How do your kids get to school? How did you get to school when you were a kid? Taking the yellow school bus, walking or riding a bike may all seem like normal methods of getting to school. In the modern world, we drive and carpool as well. But what about in urban environments where a lot of parents don't drive or even own a car? They take the subway.

And they do it ALONE. That's right--I've seen it myself. Kids popping onto and off of the subway without a parent in sight. How do they manage it? And why, you might wonder, do their parents let them do it? Well, necessity is the mother of invention and a lot of other things, it turns out. Kids are going in one direction, their parents in another (to school versus work), and the main way to get around town in New York, for example, is underground.

Turns out, it's probably safer too. Driving in this city is a disaster on a good day. You're a LOT less likely to get into an accident on the subway than you are in your car. Plus, the kids tend to travel in packs on the subway. I never see a kid get onto an empty car at an odd (non-rush hour) time. They pick which car to meet up on and collect as the train makes its stops toward their final destination. I know because I can hear them screeching above my iPod.

Haute mamas to be watch out: Christian Siriano is launching a line of maternity wear! The Project Runway winner is set to unveil the line for mamas to be in Spring 2009. Pity I won't be pregnant anymore (I hope) although it may be reason enough to get knocked up if you've been considering it. Chances are, if you are pregnant and you buy Siriano's stuff, you'll look glam.

Siriano and two of his fashion buddies, Marta Abrams and Elise Rosemarin, collaborated on the line. Abrams and Rosemarin head up Moody Mama maternity wear. The collection, much like Mr. Siriano, is being called Fierce (for Moody Mama).

Funny enough, a rep for Moody Mama says Siriano joined up because he thought it would be good if a gay man and two women who'd never had children designed maternity wear together. What do you think--is it important for the designer of preggo-wear to have been preggo herself, or does it matter? I doubt Bill Blass spent a lot of time in evening gowns, but what they hey do I know. I'm sure the line from Siriano will be stunning to say the least--in looks, anyway (no word on the price).

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Felicity Huffman is frazzled, ya'll. And she has every right to be. Not only is Huffman star of the big and little screens, she's also wife to actor William H. Macy and a mom. In fact, Huffman says her motherhood is probably what landed her the star's most famous role, as Lynette on television's Desperate Housewives.

Huffman left two of her three kids in the bathtub and plodded through the rain to make it to the Housewives audition. She thought she'd managed to pull it together but says those who auditioned her liked the fact that she was "a mess" and "frazzled." Also, and this is my favorite, part, her pants were dirty. Sounds like motherhood to me!

Felicity admitted to the agents that she was going crazy with the kids. According to her, the women in the room looked at her like she was crazy; but then, you know, she got the role. I don't watch the show, but from Huffman's comments it sounds like the frazzledness is just right for her character. And, let's be honest--does this woman EVER look frazzled? No. But, as a mom myself I am sure there are times when, indeed, she is.

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Being overweight is tough for a kid. There are many options toward weight loss, but some are more (or less) appealing than others. For many, over the years, the weight-loss camp has been a dream. But, while "fat camp" is almost as American as apple pie, it's now going the way of many other American dreams--it's too darned expensive to attend. Like any other camp, weight-loss camp costs money to run and maintain. With more than nine million children who are considered obese in this country, such camp can seem like a knight in shining armor for families struggling to get their kids' weight under control. The weight-loss camps, while they can be affective, are far from free. Few to none accept insurance.

The government generally offers no more assistance than insurance companies. Instead the children rely on their essay writing skills and other means to win scholarships to attend. Yes, even weight loss camp is something only possible for the rich. Corporate sponsorship is one way to help get kids who can't afford the often more than $1,000-a-week pricetag what they need. Advocacy groups are being formed, such as the Childhood Obesity Treatment in Action. Some tax deductions are coming into play, and some insurance is starting to cover a portion of the cost--mostly in the cognitive behavior area.

