LilSugar

Bring Some Sexy Back During the Day

babysugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:00:15 -0700

Parents often use date nights as a way to connect to each other and keep the sparks flying, but let's turn the clocks back a few hours. While dinner and a movie can make for a fun night together, folks can take advantage of the daytime, too. Drop the kids off with grandma or hire a sitter and head for the hills, literally. Take a break from all mom and dad duties and go for a hike!

If dusty trails don't arch the eyebrows, maybe a picnic basket full of crackers, cheese and wine will do the trick. Go to a matinee, play a round of golf, go back to the engagement spot, take a long bike ride or just go sit by the pool and read a book. When the day is gone and the sun is done, the romantically refueled pair can return home in time to tuck the kids in, then let their alone time continue. Dine on pizza by candlelight and pop in a movie as a way to end the perfect date day and night.

Bringing Sexy Back: Romancing the Home

babysugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Don't want to spend $100 on dinner and then fork over another $60 for the babysitter just to have a few hours to yourselves? Then plan a date night at home. When the kiddies are tucked in bed and mom and dad are all alone, turn up the heat with some of these easy ideas.

Set the table with the finest dinnerware. Pulling out some old china may remind couples of their wedding and all the hoopla that accompanied it.
Light some candles around the house instead of using regular lights.
Set up a picnic blanket and have dinner and wine on the floor.
Make popcorn and cuddle up to classic old movies.
Pour some champagne and fire up a big bath tub full of bubbles.

To see some more home date night ideas, read more.

Buy some massage oil and get to rubbing.
Cook dinner together.
Face off in a board game challenge.
Make sundaes for dessert. Don't forget the whipped cream!

Source

Do You Hammer Dates Into Your Child's Head?

LilSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:00:28 -0700

My jaw drops every time a peer tells me that their parent called to remind them that they missed their birthday or anniversary. Most people I know try to be mindful of important family dates and celebrate accordingly with a card, call, visit, or gift, but it always stuns me when moms or dads expect it. As a parent, I had my kids without anticipating any kind of payback ever. Do you care if your children keep tabs on your occasions?Source

Wishing For Lucky Dates and Steering Clear of Others

babysugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:41:36 -0700

Every day, an estimated 216,000 babies are born worldwide. Many suspect a spike in those birthed today, 9/9/09, as suspicious-minded mamas go for the trifecta date. Some will employ labor-inducing tactics while others may have picked the triple nine time for their scheduled C-section. Those who are still playing the waiting game may be more concerned with not having a babe two days from now on 9/11. A tragic moment in American history, many parents will do their best to keep their baby from making its debut on such an auspicious date. I know a few expectant ladies who are planning on keeping their feet propped up and never leaving bed this coming Friday to keep baby at bay for at least another day. Do you keep historical or superstitious dates in mind when labor is imminent?

Source

Should Parents Shield Their Children From Their Dating Life?

babysugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:00:07 -0700

Jumping into the dating game after a decade long hiatus may be more terrifying than dipping toes into a pool of starved piranhas. Aging and gravity can take a toll on a woman's body but that's not the toughest part for a widow or a divorcee to handle. Instead, much of the fear rests in a mother's heart of how to introduce a potential boyfriend to her children. Many moms wait for the relationship to get serious before greetings are exchanged and others can hardly wait for the ink to dry on the legal documents before declaring themselves single and available. In Cougar Town's debut, Courteney Cox's character berated her neighbor for swiftly entering the dating pool but it was she who embarrassed herself when her son walked in on her pleasuring her new boy toy.

What's your take on the mommy dating game? Tell us in The Mommy Club over in our LilSugar community! Photo courtesy of ABC

Honest to Peet: Amanda Peet in SELF Magazine

babysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:43 -0800

Not one to shy away from controversy or the honest truth, it's no surprise that mommy Amanda Peet is the cover girl on the December issue of SELF. The sexy mum shows off her postpartum bod and dishes on her role in the vaccinations debate, her typical date night and how she stays in shape. As the star in the flick 2012, she's a busy mom who somehow seems to keep her priorities in line all while maintaining a beaming smile on her face. Here's highlights:

The affectionate mom on how her outlook has changed since having her daughter, Frances, in February 2007:

Generally, I've become much more corny since I've had my baby girl. I think it's important for her to know that you can fail and then recover and that failure is important. It's part of the thing. You cannot escape it. There's no way you can control everything that much. It was also really important to David and I that she have a sense of silliness. We resolved to have a silly child and she is pretty silly!

On body image and having a daughter:

I do feel like it's important for her to have me be as healthy as I can be. So, you know, I don't want her to have horrible eating habits. I don't want her to never exercise. But obviously I'd much rather have her play a sport than have a gym membership before she's 20. I mean there are kids in LA who go to the gym and they have a trainer. I'm like, Play a sport!

