Family Ties

A deadbeat dad rolls into town on last night's Parenthood! When Amber and Drew's pop shows up to play some gigs, Sarah has a bit of a breakdown when she finds out her son has been hanging out with his father. While the mom of two has good reason — namely because her ex is an addict — is it ever fair to keep a kid (who wants a relationship) away from his or her parent?

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Is It Fair For a Mother to Keep a Child From His Father?

Yes — Mothers have to make these tough decisions.

No — Every child should know their father.

Barbara Bush, the daughter of former president George W. Bush, is advocating gay marriage in a recent PSA filmed by The Human Rights Campaign. It's a very public way for the 29-year-old to disagree with the ban that her father tried to put in place while in office. But perhaps her political views are more in line with her mother Laura's. The former first lady said she disagreed with her husband's opinions on gay marriage and choice in an interview with Larry King last year.

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Do You Hope Your Children Choose Your Politics?

Yes — I hope they share my beliefs.

No — I hope they make their own decisions.

It was parents interrupted last night on Modern Family when the Dunphey kids make breakfast in bed for Phil and Claire and walk in on them having sex. While the situation isn't uncommon (especially when people don't lock their doors), it startles everyone involved and makes for an awkward situation. Haley, Alex, and Luke flee while a mortified Claire hides in her room trying to figure out how she will broach the subject and has flashbacks of the time she interrupted her own parents. Meanwhile, Phil plays it cool eating his bacon and eggs and of course, hilarity ensues. Have your kids ever walked in on you?

Photos copyright 2010 ABC Inc.

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Modern Family Moment: Has Your Child Ever Caught You in the Act?

Yes — These things happen.

No — We take precautions so this won't happen.

It doesn't look like Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe will be rekindling their past romance. In an exclusive statement to the New York Daily News, the actor wished his ex-wife and her fiancé well on their recent engagement. He said, "I'm very happy for both Reese and Jim. I wish nothing but the best for the mother of my children." Despite the demise of their marriage, many former couples are able to achieve amicable relationships for the sake of their kids. And that's important since coparenting ultimately involves both parties and additional partners if mom and dad remarry. All things considered, would you walk down the aisle again if your ex didn't approve?

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Would You Marry a Man If the Father of Your Children Didn't Approve?

Yes — It's my life and my decision.

No — Once kids and an ex are involved, it's a family decision.

It's been said that "army brats" know how to pack their bags and bid their goodbyes, but what happens when it's time for the kids to see their own parents off? While it's one thing when a husband or wife makes the conscious choice to marry a spouse who's in the military and bear the brunt of that decision, it's quite another for children of single parents to uproot their lives (yet again) to stay with relatives when mom or dad is deployed. A touching New York Times report examined the physical and emotional effects of such circumstances. It said:

And a paper published in the journal Pediatrics in late 2009 found that children in military families were more likely to report anxiety than children in civilian families. The longer a parent had been deployed in the previous three years, the researchers found, the more likely their children were to have had difficulties in school and at home.

What's your opinion?

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Do Children Become War Victims When Their Parents Are Deployed?

Yes — Children are the victims.

No — It's just a different way of life for military children.

Is it about the evolution of the law or the evolution of marriage? A Michigan man faces up to five years in prison for hacking into his wife's Gmail account to confirm his suspicions that the woman was having an affair. Leon Walker logged into Clara's email account using the password she kept next to their computer. Since many spouses share a laptop, iPad, or iPhone, it's not uncommon that both parties have access to each other's social networking accounts. Do you peek on your partner out of curiosity?

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Do You Snoop on Your Partner Via Their Email, Facebook, or Twitter?

Yes — I don't think this is a big deal.

No — I respect my partner's privacy.