Michael II over the balcony of the Adlon Hotel in 2002 in Berlin, Germany. Jackson was in Berlin with his three children to accept a lifetime achievement award.

Olaf Selchow, Getty Images

Minders escort the veiled children of Michael Jackson as they visit the Berlin Zoo in November 2002.

Sadek Hamaiel, Getty Images

Michael Jackson holds an unidentified child as he stands in the window of his suite in the Adlon hotel in Berlin.

Jockel Finck, AP

A masked Jackson traveling in Berlin, Germany.

Eric Richard, Getty Images

Michael Jackson testifies during his civil trial in Santa Maria Superior Court on December 3, 2002 in Santa Maria, California.

Jim Ruyman, Pool / Getty Images

Michael Jackson testifies in Santa Barbara County Superior Court, on November 13, 2002 in Santa Maria, CA.

Spencer Weiner, Pool / AP

Continue reading Michael Jackson's Mother Gets Custody of His Children

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Nebraska Dad Who Abandoned Nine Children is Expecting Twins

John Gill — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: In the news, Single parenting

Gary Staton dropped off his 9 children last September under Nebraska's Safe Haven law. He still feels it was the right decision. Photo: Jeff Beiermann, The World-Herald

Safe Haven laws have been passed in all 50 states since 1999, as a way "for mothers in crisis to relinquish their babies to designated locations and keep them protected and provided with medical care until a permanent home is found."

37-year-old Gary Staton abandoned his nine children in September 2008, relinquishing them to the custody of his home state of Nebraska -- protected as a parent by the state's Safe Haven law. Now Staton, is expecting twins with his new girlfriend, Gail.

Staton abruptly became a single parent to his nine kids when his wife, RebelJane, died of a brain aneurysm in February 2007, not long after the last child's birth. The children, who ranged in age from 1 to 17 years of age, were dropped off at a hospital in Omaha when Staton determined that he could no longer care for them. The law has since been amended to only include children up to 30 days old.

Staton's two oldest children now live in Omaha, where they are finishing high school. The remaining seven kids live with RebelJane's aunt, who is in the process of adopting them.

Continue reading Nebraska Dad Who Abandoned Nine Children is Expecting Twins

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Curly Girl

Sarah James — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Daily Cutie

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=443394&pid=443393&uts=1246480980

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Daily Cutie

We agree with Boom Got Em - God did send him an angel!

Boom Got Em/Flickr

Daily Cutie

We agree with Boom Got Em - God did send him an angel!

Boom Got Em/Flickr

Nobody puts baby in a corner. Thanks to Sarah Stewart for this adorable shot.

Sarah Stewart/Flickr

A future phone-talker is in the works. Thanks to anuragyagnik for this glimpse into the future.

anuragyagnik/Flickr

Such a happy little cowgirl. Thanks to 4peasinapod for this adorable portrait.

4peasinapod/Flickr

What's this little one pondering? Thanks to kiu101 for this beautiful photo.

kiu101/Flickr

Sick and snotty, but still a doll. Thanks to bilquest for sharing this cute photo.

bilquest/Flickr

This bathing beauty makes us all smile. Thanks to kmorae3 for this darling photo.

kmorae3/Flickr

Oh that first tub bath! So cute. Thanks to FabFio666 for sharing this special moment.

FabFio666/Flickr

This precious tot doesn't mind getting his hands (or face!) dirty. Great shot, mamadowdell!

mamadowdell/Flickr

This cutie wins best hairstyle of the week. Thanks to Margaret E Jacobsen for this adorable image.

Margaret E Jacobsen/Flickr

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When Mommy Drinks Too Much

Amy Hatch — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST

The stress of parenthood can lead moms to drink too much. Photo: sxc.hu

There's nothing wrong with a glass of wine or two at night to take the edge off a long day of parenting -- or is there? Author and mother of three Stefanie Wilder-Taylor recently took a long, sobering look at just how often she was hitting the bottle, and revealed publicly that it was time for her to stop.

