10 Reasons Parents of Teens Need to Stop Whining

July 19, 2012, 10:55 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
Tell me if you've heard this one: "Aww, she's cute now, but just wait until she's a teenager." I have. At least a few times a week, someone, usually someone who has a teenager at home, decides to pee in my Corn Flakes. Yes. I get it. I have read the books. My daughter will one day be an acne-ridden mess of hormones and angst just like yours. But while you're busy trying to ruin my day, I'm one of those "when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade, heavy on the vodka" kind of moms. Lucky for you, I share. So here's something to BRIGHTEN your day ... a look at why parents of teenagers have it a lot better than they think they do (even with all that door slamming and OMG, I hate you, Mom stuff):

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'50 Shades of Grey' Book Burning Totally Backfires

July 19, 2012, 1:27 pm

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Post by Jeanne Sager
I'm sure the Cleveland DJs who decided to throw an old-fashioned book burning of Fifty Shades of Grey thought they were pretty darn cool. Especially when someone threw an actual Nook onto the flames -- that had to throw up some spectacular sparks! Too bad their grand plan kind of backfired, huh? By throwing E.L. James' naughty novels into a burning pit outside a bar, Chad Zumock and Alan Cox just made the so-called mommy porn a whole lot hotter -- at least among the literary set.

Hacking Into a School Computer to Change Your Kids' Grades Is a Major Parenting FAIL

July 19, 2012, 2:08 pm

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Post by Jeanne Sager
We all want our kids to get good grades. How else can we brag about them at dinner parties will we feel like they're being prepped for the real world? Now the big question is: how far would you go to make sure it happens? Here's hoping you'd draw the line before you get to this mom's level. Pennsylvania cops say Catherine Venusto actually hacked into the computers at her kids' school so she could change their grades. Well, hacked is giving her a little too much credit. A former secretary of the district, apparently Venusto had a password. But still ...

'Snooki and JWOWW' Recap: Snooki Has No Place on 'Jersey Shore' Anymore

July 19, 2012, 8:06 pm

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Post by Jeanne Sager
It was housewarming party time at the animal print pad on episode five of Snooki & JWOWW. That meant bringing all their friends to their Barbie Guidette Dream House plus their families. And the way Jenni's dad sees it, these girls are growing up. Considering Snooki made it through an entire party without a single drink (even if she did mope on the couch while cuddling with her pops), Terry Farley might be on to something. Of course, the poor guy had just had to sit through a drunk Roger discussing the size of his penis and the number of times he'd had chlamydia, so Jenni's dad's mind may have been a little ... fried. But that doesn't mean there aren't some major changes happening in Jersey City.

Summer Memories Aren't the Only Thing You Should Be Making With the Kids

July 20, 2012, 5:42 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
Here's the problem with summer vacation: you're on this mad dash to make all sorts of family memories before school starts. But between all the pool parties and the barbecues and the road trips, what the heck do you DO with the kids during the downtime? How about making family memories ... scrapbook style? Hold on, hear me out. We always mean to get those pictures filed away, but how often does it really happen? A big ol' family scrapbooking session does double duty: it solves your "I never have time for that problem" and it keeps the kids from that awful "I'm boooooored" whine. Behold!

Parents of Missing Iowa Girls Have Shady Pasts That Can't Be Ignored

July 20, 2012, 7:15 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
It's been a week since young Iowa cousins Lyric Cook Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins went for a bike ride and never came back. The mystery surrounding their disappearance is as creepy for parents as it is heartwrenching. But the more we learn about the missing girls' parents, the creepier they sound. Rumors are that cops are treating Lyric's dad, Dan Morrissey, like a suspect. Morrissey allegedly stormed out of an interview with police because he felt they were treating him like he was responsible for the girls' disappearance. But when you get a load of his rap sheet, not to mention the tangles with the law that wife Misty and even Elizabeth's dad, Drew Collins, have in their past, you get a clearer picture of why cops in Evansdale, Iowa, are proceeding with this case the way they have. No one is exactly "innocent" here ....

'Teen Mom' Amber Portwood May Be in Prison But She Still Wants Your Attention

July 20, 2012, 8:40 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
Seeing Teen Mom star Amber Portwood choose to go to prison was hard on the fans who hoped she'd finally get on the ball and straighten her life out for little Leah's sake. But I have to say it's been a nice month or so without a scandalous Amber update in the headlines. Almost makes you miss her, doesn't it? Good news: Amber is still available to the masses! Well, available if you promise to be nice. Amber's on again, off again boyfriend (and Leah's dad) Gary Shirley has released her address at the prison in Rockville, Indiana. And he says she's open to getting care packages and letters from her fans. But should people be sending them?