But is it enough? Rarely. And financial cost is to say nothing of the emotional cost to the children, who are often left with either feeling exploited by their situation--their essays and their experiences become the property of the camp, who share that information freely with the media in hopes of growing the industry--and/or have to deal with life after camp, which can be even harder than before they found their salvation. While most children lose some portion of their body weight at the camps, few manage to keep it off after returning to the real world.

Pic by skampy.

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I was at least twelve years old before I was allowed to cross the street by myself. It was several years after that I was allowed to stay home alone during the summer while my parents were at work instead of going to summer camp. I always felt like I could have stayed home earlier; now that I'm a parent I know how my parents felt: it was NEVER time to leave me home alone!

So at what age is it appropriate to start leaving your little ones home alone--without a babysitter? A recent New York Times article tackles that very question. There are few laws or guidelines to help us make such decisions. Pediatricians don't have much to offer. Ultimately, it becomes a decision between the parents and the child. Both have to feel ready to allow such a thing to occur. And, generally, it starts with an experiment. Leave the kid at home alone while you visit a neighbor for a cup of sugar (do people still do that?). Next time leave her home alone while you pick up the dry cleaning, and so on.

Many states see the tender age of 12 as the start of this new way of life. Twelve is different for each child. How the kid reacts makes all the difference in the world too, as does the general personality of the child. Is your child independent and can get things done on his own? Does your child fear being alone or throw temper tantrums? Do you find your child is in trouble all the time, even when you're around? All these things are taken into consideration when deciding to leave a kid at home. Many parents also have no choice but to leave their children alone--scary but true--even when they're not yet twelve. Luckily things like cell phones and other modern technologies have made it easier for us to keep in touch with our children.

I'm terrified to even think of letting my child stay at home alone or go anywhere alone in New York City, but I know it's a future I face. What about you? When did you let your children start staying at home alone? Was it earlier or later than when you stayed home alone as a kid?

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Loving someone doesn't mean you have to love the people they love. My father had five kids and his love for each and every one of them was unconditional and unlimited. I, on the other hand, can barely stand to talk to myself, let alone the other four. And so, I completely understand Chris Orbach's desire to have nothing to do with his late father's second wife.

And yet... there's the matter of the ten million dollars, of which Chris sees none until his stepmother, Elaine Cancilla-Orbach, dies. Chris sent his stepmother a letter claiming that she manipulated the elder Orbach into cutting his son out of his will. It's not about the money, though, claims Chris. "People think [the letter] was a money grab," he wrote on the First Wives World website. "For the trillionth time -- it wasn't. I do just fine as a voiceover artist."

Chris Orbach also chastised his father's donation of his eyes to the Eye Bank Association of America. Cancilla-Orbach, defends that decision, however. "Jerry always said he was so proud that, at age 69, he didn't need glasses," Cancilla-Orbach said. "He said, 'If I can give anything back, I want to give my eyes. I can't give my liver because I drank too much, and I can't give my lungs because I smoked too much. But I can give my eyes.' So, on his deathbed, when they asked if he was an organ donor, I said, 'Take his eyes.'"

I don't know... Maybe Chris Orbach has a point. After all, he is, I'm sure, making hundreds of dollars a month as a voice-over artist so he really doesn't need the money. And this isn't Jerry Orbach's first wife; it's his second wife who swooped in at the last moment, only having to spend two and a half decades with him to inherit his money. Really, if this is just about not having to visit Elaine Cancilla-Orbach on Mother's Day, drop it and don't. It's really that simple.

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Ever have one of those nights? You really need to get out of the house, perhaps spend some time with your spouse, significant other or just yourself, but you can't get a sitter. Or, maybe you had a sitter and he/she bailed on you at the last minute. What do you do?

Many parents these days enlist a whole cadre of people to take care of their children when they want to go out. Some use parents and in-laws to get out of the house. Others enlist friends and even colleagues. Still others have nannies or daycare providers who can work evenings to cover them. Some turn to services they source online or through the yellow pages.

