Angela Kinsey on Her Mothering Mistake

Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

New mothers are often advised to never wake a sleeping baby, and Angela Kinsey learned the hard way why. The 38-year-old Office star tells Celebrity Baby Blog she tempted fate one day with her 15-month-old daughter Isabel Ruby — with disastrous results! “I was like, ‘You know what? She’s taking a late afternoon nap, she’s not going to fall asleep ’til late, I’m going to pick her up and rock her to see if she’ll wake up,” Angela recalls. “Mistake! My mom was right.”

Isabel’s tears that day were hopefully short-lived, but Angela admits she often cries “tears of happiness” when gazing at her first child.

“[Costar] Steve [Carrell] told me when I was pregnant ‘Every cliché you hear, you will say or experience.’ He was absolutely right…I can’t believe she’s mine. I can’t believe I’ve been so privileged to have this experience.”

Angela counts the Boppy and Cheerios among her mommy must-haves; With regard to the latter she notes, “If I don’t have them in a Ziploc in my purse then I’m screwed!” From the sound of things, Isabel is more impressed by a certain fuzzy red friend familiar to many moms, however! “She said ‘Elmo’ this morning for the very first time,” Angela proudly reports.

“She pointed to the TV and said ‘Elmo’ and I was like ‘You are a genius! You will cure cancer!’”

Isabel is Angela’s daughter with estranged husband Warren Lieberstein.

– Missy with reporting by Scott Huver

Comments

Aw, sorry to see “estranged” in front of hubby’s name. Hopefully they can work things out so this darling little girl can grow up with two parents in the home.

- Susan on August 11th, 2009

Aww, what a sweet sentiment! That’s the exact feeling I get every time my child passes a milestone – it’s just amazing! You feel so proud and build up such expectations for your kid(s).

- mommaruthsays on August 11th, 2009

I love Angela Kinsey. I’m guessing she won’t do that ever again.

Can’t wait for season six of The Office!

- Lynn on August 11th, 2009

wow, that baby looks just like toby! (i know warren lieberstein is his brother so that is why!)

- megan on August 11th, 2009

Lol that ws a funny story about waking the baby!!
I find it a little strange that a 15-month-old knows the TV characters already, I’m not even sure I knew what the TV was at that age. But maybe she has an Elmo plushie or book and just recognized him.

- Alice on August 11th, 2009

I love that name! I think that might just be my new favorite celebrity baby name.

- Finais on August 11th, 2009

i am disturbed by the fact that her daughter is not only watching television, but can recognize a character. my son is 20 months, and has seen about a whole 10 minutes of tv his entire life. i really just think it is awful to be exposing your child to something like that especially at such a young age, but i guess to each his own. and yes i know some might consider sesame street educational, but as a teacher who studied psych and development i truly don’t believe any good comes out of it.

what ever happen to days where children just ran around, played with toys(that don’t all light up, sing, and dance), and used their own imaginations?

- jacky on August 11th, 2009

New mom here….why don’t you wake a sleeping baby? My 6 month old takes 3 naps a day, so if he naps late I wake him up. Is waking the baby up a problem with older babies?

- MZ on August 11th, 2009

Aww, Isabel really does look like uncle Toby. What a cutie.

I hadn’t heard that Angela and Warren weren’t together anymore. That’s really too bad.

- Candice on August 11th, 2009

MZ- From what I’ve heard, because it can make them cranky!

- CelebBabyLover on August 12th, 2009

jacky- you sound like a bundle of fun. Seriously, don’t be so tightly wound. A baby knowing who Elmo is is nothing to be “disturbed” about.

- Heidi on August 12th, 2009

Oh geeze. Just because Isabel knows who Elmo is does not mean she watches much television. Elmo is everywhere! Perhaps Isabel has an Elmo doll or Elmo related things (blanket, etc.) and maybe Angela put the TV on for a bit and Isabel happened to recognize him. Maybe this was the very first time Isabel had ever been exposed to television (maybe not likely but is there anywhere in that interview that said she watches a lot of TV?)
I know many people who have small children that are familiar with Elmo, he is so cute!
I’m not a mother yet so I am not sure if I’d let my child watch TV or not when they are a toddler but I’m leaning toward yes. Not that I’ll use it as a babysitter or allow them to watch it a ton, but every now and then seeing an episode of sesame street won’t hurt them! (at least I don’t think so)

- Laura on August 12th, 2009

jacky -

For real girl, get a grip!

- Sallie on August 12th, 2009

i am entitled to my own opinion. and i am against tv at such a young age. and i am not the only one. talk to your pediatrician. they probably consult with the american academy of pediatrics who recommend no tv before the age of two.

and heidi- i am fun, my son has fun everyday. he go to playgrounds. swim. do art projects. make playdough. use our sensory table. etc. i don’t think i should be called not fun simply because i take a more active role in parenting instead of letting my child watch tv. but like i said before, everyone has the right to parent as they wish…. so i hope your child enjoys their tv show, but my child will be doing more productive things with his time

- jacky on August 12th, 2009

LOL Jacky- you sound like you’re just *such* a pleasant person.

