Julianne Moore believes that children are our future and is doing all she can to ensure that they make it. The Academy Award nominated actress serves as a Save the Children artist ambassador and presented the agency's "The Disaster Decade: Lessons Unlearned for the United States" report recently.

According to the text, only seven out of 50 states meet the minimum preparedness standards for protecting children during disasters, which includes effective systems for family reunification and shelters that separate tots from adults to keep them safe from predators. Moore and Save the Children are now lobbying Congress to better prepare for helping children during hurricanes, wildfires, the recession and the like.

The mother of two – Caleb, 11, and Liv, 7 – plans her filming schedules around her offspring and is often seen shuttling them to school. She is an outspoken supporter of the TS Alliance to raise awareness of tuberous sclerosis and has penned two books about life as a redheaded child, Freckleface Strawberry and Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully.

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Women spent generations asserting their value in the home and now that some of their spouses have taken on more child-rearing responsibilities, many men are realizing how undervalued being the primary caretaker (or equally sharing the job) can be.

From Harper's Bazaar's photo shoot portraying Chris Noth as Mr. Mom to Michael Lewis's recently published book and essays on fatherhood, Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood, men are finding that daddy duty doesn't warrant a round of applause. Lewis argues that since new-era pops are becoming more involved in their tot's lives, they have been thrown from their place of power in the household and placed in one of submissive duty, simply following their wives' childcare directives and becoming little more than the equivalent of hired help.

While moms have suffered from the unappreciated-housewife complex for years, modern dads appear to be getting a taste of it now. Are involved dads being taken of advantage of by their unsuspecting wives?

If you've tried the aphrodisiacs, lingerie, and date nights and still don't seem to be bringing sexy back into your bedroom, bring on an expert!

Marriage and sex therapists help couples sort out the barriers in their pre-baby lives, but couples who know what the problem is and are looking for a quick fix may want to seek out a weekend-long seminar.

Carrie Grange Isaacson, better known as the Baby Maven, offers a number of seminars around the country and believes that strong relationships, including an active sex life, make for better parenting. Her current lecture, "Bootie After Baby," teaches couples how to flirt after marriage, how to turn overtures into invitations, and how to reintroduce passion while there is a baby crying in the next room.

Would you consider attending a sex after baby seminar to get grooving again?

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Arguing with your lil fashionista about what she wants to wear each day may have gotten a little easier. Your budding Tory Burch can now get her feet wet in shoe design with Lindsay Phillips's Switch Flops ($30). Available in three base styles — black, floral and wedge — the shoes feature a Velcro system that allows tots to change the straps and adornments depending on their mood. The dozen interchangeable straps ($10 each) range from zebra and giraffe prints to preppy grosgrain and denim ribbons. While the color and pattern options offer kids the opportunity to match their shoes to their outfits, waiting for them to do so is a whole other topic!

Whether you tag your lil one's items by choice or to meet day and overnight camp requirements, most mamas don't have the time to stitch the tickets through all of their children's goods. From traditional sewn-in labels to ink stamps and permanent markers, we've rounded up several shortcuts for completing the chore.

• A self-inking stamper like the Deluxe Marking Kit ($35) gets tots in on the action. With permanent ink and interchangeable stamps, the kit can be used for several camp seasons.
• Iron-on labels make adhering a cinch. Available in a variety of designs, classic name labels ($6 for 60) are mommy's lil helper.
• For those who label at the last minute, the Sharpie Laundry Pen ($1) is the permanent scribbler of choice available in a variety of widths.
• Mums looking for a sticky fix will get stuck on Stikins Clothing Labels ($25 for 60), which can handle a toss in the washer and dryer.
• Those handy with a label maker can type the camper's name into the gadget and spit out Fabric Iron-On Tape labels ($24).

If there is one shoe that defines this season, the gladiator sandal is it. While adult trends do not always translate well for tots, the gladiator's flat sole and ankle strap make it great for lil one's looking to steal some of mama's style while walking this Summer.

Simple: The Gymboree Sparkle Gladiator Sandal mimics the latest mommy trend for only $21 by using faux leather straps and big sparkles.
Swank: For more than three times the price, the $65 Primigi Nikita uses real leather and studs on its version of the fashionable footwear.
Which do you prefer?

Rock stars and groupies are starting young these days. Help them prep for their Summer of al fresco music venues with an accessory. Regardless of whether your tot is rock royalty or not, his wee ears need to be protected when music is blaring at decibel levels that leave adults' ears ringing for days after an event. Kingston Rossdale, Apple Martin, and Milo Langdon have made headphones designed to protect toddler eardrums a concert fashion statement. Several tot-sized, noise-reducing headphones are available for children over 6 months old, usually with enough cushioning to keep them from squeezing little heads. Here are a few of best ones we found.

