After age 18 or certainly 21 he should be able to stand on his own feet financially and should have some kind of work ethic. Instead he is shiftless and torpedos his wife’s attempts to make money. I have a particularly hard heart against passive aggressive people. I don’t like immaturity in a 16 year old girl, but it seems so much WORSE in a 32 year old MAN. I know that is sexist, I guess I’m old fashioned that way. As far as him loving his children so much, well thank goodness. However love doesn’t pay the bills. When my husband was laid off his job he spent a few weeks feeling sorry for himself because there was no work in his particular line, for awhile. He has worked non stop for decades and I knew he’d go back when work started up again so I didn’t mind, he did a lot of home repairs and it was nice having him not be gone 28 days in a row. However he overheard our son’s reply to a friend who asked why his father was home all the time – what does he do? My son said “Nothing.” Dad was out there looking for work at other firms the next DAY. You wonder why Jon’s ability to feel shame doesn’t kick in. Has it atrophied?

Kate’s new hair looks like cra@p. I can’t imagine spending 20 hours to do that to myself, speaking of trying to look much younger than you are – I wasn’t crazy about that funky part sticking up on the back of her old hairdo but the short hair was much more fitting on her, in my view. It is amazing to me how often the shots of her are at the bus stop. Doesn’t she go anywhere else? It’s very sad when celebrity is just for being a mom, one of America’s most loved families turned to most hated or criticized moms. The media is so fickle.

Uncle Kevin went bar hopping – so what. They should be able to go out and have a guy’s night out. However if I were his wife I would not be happy with the 20 somethings that appear to crawl all over Jon, which in itself is inexplicable. My 19 year old is horrified of him. She just thinks he is grotesque in looks and in the fact that he’s in his 30′s and has 8 kids, not really a babe magnet to any normal young woman however the lure of celebrity appears to outweigh the fact that he is neither hot nor cool. Ask yourself how many of these girls would have found him attractive if he weren’t famous. My guess is none.

I hope he settles down, I can’t imagine the idea of him moving to Utah to be a snowboarder would sit well with his kids. Don’t they deserve a little normalcy?

You’re right. I do have some thoughts about Jon’s girlfriend-hopping, but it more has to do with me thinking it’s unhealthy for him than thinking that it makes him a bad parent in any way (though I do hope he’s smart about waiting to introduce the kids to any new women in his life). I look at the way Jon is living his life now and he seems a bit out of control to me. But I acknowledge that I don’t have the full story. I don’t think he’s a bad person; I do think he’s been immature and irresponsible since the split, again with the caveat that this is based on what I “know” mostly from gossip.

Regarding the possibility (which may just be rumor) of Jon moving to Utah, I’d understand it better if it were for a job opportunity. For a new girlfriend? That’s something I would expect someone with his responsibilities to really think hard about. Even if he has the money and the time and the freedom to fly across the country constantly to handle his custody days, I think there are just logistical issues with living so far from your kids part of the time. I don’t think it’s enough to call him a “bad parent” but I think a better parent would make sticking closer to the kids a priority.

I LOVE tuxedo kitties! Ours is a young one – she’ll be 1 in May. She thinks she’s fierce but she’s not scary at all. And she eats like you would not believe – she’s really getting fat. Time for some diet kitty food.

Yes, I agree with you on both sides. There most definitely is a double standard. Why should Kate’s not traveling tither & yon be any reflection on what type of parent she is?

For whatever reason, JK8 motivate such strong opinions either for or against – rarely is there a middle ground, or an ambivelant opinion.

You are right; if it were Kate out at Sundance, she’d be “galavanting” around the globe foresaking her duties as a “real” mother. I will be the first to admit I don’t care for her – she’s not someone I would choose as a friend, it’s just personality thing with me. But I don’t begrudge her personal happiness.

She’s divorced; there are times when she doesn’t have the kids – hey, go out, have a good time, do whatever! Yes I know she’d be crucified – kinda my point. Neither of them should be villified for what the choose to do in their “off” time.

I said on the other thread, Jon being in Utah with whatever girl he’s with now, does NOT reflect on his parenting skills, nor on his love for his kids. Kate spending however much time getting her hair done, doing the accompanying photo-shoot & interview – it’s her time. It doesn’t make her a bad parent.

Jon is more openly affectionate. But he certainly doesn’t love those kids “more” than their mother. They BOTH love the kids, the kids love both of them. Yes, me as a mom/parent, I would likely not choose to live out of state from my young children. Then again, my personal finances would never even let that be a consideration, so I don’t know if I was “in their shoes.” But if he (or she, meaning Kate) has the resources to travel at will, who cares if either one of them are at Sundance?

Oh, to remake the world into my own fantastical utopia – LOL!