Brittany, Her Dad, and Other Paternalistic Papas Steal the Show
On the heels of last week’s Father’s Day festivities came a week whose main theme was … toxic paternalism?
The parenting interwebs are on fire this week about Christian singer and dad, Matthew West, and his song, “Modest is Hottest,” which apparently falls somewhere between harmless paternalism (literally) and misogynistic slut-shaming. After all the controversy the song has inspired, the strangest thing about the whole affair is that the offending video was quickly removed from Christian Beat, the site that had been hosting it, before the video even had a chance to go viral.
Meanwhile, in sunny Los Angeles, Brittany Spears spent 24 minutes this week telling a probate judge (and the whole rest of the world) about the reality of living under a court-imposed conservatorship managed by her own father, who, among other things, apparently had control over Brittany’s reproductive rights. (At least Matthew West’s song doesn’t propose to go THAT far.)
But fear not — there’s good news coming from the other side of the court. Moms and moms to be are tearing up the Olympics qualifying trials: Lindsay Flach competed at the track and field trials while 18 weeks pregnant, and Allyson Felix, who overcame a life-threatening pregnancy (and is now mom to a healthy 2-year-old), has qualified for her fifth Olympics games.
And, as a reminder that dads are not all bad (obviously), a dad in Carmel, Indiana saved his daughter’s life using CPR skills he acquired by … watching The Office.
In family-focused entertainment news, the trailer for Sing 2 is out, and Highlights Magazine is celebrating its 75th year in print.
Overheard on the Playground
“I’m a busy, single parent who has like basically two full-time jobs. And this period has really assuaged any fears I had about being neglectful of my kids. I joke that the past eight months, there have been times when my daughter and I are just staring at each other. I feel like I just won’t ever have to worry about not feeling connected and close with her, because we forged such a bond in this period.”
— Mindy Kaling
From Our Kidlets Blog
- What’s the Difference Between a Babysitter and a Nanny? :: Choosing the best child care option for your family may be difficult, especially when the options may not be as clear as you would like. A few of the most commonly asked questions from parents choosing between a babysitter and a nanny are: What exactly is a nanny? What exactly is a babysitter? What are the differences between them? Most importantly, which is better for my family? (Kidlets by Nanno)
Looking Forward …Next weekend is, of course, Fourth of July weekend!
- Celebrate the day with some cool Independence Day crafts, or one of these 20 family-friendly movies with (loosely) patriotic themes.
- Having a party? It’s not too late to book a sitter or two to keep track of the kids while the grown ups are celebrating.
