Dean McDermott is 'my strength … my rock,' Tori Spelling says

Tori Spelling, mom to 14-month-old Liam Aaron and expecting a daughter in about two weeks, happily proclaims that she can "do it all," and that she hasn’t "compromised for a second" when it comes to balancing career and family.  But Tori, 35, also admits that her career puts her in "a very fortunate position" — and she says she’s got plenty of help.  Husband Dean McDermott, Tori tells ModernMom, is "the most hands-on dad I’ve ever seen." 

I … think men now really step up … All my girlfriends have husbands who have stepped up too. I think this really empowers women to take her career back, do what she wants to do and still be a great mom and a great wife.

At no time has Dean’s approach to parenthood been more appreciated than when it comes to looking after Liam during Tori’s current pregnancy.  As several CBB readers pointed out earlier today, caring for a toddler while carrying a baby in utero can take quite a toll.  Through it all, Tori says, Dean has been "an angel."

I didn’t anticipate how hard it would be physically—having a 14-month old and being very pregnant. And I know there are a lot of single moms out there, God bless them! But I can barely carry Liam. I’m really exhausted, and working a lot. So having Dean there by my side, he’s my strength. He’s my rock. When Liam wakes up at 5 in the morning, I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God…’ And before I can even put a foot out of the bed, Dean is up. He’s got the bottle in one hand, the diaper in the other. And I just think, ‘Oh, I love you!’

Photo by Michael Williams/Startraks.

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For more of the interview, including Tori’s plans for a ‘chic, modern, princess, girly-girl’ nursery, visit ModernMom.com. Modern Mom features smart and practical advice on topics such as parenting, finances, career, health, wellness, beauty, entertainment and more.

Comments

brooke on May 22nd, 2008

I like this family

Colleen on May 22nd, 2008

I think Tori should give more credit where credit is due. I get that she thinks Dean is a great dad and should be respected as such, but to say that “I think this really empowers women to take her career back, do what she wants to do and still be a great mom and a great wife” is a misstatement. We see pictures of Tori and Dean out a lot- without Liam. Who is watching him then? I’m guessing her nanny, who is really the one who stepped up allowed Tori to continue her career. I’m not knocking Dean as a dad or Tori as a mom, but let’s not pretend that it’s all Dean!

LB3 on May 22nd, 2008

I think that Tori is a wonderful person. I like that she gives credit to single Moms that have no choice but to do it all. I am very grateful for my husband and his quickness when it comes to caring for our 7 month old. He has reflux and feeding him can sometimes be exhausting and a pain, my hubby never minds doing it and never complains. he just wont do the dusting. LOL

ang on May 23rd, 2008

i think it is important to remember that tori has experienced and is experiencing 35yrs on, the relationship damage that over-reliance on a nanny can do to a family.i think she would rather die than let her children experience the same emotional distance she has.i have just read her book and she makes her desire very clear for liam and any other children her and dean have in the future to grow up in the close, loving, communicating family that she often didn’t have.

Jenn on May 23rd, 2008

Dean should be “stepping up” to help as should all dads. My husband and I personally have an almost 4 year old, an almost 3 year old, a 1 1/2 year old and I am 6 1/2 months pregnant and we don’t have a nanny to fall back on when we’ve had enough for the day lol…want to talk exhausted? Wouldn’t trade it for the world though.

teenyz on May 23rd, 2008

I wish my husband was included in the list of dads nowadays who ‘step up’.:) Where are these men? I need one.

NJSue on May 23rd, 2008

While I admire any woman who has children this close together, I can’t help but remember that a single parent situation was created by Tori’s union with Dean. I’d be interested in learning how hands- on he is to his the child he has with his first wife, who interestingly enough is now one of those “single moms” that Tori admires. I hope this situation allows for Dean’s first wife to receive help as well.

gretchen on May 23rd, 2008

Dean is probably motivated by the money Tori is bringing in….does that man work? He better step up and be hands on…he is home all the time with her being photographed. When will she catch on that he is using her?

gretchen on May 23rd, 2008

I wonder if Dean was so hands on with his first wife….hmmmmmmmmm. I wonder…! It must kill her to hear this stuff… money is such a motivator!!!!

ang on May 23rd, 2008

NJSue-rest assured,dean is a very good dad and is very close to his older son. obviously because his ex moved the kids(the other 1 isn’t his) back to canada after he met tori,it is hard to see jack as much as he would like to,but he does visit them as often as he can in L.A. or they go see him. tori tells in her book how scared she was that what she and dean had would disappear when filming was over and he’d go back to his wife but dean didn’t want that. he asked her to meet with his ex to discuss looking after jack when he visits(which she did tho completely terrified (and armed!) at the prospect).tori dedicated her book to dean and liam,but also tells jack that “there is no ‘step’ in son, and our relationship is a testament to that”(or something like that).jack adores both of them and he and liam go nuts everytime they see each other,from what i hear.it’s entertaining for people to think celebs r screwing over their older kids when new families form,but in this family,it is most definitely NOT the case.

jena on July 25th, 2008

NJSue – just how do you know so much about dean mcdermotts personal life- if you a relative or friend i am sure he would not appreciate you blabbing about is personal issues