LilSugar

Best of 2011: What Parenting TV Show Was Your Fave?

Kate Stahl — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:32:07 PST

You're living through middle-of-the-night diaper changes, homework issues, and sibling rivalry, and so are the families on some of our favorite shows of 2011. The Bravermans deal with weighty issues like autism, infertility, and parent breakups on Parenthood, while the Pritchetts, Dunphys, and Tuckers bring a gut-busting amount of humor to everyday family life on Modern Family. Newcomer Up All Night put a hilarious spin on the life changes that Chris and Reagan Brinkley experience after welcoming their daughter, Amy, and Raising Hope's dysfunctional Chance family does their best to bring up Hope. So which series is the first priority on your DVR? Let us know below.

5 TV Families We'd Like to Spend Thanksgiving With

BuzzSugar — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:07:12 PST

Thanksgiving is almost here, which means we're all gearing up to watch the parade and chow down on turkey with loved ones. Though no one can replace our nearest and dearest, I always think it's fun to imagine what it would be like to spend the holiday with some of our favorite TV characters. Whether these shows have a family or a group of friends so close they're like family, these are the groups that I wouldn't mind visiting for the holidays.

10 Wacky Baby Products to Leave Off Your Registry

LilSugar — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:03:58 PST

Tinkle tubes? Potty mitts? Nope, these aren't props from an SNL sketch mocking the absurdity of the baby product industry; they're actual items.

After talking about how exhausting new parenthood is, one of the ideas that's constantly hashed out is the sheer amount of stuff that babies require. Some of that stuff is, of course, nonnegotiable: the baby needs somewhere safe to sleep, diapers, bottles, and clothes. Then there's all of the other stuff. Gear our mothers somehow lived without that we've come to rely on - video monitors, white noise machines, and smartphone apps that can do pretty much anything except nurse the baby. Here's where things get a little weird: amidst the many useful and innovative items introduced every year, there are a handful that range from being totally unnecessary to downright bizarre.

Click through for a selection of baby gear that might leave you scratching your head.

How-To: Determine If You Can Afford a Baby

SavvySugar — Sun, 29 May 2011 03:05:49 PDT

When other people ask you if you're ready to have kids, they're generally not referring to whether or not you can afford to raise a child. But that's one factor you can't leave out of your decision to start a family. Scroll though the financial factors to consider when determining if you can afford a baby.

Get Your Bank Account Ready For a Baby

Guest Writer — Tue, 24 May 2011 14:00:34 PDT

Editor’s note: The following is a guest post by Kimberly Palmer, the author of Generation Earn: The Young Professional’s Guide to Spending, Investing, and Giving Back, and personal finance columnist at US News & World Report. Take it away, Kimberly!

Along with the cute outfits, nursery, and rocking chair, there’s one more thing to get ready for baby: Your bank account. Because along with being cuddly and adorable, babies are also insanely expensive. Just how much will one end up costing you? Well, according to the latest estimates from the Agriculture Department, middle-income couples (earning between $57,000 and $98,000) spend around $12,000 a year on their babies.

Luckily, parents don’t need to come up with all that cash at once. In fact, we often don’t even realize when we’re spending it, because it includes the fuzzier costs of moving to a bigger home and buying more groceries in addition to the more obvious ones, such as baby clothes and baby sitters. There are ways, though, to start priming your accounts for an extra family member in advance, so you don’t have to worry about bouncing any checks during your first years together. Whether you’re pregnant or your future baby exists only in your daydreams, here are some ways to start getting ready:

1. Figure out your work (or no work) plan. Babies often make their biggest financial impact on their parents’ earning potential, since new moms (and dads) frequently decide to scale back their work hours in order to spend more time with the new love of their lives. In this country, even a relatively brief maternity leave of three or four months is usually unpaid, which means new parents have to live off savings at a time when they’re also taking on more expenses.

Meanwhile, parents who continue working full-time take on the mega-cost of nannies or daycare, which can average well over $12,000 a year, especially in cities. One way to mitigate the budget shock: Practice living off one salary before the big birth day, and sign up for childcare flex spending accounts if your employer offers them, in order to take advantage of the tax benefits.

For more tips on how to get your bank account ready for a baby, read on.

