Michael Douglas 'Never Anticipated' the Joy of Being a Late-In-Life Dad

Amy Sussman/Getty

The life he’s created with wife Catherine Zeta-Jones and children Dylan Michael, 9, and Carys Zeta, 6 ½, has brought unexpected and unprecedented happiness to Michael Douglas, the actor tells AARP magazine.

“My career was the most important thing in my life, followed by marriage and children,” he admits, “and it’s completely reversed now.”

“I never anticipated starting a family and the joy of raising kids at my age.”

In the interview, Michael, 65, goes on to confess that the rumors of his pursuit of Catherine were true, telling the then 29-year-old actress: “I want to father your children.” Put off by the pick-up line initially, Catherine later changed her mind, and the couple entered into a whirlwind romance that culminated in their 2000 nuptials.

Recently relocated to New York City after 10 years spent at their family home in Bermuda, Michael says the motivation behind the move rests with the kids’ schooling. Catherine quickly landed a job on Broadway — appearing in A Little Night Music — but Michael says he’s happy to fill in around the house, especially on those mornings when his wife needs to sleep in.

“I love to be the first face [Dylan and Carys] see,” he confesses. “It’s a selfish pleasure; It’s a very special time, the mornings.”

Catherine, for her part, praises her husband as “a terrific, extremely hands-on father,” and Michael says that his age has actually been his greatest ally on that front. “I think it’s easier for me to be a good father [now],” he muses. “I’m not so concerned about my career.” That also translates into less time on location and more time at home, which is the only place he and Catherine truly like to be.

“You’ve got these few years of unequivocal love when Mom and Dad can do no wrong. So we’re a tight family unit.”

Click below to read Michael’s qualms about being an older father.

Still, there are obvious drawbacks to becoming a father again so late in life. “I’ll wince when I think I’ll be close to 75 when my daughter is 16,” Michael quips. “I’m not going to be able to physically chase the boys away!” Then there is the technological divide to contend with! Michael elaborates,

“I’ll be watching my six- and nine-year-olds just take off on their computers. I’m looking on in complete awe; they’re looking at me like I’m a dinosaur.”

At the same time, Michael  is grateful that Dylan and Carys are confident in their abilities, which he himself struggled with while growing up with father Kirk Douglas. Both men are in a good place with their relationship now, however, and Michael says that one of his biggest delights is watching his father interact with his children.

“It’s like a feeling of immortality,” Michael says. “Just knowing that it’s your daddy’s daddy really does excite my kids.” He adds,

“Time is moving fast — it’s moving really fast. I’m just trying to slow it down.”

In addition to Dylan and Carys, Michael is dad to son Cameron, 31, with ex-wife Diandra Luker.

Source: AARP

Comments

so what’s cameron, chopped liver? his father is clearly not talking about him and by the sound of things when he was growing up he cared more about being a movie star than his family.

sure he’s a grown man now but it must hurt to see his father and even grandfather so enamoured with his siblings & maybe that has something to do with why he’s having so many problems right now.

- waffle on January 22nd, 2010

No wonder Cameron turned out the way he did.

- meghan on January 22nd, 2010

Michael Douglas may not have been the father of the year but that’s no excuse for Cameron to dope/drug out his life.

- Angela on January 22nd, 2010

I agree, Angela.

Cameron is an adult that is free to make his own choices. He’s chosen wrong ones therefore he must abide by the consequences. While his relationship with Michael may not have helped, that’s an excuse that can only get a person so far.

- Ashleigh on January 22nd, 2010

Angela and Ashleigh I agree.
I feel that blaming your parents for your bad choices is something that looses weight once you’re out of ‘teenagerhood’ (and Cameron is 31!). Grownups are responsible for their actions and blaming Daddy doesn’t work any more.

- Sonya on January 22nd, 2010

So he admitted when he was younger his career was most important. I’m sure he’s not the only person In the world who felt that way. That could be why so many first time moms in hollywood are on the older side. Atleast he’s honest and not claiming he cares while having a team of nannies maids and so forth raising his kids.

- Lena on January 22nd, 2010

Something about the way he says “I never anticipated starting a family and the joy of raising kids at my age.” sounds weird to me. He didn’t start a family at this age, he started another family at this age. Maybe if he had stated it that way it wouldn’t bother me.
I always feel bad when we read about older parents, usually fathers, talk about how much better they are with their children now. I always feel bad for their starter children. It makes it sound like those kids were the ones they learned on, messed up with, and now they get to do it the right way. I don’t know how I would feel if it were my father saying that about much younger siblings.
Plus there is always the sense that these new children are the ones that they really wanted and looked forward to.
I get that as younger men their jobs were important but have some sort of sensibility when it comes to talking about your new family. Your old family might be reading this.

