While reading through the tabloids wondering what to report about the Kate and Jon Gosselin custody battle and general mess that is their shattered family life/career/exploited kids, I came upon an inset article in US Weekly that sums it all up nicely: “Which Gosselin is the Worst Parent?” Or, as Kaiser says, “team no one.” Here’s US’ summary:
Which Gosselin is a worse parent?
Days on Duty:
Despite saying she’d be gone three days a week for DWTS, Kate was recently home only two of 12 days.
Jon was gone was two months while partying with girlfriend Morgan Christie in Park City, Utah.
Playtime with the Kids:
Kate claims to despite the paparazzi. She waited, however, for photogs to show before she brought the kids out for a picture-perfect Easter egg hunt.
Good-time dad Jon makes sure to play with the kids in front of the house – all the better for photographers to snap away at his scooter-riding cuties!
Post-divorce romance
Kate swears she’s single! Yet she and bodyguard Steve Neild always request adjoining hotel rooms.
Jon, dumped by heiress Christie in March, has racked up four flings since the 2009 split.
[From US Weekly, print edition, April 26, 2010]
Jon definitely earns the title in the “post-divorce romances” category, but you could add some more headers in there for “responds to the kids’ needs,” and “disciplinary measures” and Kate would win worst parent for those.
Meanwhile Star paints Jon as the wronged party who is being denied access to his children while Kate ignores them for his career. In Touch claims that Jon is filing for full custody of the children just so he can get more media attention. Here are some choice quotes from each:
Star: Jon is being wronged
“Unlike Kate, who rules with an iron fist, Jon is laid back,” an insider tells Star. “The house is more relaxed when he’s in charge, and the kids love it.”
But Jon is allowed to see the children only during his court-ordered visitations since Kate would rather leave the kids with nannies while she’s away. So they talk to their father using Skype… and “it breaks Jon’s heart” when he hears what they say.
“The kids go into their rooms, turn on the Skype, and cry and complain to Jon, saying, ‘Mommy’s not around, we’re with the nanny again,'” a close friend of Jon’s tells Star. “Or they’ll say, ‘Mommy’s in the basement again,’ practicing for DWTS. Or ‘We miss you. When you’re here, you’re always with us,’ meaning he’s not handing them off to the nanny.”
In Touch: Kate is being wronged
[Jon’s] antics [filing for full custody] seem to be motivated by jealousy, not parental concern. “Jon asking for full custody is a joke. He couldn’t handle raising eight kids by himself,” says a source. “He wants to steal Kate’s thunder, and playing nice doesn’t make headlines, so he’s acting up.”
[From print editions of Star and In Touch, April 26, 2010]
Again, team no one, or team kids would be a better way to frame it. Hell, I don’t even like Aunt Jodi. Also, how much do you want to bet that Star’s source is Jon and In Touch’s source is Kate? They’re so busy focusing on how to play the media and bad mouth the other one that they’re not there for their kids, physically or emotionally.
Kate Gosselin is shown on 3/10/10. Jon is shown on 2/10/10. Credit: Fame Pictures
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