Jennifer Aniston Not 'Destructive,' Say Parenting Experts

By Catherine Donaldson-Evans Posted Aug 12th 2010 09:01PM

Bill O'Reilly may think that Jennifer Aniston is "destructive to society" and sending kids the wrong message because her new movie, 'The Switch,' is about a single woman having a baby without a man. But parenting experts say the host of FOX News' 'The O'Reilly Factor' is out of tune with modern families.

"It's unrealistic and not in touch with how family is changing," social psychologist Susan Newman, author of 'Parenting an Only Child,' tells PopEater. "The traditional family that we have always known as mom, dad and two kids is no longer the traditional family."

O'Reilly took on the 41-year-old actress after she made comments while promoting the film, which co-stars Jason Bateman and sees Aniston playing a woman who decides to have a baby using a sperm donor and artificial insemination.

"Women are realizing more and more that you don't have to settle, they don't have to fiddle with a man to have that child," Aniston said. "They are realizing if it's that time in their life and they want this part they can do it with or without that."

Some speculate that the currently single Aniston may have been offering a hint about her own possible plans for motherhood. But O'Reilly said the star's remarks were irresponsible because she's a role model to children.

"She's throwing a message out to 12-year-olds and 13-year-olds that, 'Hey you don't need a guy. You don't need a dad.' That is destructive to our society," he said.

Studies say otherwise and have shown that isn't the case, according to Newman.

"Children of single parents do just as well as kids who have two parents," she says. "There's nothing in the research that says having a baby by yourself is a terrible thing."

Another parental advocate says younger kids probably didn't even hear Aniston's comments.

"I don't think 12- or 13-year-olds are paying attention to what Jennifer Aniston says or even know who she is for that matter," Beth Feldman, founder of Role Mommy, tells PopEater. "Jen's message is meant for 30- and 40-something women who haven't yet met the love of their life -- and she's right on target."

Later in his diatribe, O'Reilly lambasted the actress for dismissing dads.

"Jennifer Aniston can hire a battery of people to help her," he argued. "But she can't hire a dad. Dads bring a psychology to children that in this society is under emphasized. Men get hosed all day long in the parental arena ... The fathers that do try hard are under appreciated and diminished by people like Jennifer Aniston."

Feldman says the TV personality was out of line and over-the-top when he attacked Aniston.

"Bill O'Reilly went overboard in his condemnation of Jennifer Aniston," she says. "Dads definitely play an important role in the lives of their children, but if a single woman ... wants to raise a child without the support of a man and if that woman happens to be Jennifer Aniston, then I say go for it. In the end, that baby is going to be the luckiest boy or girl on the planet!"

About 41 percent of newborns have single mothers, according to the Pew Research Center. Newman says that if there isn't a father in the picture, a woman can make sure male role models play a significant part in the child's life.

Parenting expert and psychologist Carl Pickhardt says that while fathers are important, even more crucial to a baby's well-being is "the quality of parental commitment to raising that child after it is born."

"It is a prejudice that single parents -- mostly moms -- are deficient parents," he tells PopEater. "In fact, they are among the strongest and most resourceful parents I see."

No matter what O'Reilly thinks about women having babies alone, he needs to accept it, according to Newman.

"It's actually a reality -- it's what's happening in society," she says. "Women are more independent, they're waiting longer to have children and they don't necessarily have to wait for Mr. Right because they have the family and financial support they need."

But though about 80 percent of single parents are mothers, having a man around is key to a child's development too, according to Pickhardt. In his book, 'The Connected Father,' he outlines the ways dads can contribute, especially during the difficult teen years.

"If the movie asks the question, 'Why shouldn't a woman make a child without having a father in the picture?' there is only this: An involved father can enrich the family life of all concerned," he says.

In the end, O'Reilly and others acting outraged by the movie and its lead actress may be taking it all just a little too seriously.

"I think everybody is missing the point. This is a romantic comedy," says Newman. "It's for laughs and for fun and it's a good story. I don't think she's sending messages that everybody should go out and have a baby as a single woman."

Tags: Bill OReilly, jennifer aniston

Comments

(85)

Friday 13 August

By Lily

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You sound so Jealous Barb. Don't hate her because she is beautiful.

By jmb

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"'Children of single parents do just as well as kids who have two parents," ???? "There's nothing in the research that says having a baby by yourself is a terrible thing.'" ???? I would have more respect for this article if Ms Evans had bothered to seek out "experts" that might agree with O'Reilly, and there are plenty of them out there.
Sorry "experts" but there's TONS of research out there that show children of single parents face more problems than those from a stable two parent home. Period. The research is so strong that it's not even debatable.
A stable two parent home should happen for every child in a perfect world, and of course we don't live in a perfect world. There are plenty of 2 parent homes that are horrible. There are plenty of single parents that are loving, caring parents and do a better job than 2 parents ever could. But O'Reilly's point is being missed here: the influence of a dad is crucial in a child's life.
If anyone wants to argue this, please read the article by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt that suggested that the single most effective predictive factor in future criminality of a child is the lack of a two-parent household.
Now before attacking, do some research. Does this mean that the child of a single parent will end up a criminal? NO, but it does show that the article that we're all talking about is ridiculously biased. It didn't mention a single opposing viewpoint to the "experts" that were quoted, when in reality there are just as many "experts" out there that would tend to agree with O'Reilly.
C'mon Ms Evans, you can do better than that.