Wilder-Taylor not only decided to stop drinking, she decided to share her secret with the world in her ironically named column, "Make Mine A Double: Tales of Twins and Tequila" on the parenting website, Mommy Track'd: "I drink seven nights a week," she writes. "Sometimes just a glass of wine but usually two or three or even more. I always seem to have some sort of excuse like, 'Today was an exceptionally stressful day so I deserve an extra glass now that it's all done.'"

Before her last pregnancy with twins, Wilder-Taylor was a fierce defender of the martini play date; the title of her first book is a humorous nod to alcohol and parenting. In "Sippy Cups Are Not For Chardonnay," she chronicles the first years of parenting her eldest daughter, Elby.

But she quit drinking on May 22, and her story resonates with lots of moms, if the comments on Wilder-Taylor's revealing post are any indication. Says one woman: "My wake-up call on alcohol was the day I had to go get wine to finish Halloween costumes...at 10 a.m. and later in the day took [my kids] to a Halloween party at the local Catholic church having been using wine all day long."

Continue reading When Mommy Drinks Too Much

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Avoid the Emergency Room - Put Safety First on the Fourth

Kathy Peel — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fun & activities, Holidays, Health & safety

For years I dreaded sunset on the Fourth of July. You see, after a day of fun and good food with family and friends, when our three boys pulled out their arsenal of fireworks they'd purchased at a roadside stand (are all boys pyromaniacs?) my stress level spiked to the red zone.

Bill said I was over-reacting. He reminded me that fireworks must meet consumer safety standards and promised to make sure the boys followed safety precautions. This never relieved my angst. So I did what I always do when a fun activity is also a potentially harmful activity: I take precautionary measures -- and I pray (a lot). Whether your day includes a cookout, camping, a parade or a day at the lake, here are some good things to know and do to avoid the Emergency Room this weekend.

Continue reading Avoid the Emergency Room - Put Safety First on the Fourth

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Mommy Brain, Ana Ortiz, and Freezer Pleasers - Links We Love

Bethany Sanders — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Playground bureau

"Ugly Betty" star Ana Ortiz welcomes a daughter. Photo: abc.go.com

Got a case of Mommy Brain? You aren't alone -- moms often complain of forgetfulness during pregnancy or immediately after. The Cradle has tips for dealing with this sometimes frustrating phenomenon.

"Ugly Betty" star Ana Ortiz and her husband Noah Lebenzon welcomed their first child, a daughter they named Paloma Louise. -- People

A new way to approach drug-free labor? Maybe. The makers of the TENS machine say that electrical pulses reduce labor pains with few side effects. -- LilSugar

These adorable little clips are worth the pain of growing out your daughter's bangs. -- Cool Mom Picks

What a happy looking family: Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick release the first pictures of their new twin daughters.

Momversation wants to know: Can single moms and married moms really be friends? I think so -- what do you think?

He was just trying to help, but when a Colorado teen raided birds' nests -- believing he could do a better job than nature, apparently -- he ended up in trouble with the police. Can you imagine finding 52 baby birds in your teenager's room? -- Pawnation

When life gets busy, it's tempting to feed kids in the drive-thru. But with these freezer pleasers, a homemade meal is easy to prepare. -- AOL Food

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Jenny Sanford Puts Her Kids First, the Governor Second

Rachel Campos-Duffy — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Love & sex, Behaving badly, In the news

Over the weekend, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford confessed, in a rambling live statement to the press, that he has been having an affair with a woman in Argentina. Since her husband's bizarre press conference, the Governor's wife, Jenny, has single handedly changed the rulebook for scorned political wives. Gone is the humiliating moment of standing next to the philandering husband in a show of support, the stoned-face silence, the prerequisite week-long sequester in the family home, and the pathological enabling. Instead, Jenny Sanford is exemplifying dignity in the face of disaster, and is putting her children ahead of her husband's ambitions.

