Tag Archives: Kids

Entertainment

Blake Shelton ‘can’t imagine’ life without Gwen Stefani’s kids

Leave a comment

CLOSE

Blake Shelton proposed to his “Voice” co-star Gwen Stefani, and she said yes. The couple announced their engagement on social media.

USA TODAY

Blake Shelton is already many things, including a Grammy-nominated singer and a coach on NBC’s “The Voice.” He plans on adding “stepdad” to his list of titles.

In an interview with KFROG’s “The Ride with Kimo & Heather,” the country crooner, who is engaged to Gwen Stefani, opened up about his relationship with his fiancée’s kids and shared his feelings about becoming their stepfather.

“There’s definitely nothing easy about it,” said Shelton, whose fiancée shares sons Kingston, 14, Zuma, 12, and Apollo, 6, with her ex-husband Gavin Rossdale.

The singer, too, has a stepfather and called him “one of my heroes.” 

“I love my stepfather, and I looked up to him, and he’s like a father to me, so I have a good inspiration in my life for how to do this and the kind of stepdad I want to be,” he said. 

Though Shelton said he takes the responsibility of being a father figure “very serious,” he added that he also has fun with the experience.

“I also have a blast with it, I’m not gonna lie,” he said. “I don’t take it so serious that I’m not enjoying this time, because I really am, especially now that we’re five years into this thing. I can’t imagine my life without these kids now.”

This isn’t the first time Shelton has been candid about becoming a role model. During a “Today” interview in July, 2020, Hoda Kotb asked him about a Father’s Day Instagram post from Stefani, in which she thanked Shelton for “helping me raise these boys!!” 

“That’s a scary moment for me, because it’s one thing for me to be with the kids all the time and be their buddy,” he said. “But then you do have to consider after awhile, that they’re starting to listen to things that you say, and there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with that, which is new to me.”

Shelton tweeted the news of his engagement to Stefani in October 2020, writing: “Hey @gwenstefani thanks for saving my 2020… And the rest of my life.. I love you. I heard a YES!” During an “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” interview in December, Stefani said the plans for their nuptials are still up in the air because of COVID-19.

Blake Shelton talks becoming role model to Gwen Stefani’s boys: ‘That’s a scary moment’

“Even when you cut it down to just family, it’s still too many people for COVID so we’re sort of going to see what happens in the next few months,” she said.

The two have been a couple for about five years, getting together after Shelton divorced Miranda Lambert. This will be Shelton’s third marriage. His first wife was Kaynette Williams.

Gwen Stefani doesn’t want her wedding with Blake Shelton to be a ‘COVID situation’

Shelton and Stefani got to know each other while working on NBC’s “The Voice.” In a 2017 interview on NBC’s “Today,” Shelton acknowledged that many fans were perplexed when they became a couple.

“In people’s defense, I think it’s so hard for people to wrap their head around why Gwen would want to be with me,” he said. “I don’t blame ’em.”

Why Blake Shelton is receiving backlash over ‘tone deaf’ song ‘Minimum Wage’

Contributing: Sara M Moniuszko

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Last SlideNext Slide

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2021/02/11/blake-shelton-on-being-stepdad-gwen-stefanis-kids-cant-imagine-life-without-them/6728103002/



Read original article here

US

Oklahoma man charged in shooting deaths of 5 kids, brother

Leave a comment

MUSKOGEE, Okla. — A 25-year-old Oklahoma man was charged with murder Wednesday in the killings of his brother and five young children, police said.

Jarron Deajon Pridgeon of Muskogee was charged with six counts of first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill and possession of firearms during probation, court records show.

Muskogee police said they don’t yet know why Pridgeon fatally shot Javarion Lee, 24, or the children, the oldest of whom was 9. The children’s mother, Brittany Anderson, was also wounded in the shootings early Tuesday and was hospitalized in Tulsa.

Police identified the slain children as Jalaiya Pridgeon, 1; Jaidus Pridgeon, 3; Harmony Anderson, 5; Neveah Pridgeon, 6; and Que’dynce Anderson, 9.

Court and jail records do not list an attorney who could speak on Pridgeon’s behalf.

Pridgeon and the victims lived in the home where the shootings occurred, Muskogee police said. Neighbors told the Muskogee Phoenix that they had only recently moved to the home but that the children were often outside playing.

Raven Anderson, who is an aunt to the children, told Tulsa TV station KOTV that Pridgeon was the father of three of the slain children.

“They were great kids, they were smart, full of happiness, energy. They were, they just loved life,” she said. “Honestly it would just be great if everyone just continued to pray.”

