15,000 diapers and still counting

I happened upon another one of those stories you see from time to time about how having kids is hard on a marriage. This one from the Wall Street Journal "So Cute, So Hard on a Marriage" was not bad. I know that Penelope Trunk has also noted this a few times before. Nothing too deep but for those of you who don't know, there have been several studies that have shown that babies are not really a bundle of joy for most married couples. This article takes it a step further and talks about how some counseling and training can help couples handle life with baby better.

A couple of comments:

- stories like these are good so that everyone makes a choice to have kids with eyes wide open. You are not going to find out what being a parent is really like from watching TV and many couples are not surounded by family and friends with children around them like days of old.

- part of the problem is still that modern couples struggle with a fair and reasonable way to divide up family responsibilities. The egalitarian marriage sounds good but most couples struggle to make this happen in a way where everyone is happy.

- this story focuses on babies but then at the end of the piece there is a joke from a mother in the story:

"I always look at the long-term," she says. "'Do I want this person as a companion in 15 years, because that is when I'm going to have him back? Are we going to be enjoying our kids' graduations?'"

The reality is that this is a struggle for many families for years and years. We have 3 kids and still are changing diapers and it can be harder to juggle older kids and their activities and needs with babies at the same time than just dealing with a new born. It is kind of funny that the two photos with the piece are of two parents with one baby, I can barely remember those days. To working parents with multiple kids, that seems like a walk in the park. While the training programs described in the story may help families get through the first year better and maybe that will lay groundwork for better communication for rest of the time but I am not so sure.

The Newest In New

This is a really really smokin', bad ass, kick ass video. And it is too funny. I am not exactly sure what the deal is it says it is a preview for a longer video for a new Beastie Boys song for their new album coming out soon Hot Sauce Committee Part 2.

The video includes funny performances by awesome actors including Elijah Wood, Seth Rogen, Ted Danson, Danny McBride, Steve Buscemi, Susan Sarandon, Will Ferrell, Jack Black and John C. Reilly and a few more I think.