Jane Kaczmarek Says Children Keep Her Young

Karl Erikson — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:31:00 GMT

Former "Malcolm in the Middle" mom Jane Kaczmarek is 52 now and starring in the brand new "Raising The Bar" on TNT. Jane has a tribe of her own, of course, with husband Bradley Whitford. There's Frances, 11, George, 8, and Mary Louisa, 5. And she says her kids definitely keep her young, if for no other reason than the fact she is often "hanging out with all these women in their 30s."

"I think the great thing about being older is you are so much more aware that your days are numbered," Jane says. "I am so grateful for everything in my life at this point. It doesn't get any better than this, and you realize this is all going to end one day."

That very notion is what made Jane fire her nanny and take a lot of time off after "Malcolm in the Middle" wrapped for the last time. She loved her nanny, but "didn't want somebody else, no matter how good they are," to fill the mommy role. "They are my kids. I want to be taking care of them."

Brad and Jane are celebrity parents, but they keep their kids very grounded. There's only one TV in the house "that's usually never on." Both parents drive Hondas. And for birthdays, the couple requests donations for Smile Train or the Children's Defense fund, two amazing kids' charities.

I think that's where I draw the line. Not at charity, of course, but hell...birthdays are birthdays, man. Kids deserve presents on birthdays, something other than underwear and socks.

Still, it's pretty admirable, the parenting job Jane and Bradley are doing. Gotta love the family values thing. It seems pretty rare in Hollywood.

Source | Photo

FameCrawler : Bradley Whitford

Jane Kaczmarek Says Children Keep Her Young