Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category:
Dads in Spain Want Breast-Feeding Leave
From ParentDish, a story about dads in Spain who want breast-feeding leave.
The Luxembourg high court has ruled that for the first 9 months of a baby’s life, dads can take 30-minute “breastfeeding leaves” during their work day, London’s Daily Telegraph reports.
That’s dumb enough but the reasoning is even more ridiculous.
“It’s not fair to extend breast-feeding benefits only to women,” says the European Union Court of Justice, calling it “unjustified discrimination on grounds of sex, ” the newspaper says.
Are you kidding me? Unfair? Discrimination?
Dads don’t breast-feed!
Am I missing something here? Did I provide milk to my children from my body? Did I huddle in the bathroom with a breast-pump? Did I have to explain to airport security that said breast-pump was not, in fact, a weapon of mass destruction?
This isn’t discrimination. It’s biology.
I think it’s great that women are being allowed to take time off to breast-feed their babies. I’m in favor of breast-feeding, I think it’s healthier for the kid, and so on.
But how can anyone say with a straight face that only offering this benefit to women is “discrimination”?
Discrimination is a woman being paid less for doing the same job as a man.
Apparently this ruling came in response to the existing law, which states that dad’s are allowed to ask for breast-feeding leave only if the mom works full-time. Which is pretty damn progressive, methinks.
And even though they call it “breast-feeding leave”, it is designed to allow the dad to spend time with the child. If that’s the case, why not call it that?
Breast-feeding is something that women choose to do. It’s not easy. It takes time and effort. Men can’t do it any more than we can give birth.
This is yet another case of men trying to get a piece of everything. We run the world, guys. Look around. Things really aren’t so bad for us. Let women have some benefits that we don’t have. It’ll be okay. Really. I promise.
The Milkmen Are Coming: In Spain, Breast-Feeding Leave Not Just for Women [ParentDish]
Full disclosure: Brett Singer writes for ParentDish and other AOL properties.
Breastfeeding: What’s A Dad Supposed to Do? image via Amazon
Lego Pokemon
Don’t you have anything better to do than look at pictures of Lego Pokemon? Yes. But c’mon. Lego Pikachu is cute. Lego Gastly kind of scares me, though.
36 Cute Lego Pokemon!: Pics, Videos, Links, News (Buzzfeed)
Previously on DaddyTips.com:
Pokémon Mini-Comic Letters to an Absent Father
Noel Gallagher of Oasis is a Dad Again
This is probably bigger news in the U.K. than in the U.S., but to paraphrase Rihanna, hey baby, he’s a rock star, right? Noel Gallagher of Oasis is a dad again. This is his third child. He and his girlfriend are not married. For shame, Noel, for shame. (Not really.)
Noel Gallagher celebrates arrival of son (The Sun via Digital Spy)
Dad and Daughter Meet For The First Time on Facebook
Again! First we had the 41 year old woman who met her father by chance for the first time at a hospital. Now a young lady decides to look up her dad on Facebook, and bam! There he is.
Luckily this wasn’t a creepy story, where they met on Facebook, didn’t know each other, and then went out on a date or something. Like in that Jennifer Aniston movie Rumor Has It, where they sort of imply that maybe she sleeps with her dad. (I didn’t see the movie, by the way, but I read a review where they said this happens.)
Facebook Unites Father and Daughter After 25 Years (AOL)
Hi Daddy movie on VHS from Amazon.com. You can buy it for a penny. Whoo-hoo! But you’ll need a VCR. Which you may also be able to get for a penny.
The Breakfast Club Turns 25 [I Feel Old]
So ‘The Breakfast Club‘ turns 25 this week.
I feel old.
Here is the cast (sans Emilio Estevez who they claim had something better to do) discussing their dance moves. Not a subject I’ve thought much about but it’s sort of fun to watch.
‘Breakfast Club’ Cast Talks Dance Moves and Friendship on 25th Anniversary – ABC News.
Magician David Blaine to Be a Dad
Magician David Blaine is going to be a dad.
And for my next trick… I’m going to make a baby appear.
The mom is French model Alizee Guinochet, according to UsMagazine.com.
Attention Moral Majority: Blaine and Guinochet are not married, but they are engaged.
News – Magician David Blaine to Be a Dad! – Moms & Babies – UsMagazine.com
Celebrity Parents That Seem Normal
And now, for your viewing pleasure, here are two sets of celebrity parents that seem normal.
First up: Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and husband Pete Wentz, hanging by the water with little Bronx Mowgli. I’ve written before that Bronx is a rough name for a kid to have, but at least the Simpson-Wentzes seem to be normal parents. See photos at the Daily Mail.
Next we have Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale. She has an incredible career in music and fashion, and he used to be in a band called Bush that was sort of popular. (Rossdale and Bush are putting out a new album this year called Everything Always Now; you can download the first single here. Maybe it’ll be as big as ‘Hollaback Girl’. Trivia tidbit: according to the web site for No Doubt, the band Gwen Stefani started her career in, they used to open for Bush.) The headline is sort of odd: Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale leave their sons at home to celebrate eighth wedding anniversary. Should they bring the kids along? Stefani is gorgeous, and 40, which isn’t old but that’s older than I thought she was. I guess I think of rock stars as being young, but ‘Tragic Kingdom‘ came out in 1995, which was (gulp) 15 years ago. Again, pics of the happy family are at the Daily Mail web site.
Celebrity parents that seem normal are not, of course, a common occurrence. Or maybe parenting skills have an inverse relationship with a desire to seek the spotlight. Tough to say. Somebody study that, will you please?
Celebrity Parents, Celebrity Kids Paper Dolls [Paperback] image via Amazon.com