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Honeymoons might be made for two, but these days weddings aren't just made up of a couple exchanging vows. Blended families are becoming more and more common with divorce rates on the rise. So what's the best way to celebrate the new clan? A familymoon!

Nuptial ceremonies and proposals often include the bride and groom's kiddos so why leave wee ones out of the honeymoon — especially when childcare factors in? While newlyweds normally seek out exotic locales for their time away, parents look at different factors for these jaunts. Check out a few of our favorite family destinations.

• Hawaii: Long considered to be the ultimate romantic honeymoon destination, Hawaii also offers parents and kiddos enough activities to keep everyone happy. Families may consider renting a vacation home or condo rather than staying in a hotel to provide everyone with privacy and communal space. It offers beach and pool play, water sports, volcano hiking and picturesque sunsets.
• Amelia Island: The Ritz Carlton may conjure up images of posh surroundings and luxury living, but the hotel chain’s Ritz Kids program offers supervised “day camps” for tots that include swimming, sand play, sports and more. At the Amelia Island, Florida, resort, newlyweds can relax on the beach or play a round of golf knowing that their kids are having an equally indulgent time.
• Alaskan Cruise: Families with older children may consider an Alaskan cruise. In addition to the kids programs on the ships — including the pools, rock-climbing walls, arcades and playrooms – the excursion offers families the opportunity to bond while exploring a new destination as a unit. Whale-watching, gold panning and glacier-hiking, provide options for getting active.

To see a video from the original familymooners, The Brady Bunch, read more

Time stretched parents can't keep their fingers from the keyboard when it comes to social networking sites. Some mamas say they are addicted and others consider logging on a guilty pleasure. Seventy-five percent of lilsugar readers use Facebook, Twitter and the like to check in on friends and family, but we're curious what type of picture is on your profile page. Is it your mug or your mini mes?

Feminist author Katie Roiphe recently noticed that many of her acquaintance’s Facebook pages only featured photos of their offspring or showcased the moms holding their children rather than solo shots. She argued that the photos are representative of a shift in how highly-educated, well-rounded women view themselves – not as independent adults, but as "over-devoted … to our children’s education, entertainment and general formation."

Whose picture made your profile page?

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One of Hollywood's sweetest voices may be moving to lullabies from the soul tunes that made her a star. Jennifer Hudson and fiancé David Otunga are said to have feted their upcoming bundle of joy with family and friends at a Chicago baby shower this weekend. Congratulations to the quietly expecting couple!

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She's a fashion icon for an entire generation of women, and when she's not making headlines for her clothing choices — both on and off the television and movie screens — Sarah Jessica Parker prides herself on her urban family life.

While fans may love her best for playing Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw on both the small and large screens, Parker's role as mom to James Wilkie, 6, is the one that she cherishes. Often seen taking her son to school or palling around New York City with him, she said that she loves "to do everything with him as long as he will have me around . . . brushing his teeth with him is enjoyable right now." So it is no wonder that Parker and husband Matthew Broderick recently announced that they are expecting two new additions to the family — twin daughters — via a surrogate.

Though James Wilkie may sport hand-me-downs from his uncle, we hope the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador's daughters will have the opportunity to rifle through their mama's closet when they are older.

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As a child of the 80s, I fondly remember Big Wheels. Seated just inches off the ground, lil rascals tore down the sidewalks pretending they were Ponch and John from CHiPs.

Introduced at the 1969 Toy Fair, The Big Wheel was a staple in many American homes by the late 70s. Made of plastic, they were cheaper than traditional tricycles and considered to be safer, due to their thick wheels and inability to tip over. By the mid-80s, the company that produced them had gone out of business and the original Big Wheel was no longer making the rounds. Today, the Original Big Wheel ($35) has been reintroduced by a new manufacturer and is winning over a new generation of riders. Though the current version does not have the hand brake that allowed the trike to spin in an awesome circle like the previous one did, it looks similar and is sure to bring back a flood of memories for the parents buying it for their tykes.

Brooke Shields has proved she's more than just a pretty baby, but a talented woman. Thrust into the public eye modeling for Ivory Soap at the age of 11 months, the stunner had a successful modeling and film career before she took to the small screen starring in a number of television shows like Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and the recently canceled, Lipstick Jungle.

Though she sparked controversy with her role as a child prostitute in 1978's Pretty Baby and again a few years later in a Calvin Klein jeans ad, Shields may best be known these days as an outspoken advocate for women suffering from postpartum depression. Following the birth of her daughter Rowan, 6, the actress wrote Down Came the Rain an account of her struggle with the disease, her battle with fertility and her suicidal thoughts. She publicly and passionately disagreed with Tom Cruise about the use of psychiatric drugs for PPD treatment though they eventually called a truce.

The mom of two – Shields also is mom to Grier, 3, – still does a number of advertisements and promotes her books, including the just-released It's the Best Day Ever, Dad! about the bond between fathers and daughters.

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