Court records show Pridgeon received a deferred sentence in 2019 after being charged with two felony counts for allegedly throwing two large pieces of cement at a woman, striking her in the torso. A judge in that case ordered a mental health observation and evaluation, but those results are sealed. Pridgeon’s attorney in that case, Brian Watts, didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.

Muskogee is a city of just under 40,000 people about 45 miles southeast of Tulsa.

Read original article here

Sports

Scott Erickson, ex-MLB pitcher, linked to hit-run that left 2 kids dead: reports

Leave a comment

Scott Erickson, a former MLB pitcher who played for six teams and tossed a no-hitter in 1994, is facing reckless driving charges in connection with an alleged hit-and-run crash in California that left two young brothers dead, according to reports.

Erickson had been racing against another driver, Rebecca Grossman, the wife of a burn center founder who was previously charged with murder and vehicular manslaughter in the case, FOX 11 of Los Angeles reported.

The boys, ages 8 and 11, were struck while walking with their parents and two other family members in a marked crosswalk on Sept. 29 in Westlake Village, a community about 37 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, FOX 11 reported.

CALIFORNIA SOCIALITE DROVE DRUNK, FATALLY STRUCK YOUNG BROTHERS, REPORTS SAY

The older boy, identified as Mark Iskander, died at the scene while the younger boy, Jacob Iskander, died later at a hospital.

When the accident occurred, Erickson, 52, had been racing against Grossman, 57, of Hidden Hills, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office alleged, according to the station.

Los Angeles Dodgers p​​itcher Scott Erickson throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter in a baseball game in Los Angeles, April 3, 2005. (Associated Press)

Erickson was arrested Wednesday, charged with misdemeanor reckless driving. He has a court date March 16, the station reported.

Grossman was arrested on the day of the accident and released on bond Oct. 1. She was charged Dec. 30 with two felony counts each of murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death, FOX 11 reported.

Prosecutors alleged that Grossman continued driving after striking the boys, stopping about a quarter-mile away.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

She has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which could send her to prison for up to 34 years if convicted, ESPN reported.

It was not immediately clear why the two drivers were arrested four months apart.

Erickson played for MLB teams from 1990 to 2006, for the Twins, Orioles, Mets, Rangers, Dodgers and Yankees. He was a member of the Twins’ 1991 World Series champions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read original article here

Health

New Covid variant and children: CDC doesn’t know if variants cause rare complication in kids

Leave a comment

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) in children is a troubling complication of Covid-19 infection that can cause heart damage and typically shows up about three weeks after a child has been infected. Many MIS-C cases follow a Covid-19 infection that had no symptoms.

While children are much less likely than adults to be hospitalized or die from Covid-19, children are as just as likely as adults to become infected.

About 2.68 million children in the US have tested positive for the virus as of January 21, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the number of infections has increased recently. Last week alone, 165,480 new child cases were identified through testing, the report said. That’s an 16% increase in child Covid-19 cases over two weeks. Children represent 12.7% of all cases in the US.

The CDC says that as of the end of December, it had reports of 1,659 cases of MIS-C.

If the Covid-19 variants are more contagious, then there is a chance that there could be more instances of MIS-C, but the CDC said it does not have the evidence yet to determine if the variants are leading to more cases.

“All I can say right now is we don’t know,” Dr. Angela Campbell, a CDC medical officer with the Influenza Division, told a meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

“We are very interested in that question,” Campbell said.

The CDC is “certainly concerned” about the variants and is encouraging public health departments to be on the look out for cases, Campbell added. She said the CDC has heard from a handful of states that have said they are seeing more MIS-C cases, but it’s unclear if that is due to the overall surge in Covid-19 cases or if it is related to the variant.

“It’s just not possible to figure that out right now,” Campbell said.

MIS-C has disproportionately affected children of color. There is a sixfold higher incidence of MIS-C among Black children relative to White children. Hispanic children are four times as likely to develop MIS-C and Asian Pacific Islander children are three times as likely to develop the condition as White children, Campbell said.

Children recover with prompt treatment. The CDC advises that parents or caregivers contact a doctor right away if kids have fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes or extra tiredness.

Read original article here

Entertainment

Kate Hudson opens up about raising kids with different dads

Leave a comment

Kate Hudson has learned a thing or two about co-parenting thanks to her three kids and their dads.

She recently opened up about her complex family dynamics, including with her own mom, Goldie Hawn, in a conversation with TODAY’s Willie Geist, aired Sunday.

“I’ve got multiple dads, I’ve got kids all over the place,” she said, laughing.

