Katie Holmes with Suri. Photo: Marquez/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES
Are Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise making plans to add to their brood? “Maybe in a couple of years, but right now I want to make sure I’m really there for Suri,” says Holmes recently, according to Us Magazine. While there are no immediate plans for expansion, Holmes is still young at 31, and plans to keep her baby options open for the future.
How can parents prevent an only child from being spoiled on the road?
Lauren Graham and Peter Krause. Photo: Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos
Former Gilmore Girl, Lauren Graham, recently revealed that her low-profile relationship with Parenthood co-star Peter Krause started as a friendship. The two met 15 years ago when the actress first moved to Los Angeles. Instead of playing the “dating game” like most couples do when they’re first attracted to each other, Graham and Krause got acquainted over board games. As the actress told People, “I think we liked each other [but] he asked me over to his house to play a board game — and that’s exactly what we ended up doing. So I was like, ‘This guy doesn’t like me. Who actually plays a board game?’ … The timing wasn’t right. I don’t think either of us was ready.”
Does starting out as friends make you a better couple?
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. Photo: ER/Flynetpictures.com
Nick Cannon is speaking out about the rampant rumors surrounding wife Mariah Carey, and the possibility that she is pregnant. Cannon, a self-proclaimed “big kid,” denies any bouncing bundles of joy in the near future, but he did attest to her mothering potential, nurturing nature, and mean waffle-making skills, according to OK! Magazine. “She’s very nurturing, you know, nurturing and private. She makes me breakfast, and that’s my favorite food,” Cannon said. “It will be like 3:00 in the morning, and she’ll still make me breakfast. [She makes me] Waffles. I’m a waffle guy. With like the iron, she’s talented.”
Does the way you behave in a relationship dictate your parenting style?
After months of rumors and scandals surrounding Tiger Woods and his wife Elin Nordegren, the two have called it quits. “Elin Nordegren and Tiger Woods confirmed today that they have divorced,” Nordegren’s Virginia-based law firm, McGuireWoods, confirmed last Monday in a statement to Access Hollywood. “The Judgment provides for shared parenting of their two children.” The former couple released a joint statement to the public reinforcing that their children are their primary concern. They also added, “We are sad that our marriage is over, and we wish each other the very best for the future.”
Ouch! If being a teenage mom wasn’t hard enough, things just got harder for the MTV’s 16 and Pregnant star, Maci Bookout. After splitting up with her baby daddy Ryan Edwards, the devoted Teen Mom star tells US Weekly that she and her ex-beau have a hard time agreeing on how their son Bentley should be raised. She talks about how she struggled to ween her 22-month-old son off his pacifier, and learned that Edwards gives Bentley his pacifier whenever the child is with him. Bookout says, “I think Ryan spoils Bentley and really has no boundaries as far as discipline. With me, I don’t want Bentley to grow up and be a brat when he’s 4 years old.”
What do you do when you and your ex can’t agree on how to raise your child?
Michael Douglas. Photo: Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos
Actor Michael Douglas was diagnosed with a tumor in his throat, E! Online reported Monday. The 65-year-old actor said he is “optimistic” about his health in a statement, though it has not been released whether the tumor is cancerous or benign. Douglas has a wife, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, and three children, two of them with Zeta-Jones.
How can you get past a large health setback as a couple?
Josh Kelley and Katherine Heigl. Photo: Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos
As reported on Us Weekly, Hollywood couple Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley have left sunny L.A. in favor of the mountains of Utah. Heigl and Kelley married in Utah and are psyched to be moving there with their one-year-old daughter, Naleigh, who they adopted from Korea. The couple plans to spend their time between Nashville and Utah.
When couples have children, should they move out of the city in favor of a more suburban or rural area?
