Babble

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008

Dylan McDermott and Shiva Rose Have Irreconcilable Differences

Dylan McDermott has filed for divorce from his wife of 12 years, Shiva Rose. The couple, who separated in March of 2007, have two daughters, Collette, 12, and Charlotte, 2.  Custody will be decided at a later date.

The papers, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, cite the usual 'Irreconcilable Differences' as the reason for the split. 

What the hell does that mean?  Not to be nosy, but I want some details. Did he leave the toilet seat up too many times?  Does she chew with her mouh open?  Remember - I ask the uncomfortable questions so you don't have to.  

Source 

Posted by sweatpantsmom | Comments (0)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008

The Babble Review: Tom Sturges' 'Parking Lot Rules'

For ordinary, average parents, it'd be easy to look at Tom Sturges -- no, not Miley Cyrus' squeeze, but rather the executive VP at Universal Music Publishing and son of the late Hollywood screenwriter/director Preston Sturges -- and assume he's the last person from whom you'd want to take parenting advice. I mean, he was probably raised in a bubble of privilege, right? And surely his own children (two boys, ages 10 and 16) had nannies and personal assistants to hand-hold them through the formative years.

Well, guess again: In his rather excellent and practical new book, Parking Lot Rules & 75 Other Ideas for Raising Amazing Children, Sturges shares some of the insight he gained not only as an actively engaged father of two (a role that, having lost his dad at age 3, he had to carve out for himself), but also as an award-winning volunteer, mentor and coach to at-risk children in Los Angeles' public school system. In other words, where raising well-adjusted kids is concerned, our man knows whereof he speaks.

Granted, you may not be whisking your child off to Paris for a celebration of his grandfather's work, but if you're struggling to teach adventurous eating habits, you could apply the lesson Sturges taught his son during a trip to the city -- eat just the first bite of your La Coupole escargot, and you can have the last bite of my decadent dessert -- to your own dinner table. And while you may not have the lyricist to the James Bond theme songs "Goldfinger" and "You Only Live Twice" in your personal address book, you can certainly apply Leslie Bricusse's lessons on responding to those you care for (always begin with "Yes," not "What") to addressing your kids.

Outside of these rare examples and an amazingly helpful germ-fighting tip from Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, Sturges' advice transcends status and celebrity lines -- this is, after all, a powerful and successful man who still has time to cart his kids to baseball practice. From the rule that inspired its title (no matter what, you do not leave my side in the parking lot) to the required-reading-for-harried-parents chapter "Five Very Effective Nonviolent Punishments," to the various pointers on helping kids to cope with injuries both big and small, emotional and physical, Parking Lot Rules delivers on its promise as a guide to raising amazing children. And as you start to fit the book's rules into your own family's framework, you may also find yourself feeling like a pretty amazing parent. Just leave room to forgive yourself for any prior imperfections, because as Sturges notes in his introduction, parenting is a real-time event, and what matters most is the here and now.

Posted by Aaron Burgess | Comments (1)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008

7 Days of Diaper Bags: The North South Bag by Nest

As soon as I had my darling daughter I had to pack away my skinny jeans, midriff hugging bodices and worst of all, my collection of beloved purses and handbags had to find a new home in the back of the closet, only finding freedom on the rare date night. One of my favorite bags was a black leather multi pocketed number that was a wee bit too small for motherhood. But lucky I have found its’ diaper friendly doppleganger! The North South Diaper Bag by Nest looks like a “normal” purse than a kiddieland carryall. It’s made of faux leather, making it easy to clean and care for and it boasts an astonishing number of pockets, twenty-six to be exact. I have not idea what I’d do with twenty six storage compartments but I’d bet I’d find uses for them in no time at all. The washable changing pad is hidden in the bottom zippered compartment and it comes with a longer clip on strap so you can connect it to your stroller handles. A lot of pluses for sure, the one minus? I found this dream diaper bag right as we’re entering potty training time when I’ll be saying farewell to the diaper bags for good. But this one is so practical and stylish, I could keep on using it regardless.  ($150)

Posted by SunnyChanel | Comments (0)