The “How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days” star, 41, shares son Ryder, 17, with ex-husband Chris Robinson, and son Bingham, 9, with ex-fiancé Matt Bellamy. She also welcomed a daughter, Rani Rose, with boyfriend Danny Fujikawa in 2018.

“The only expectations I really have that are really high on my life is with my kids and with family stuff,” she continued to Willie. “Other than that, it’s like, I just let it go. … I work my a– off, and then I walk away, and I hope for the best.”

But Hudson’s also found staying at home with her family due to the COVID-19 epidemic challenging at times.

“I wanna be, like, ‘Yeah, it’s so great and … we’re figuring out,’ but the reality is that there are days that are great, and there’s days that I have to remind myself to be grateful,” the Fabletics co-founder explained. “I never thought in a million years that I’d spend a year in one place. And when you have so many kids, sometimes you have those moments where you’re hiding in your bathroom going, ‘Please, please, get me out of here!'”

“I just remind myself there’s a lot of people out there who have lost their loved ones, and we just gotta stay in for a bit,” she added.

Although Hudson has close relationships with her own kids, she grew up not knowing her own father, musician and actor Bill Hudson. She and her brother, actor Oliver Hudson, were raised by Hawn and her longtime partner, Kurt Russell.

“I think that estrangement is unfortunately quite common,” she told Willie. “I think it’s important for people to talk about that. If they can’t reconnect or if it’s too challenging, that it’s OK, right?

“It’s a 41-year-old issue,” she continued, referring to her own father. “I have a great family. I have a beautiful mother. I have a stepfather who stepped in and played a huge, huge part in sharing what it is to have a dependable father figure in our life. But it doesn’t take away from the fact that we didn’t know our dad.

“I think as I’ve sort of gone through that process … I kind of look at my dad and I’m, like, ‘You know, the love has never ever gone anywhere. It’s always been there, no matter what those complications have been. And healing is … personal, and I think people sometimes just need to hear that they’re not alone in that.”

Related

Hudson often reflects on these issues in her podcast, “Sibling Revelry,” which she hosts with her brother Oliver Hudson. But long before she became a prominent podcaster, she had her first major success with the 2000 cult classic film “Almost Famous.”

“It was definitely a whirlwind,” she recalled. “It was almost like that year of my life was — people would ask me all the time, ‘How does it feel? How does it feel?’ Everything was happening so fast in that moment … and I didn’t even have time to digest any of it. And then my life, it was just work, work, work.”

“From the outside, it might not have seemed as grounded as it actually was,” she continued. “But yeah, I mean, shot out of the cannon is basically what it was.”

Some 20 years later, the Golden Globe winner is starring in the upcoming film “Music,” which comes out in February and tells the story of a drug dealer, played by Hudson, who becomes the caretaker of her teenage half sister, who has autism. It’s directed by pop musician Sia.

“We call it a musical experience,” Hudson said. “I think it’s a piece of art. I mean, that’s what Sia’s intention was. Her intention was to make a movie about love, about finding love, about feeling worthy of love.”

She’s now at work filming the second season Apple TV+ drama “Truth Be Told” opposite Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, and the safety protocols due to the coronavirus are “very strict,” including masks and face shields, she said.

“I was looking at us the other day with all of our s— on, and I’m, like, ‘God, we’re nuts,'” she quipped. “Like, we’re shooting a show in the middle of a pandemic, and so happy to be at work.”

Read original article here

Entertainment

‘General Hospital’ Actress Blasts Teacher, Refuses to Let Kids Watch Inauguration

Leave a comment

Exclusive

Erin Hershey, a soap actress famous for “General Hospital,” didn’t want her kids tuning into Joe Biden‘s inauguration … telling a teacher she’d never let them “watch a criminal.”

Erin’s got a daughter in elementary school in California, and after the little girl’s teacher sent an email to parents Wednesday inviting kids to skip class to watch Inauguration Day, she replied with some nasty comments about the new Prez.

According to the email chain, obtained by TMZ, Erin blasted this out to the teacher and her fellow parents … “Why watch a criminal on television? I’d never do that to my children. But thank you.”

Another parent then rushed to the teacher’s defense in the email chain, thanking her for considering the families who wanted to watch the historical moment and drawing Erin’s ire by writing, “no matter the person taking office, we are lucky to be able to watch moments like this.”

Erin quickly responded with another reply all, saying … “I don’t think we are lucky at all to watch a flat out joke.”

The soap actress tells TMZ … she stands by her emails and doesn’t regret sending them. That said … fact is, Joe Biden is NOT a criminal. And, it’s her choice whether she wants her kids to see the inauguration. Too bad … the kids may have been inspired by lots of people who were front and center, including Amanda Gorman.

Read original article here

The Ultimate News Site