Jesse James and Janine Lindemulder. Photos: PRN / PR Photos; Scott Alan / PR Photos
Jesse James’ ex-wife Janine Lindemulder is heading south to Austin to be with her daughter, E! News reported this week. After a court battle, Lindemulder was granted joint legal custody of daughter Sunny, but the celebration was cut short when James received physical custody, deciding to move down to Austin, TX with their child. The former adult film actress was originally uncertain about the move because she wasn’t sure if she could provide a lifestyle of equal standards for the child like James and former step-mom, Sandra Bullock, had given her. In addition, E! News reports that Lindemulder requested additional funds. Sunny’s parents deliberated the $6,500 increase in support in court Monday.
Would you move near your ex to be closer to your children?
Amy Poehler and Will Arnett. Photo: ER/Flynetpictures.com
Amy Poehler and Will Arnett welcomed their second son, Abel James Arnett, weighing 7 lbs., 13 oz. on Friday morning, adding to their growing family. Their first son, Archie, will be turning two this October. Their rep told People, “Amy, Will, Abel and Archie are all healthy and resting comfortably.”
How do you prepare your older children for a new baby in the family?
Robin Wright and Sean Penn. Photo: Bob Charlotte / PR Photos
After a messy road towards divorce, Sean Penn and Robin Wright have at last signed papers, finalizing their divorce, figuring out all questions relating to child support, spousal support, and child custody. People reported that Wright hopes to remain friends with her ex, despite their history.
Can you stay friends with an ex after a nasty split?
Lamar Odom is definitely interested in having with with wife Khloé Kardashian, People reported last week. “Hopefully it’ll happen soon,” he told the magazine. The NBA star has two children from a previous relationship, which definitely helps provide great parenting tips – as does baby Mason, Kardashian’s nephew.
How do you know when your relationship is ready to take on parenting?
Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin. Photo: ME/Flynetpictures.com, ME/Flynetpictures.com
Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston have split up again, People magazine reported Tuesday. Palin, daughter of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, and Johnston announced their second attempt at an engagement only weeks ago in the hopes of starting a real family for their 19-month old son Tripp. Palin told People that the breakup occurred after rumors surfaced about Johnston fathering another child with an as-yet-unnamed woman.
How do you know it’s finally time to cut a bad guy loose?
Russell Brand and Katy Perry. Photo: DS/DINO/JERC/Flynetpictures.com
Comedian Russell Brand has the faith of fiancée Katy Perry when it comes to his abilities as a future father. People reported last week that the pop singer thinks Brand will “be perfect” as a baby daddy, a quality she says was key for her in looking for a potential husband. The two have been engaged since January.
Is being a good parent the most important trait in a future spouse?
Tye Strickland and Melissa Rycroft. Photo: Juan Rico/Fame Pictures
Reality TV star Melissa Rycroft is expecting her first baby with husband Tye Strickland. Rycroft told US Weekly that while they are thrilled, the baby news was a shock, and they weren’t trying to get pregnant. Meanwhile, Rycroft and Strickland are quite the busy couple. Talking with Good Morning America earlier this week, Rycroft said, “Apparently Tye and I wanted to see how many life-changing events we could fit into one calendar year… from getting engaged, married, new job, and we are now pregnant.” The former Dancing with the Stars and Bachelor contestant tied the knot with the insurance agent in December.
What’s the best way to juggle parenthood and a busy career?
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Photo: Bob Charlotte / PR Photos
With six kids at home and the paparazzi waiting outside, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie depend on each other more than ever. The 35-year-old Salt actress tells Peoplein last week’s issue, “We have each other’s backs.” This can come in handy when the kids are fighting.
Monster Garage host and Sandra Bullock’s ex, Jesse James, won physical custody of daughter Sunny on Tuesday, reported E! Online. James and his ex-wife Janine Lindemulder have gone through a tug-of-war custody battle over their child, specifically because James wanted to take Sunny to his home in Austin, TX. The reason? James told the judge that he wanted Sunny to live close to Bullock, who has a positive influence on his daughter. Sunny will remain with her mother until the end of the summer, and will then head to Austin with James.
