LilSugar

Lil's Top Three Favorite New Mom Shows!

LilSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:00:33 -0700

Set your DVR or put the kids to bed early so you can turn on the boob tube and enjoy some mom-me time watching LilSugar's three favorite new mom shows! After hearing all the hype about the networks' most anticipated sitcoms and dramas that centered around matriarchs, we tuned in and then narrowed down the choices to our top three must sees. Check out our picks! Drum roll please . . .
Second Runnerup: The Middle
Why we like it: Patricia Heaton is back on the small screen as Frankie Heck, a mom of three who has more than her share of realistic haggard-mom moments.
Why we love it: While all of the characters are lovable, Brick's creepy habits, from talking in a low voice to "soothe" himself to copping feels on his teacher, make him the center of attention. Just when a viewer's skin begins to crawl, the youngster tells his mom that she's his hero, and it's impossible not to melt.
Rating:

To see which shows got the second and top spots, read more.
First Runnerup: The Good Wife
Why we like it: We've all wondered why real-life women like Elizabeth Edwards and Silda Spitzer stood by their men despite being humiliated. Julianna Margulies's character, Alicia Florrick, give us a better understanding.
Why we love it: Alicia is both a strong and sympathetic woman. While her circumstance is one most women hope to never find themselves in, Alicia is someone we all can relate to, because despite the enormity of some of her issues, she also deals with the everyday stuff like protecting her children from the media, enduring an overbearing mother-in-law, and competing with co-workers half her age at the office.
Rating:

Best New Mom Show: Modern Family
Why we like it: The sitcom showcases three related families: a "traditional" couple raising three tween and teenagers, December/May newlyweds who have a young son, and gay partners with an adopted baby girl.
Why we love it: The show had us in stitches through its entirety. Each family has been so carefully crafted that there's no clear favorite. And, in all of the hilarity, there are sentimental moments interspersed that hit viewers in their heartstrings. Rating:

If you have strong opinions on other moms of the small screen, mosey on over to the Television Moms group on the LilSugar Community, a place to discuss the parenting styles and practices of the small screen's matriarchs along with the topical issues from recent episodes of shows.
Photos copyright 2009 ABC, Inc. and Photo courtesy of CBS

The Hecks Are Perfectly Imperfect on The Middle

LilSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:00:10 -0700

For every woman that has ever had a haggard mom moment, you'll find a new hero in Frankie on The Middle. ABC's new comedy debuted last night offering viewers equal parts laughter and a reality check. Patricia Heaton plays a stressed out Midwest mother of three who balances her work as a used car salesman (who has yet to sell a vehicle) and raising her odd offspring. While lots of ladies dream of their kids becoming the best and brightest, Frankie who questions her maternal skills with Axl, Sue and Brick, would just appreciate a day without upset.

As the middle aged mama and her husband, Mike, parent the eclectic trio you can't help but crack up. Axl trudges around the house in his underwear, Sue is a mess who fails at everything and Brick's backpack is his best friend. While all of the characters are lovable, Brick's creepy habits from talking in a low voice to "soothe" himself to copping feels on his teacher make him the center of attention. Just when a viewer's skin begins to crawl, the youngster tells his mom that she's his hero and it's impossible not to melt. The Middle showcases all the things that go wrong in life and makes us appreciate them. After a long day of real life, mothers will find comic relief (and perspective!) while watching this sitcom.

if you've got strong opinions on other moms of the small screen, mosey on over to the Television Moms group on the LilSugar Community, a place to discuss the parenting styles and practices of the small screen's matriarchs along with the topical issues from recent episodes.

Photo courtesy of ABC

Do Some Methods of Having a Baby Take More Consideration?

LilSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:24:34 -0700

Having a baby is a big decision no matter how a couple goes about it, but do some methods take more thought than others? In last night's season premiere of Brothers & Sisters, Kevin and Scottie look into starting a family via surrogate and learn the best case scenario costs $137,000. While Kevin is ready to take out a credit line on their condo to get the process going, Scottie experiences cold feet reading hundreds of pages of paperwork. Surrogacy involves outside parties as well as legal contracts, so it's understandable that Scottie wants time to figure out if he's ready for fatherhood. Do you think certain methods of having a baby, be it surrogacy or adoption, take more serious consideration than nature's way?Photo courtesy of ABC

Yea or Nay on Courteney Cox Arquette's Cougar Town?

LilSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:30:27 -0700

Courteney Cox Arquette has returned to the small screen with her new ABC show, Cougar Town. While the half hour premiere certainly packs a punch with Jules Cobb, a forty-year-old divorcee, getting her groove back with a much younger man - was the episode enough for moms to make it a must see? The real life mother of Coco brings her likability to the table as a realtor trying to enjoy life while raising a teenage son.

But, there were also some uncomfortable moments like when Jules offers her lover a snack of peanut butter crackers (laughable) or when Travis walks in on them (unnecessary). Tell us if you think it should make Lil's list of favorite new mom series or if it caters to a different audience?
Photo courtesy of ABC

Modern Family Rocks and Represents All Types of Families

LilSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:30:46 -0700

It's simple, Modern Family rocks! ABC's new sitcom had me in stitches as it showcased three related families. Here are the highlights: First, there's the "traditional" couple, Phil and Claire, who have three teen and tweenage kids - Haley, Alex and Luke. Self-proclaimed cool dad, Phil is anything but, and embarrasses his children by singing and dancing to High School Musical tunes. Priceless moment: When the parents schedule a time to shoot their youngest child with a BB gun as punishment for popping his sister. "Shoot Luke at 4:15"!