And some parents take their kids with them. Depending on what it is you planned on doing, you might just be able to get away with taking your kids with you. Dinner may not be as romantic, but you can generally add a high chair to your two-top. Tickets to a concert or a Broadway show are another thing all together. You certainly cannot take your child to those kinds of events, and the tickets for those kinds of things are too expensive to give up. Werll, actually, you can give those things up. Chances are you've done it, or will--and just stayed home.

What do you do when you can't find a sitter? Have you tried any of the services? If so, were they any good, and would you recommend? Or do you count on your mom and dad to cover?

My five-year-old can't wait to go school shopping and drools over the markers, novelty erasers, and pencil boxes each time we go shopping. Now is a good time, with stores pricing things low for the back-to-school season.

But if you're trying to be a little more frugal this year or just like to make use of household items you already have of hand, Reader's Digest has a few suggestions for homemade school supplies. Some of them are a little nonsensical -- making index cards out of paper plates, for one. A pack of paper plates would cost you more than a pack of index cards right now, but the tip might be handy on a Sunday night when your tween announces he needs them for school the next day.

Others, like three-hole punching a ziploc bag and putting it into your child's three-ring binder to hold pencils and erasers might just work. And if you're a recycling family, there are a lot of other unusual uses for household goods that might otherwise be thrown away.

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Calling up to a beloved's window, late at night, in order to see the one around whom your world revolves -- it's a time honored tradition, from Romeo and Juliet to The Princess Diaries. But there is the right way to do it and the wrong way. First, make sure you have the right window, and not her amazingly large father's (that was my mistake way back when). Next, choose your method of getting her attention carefully.

Small pebbles, thrown lightly against the pane work well; one fired from a slingshot, not so much. Eleven-year-old Joe Brunton of Utah found that out the hard way. He started with wood chips, but when that was failed to gain his love's attention, he switched it up a notch. Actually, several notches. He went home for the heavy artillery, a slingshot.

The slingshot worked -- it got her attention -- but it also cracked the window. Stalwart young gentleman that he is, Joe took the blame immediately and made arrangements with his mom to pay for the window repair. At first, he was going to pay his mother back by doing extra chores, but decided that would take too long. In addition, he and the friend that was with him have been going door to door explaining what happened and offering to do chores for the neighbors. Joe admitted the process was "kind of embarrassing."

I'm not so sure about the trying to hook up in the middle of the night part, but the honesty and responsibility parts look pretty good. Overall, I'd say this kid is a keeper.

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When Janna Mintz wanted to become a mother, she turned to her friend Kevin Zoernig for help. Zoernig agreed to donate his sperm, and through artificial insemination, a boy was born shortly after. Zoernig found himself caught up in fatherhood and the two soon worked out a visitation schedule. It was all going so well, that he agreed to be a sperm donor for Mintz a second time, and a daughter was born.

But when Zoernig wanted a voice in their children's upbringing, including where Mintz could live, things started to go wrong. Eventually, Mintz took Zoernig to court for child support, and after an eight year battle, the court ruled in Mintz's favor.

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It's time for TV Guide's annual salary survey, that time of year when we get to find out how much our favorite personalities get paid every year for entertaining us after the kids have gone to bed. These celebs all have kids at home, but still manage to bring home some pretty serious bacon:

• Charlie Sheen: $825,000 per episode of "Two and a Half Men"
• Mariska Hargitay: $400,000 per episode for playing Det. Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: SVU"
• Heidi Klum: "Project Runway" earns her $2.5 million a year
• Katie Couric: $15 million yearly for anchoring CBS News
• Matt Laurer: $12 mil -- no matter where he is in the world -- for NBC's "Today" show
• Tiki Barber: $2 million annually for working as an NFL analyst and "Today" show correspondent
• David Letterman: $32 million a year for yukking it up on late night TV
  
• John Stewart: $14 million a year for his work on "The Daily Show"

Before you start to feel bad about your paycheck-to-paycheck life, keep this in mind. Kyra Sedgwick, who makes $275,000 an episode on "The Closer," has been living in California where the series is filmed for four years. Her 16-year-old daughter, on the other hand, lives in NYC with the rest of her family. Is the trade-off worth it? I don't know, but seeing what some celebrities have to go through to strike it rich can make you appreciate your more anonymous lifestyle... even if it doesn't come with a million dollar paycheck.