How can you make a move a smooth transition for a child?
Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin. Photo: ME/Flynetpictures.com, ME/Flynetpictures.com
It appears that being a one-time-mommy just won’t do for Bristol Palin. But don’t worry — the recently engaged mother of 18-month-old son Tripp isn’t planning on expanding her family anytime soon. “I’m going to wait a while, definitely,” the 19-year-old told People. “I’m not going to rush into having another kid.” Bristol hopes that she and fiancé Levi Johnston, 20, can provide Tripp with “a brother or sister, eventually.”
When will you know if you’re ready to enlarge your family?
Oksana Grigorieva and Mel Gibson. Photo: David Gabber / PR Photos
The Los Angeles county sheriff’s department is seeking Alexander Dalton, son of Oksana Grigorieva, for questioning on his mother’s relationship with Mel Gibson, TMZ reported last week. The department believes that Dalton, Grigorieva’s son with actor Tim Dalton, will be able to give critical evidence about the fights between Gibson and his mother.
How can a child be protected from parental problems?
Jesse James, ex-husband of Sandra Bullock and West Coast Choppers CEO, won the first round of his custody battle with second wife, the New York Post reported Monday. James and ex-wife Janine Lindemulder, an ex-porn star, both provided statements against each other, including James claiming Lindemulder told him she was on anti-depressant drugs. For now, James has sole custody of their daughter, Sunny.
Can a custody battle lead to a solid family life in the end?
Spotted! Sandra Bullock was seen last weekend at an airport in Austin with baby Louis, People reported Monday. The mother-son duo was en route to California, where Bullock attended a funeral. Since her much publicized divorce from Jesse James last month, the actress has slowly stepped back into the public eye, attending award shows, and toting Louis around, enthusiastically accepting her new role as a mom.
Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels. Photo: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos
Melissa Etheridge is singing a different tune these days as she and her ex, Tammy Lynn Michaels, are facing off in a custody battle. According to RadarOnline, Michaels filed for full custody of the couple’s 3-year old twins last week. The couple broke up after nearly nine years together, when Etheridge filed to officially dissolve their partnership earlier this month, citing irreconcilable differences. The singer asked for joint custody of the children, and that the court not award any financial support to Michaels. The actress has been verbal about her feelings concerning the issue.
What should you know before you engage in a custody battle?
Shawn Southwick and Larry King. Photo: Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos
Television legend Larry King and wife Shawn Southwick collectively filed to dismiss their divorce papers, TMZ reported last Thursday. The couple had mutually filed for divorce on April 14, citing irreconcilable differences. The Huffington Post reported that in his announcement to step down from his television show, King said he was looking forward to spending more time with his wife and children.
Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin. Photo: ME/Flynetpictures.com, ME/Flynetpictures.com
After many months of a bitter war of words, Levi Johnston apologized to Bristol Palin and her parents last week. Talking exclusively with People, Johnston said, “Last year, after Bristol and I broke up, I was unhappy and a little angry. Unfortunately, against my better judgment, I publicly said things about the Palins that were not completely true.” He continued, “I have already privately apologized to Todd and Sarah. Since my statements were public, I owe it to the Palins to publicly apologize.” Johnston is the father of Bristol Palin’s one-year old son, Tripp. The two called it quits in March 2009 after campaigning together during Sarah Palin’s 2008 vice presidential run. The two are making a conscious effort to reconcile and do what’s best for the baby.
What’s the best way to mend a relationship with your ex and his or her family?
Peoplereported Friday that Josie Duggar, the latest addition born to Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar of the reality show 19 Kids and Counting, was finally brought home. Their 19th daughter entered the world during Michelle’s 25th week of pregnancy, and Josie has spent the last six months in neonatal intensive care. Healthy and finally home in Tontitown, Ark., Josie weighs 9 lbs., 1 oz. The TLC reality show chronicles this family’s daily routine, and the Duggar’s have easily added Josie to the mix.