LilSugar

Stand by Your Man or Cry Me a River?

babysugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:45:26 -0700

Tammy Wynette's classic song "Stand by Your Man" may be the traditional tune, but it seems some family women are not up to the task, especially when their very public husbands cheat. Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" may be more suited for wronged wives like Jenna Sanford. The mother of four is marching to the beat of a different drummer than some of her famous peers like Silda Spitzer and Hillary Clinton. Elizabeth Edwards even said she did not want her children to remember the scandalous image of her husband, John, so she helped to "create the picture for them that I want them to have."

After disappearing, Governor Mark Sanford was discovered in an Atlanta airport and shortly thereafter admitted to and apologized for an extramarital affair with an Argentinian woman. For the first time in a while, a pearl-adorned wife was not there to watch her husband weep his way through a press conference. Perhaps the leaked emails between the governor and his mistress were too damning for her to make an appearance. Though they are currently separated, Jenna Sanford issued a public statement regarding their situation and how it affects their children. To see what she said, read more. South Carolina's first lady said:

"I would like to start by saying I love my husband and I believe I have put forth every effort possible to be the best wife I can be during our almost twenty years of marriage . . . Instead, the greatest legacy I will leave in this world is the character of the children I, or we, leave behind. It is for that reason that I deeply regret the recent actions of my husband Mark, and their potential damage to our children."

It sounds like this mother is leaving Mark's image up to his actions instead of sheltering their children from the truth. Where would you find yourself in such a predicament?

Tell Mommy: More Likely to Vote For Parent Politicians?

LilSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:00:57 -0800

San Francisco's mayor, Gavin Newsom, recently confirmed that he's going to be a daddy. And some are speculating that it will play a role in his run for governor of California. We have a proud family man with President Obama in the White House. Does a politician being a parent ever influence your vote?
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3 Ways to Celebrate Presidents' Day With Your Politikids

LilSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Today is Presidents' Day and a prime opportunity to talk to your kids about our nation's history and why some schools, banks, and stores are closed to honor our forefathers. Most youngsters don't need detailed political rants or your take on what George Washington would have said about the credit crisis; here are some politically correct ideas for broaching the subject of former White House residents with your children.

Read a Political Book: The What Presidents Are Made of book ($13) is a good starter for young children interested in history. It focuses on 17 US presidents and includes antidotes that show the human side of our former presidents. For example, George Washington is "made of good deeds." Here are some other reading suggestions for teaching tots about the presidential process.
Make a Patriotic Treat: Celebrate democracy with your lil darlings by making red, white, and blue snacks like an American Flag Cake, Fruit Kabobs or Obama cupcakes.
Dress Up in Your Political Gear: If you purchased or were given political apparel for your child during 2008's campaign, bring it out of the closet today so your tots can show their colors.

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Texts and Tunes: Children's Political Story Books

babysugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:00:00 -0700

Election season is the perfect time to teach your tot a thing or two about the political world around them. In a year where so much is at stake and the candidates are neck and neck, party talk dominates many adult conversations. Don't leave the kids in the dust - keep them in the know with their own stash of political reads.

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Who's the Political Mama?

babysugar — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 06:00:05 -0700

All of the political chatter has got me thinking about the governing mamas in power. Take my quiz to see how well you know your elected mothers.

Question 1 of 6

This mother became very familiar with the campaign trail this past year.

My Baby Has Gone Political

babysugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:00:39 -0700

I won't beat around the "Bush" when it comes to my political preference - Barack Obama is my man. When the primaries started, I taught my wee one to say, "O–Bama." It was one of her first words and now she states his whole name, "Rock Obama." Proud of my budding po"lil"tico, she can identify him in newspapers, magazines and on television ads.

As I readied myself for another day at the office, I turned on the boob tube to catch up on current events. My daughter pointed to Good Morning America's weather man, Sam Champion and said, "Rock Obama!" I curiously glanced at the television and said, "No. He doesn't look a thing like Obama!" She kept pointing and repeated, "Obama."

It made me realize three things - I let her watch too much television, Barack Obama dominates the news, and she may even think my name is Barack Obama! Or, perhaps she's just trying to win points with James Wilkie Broderick by hopping on the Obama bandwagon.

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Does Your Child Have Any Adult Interests?

LilSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:00:13 -0700

Michael J. Fox made the young Republican come to life as Alex P. Keaton on the sitcom, Family Ties, but it looks like Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker's son is following suit with his interest in politics. To see which presidential candidate he's supporting, read more

Sarah recently told People about James Wilkie's candidate. She said:

"He's really, truly into this election," she says of her little guy's interests. "He's come to this conclusion on his own based specifically on Barack's gender. It's that deep. He's a fan and a true supporter of Barack Obama."

The five-year-old also likes playing with his parents and building things.

Does your child have any advanced, quirky or unusual interests?
Bauer-Griffin

Baby Bait For Presidential Candidates

LilSugar — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:00:46 -0800

One of the Presidential candidates will be the future leader of our country, but would you trust them to hold your babe? One dad did.

Darren Garnick, father of two, recants his experience hitting the campaign trail for pictures of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, John Edwards, Rudy Giuliani, Dennis Kucinich, Bill Richardson and Mitt Romney with his 5-month-old daughter, Dahlia in a recent Slate article. He wrote:

"As a resident of the "Live Free or Die" state, I'll concede that the New Hampshire presidential primary gives us ridiculously disproportionate influence. But I love the fact that my state's electoral power comes with a great fringe benefit: It's easy to enshrine the next president in your family scrapbook. A sucker for political kitsch, I set out to photograph my 5-month-old daughter, Dahlia, in the arms of every candidate with a prayer of making it to the White House."

To finish the post, read more.

The quest for photographs took Garnick from a parade to a private party and a sporting goods shop to a bookstore. But, he is no novice when it comes to getting political figures to say cheese with his lil ones. He admitted:

"During the 2004 presidential race, I took a few photos of my then 2-year-old boy, Ari, with Democrats Howard Dean, Joe Lieberman, and Wesley Clark. As a first-time parent, I was overly protective and had most of the candidates pose next to his stroller."

Mommy Dearest: In-Laws Call Baby by Another Name

LilSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:08:41 -0700

Mommy Dearest,

My husband and I put a lot of time into choosing our children's names. We have two boys: Matthew, 3, and August, who is 3 months old. We named our younger son for the month he was born and my in-laws have made it clear that they are not fans of the choice. That doesn't bother me, but the fact that they only refer to our baby by his middle name does. If we wanted his name to be Michael, we would have put that first on the birth certificate. What's more annoying is the fact that it is confusing our older son. Matthew doesn't understand why Grammy and Papa call August "Michael." How can I tell my in-laws to knock it off?

– Annoyed With In-Laws' Nickname

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Annoyed With In-Laws' Nickname,

As parents, you and your husband have the right to name your children whatever you choose. While your in-laws don't have to agree with the moniker, it is not their place to make up a new one for your son. Not only is it rude, but it is confusing your older boy. Politely explain this and tell them that you don't want them calling August "Michael" anymore. It's better to confront this issue now rather than later, if and when your lil guy starts responding to both names.

- Mommy Dearest

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

Source: Flickr User Futurestreet

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?
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