View 5 Photos ›

To see how she spends her date nights and her stance on vaccines, read more.

On date nights:

I’m obsessed with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. If she knew how much she was in my household late at night or in the wee hours of the morning, she might be disturbed. David [her husband] and I both have a crush on her.

The child-vaccination controversy spurred her to become an activist:

I got involved because it scared me when I learned how many parents were withholding vaccines from their children. [Peet is the spokeswoman for the Measles Initiative as well as the organization Every Child by Two.] It made me frightened of the possibility that some of these diseases are coming back. This is about the future of our children’s health. It’s about what happens when you become complacent and you’re not vigilant as a community.

To see how the beautiful mom stays in shape, check out what our girl FitSugar has on the subject and see more photos, quotes on Self.com.

Photos courtesy of Mark Abrahams

Mommy Dearest: Should I Trust the Other Parents?

babysugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:30:58 -0800

Mommy Dearest,

I am entering new territory and could use some advice. My preschool son is starting to make new friends of his own from his classroom. A few of his little buddies have asked him to come over for a playdate, which is exciting and scary at the same time. Thrilled that he is advancing socially, I am nervous to let him go over to a friend's house where I don't know the parents at all. I could care less about snacks or sugary drinks but I wonder what the mom's disciplinary style may be or how she deals with her children. Heaven forbid she's a closet drinker like that woman who drove drunk and killed all of those innocent children. I don't want to be a helicopter parent but I don't want to regret anything, either.

- Scared to Be Helicopter Mom

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, just read more.

Scared to Be Helicopter Mom,

Your concerns are natural and admirable - you are looking out for your child's best interest. An easy way to solve your problem is to have an initial mommy and child playdate where the boys can play together, and you can get to know the other mother. During that time, you can chat and try to figure out where she stands on some issues. If she talks a big game of drinking or partying, it may be an indicator that you need a few more dual-parent supervised dates or that you need to host the playdates. Another idea is to organize a social event for a group of the moms so you can get to know them outside of your children. It will help you feel better about leaving them in their care and vice versa. More than anything, you should trust your intuition. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

- Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on our new community page.

Are Working Moms Making Women Less Attractive Hires?

babysugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:00:20 -0800

There's hardly a more exciting time in someone's life than when they discover they are willfully pregnant. Most mamas-to-be want to scream it from the mountain tops but there's usually one ear they'd like to shield - their boss's. Many women try to hide their expectant status until it is blatantly obvious to co-workers and their higher-ups because they don't know how their news will be received. Before she can give a due date, employers' minds are ticking: Who can replace her? Will she come back? Do we even need her? While those are all valid questions, it is often up to the childbearing woman to make those decisions, which is why some are wondering if motherhood is making women more unemployable.

The Vogue UK Editor Alexandra Shulman has sparked a debate that will leave many moms angry and others nodding their heads in agreement. Worried about Britain's maternity leave laws, she believes new mothers may be doing themselves a disservice if they take a year-long leave and then expect to return to the same benefits as before but with lower professional expectations. British designer Anya Hindmarch supports her view. She quips:

If we are not careful (and I speak as a mother and an employer), maternity leave and benefits will become too biased towards the mother and not considerate enough for the employer... In which case, it can start to work against women as it becomes too complicated and expensive to employ them. To me, it shouts of shooting ourselves in the foot.

Do you believe that longer maternity leave and flexible work schedules are working against women in the workplace?

Tim McGraw Is in Denial About His Daughters Dating

LilSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:00:25 -0800

Tim McGraw's daughters may have him wrapped around their fingers, but their future suitors don't. Like 49 percent of lilsugar readers, the country musician fears the day his lil girls - Gracie, 12, Maggie, 10 and Audrey, 7, - date so much that he's made an empty threat to the fathers of possible callers. To see what the tough guy said, read more.
In an interview with Family Circle, he said:

"I've jokingly told my friends who have sons the same age as Gracie that I'm going to hit the nicest boy of the bunch right off the bat so when he goes to school with a black eye, all of the other boys will see that I've punched the nicest one and they'll be scared to death of me."

Flynet

Do You Really Worry About Your Youngster Dating?

LilSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:00:47 -0800

Benji Madden is the latest person hopping on the overprotective bandwagon when it comes to his lil darling, niece Harlow, dating. The twin brother to the baby's daddy, Joel, said he'd have a shotgun ready when the 11-month old's callers eventually come a knocking. While most moms and dads don't delight in the thought of someone eventually taking out their tot, the tough talk is usually tongue-in-cheek. Or, do you sincerely worry about your sweetheart's future social life?

Source and Flynet