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• Gawker Outs McGreevey's Custody Notes

  Ex-New Jersey Governor James McGreevey, who resigned two years into his term after admitting a homosexual affair with a male staffer, is in the midst of a custody battle over 5-year old daughter, Jacqueline. In a note to the court called out in Gawker, soon-to-be-ex Dana McGreevey objects to Jacqueline sleeping in bed with McGreevey and his gay lover.  She takes issue with the child sleeping with a non-parent in bed. I grant her point and her concerns seem valid, even though the inherent homophobia and contempt are barely disguised.  Family beds are problematic, especially when there are memoirs to be written, and custody battles to be fought.  The complexity of our world grows deeper with each turn of the sexual screw.  Proceed with caution, friends. [Photo Credit: Gawker]  Posted Apr 21 2007, 02:12 PM by Rachael Brownell (Redsy) with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: divorce rates, James McGreevey, custody battle, Gawker, Dina McGreevey

• Blended Family Conflict Typified by Giuliani's Remarks

  3.6 million families are blended, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  Snow White notwithstanding, step-families face challenges much greater than a stepmother disguised as a witch trying to poison forest-dwelling step-daughters these days.  Jealousy, competition between children, and complaints of unfair treatment are just some of the common conflicts facing second, third (and fourth?) marriages with kids, according to Blended Families, a web resource chockful of helpful information about step-family struggles. Perhaps Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani could use their help, if statements this week from son Andrew are any indication.  Of course, it doesn't help that the Giuliani's divorce was nasty and public and occurred amid accusations of infidelity (and the open courting of Mr. Giuliani's current - third wife).  Giuliani publicly admitted to "challenges faced by blended families" and that they should rightly be dealt with in private.  Perhaps he's right.  Then again, is President the right job for someone requiring said privacy? Posted Mar 18 2007, 01:30 PM by Rachael Brownell (Redsy) with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: blended families, presidential candidates, divorce rates, Rudy Giuliani, Republican

• 5 Ideals of Attachment Parenting Applied to Marriage

  Attachment parents (APs), those lovely kind souls mean well.  They do.  But sometimes following the tenets of perfect childrearing can cause irreparable harm to the marriage upon which the children ultimately depend.  Marriages struggle after kids, there's no doubt about it.  And I think the higher your childrearing standards are, the more pressure is placed on the marriage after kids.  Here are 5 attachment parenting practices and some suggested applications to marriage or partnerships: 1. Respond with Sensitivity.  APs are encouraged to respond to the nonverbal cues of infants and young children and to respond with love and gentleness.  In marriage, partners worn out from caring for children often forget to follow the same tenets in caring for the marriage.  2. Nurturing Touch - The concept of loving your child with loving touch is an obviously good parenting practice and can mean hugs, kisses, but also handholding and shoulder rubs.  The same approach can strengthen the marriage.  Friendly touch (the kind that doesn't ask for anything in return) can build a bridge between even the most harried of harried souls.  Hand-holding, kissing, and shoulder rubs can work miracles on a stressed out couple. Read More... Posted Mar 10 2007, 10:20 AM by Rachael Brownell (Redsy) with | with no comments Filed under: attachment parenting, co-sleeping, family bed, divorce rates, parents bed