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Photo Courtesy of E!
There are certain celebrities on the entertainment landscape that audiences feel a special connection with—Giuliana Rancic is one of those celebrities. She is a major presence on E!, co-anchoring E! News and co-hosting Fashion Police, as well as red carpet events like the Oscars. Her reality show, E!’s Giuliana & Bill airs Tuesday nights at 8/7c.
Giuliana’s openness about her marriage to entrepreneur Bill Rancic; infertility; the IVF process; a successful battle against breast cancer; pregnancy via surrogate; and now parenting one-year-old baby Duke have had a profound affect on many who follow her journey. She has played an important role in breast cancer awareness and opened doors for infertile couples looking for another way.
The Best Parenting Advice She Has Received
When you have a child, advice seems to come from every direction. However, there is usually that one piece of wisdom that stands apart from the rest, as well as standing the test of time. For Giuliana it’s this: “Every child learns and develops at his own pace. The worst thing you can do is … go to the park and compare your child to other children his age. Every child is different.”
Putting the Smartphone Down
A big issue for moms is being present for their kids without distractions—something that has become increasingly difficult with computers and mobile devices.
Recently, I blogged about a study reported in the journal Pediatrics, which found that parents on smartphones tend to ignore their kids and have negative interactions with them. In light of this study, I found it particularly significant that a high-profile, high-powered career woman like Giuliana is talking publicly about putting down her smartphone to focus on family.
She says, “I am definitely trying to do a better job of leaving my work at work. So that means turning off the computer or putting away my phone when I am at home with my family. I am trying to do a better job of separating work and home life so that I can be 100% present when I am spending time with Duke and Bill and I know Bill does the same thing too.”
Activities With a One-Year-Old
Finding ways to keep one-year-olds occupied at times seems like the Holy Grail of parenting—something we strive for, yet unattainable. Giuliana has found some healthy, practical activities that the whole family enjoys.
She says, “I love taking him to Mommy And Me classes. We have so much fun and it is a great way for us to connect and play together. Bill also loves taking him to Kid’s Play classes. We love to go on hikes and long walks around our neighborhood as a family. Duke loves being outdoors and we try to live a very healthy, active lifestyle so those are the perfect activities for us to do together.”
Parenting Style
I asked Giuliana if she and Bill tended to be laid-back parents or more on the strict side. She states that, “Bill and I are both somewhere in between. We love laughing and playing with Duke. He is still a little too young for set rules. He doesn’t quite understand them yet, but Bill and I will definitely both be equally as strict as he gets older.”
The Gift of Surrogacy
In the premiere episode of Giuliana & Bill this season, the couple revealed that they plan to try for another baby via their surrogate, Delphine. Giuliana says that, “There are many ups and downs with surrogacy, but we were so fortunate to have an amazing surrogate, Delphine, who gave us the most incredible gift. If we are lucky enough to have another child I will definitely feel more comfortable with the entire process because everything is easier the second time around.”