Then, there's Grandpa Jay who is a newlywed after marrying the vivacious Gloria who is several years younger. The two are raising Manny, a passionate boy who professes his love to girls much to his step-dad's chagrin. Memorable scene: Jay's reaction to an acquaintance assuming he's Gloria's father.

Rounding out the trio, are gay couple, Mitchell (Jay's son) and Cameron who have adopted baby Lily from Vietnam and are trying to find an appropriate way to tell their relatives about the new addition. Clip that left viewers in stitches: It's a tie between the floating fairy mural in the nursery and Cameron's dramatic unveiling of their daughter to the Lion King music.

No amount of kudos can do this show justice, so make sure you tune in! It's a welcomed break for any busy mom. Photo courtesy of
ABC

What's the Solution For Teen Pregnancy?

LilSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:00:22 -0700

Everyone has their idea of what will lessen a teen's risk of having a baby- from preaching abstinence to safe sex education and initiating the birds and the bees conversation earlier with children. But, the statistics are on the rise and shows like MTV's 16 and Pregnant focus more on the dilemmas kids having kids have - like not breastfeeding for fear their boobs will sag or that they are cuddling an infant in the middle of the night while their peers are trying to sneak in past curfew. Tomorrow night, Primetime: Family Secrets will air a report which follows four families dealing with teen pregnancy and its aftermath along with anecdotes like the 12-steps to correctly putting on a condom. What do you think is the answer to ending teen pregnancy in America?

In the Motherhood: Interview With Jennifer Konner

LilSugar — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 08:00:52 -0800

ABC is getting real with its soon-to-debut series, In the Motherhood based on the real life experiences of every day mamas. Executive producer Jennifer Konner, a mum to two, said it was inspired by the web series of the same name and described the online destination as a secret society of moms telling the truth to each other.

The television episodes will draw on the experiences women share because Konner believes "the truth is better than stuff you could make up." One such episode is currently in production. The topic - the repercussions a mom faced after her preschooler discovered there was no Santa Claus and told his entire class.

The sitcom centers around three friends - Jane (Cheryl Hines) a divorced mother of two, her younger sis and seemingly perfect mom, Emily (Jessica St. Clair) and Rosemary (Megan Mullally) a free spirited mama and next door neighbor. The ladies attempt to find balance between work, parenting and relationships. Konner says she is currently under siege with her own daughter, 4, and son, 2, and laughingly described the show as the "No Sex in the City". Check it out on March 26th at 8 p.m.

To see Konner's answers to a couple lil questions and check out a hilarious clip from the show, read more.

lilsugar: Why didn't anybody tell me ________ about motherhood?
Jennifer Konner: You pooped when you give birth.

lilsugar: You Know You're a mother When _________?
Jennifer Konner: Well, last night my 4-year-old told me she knew what sex was and I almost had a nervous breakdown.

Photos courtesy of ABC

Do You Know the ABCs of Pregnancy?

babysugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:00:20 -0700

The moment I found out I was pregnant I was hit with a wave of questions and concerns: Do I tell my boss? Am I going to get morning sickness? And, naturally, what will it be like to be a mother? Next, I was overwhelmed by the complicated words and phrases my doctor started casually dropping into our conversation. I soon learned there's a unique language reserved for pregnancy, labor and child rearing that they just don't teach us growing up.

It's a language that can be picked up quickly and makes perfect sense as soon as you open up pregnancy books and start talking to other parents. How well do you know the pregnancy ABCs? Take my quiz (it's one of many, I promise!) and find out!

Photo courtesy of ABC

Take the quiz

Were Your Friends Jealous Over Baby?

babysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:32 -0800

Ask any mom, and she'll tell you: life changes drastically with the birth of a baby. Nights out at the bars are put on hold indefinitely, and friendships often take a backseat to parenting. It's not that friends lose their value; it's that parents have a fuller schedule and more responsibilities, which leads to less "hang" time with their buds. On the "Great Expectations" episode of Modern Family, Cam and Mitchell meet their old gal pal Sally at a bar, where the threesome swigs cocktails. Whenever the couple brings up their newly adopted daughter, Lily, Sal makes inappropriate remarks, leading the dads to conclude she is jealous of their wee one. While it may not play out so obviously in real life, the clip certainly has a token of realism to it.

Were any of your friends jealous of your baby?

Toy Box: Flashcards for the Brainiac

babysugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:00:39 -0800

Flashcards are my wee one's favorite "toy" and books come in at a close second. I have come to the realization that my lil girl is a nerd. An adorable, sweet, loving nerd. And we are relishing in it as long as it lasts because I am sure one day in the not too distant future, she will be demanding a tutu instead of cuddling up in my lap to review her ABCs.

Adding to her growing collection, the Nerd ABCs flashcards ($20) are hilarious, unique and clearly educational. "A" is for atom, not apple, in this deck of cards. If not for quizzing your babe every night, these scientifically adorned cards are fantastic for framing as art work or giving to other brainiac friends of yours.