Katie Holmes Makes Suri Start Dressing Like 'Poor' Kids

July 21, 2012, 6:15 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
Oh thank goodness! Poor Suri Cruise has been through the wringer over the past few weeks, but we finally have some good news. Mom Katie Holmes has reportedly put the kibosh on all those designer clothes. According to a "source," we won't be seeing Katie in high heels or lipstick any time soon. Along with her new Catholic school, the 6-year-old daughter of Katie and ex-husband Tom Cruise will have a uniform when she's in school, and "normal kid" clothes when she's out and about. Let me just say it: it's about time!

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Theater Shooting Victim Jessica Gwahi's Near Miss Makes Her Death Even More Tragic (VIDEO)

July 21, 2012, 7:50 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
The heartbreaking stories coming out of Aurora, Colorado right now are too numerous to count. And yet we keep coming back to that of Jessica Gwahi. One of 12 victims shot to death by a gunman who opened fire on innocent people as they watched The Dark Knight Rises, the young sports writer, who wrote under the name Jessica Redfield, had just narrowly escaped being killed in a similar situation in Toronto last month. The twisted irony of it is inescapable. The death of a 24-year-old is unspeakably sad. But I can't help wondering if Jessica Gwahi's story fascinates as much because of how she makes us feel about ourselves. Take a look at one of her last Tweets to the world:

Alleged Shooter James Holmes' Dating Profile Details Are Too Revealing

July 21, 2012, 8:50 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
It happens every time. A tragedy like the massacre at the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises occurs, and suddenly the name of the suspect and every detail of his (or her) life is plastered on every TV screen, their face on every website. It's been no different with alleged gunman James Holmes, the 24-year-old medical school drop-out who cops say opened fire in a Colorado theater. We now know more about Holmes than we do about members of our own families. And that's not just some cliche, folks ... unless you know the penis length of the male members of your clan? Didn't think so. But thanks to an adult dating site profile Holmes set up, that's one of the details about the alleged shooter that's out, one that I really wish I could "unknow" right now.

Videos of Usher's Stepson Could Be His Mom's Solace After Heartbreaking News

July 21, 2012, 2:40 pm

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Post by Jeanne Sager
Kile Glover, the stepson of R&B star Usher, died today. The boy's mom, Tameka Foster reportedly made the impossibly tough decision to take 11-year-old Kile off of life support. Solace is sure to be difficult to find right now for the grieving family, especially for a mom who just had to make a decision no parent should have to face.  But they may want to start in an unlikely place: YouTube. As a photographer, I've found that one thing so many people to do after a loss is to begin looking for some way to keep their memories alive. Maybe it's photos. Maybe it's video. Maybe it's their voice on an answering machine tape. Whatever it is, it can be one of the best sources of comfort the grieving can get, palpable proof of their loved one's existence on this earth. And what better for Tameka Foster and Usher Raymond than videos, dozens of them, of your child happy and laughing?

Chocolatey Twix Brownies With Creamy Caramel

July 22, 2012, 5:00 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
If you told me I could only eat five desserts for the rest of my life, I'd be crushed. And then I'd start making my list. Right at the top? Twix brownies. I say this even though they are a brand new discovery. For one, they are just that good. But second, and perhaps more importantly, these brownies aren't just brownies. The recipe incorporates shortbread cookies plus caramels and extra chocolate to make it seem like there's a candy bar in there too. It's like three desserts in one melty, sweet, fudge-y bar. Check out the recipe, to see if it would make your top five too:

Joe Paterno Statue Decision Shows Penn State is Still in Denial

July 22, 2012, 8:22 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
It's GONE. The famous Joe Paterno statue was removed from its place of honor on a pedestal outside the football stadium at Penn State in the wee hours of the morning today. Despite weeks of controversy over the statue that sprung up in the wake of allegations that the late football coach was heavily involved in a cover-up of Jerry Sandusky's child abuses, the whole removal process was reportedly smooth. Of course that could be because Penn State President Rodney Erickson waited until AFTER the 7-foot, 900-pound bronze statue of the football coach had been yanked to announce it was going. The crew showed up at dawn; his announcement came at 7 a.m. Only 100 or so students even knew it was happening, and they stood outside chanting "We Are Penn State." So much for a new era of transparency at Penn State, huh?