Mrs. Sanford's behavior -- including her refusal to cover for her husband when the press first came to their Sullivans Island summer house inquiring about the governor's whereabouts, and her absence as he has faced the press and calls for his resignation alone -- Mrs. Sanford has inspired a strong response from women across the country. "Team Jenny" merchandise, including mugs, bags and t-shirts with tango dancing silhouettes and the tagline, "Don't cry for me Argentina," is popping up everywhere. Clearly, Mrs. Sanford's behavior is meeting with approval from at least some voters -- and mothers.

Shortly after her husband's rambling, narcissistic press conference, the preppy mother of four boys delivered her own perfectly crafted and heartbreakingly maternal statement (no secret now about who the brain was in that outfit!). In it, she uses sacred scripture to remind her cheating husband of his ingratitude, saying, "sons are a gift from the Lord and children a reward from Him." She goes on to say, "I believe that the greatest legacy I will leave behind in this world is...the character of [my] children".

Jenny Sanford is a woman who understands exactly what is at stake, and who is not willing to risk "the potential damage to [her] children." When these things happen to families, especially very public families, we all worry about the children. In this case, however, we all somehow know that those boys are going to turn out all right - thanks to Team Jenny.

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Sam's Club Gives Kids Candy In Pill Bottles

Sandy Maple — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Health & safety, Weird but true

Sam's Club targets children with ill-advised pharmacy promotion. Image: Pam Roth/sxc.hu

Competition in the pharmacy business must be pretty tough these days. In order to get your business, pharmacies have begun promoting themselves like never before. These efforts to lure customers are not always met with approval. Like when some pharmacy chains started giving away free antibiotics and insinuating that the drug could be used to help fight cold and flu viruses. Experts worried that this type of promotion might send consumers the wrong message about the proper use of antibiotics.

If experts are worried about pharmacies handing out prescription drugs like candy, I wonder how they would feel about a pharmacy that hands out candy like prescription drugs. That is exactly what a Sam's Club pharmacy in Salisbury, Maryland was doing last week.

Sams' Club is a membership store and has a checkpoint at the entry where shoppers must show their identification before entering. But at this particular store, employees weren't just checking member cards, they were also promoting the in-store pharmacy by giving children prescription medicine bottles filled with candy.

Continue reading Sam's Club Gives Kids Candy In Pill Bottles

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Parents Keep 2-Year-Old's Gender a Secret

Sandy Maple — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Development, In the news, Environment

Swedish couple avoid stereotypes by refusing to reveal their child's gender. Photo: Dominik Gwarek/sxc.hu

With little babies, it is sometimes hard to tell if the child is a boy or a girl. In the absence of gender-specific clothing or a peek inside the diaper, most babies could pass for either sex. But as a child gets older, it becomes easier to tell the boys from the girls. In addition to clothing, clues can be found in developing facial features, hair styles and even toy preferences.

But even if you can't tell the gender of someone's child just by looking, you can always come out and ask the parents, right? Usually, yes. But in the case of a two-and-a-half-year-old Swedish child, the answer would be "none of your business."

Aside from the parents and few other people, nobody knows if the child they call Pop is a boy or a girl. Pop's parents subscribe to a feminist philosophy in which the idea of gender is an unnecessary and potentially harmful social construction. They believe that by keeping Pop's gender a secret from the world, their child will be allowed to grow up without preconceived notions of how he or she should be treated based on his or her gender.

Continue reading Parents Keep 2-Year-Old's Gender a Secret

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Jon & Kate Plus 8 - The First 10 Years

Sally Worsham — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Life & style, Celeb parenting

Before we move onto the next chapter in the life of the Gosselin family, it's time to look back and reminisce about how we got here. Last night's episode of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" took us back in time -- 10 years, in fact, to the very beginning of the couple's marriage. This retrospective could provide Jon and Kate answers as to what has gone wrong in their marriage, giving them points to focus on if they decide to try again.

