Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen
Parenting advice from the stars of 'The Real Housewives of New York City.'
by April Peveteaux
February 13, 2009
How do you handle the boys at nice restaurants in New York City?
Simon: Johan went to the Mercer Kitchen with us at the ripe old age of two days old. We try to take them out at times when they are not overtired and have had a chance to run around beforehand. We also keep a couple of distractions in my bag, such as board books or small toys. Lately François has become addicted to flash cards and simple math problems. Keeping a deck of cards handy can be a lifesaver.
How do you find sitters for Johan and François?
Alex: We used to leave ads on Park Slope Parents when we lived in Park Slope. Now we're in Cobble Hill, so we belong to Bococa Parents. I still read it every day even if I'm not actually interviewing people. For many years, we had au pairs.
How does a nanny differ from an au pair?
Alex: [With an au pair] you have someone who lives with you and someone who is part of your family. On the down side, you have someone who is usually an eighteen-year-old and is fresh out of their parents' home.
Simon: We found that suddenly we had an eighteen-year-old daughter as well as a three-year-old son and a newborn. We learned from that mistake and for our subsequent au pairs, we got someone who had lived away from home for a couple years and reached some level of independence.
Alex: I would say to anyone who is considering an au pair, make whatever effort you can to meet them or meet their parents in advance. In fact, the only time we ever really had a problem was the time that we didn't meet her parents.
Co-sleeping or no?
Simon: No! Both boys slept in our bed for the first three or so months. As soon as their stomachs were big enough to last the night without more breast milk they were put to bed in their own room. Certainly with François Alex found it hard initially, as he would cry for her, but I was adamant that we had to adopt the tough love approach and allow them to adapt to their own environment without the 24/7 comfort of mother's skin.
Alex: We are really lucky to have two great sleepers, and the only time we are awakened during the night is if they are sick or somebody wets the bed. And that only happens if during the nighttime bathroom routine they don't "slay the dragon," an expression which somehow became family code for using the toilet.
©2009 April Peveteaux and Babble
About the Author
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April Peveteaux is a writer, editor and sometimes performer. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, son and daughter. |
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