Selena Gomez Officially Does What Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Lohan Couldn't

July 22, 2012, 9:40 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
It's a big day for Selena Gomez. The Disney Channel sweetheart celebrates her 20th birthday today. You know what that means? Justin Bieber's girlfriend has officially done what the likes of Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Lohan couldn't. Selena has made it out of her teen years with nary a scandal. In the era of "everyone with a cellphone is a paparazzi," that's a bona fide accomplishment. It proves that Selena made the conscious choice to keep up the squeaky clean image going, and you have to hand it to her: not many teenagers would or could.

Theater Shooting Victims Died Trying to Save the Ones They Loved

July 22, 2012, 12:47 pm

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Post by Jeanne Sager
The names of the Colorado theater shooting victims are slowly leaking out, and along with them are stories of heartache and stories of heroism. But the final heroic moments for three men shot to death while shielding their girlfriends during the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises that really put into perspective the distance between the dark, twisted mind of alleged shooter James Holmes and the pure hearts of his victims. Jon Blunk, Matt McQuinn, and Alex Teves were just regular guys out on a date with the women who they loved. Now all three men are gone, leaving behind all three of those women to mourn them. Yes, Blunk’s girlfriend, Jansen Young; McQuinn’s girlfriend, Samantha Yowler; and Teves’ girlfriend, Amanda Lindgren all survived thanks to simple but beautiful acts of heroism by their boyfriends.

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Robert Pattinson Giving Away Teen Choice Award Ensures His Legacy Beyond 'Twilight'

July 22, 2012, 7:51 pm

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Post by Jeanne Sager
When Glee star Lea Michele climbed up onstage at the Teen Choice Awards and tried to get the crowd to admit that vampires are much cooler than werewolves, it's no surprise she got a lot of support. Not after Robert Pattinson showed up to collect his award, the 41st the Twilight Saga has collected at the annual awards show, and did something he wasn't even sure he was allowed to do! Pattinson was onstage with girlfriend and co-star Kristen Stewart plus co-star Taylor Lautner to accept their Ultimate Choice Award for Breaking Dawn: Part One when he decided to hand the surfboard off to the fans in the front row. It was gutsy. But even with the end nearing for the series, it's proof RPattz won't have to worry about whether people will continue showing up at his movies.

248 Human Fetuses Discovered by Fisherman Looking for Firewood

July 24, 2012, 8:11 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
It's hard to imagine what the Russian fisherman was thinking when he stumbled on some strange plastic barrels in the middle of the forest in the Ural Mountains recently. Inside the barrels? Human fetuses, 248 of them all tagged with family names. It almost sounds too sick and twisted to be true, but sadly, that is exactly what happened. The poor man went to the woods to get some firewood, and instead he found hundreds of fetuses. And now for the part of this horror story that will make you forever fear going to a hospital.

9-Year-Old Milks 'Call Me Maybe' Popularity With His Even Better Lyrics (VIDEO)

July 24, 2012, 9:29 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
Yes, it's another take-off on Carly Rae Jepsen's infectious summer hit, "Call Me Maybe." But you can put all those others to pasture! The adorable little farmer singing "Farm It Maybe" is the only one your kids need to see. Not only is 9-year-old "Lil' Fred" so gosh-darned adorable with his giant galoshes and jeans with the rip in the knees, but listen up parents ... the video he did with the help of big brother Justin shows off what life is like for kids on farms.

First Theater Shooting Lawsuit Blames Everyone But James Holmes

July 24, 2012, 9:54 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
Well, it's happened. It's been, what, five days (?) since the horrific shooting in a crowded Aurora, Colorado theater, and a lawsuit has already been filed by one of the survivors. Torrence Brown Jr. apparently has a long list of people he wants money from. Brown's lawsuit says the Century 16 theater, alleged shooter James Holmes' doctors, and The Dark Knight Rises creators at Warner Bros. studios are all to blame for the extreme trauma he's suffering. Pardon me for being ... confused?

Cutie With Down Syndrome Gets Major Modeling Gig and It's a Win for All Kids

July 24, 2012, 10:40 am

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Post by Jeanne Sager
It's no surprise that the 10-month-old model chosen to grace the cover of a U.S. catalogue for Spanish swimwear designer Dolores Cortes' new collection is adorable. But little Valentina Guerrero has scored a major coup. She's the first child with Down syndrome to win the job as the main model for a high-end designer’s marketing campaign! The little beauty is now the official face of Cortes' DC Kids line, and she had her first runway show in her native Miami last week. It's being hailed far and wide as a big thing for people with Down syndrome, and it is. But I can't help thinking Valentina's triumph is a biggie for all kids.