On the other hand, some of these memories seemed to highlight exactly why they don't want to be together anymore.

Kate Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus 8

Is it splitsville for the Gosselins?
Kate Gosselin, star of TLC's hit show "Jon & Kate Plus 8," speaks Wednesday May 13, 2009, at the Frauenthal Center in Muskegon, Mich. We may be seeing a lot more of Kate solo, now that her marriage is collapsing.

Dave Raczkowski, MLIVE.com / AP

Jon and Kate Gosselin of the hit TLC show "Jon & Kate Plus 8" film an episode where they receive their own choppers (motorcycles) from the Orange County Choppers of the other TLC show, "American Chopper." The Gosselins go for a ride with the "American Chopper" cast before Kate later takes her custom pink bike for a ride of her own. All the while their children wander about the front lawn, not receiving much attention.

Bauer-Griffin

Over the past five years, Kate Gosselin's life has gone from miracle mom to reality TV train wreck. What's next for Gosselin and her family? Maybe a return to something closer to normal. Here, Gosselin is spotted pushing around one of her daughters in a shopping cart at Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Bauer-Griffin

Kate Gosselin, seen here promoting her book "Multiple Blessings," seems to have made a life for herself that doesn't include husband Jon, who is reported to have been having an affair. But what about the kids?

David Livingston, Getty Images

Once upon a time, not so long ago, the Gosselins were our favorite reality tv family. It was hard not to love them -- after all, we all know how parenting changes us.

Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you had one more child? How about two more? How about SIX more?

Four years ago, Jon and Kate Gosselin went from being parents of two to parents of eight, and their lives have never been the same.

Getty Images

Today we all have a window into that life on TLC's Jon and Kate Plus 8. And of course, part of peeking into someone else's life is hypothesizing how we might do things differently or better, because it's always easy to imagine what you would do in someone else's shoes.

What is harder to imagine is what it would really be like to walk in those other shoes -- what's it like to wake up every morning and be Kate Gosselin? ParentDish had a chance to ask her just that recently.

TLC.Discovery.com

In a normal week, the Gosselins have a television crew in their house about half the time, which is a lot, if you think about it. And while they will occasionally opt out of filming specific moments with their kids, the Gosselins have no editorial control over the show -- what you see is what you get, packaged by a team of folks at Discovery and TLC. But, Kate says, this is reality TV, and it accurately reflects life at the Gosselin house; nothing is pre-planned or made up. "We don't have time to memorize scripts," she jokes.

I believe that.

"We set out to show the truth," Kate says, "I couldn't watch it if it weren't true." What you see, in every televised moment, is precisely what is happening -- no stage directions or do-overs. This is life at the Gosselin house.

Getty Images

Kate Gosselin has gotten quite a bit of flak, both from the media and from viewers, for the way she treats her husband; the two are often shown bickering during the show. Kate says the criticisms don't bother her; she doesn't Google herself or make a practice of reading about herself on or off line. "Everyone has an opinion," she says, "and I'm only paying attention to my own." But she does admit that the way the show is edited affects how people see her family and her marriage. "If Jon and I have three spats over a two day period, they're going to edit it to make it look like those happened in the 22 minute period." The show is just a small slice of her family's life, after all.

TLC.Discovery.com

Kate is clearly focused not on what goes on outside her family but on her children. Her goal, she says, is to treat each child like an only child -- a hard thing to do when you're the mom of eight. "I hold myself to a very high standard," she says. At the same time, though, she's not trying to be perfect, or even to appear perfect to viewers of the show. She's just living her life.

And yes, she's living it with television cameras in her house, but it's still her real life. Kate says that while the experience of being on television has changed her life, it hasn't changed who she is. She says the same about having eight children -- "It's hard to live through what we have lived through and not change. We are the same -- it's how people treat us" that is different.

