LilSugar

Do You Think the World Was Made For Pairs?

LilSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:00:26 -0700

The picture of the all-American family that lives in the house with a picket fence has long included a mom, dad, and two children. Most restaurants have tables for four readily available. When mamas and papas choose to have two offspring, they are never outnumbered. Notable parents of multiples, from Jon Gosselin to Rebecca Romijn, have said that the world is made for pairs. The former was content after having his 8-year-old twin daughters, Cara and Mady, and it appears that the latter parent has a similar sentiment in raising her lil duo, Dolly and Charlie, who are 8 months. The actress recently said:

"I'm pretty sure that this is it. We feel like the world was made for pairs. Four feels like the perfect number."

Whether you chose to have a single child or half a dozen, do you think that society more readily accommodates families of four?

Junior Jetset: Would You Fly on a Children's Airline?

LilSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:00:48 -0700

A friend and I were talking about taking our four kids on a four-hour flight to visit another friend. All of our children are under five so that sense of panic set in even entertaining the idea of being in the air that long with a bunch of youngsters. Then, for a split second, I dared to dream about a child-friendly carrier that not only tolerated tots, but targeted them. An airline that would have the interactive seats like Virgin, but sell rice milk, juice boxes, burpers and toys from the touch screen, show Disney movies and play tot rock. To see the other reasons why it would be wonderful for wee ones, read more.

The stewards would dress in costumes and sing and dance as they passed out applesauce and cheerios. No one would cringe when a baby cried or give the death stare when shrieks came from a small fry. There would be no first class or coach, just family seating without the armrests to dig into your sides when you reached into your diaper bag. And, there would be space to comfortably accommodate nursing, sleeping babies and lil walkers wanting to stretch. Waiting to board at the airport would not be about harnessing your wee ones, but letting them loose on the indoor play structure far away from the business men and women typing on their laptops and catching naps or the miserably unhappy travelers that dismiss lil ones as beasts. Oh, what a wonderful world that would be. Do you have dream features to add?

Obama Pulls Families Out of Politics

LilSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 06:00:14 -0700

Perhaps because he's a father and husband or just a moral man, Democratic candidate Barak Obama said that families are off-limits in this presidential race. CNN reported:

"Let me be as clear as possible," Obama said. "I think people's families are off-limits, and people's children are especially off-limits. This shouldn't be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as governor or her potential performance as a vice president."

His statement was in response to the recent news that Gov. Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is five-months pregnant. Obama added that he is a product of teenage pregnancy as his own mother was 18 when she gave birth. When it comes to living very public and political lives, do you think it's fair to ask that candidate's families be taken out of the mix?
Source

Are Big Families Making a Comeback?

LilSugar — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 05:00:59 -0700

Back in our parents' and grandparents' days, having half a dozen children wasn't all too unusual. In fact, some moms and dads had offspring into the double digits. Now, it seems that those instances are far and few between, with many couples maxing out at two kids.

But when we polled readers about having lots of tots, 34 percent said they'd welcome the idea, while seven percent said they would even like as many as their bodies would bear. Brad Pitt has intentions for a soccer team, Chris O'Donnell currently has a party of five, and Pete Wentz recently said that he wants a band, football team, or a geometry club.
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Television Family Pop Quiz!

babysugar — Sat, 17 May 2008 05:00:20 -0700

How well do you know your television family ties? This pop quiz will take you through the 80s, 90s and present family sitcoms. Take this test and see how much you know!
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Take the quiz

There's More Than One Way To Have a Family

LilSugar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:00:41 -0800

Some women never find Mr. Right, but why shouldn't they be able to bring home babies? The latest issue of Marie Claire magazine covers the subject in the aptly titled, article, And Baby Makes Two.

Broken into three stories, the must read showcases a new breed of single moms - women who created their own fairytale endings rather than accepting the traditional one that may have left them childless. To find out more about these women, read more. One essay said:

"I thought to myself, I'm a mother. Not a single mother. Just a mother. The joy I felt was overwhelming, although when I looked at my baby's face, I wished desperately that my own mother, who'd died three months earlier, could have been there to see her.

Photographed by Gail Albert Halaban/Courtesy of Marie Claire

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?

Do You Hold Family Meetings?

LilSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:00:23 -0800

The family that eats together, stays together, right? While dinners often serve as a family meeting of sorts, some busy broods pencil in a separate meeting time in hopes of improving family communication, conflict resolution, and discussing other issues that may come up. The digital age of emailing, cell phones, and social networking has made it possible for many families to interact without coming face-to-face with one another. Though it may seem old-fashioned, some crews choose to assemble the troops on a regular basis.

Do tell, does your family hold meetings?

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

Who Is the Disciplinarian in Your Family?

LilSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:01:16 -0800

Couples are partners in crime, but when it comes to parenting they sometimes have to take on the roles of good cop/bad cop to keep their brood in line. If you and your spouse play opposing roles in dealing with your kids, you’re in good company, as it seems that someone has to lay down the law. No matter what your method of discipline, are you the disciplinarian in the family or is your partner?