- Heidi on August 12th, 2009

heidi- i am just an educated person who wants the best for my child

- jacky on August 12th, 2009

Jacky- there are lots of educated parents who want the best for their children who allow them to -*gasp*- watch Sesame Street! The fact that you judge parents so harshly for that is really extreme. Fine, you don’t allow your kid to watch tv. At all. That’s your choice. But to say that you’re *disturbed* because someone’s baby knows who Elmo is is really judgemental and ridiculous. If you’re raising your child in a home that so harshly judges other people for such mild and simple things as watching Sesame Street, then maybe whether or not your child is allowed to watch tv is the least of the things you should be worried about.

And just an aside, I’m not an Elmo fan, but some of my favorite childhood memories are of Big Bird, Grover, and Bert & Ernie. And I wouldn’t trade those feelings I have thinking back on those memories for anything. Parenting and living life is not always about the latest studies.

- Heidi on August 12th, 2009

Wow Jacky…aren’t you special. YOu are so much better than the rest of the mothers in the entire world because your baby doesn’t watch TV. We should all be just like you because you are clearly far more educated and superior. Congrats on being such a saint. I’m sure your child will grow up to be much better than my child who watches TV. Listen, you can parent your child however you like but it would nice if you kept your judgemental attitude to yourself. I’m sure there are things you do that aren’t considered “healthy” by every medical and pshycological professional. Should we pick you apart like you pick on Angela?

- Becky on August 12th, 2009

Jacky,

I was reading by age 3, and guess what my mom says was a major reason… Sesame Street! For such an educated person, you come across as ignorant.

Good to know that you parent your child a certain way. But passing judgment on those who do things differently is pointless. I feel sorry for you if something as normal as a 20 month-old recognizing Elmo “disturbs” you.

- shalay on August 12th, 2009

Some of you are being way too hard on jacky. You can’t accuse someone of being judgmental then turn around and make the same type of unfair assumptions about them too. It negates what would otherwise be a valid point.

- Erica on August 12th, 2009

Jacky — I agree 100% w/you! My sister-in-law is a renowned pediatrician and her kids don’t watch any TV whatsoever before age 2(or DVDs)…after that they can watch it for very special occassions. But we weren’t even allowed to have the TV on while they were in the room under age 2. I trust her professional child development judgment in a heartbeat!

- christina on August 12th, 2009

Jacky, I’m right there with you! TV is okay in moderation, yeah. But in my family, we go without and don’t feel deprived at all! There are plenty of things to do to occupy us–swim, dance, play, sing, read, draw, etc.

- Jamie on August 12th, 2009

Why is everyone from The Office so damn funny?! I hope she can work things out with her husband…

- suenue on August 12th, 2009

Heidi- I couldn’t agree more! Just because someone allows their kid to watch TV doesn’t mean they don’t want what’s best for their child or are not well-educated. It just means that they have different views about what’s best for their children. Also, what’s best for one child might NOT be what’s best for another one. Yes, Jacky, you’re entitled to your opinion, but the rest of us are entitled to ours as well!

Anyway, I also agree with Heidi about childhood memories of Seasame Street. Some of my fondest early childhood memories are also of Seasame Street. I was a HUGE Elmo fan, and I liked most of the other characters as well (Ernie and Bert, Big Bird, and Grover were just some of my other favorites!). I also had Seasame Street plush dolls, a Seasame Street playset, a Seasame Street lunch box (in fact, the thing I was most excited about in regards to entering Pre-School was getting to show off my Sesame Street lunch box!), and even Sesame Street bedsheets!

Oh, and every year starting around Thanksgiving, I couldn’t wait for the first Sunday of Advent would come, because that’s the day that my dad did our annual Holiday showing of “Christmas Eve” on Seasame Street”!

Anyway, I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything, and suffice it to say, I think Seasame Street is just fine for someone Isabelle’s age to watch!

- CelebBabyLover on August 13th, 2009

My child has never seen Elmo anywhere except on the portable high chair. My child also says “Elmo.” They are always listening!

I don’t “love” the tv either. I’ve made an exception for sign language DVDs. My 2 year old enjoys them (and can speak in 8 word sentences at 24 months, so I’m not worried it affects language development!). I limit DVDs to 2 times a week.

Everyone has to make that decision based on her lifestyle and her child!

- Elmo Comment on August 13th, 2009

Reading this debate just reminded me of other parents working in television who were called hypochrites for not letting their children watching (much) television. We all make the choises we deem best for us and out families.

- MiB on August 28th, 2009

I watched Sesame Street at a young age and could already read and write by the time I entered kindergarten. Yeah, what damaging effects this program had on me. If this is the ONE show she allows her kid to watch, I approve, not that it’s really my business either way.

- LeeLee on October 21st, 2009