Getty Images

One of the hardest things about her family, Kate says, is the noise; there are days when the older girls, Cara and Mady, come home from school and their reports about what they have done are drowned out by the noise of the sextuplets. More than anything, she says, she longs for peace and quiet -- otherwise, she would not change a thing about her life.

Getty Images

High school sweethearts who married very young, Jon and Kate almost immediately became parents to twins, Cara and Mady. Kate loved the whirlwind of being a newlywed mom of twins, but Jon seemed to wish he were elsewhere (a frat house, possibly).

As soon as the twins turn one, Kate wants another baby, although Jon mutters he was getting sick of hearing her talk about it. Maybe he should have spoken up a bit more forcefully, because Kate is already down at the fertility doctor's office, and then next thing they know they're looking at an ultrasound of six babies.

Continue reading Jon & Kate Plus 8 - The First 10 Years

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Peapod

Sarah James — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Daily Cutie

Daily Cutie

Nobody puts baby in a corner. Thanks to Sarah Stewart for this adorable shot.

Sarah Stewart/Flickr

A future phone-talker is in the works. Thanks to anuragyagnik for this glimpse into the future.

anuragyagnik/Flickr

Such a happy little cowgirl. Thanks to 4peasinapod for this adorable portrait.

4peasinapod/Flickr

What's this little one pondering? Thanks to kiu101 for this beautiful photo.

kiu101/Flickr

Sick and snotty, but still a doll. Thanks to bilquest for sharing this cute photo.

bilquest/Flickr

This bathing beauty makes us all smile. Thanks to kmorae3 for this darling photo.

kmorae3/Flickr

Oh that first tub bath! So cute. Thanks to FabFio666 for sharing this special moment.

FabFio666/Flickr

This precious tot doesn't mind getting his hands (or face!) dirty. Great shot, mamadowdell!

mamadowdell/Flickr

This cutie wins best hairstyle of the week. Thanks to Margaret E Jacobsen for this adorable image.

Margaret E Jacobsen/Flickr

A little ballerina surrounded by doting fans. What a beautiful image, joeboba!

joeboba/Flickr

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Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick's Twins - Sneak Peek!

Susan Wagner — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Life & style, Celeb parenting

The Parker-Broderick brood. Photo: Robin Layton via Getty Images

Sarah Jessica Parker, 44, and Matthew Broderick, 47, are settling into life as parents of three. The couple welcomed twin daughters Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge Broderick last Monday; the girls, born in Ohio, were carried by a surrogate. The babies weighed 5 lbs., 11 oz, and 6 lbs., and are perfectly healthy and absolutely beautiful.

Parker and Broderick were unable to conceive again after their son, James Wilkie, 6, was born, and so they opted for surrogacy instead. "Well, you know, we've been trying to expand our family for a number of years," Parker told "Access Hollywood" in May. She said that she met the news that the surrogate was carrying twins with "giggles." "We didn't expect it. I think after a certain amount of time, you tend to hold your hopes at bay a bit so as not to be disappointed. One really would have been thrilling and we would've felt incredibly lucky. And two was a comedy."

Baby Zoom

Eyes Wide Shut
One of the finest shots of Sunday Rose with mommy Nicole Kidman.

KCSPresse, Splash News

Who's that Girl?Hint: This celeb-baby always looks like a doll. At just two-and-a-half-years-old she is probably one of the youngest fashion icons of her day -- and you won't see her out of a dress. Except here. The answer comes next.

Sebastian Willnow, AFP/Getty Images

Chocolate LipsSuri Cruise walking on the streets of Manhattan on November 24, 2008.

James Devaney, WireImage

Mother-Daughter Sunglasses
Wearing matching shady looks, actress Isla Fisher and her 13-month-old daughter Olive arrive at LAX airport on December 4, 2008. Were they hijacked by Olive's daddy, Sacha Baron Cohen, in his alter ego of flamboyantly camp Austrian fashion reporter Bruno?

Splash News

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