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Have you hugged your librarian today? Now is a better time than ever to at least go in and say hi (you might want to save the hug for another time). Ohio librarians are reporting that libraries are more popular than ever, due in part to a struggling economy and high gas prices. Not only can you find free reading materials at the library, but you can usually check out videos or use the computers as well.

Libraries have changed a lot since we were kids, and today a visit to the library can be a fun-filled, low-cost outing for the whole family. Our local library has story time, summer reading programs, puppet shows, visiting children's authors, concerts, movie days (complete with popcorn!), crafts, and even a family game night. Teens have their own department now, as well as their own programs, and the children's room is filled with educational toys and puzzles.

So if you're finding your entertainment budget pinched by rising gas or food prices, give your public library a try. Who knows, you might just start a new family tradition. And if you're looking for other ways to get your kids out from in front of the TV or computer, don't forget to visit ParentDish's very own Childhood Unplugged for creative craft, cooking, and party ideas.

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Ladies, if you think your job is bad, be thankful that you don't work in Russia. A recent survey of female professionals in that country finds that 100% of them have been subjected to sexual harassment by their bosses. That is not a typo - One Hundred Percent. 32 percent say they have had intercourse with the boss at least once and another 7 percent say they have been raped on the job.

Sexual harassment is so prevalent there that it often begins before a woman even gets a job. University students say it is not uncommon for females to perform sexual favors in return for high marks and job-seekers report they are often forced to have sex during job interviews.

If you wonder how this can be, look no further than the comments of a judge, who recently dismissed yet another sexual harassment case. Despite a 22-year-old executive's allegations that she had been locked out of her office for refusing to have sex with her boss, the judge threw the case out. It isn't that he didn't believe her. It's that he thinks this type of behavior is necessary to ensure that humans continue to breed. "If we had no sexual harassment we would have no children," the judge ruled.

This outrageous abuse isn't limited to the workplace, either. According to human rights activists, Russian women suffer from some of the highest levels of domestic abuse in the world. I don't know about you, but I had no idea that Russian women had it so bad. I find the whole thing disgusting and it certainly puts my workplace complaints into perspective.

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Actress and break-out movie sensation Katherine Heigl is too busy for children. The Grey's Anatomy star, whose recent silver screen hits include 27 Dresses and Knocked Up, says she is far too busy to consider having kids.

The newlywed's husband, musician Josh Kelley, basically couldn't agree more. According to him he's even taken some time off touring to focus more on music. Once you're married, though, inevitably comes all the questions about when you'll be starting a family.

Like many, many women before her, famous and not, Heigl is spurring on the trend of having a baby later in life (if indeed she wants kids at all). With a career as full and successful as Katherine's, I can certainly understand putting off motherhood for a while. Or, maybe the experiences she had while playing a pregnant woman in Knocked Up scared her!!!

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Yes, hard to believe but also true. Well, perhaps not that hard to believe after all. I mean, hey, women are in the workforce now--even and especially while pregnant--and being a prostitute is a profession, so it's expected that somewhere down the line you're going to come across a pregnant prostitute, right?

The Kansas City police recently came across several pregnant prostitutes. They recently busted a prostitution operation at a Camden County hotel and arrested four women, three of whom were pregnant. According to police, they were acting on a tip that pregnant women were advertising the prostitution on the Internet.

The three ladies with child were six months, eight months and three months pregnant. Now, it was not clear to me if the gals were trying to sell sex with a pregnant woman or if they were just trying to sell sex and happened to be pregnant. Not that it matters. In Canada another, similar sting went down wherein twelve prostitutes were apprehended, two of whom were pregnant.

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