Police and Parents on the Same Page

A recent car accident in Illinois, after a party, left four teenagers dead and four injured in what is only one in a string of drunken driving accidents involving teens that, sadly, has become a trend across the country.

In an effort to put an end to the growing alcohol abuse by underage teens, police in Illinois are responding with a new anti-drinking program. It will include a hotline people can use to report suspicious behavior and notify parents if their car has been spotted in the neighborhood of an alcohol-fueled party. Even more striking, the program also involves breathalyzer tests administered in the home.

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The Not So Artful Dodger

I almost had to laugh when I read a recent story of a court case coming out of Canada. A couple disagreed about whether or not to have children – she wanted them, he didn’t. So they decided that she would get pregnant through a sperm donor, and then they would draw up a contract whereby he would be free of any and all parental obligations.

That’s the part where I almost laughed, except for the fact that it’s so sad. I’m not the only one to think so. The article’s author tries to imagine the life this family would lead – the man (referred to in court records only as John Doe) who has to “slink away from the kitchen” when the child is hungry, who will not hold or cuddle the baby “in case that’s seen as parenting.” As if this wouldn’t have an incredibly detrimental effect on the child.

Predictably, the court ruled that a child’s interests come first, and by entering into a relationship with a mother (where they were all living in one home), the man has responsibilities as an acting parent. Probably most people could have told him that without the wasted time and incurred court fees. This sounded like a bad idea to me from the beginning. They probably didn’t bounce the idea off anyone before going ahead with it.

Really, if they couldn’t find a way to agree on such an important issue as whether or not to have children, perhaps these two didn’t belong together. After all, with all of the difficult and sometimes strange living situations that kids have to deal with today, we didn’t need to add another one to the list.

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Break the Bed Making Rules!

I received a heads up today from a faithful DeBroff DeBrief reader about the hilarious new competition currently being put on by the furniture store IKEA. The Breaking-the-bed-making-rules competition is encouraging anyone with access to a video camera and a computer to download their videos about how they make their beds in the morning. The current front runner is two adorable twins jumping on a bed while their mom tries to straighten the sheets around them. I know there were always those hilarious morning moments with my own kids, Kyle and Brooks, who made their beds by pulling the sheets over their heads and rolling out the side!

The winner of the competition will receive a $5,000 shopping spree! Five runners up will receive a $500 dollar IKEA gift card. Not a bad way to pick up some new home furnishings! The real voting begins in 12 days, so three is still plenty of time to tidy up. Check out their site and good luck!

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Anne Heche: Heartbreaker

Tabloids have recently reported that Anne Heche is leaving her husband, cameraman Coley Laffoon, for her Men in Trees costar James Tupper, who is also married. The two met on the set and were commented to have "chemistry their first day on the set."

The scandal  is reminiscent  of  Anne's past relationships. Her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres ended because of her relationship with Coley, who was shooting a documentary about Ellen at the time he met Anne. She started shooting the television show originally because she "wanted to...give [her] family a stable life." So much for stability. Now  does Anne not only have the tabloids to worry about, but also the destruction of her family. Coley has been a stay-at-home dad with their 4-year-old son Homer since Anne started Men in Trees. The two rarely visited the set, where the affair with James has apparently been going on for the last six months. It seems that Anne was not putting family first, but her own childish whims of romanticism. As James was fast becoming one of TV's newest heartthrobs, Anne seemed to take notice of his popularity as well.

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