Actress Jill Hennessy (Crossing Jordan) does the bulk of her series filming in Los Angeles, but lives with her husband and 3-year-old son in New York. She recently wondered aloud whether her non-traditional family set-up is having negative effects on little Marco.
"I'd like to think [bi-coastal living] is good... But it's hard to enroll my son in anything that's consistent," Jill says. Her concern is valid - at the age of 3, is certainly a concern: the toddler years are prime socializing time, when kids learn about group dynamics, personal power and preference, and how to interact and communicate in group settings. Being the main breadwinner in the family though, Jill has to go where the work is (L.A.) So why not live there full time? "My husband's family is (in New York) and it's closer to Toronto, so I can see my family easily," she explained.
And there you have it. Another mom forced to choose between work, kids and family. Like any of us, Jill does what she has to, to give her kid the best of all three. I've never been in a situation where I've had to work away from my partner, and frankly, I'm in awe of parents who can make it work. I thin I think little Marco is lucky to have a Mama who works so hard for him, and for herself. She has her doubts, though, she says: "I'm just hoping I don't catch him with a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of Johnnie Walker someday. Well, at least not within the next few months."
Is yours a bi-coastal family? How do you make it work?