Wednesday 25 August

By Sandy

Now in days couples can't stay married and children with only one parent usually start out with two. Whats the point of judging single mothers with todays divorce rate. Every household has a differnt situation so don't be so judgemental and do something better with your own life!!!!!!!!!!

By ellistom

O'Reilly's point is that having a father involved in a child's life is much healthier (mentally, emotionally, etc.) than NOT having one. Amazing that people would disagree with that. wow, am I still on earth?

By ksr

Parents need to be their children's role models. Who decided that actors, are responsible for being a role model to people they do not know or never will. Those that chose to be parents single or not can't make other people responsible for raising and instilling values in their children. When did this happen, why can't any one be responsible for the choices they make. Bill OReilly is no role model and he is no one that I would look to for advice or information. He's creepy.

By Bob

O'Lielley won't debate anyone like Rachel Maddow for fear of getting creamed, so he picks on a busy (and non-political) actress and her movie. Just what we need, a rehash of the 80's Dan Quayle-Murphy Brown broohaha. Way to stay focused on reality, Pox News.

By pickmbts

she is great,i love her

By joan

Right or wrong, before Aniston shoots her mouth off about parenting, perhaps, she should finally decide whether she wants a child or not. Thus far, she has 'poo-poo'ed' the idea.

By KRAZZZ

Bill O'Reilly should have done his homework before critiqing Jennifer Aniston. Numerous actresses have played single Mom's raising a family alone and promoted the film. Half of the woman I know, are raising kids alone, and doing a damn good job. Look at Kate + 8 she too felt it was better to do it her self. More and more woman are having kids without a Dad. It seems to me that in this day, raising kids is more important to the woman than the man. There are some really good Dad's out there but not nearly enough. I wish I would have divorced my husband years ago and raised the kids alone. As adults, they tell me they would have been happier without him!

By Shawn

So all men are bad because your husband was. Now that's sound logic!

Don't recall stating "all men are bad"...Actually I know some really good fathers. Point is, (stay with me here) In this day and age, more and more women are raising kids alone, father not required.

By deborah

i think Bill O'Reilly should realize that men get hosed in the parental arena because there are a great number NOT doing what they should as fathers. They are much more of a BAD influence on kids and their behavior than anything Jennifer could imply with her movie or life.

I would much rather see kids raise by "responsible" people of any family type (single or gay or otherwise) than a husband and wife who teach a kid to fight or to think they are better than others. We are all equal and I don't like the direction our country is headed and losing RESPECT.

By Mary

The change in the family structure is only partially the result of men who abdicated their parenting responsibilities. However most men, if they are raised in a family with a strong structure, recognize and respond to their responsibility as a husband and father. Don't pollute your argument with anecdotal stories of fathers who abuse, abandoned, etc. their children and in turn I won't bring up the mother who threw her three children off a bridge this last week. Or the mothers who have imprisoned and starved their children in a cellar. The family unit has changed because we have turned our backs on the book that told us how to establish and maintain with the most positive results; the Holy Bible.

By Nana

Oh, now (in an article) she says she wants to have kids? She didn't want to when her hubby wanted and that's what broke up their marriage. If she would quit sleeping with her co-stars maybe she could find someone that she could have a relationship with and get married. I bet she is one bossy lady.

By Aj

Parenting advice in the year 2525: "You don't need adults to have a family. Children can do just fine without a mother or father and are quite capable of raising themselves. People don't understand how the family dynamic has changed in modern times. Kids simply don't need adults to have a family anymore."

By exoticdoc2

"Parenting experts" are often anything but. They think because they have abandoned traditional morals they are somehow "keeping up with the times" when all they are really doing is sinking into a more degenerate state.

By Peggy

I wonder if it is a child she wants or a trophy or oscar so she can show it off and say Hey look, I did it too!! It is the kids that need to be informed, but of course they wont be because they havent been born yet, what a bummer for them.

By debbie

even back in the good ole days when dad was in the house he was always at work and mom did all the raising of the children. fathers today do more for children than any fathers. most women raise the children with a man in the house or not. Bill O did he help raise his children by being a part of their life(changing diapers, playing with them, taking care of them when sick) or did he work all the time and provide the money for their mother to do the raising.

By laughin@stupid

what makes this nitwitt a expert lol from obama land

By Scott

You can justify all this any way you want to. The point is that the traditional family, Father & Mother, is a better way to raise a child. The tradgedy is the extent to which this does not happen in our modern society. So sad...

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