NBC News: Chuck and Parenthood in, Plus New Series Pickups

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 11 May 2011 18:41:58 PDT

NBC's upfronts aren't until Sunday, but news about the network's Fall TV season is already leaking out. Word on the street is that NBC is renewing Chuck for a fifth season, saving it from its precarious spot on the bubble. Parenthood also looks like it'll be picked up for a third season of Braverman drama.

As for future TV shows, NBC is giving series pickups to a few newbies, including Whitney, a comedy starring Whitney Cummings; musical drama Smash; a remake of the British show Prime Suspect starring Maria Bello; and Up All Night, a comedy with Christina Applegate. NBC will be releasing more news soon on the fate of other new and returning shows, so stay tuned!

Photo courtesy of NBC

Maternity Leave Around the World: How Money Are You?

SavvySugar — Sun, 08 May 2011 00:15:11 PDT

Happy Mother's Day! It's one day that all moms should have off, and not just because it's a Sunday.

One of the things to find out before having a baby is how much leave you'll be granted and how much you'll be paid for that time off. It will vary from company to company, but the differences are extreme when comparing leave policies in different countries. What do you know about maternity leave around the world? Take the quiz!

Take the Quiz

Television Moms and Dads: Are They Real-Life Parents?

Heather Maddan — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:26:29 PDT

It's one thing to be a parent and another to play one on television. The boob tube is full of colorful characters we look to for comic relief and even parenting advice, but are the actors and actresses who portray our favorite onscreen moms and pops tending to their own offspring off screen? Take this quiz and test your knowledge!

Take the Quiz

Are You Satisfied With the Parenthood Season Finale?

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:48:12 PDT

The second season of Parenthood comes to a close this week, with an episode that managed to make me cry more than once. Following Amber's horrific alcohol-induced car crash, the whole family bands together at the hospital for Sarah and Drew. The opening scenes are realistically gut-wrenching, right down to Max's ill-timed outburst in the waiting room. I've gotta hand it to the writers once again: they've really done a great job handling Max's Asperger's and making the audience really understand the frustration that Adam has been feeling throughout the first two seasons.

The episode packs in so many of those touching moments that make the show so great: Max's apology to Sarah, Sarah and Amber's moment at her play, watching Adam's anger turn to joy after hearing Christina's big news. It was an hour of ups and downs, but the episode nicely tied up a few loose ends while setting up plenty of fresh storylines for next season (I'm also pretty happy we don't have to deal with any more of Adam's boring drama at the sneaker headquarters). Bottom line: I thought this was a great season finale, and I'll be wholeheartedly bummed if Parenthood doesn't get picked up for Fall. What are your thoughts? Did you think Crosby and Jasmine's happy ending was a little unrealistic? Did the episode leave you wanting more? Were you happy with the season finale?

Photo courtesy of NBC

OnSugar TV Recap: Parenthood Episode "Slipping Away"

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:28:44 PDT

The following recap of Parenthood was contributed by community member gtettey, who posted it on the OnSugar blog Screen Time.

The Bravermans are going through changes; some for better and some for worse. This week we focus on the two teenage daughters of the family who seem to be slipping away from their parents. Haddie took the next step in her relationship with Alex and now has to deal with the repercussions at home. Amber is still reeling from her college rejections and has chosen to take her life in a downward spiral. Let's break down the episode after the jump.

I'm just going to go ahead and say it: Amber has lost her mind! She is down right destructive. She's smoking and playing golf with Gary in the office when she's supposed to be working. Didn't she just promise Julia that she wouldn't do that again? Doesn't he have cars to valet? She's not only putting her image and job in jeopardy, but Julia's also. But she has the perfect solution for this problem. She quits, because she doesn't need money for school anymore. There is such a thing as rolling admission, but I guess they've never heard of that. Since cars and law firm offices are no longer readily available she hooks up in Zeek's office. (Gross!) But when Sarah calls her out on her behavior and the drugs, things just escalate. Amber storms out of the house pushing her mother, purposely, to the ground in the process. She takes off smoking and drinking with Gary and, no surprise, they get in a car accident (a la Callie and Arizona). Honestly, after all the preaching she did to her brother and Haddie about addictions, you would think she would act smarter.

To read the rest of the recap, just click here