- ruby on January 22nd, 2010

It’s wonderful for Dylan and Carys that their father is so attentive, but it makes you sick to your stomach to know that there are millions of fathers out there like Michael Douglas that do not give a hoot about their children when they’re young, only to THINK they make up for it by having children later on in life.

This late-life knowledge he has acquired doesn’t benefit Cameron. It’s not the “blaming the Daddy” excuse, it’s a reality that children whose fathers do not give a hoot, grow up traumatized and with substantial number of insecurities and problems, through no fault of their own.

Sad…truly sad. I admire his first wife even more now.

- Barbi on January 22nd, 2010

Yes, Michael Douglas may have been a terrible father to Cameron, but that’s what therapy is for. My parents were terrible in some ways and I overcame that through talk therapy. Our relationships aren’t always on stable ground, but I’m not addicted/selling meth! I haven’t asked my significant other to smuggle MORE DRUGS into my jail cell. At some point in your life, you have to separate what happened to you in childhood to how you plan to move forward. It’s called accepting responsibility for yourself, growing up, being an adult. Besides, Cameron had his mother and he had money. These two things were a couple of crutches not available to people who come from far worse backgrounds. It’s not like he was hungry and on the street, illiterate, with no one to turn to…

That being said, wow! To have Kirk Douglas still alive and your granddad! He’s 93 years old!

- Jen DC on January 22nd, 2010

You are responsible for your actions but parents are not absolved for their behavior either. No one should just drop a kid off in this world and expect him or her to fend for themselves. Nine times out of ten a bad adult was raised by a bad parent. Better adults are raised by better parents most of the time.

- Shirese on January 22nd, 2010

Cameron is 31. He chose to bring drugs INTO prison and wound up in federal prison. He’s done.

Michael needs to concentrate on bringing Dylan & Carys up right. Maybe he has learned from his mistake.

- Brooke on January 22nd, 2010

I agree that once you hit 18, you are an adult capable of making your own decisions. Cameron chose to do/sell drugs and now he is sitting in federal prison for it. However, at the same time, I cannot imagine how hurtful it is to see what his father said here, in print, for the whole world to see, that now it’s all changed with CZ and their kids, and how family suddenly comes first, where it didn’t before. If that were me hearing my parent say that, I would be like, thanks a heck of a lot! I’ve seen other older celeb dads say similar things and I always wonder how their kids feel about these kinds of sentiments. I think it’s terribly unfair to grown children like Cameron…his siblings have a hands-on dad, and he didn’t, he missed it as a result of his father’s utter selfishness and upward mobility. I imagine that would be very hurtful.

As far as Cameron’s drug addiction, well, it can run in families, so who’s to say the half siblings will or won’t go that direction to. The point I make here is that parental involvement is really only ever half the story in these situations.

- Jennifer on January 22nd, 2010

wow, maybe coming from a family where my father didn’t show love, or give us his time (cared more about his career etc than us) is making me more understanding of cameron… i disagree with those who are saying it’s not his father’s fault that he’s the way he is. how we turn out has a huge amount to do with the examples that were set for us by our parents. i’ve had many, many issues stemming from my (horrible) relationship with my father growing up, and i can imagine how hurtful it would be to have your father get a “do over” with a second family that he dotes on and is basically the opposite of how he was with you. unless you’ve been in a family where a parent is well, a crappy parent, you don’t really know how that can affect your adult life. i’m not saying it’s ALL michael douglas’ fault, but he holds a lot of the blame in my opinion.

- amandamay on January 22nd, 2010

His situation is the same as mine, I’m 14 and my dad is 73…so it’s like Michael and Carys, really. It has its benefits, but it always gets me when I think, statistically, my dad won’t be around to walk me down the aisle or meet my children like he did with my older half-brother and -sister. Time really does go fast.

- charlotteisabella on January 22nd, 2010

has anyone ever seen Michael Douglas’s film ‘it runs in the family’ it stars Kirk, Michael and Cameron. On the dvd extras Michael says something about not being there for Cameron when he was growing up and also speaks a lot about Kirk. Michael definitely doesn’t seem to think of Cameron as ‘chopped liver’ i just think he’s g;ad he got a chance to be a father again and this time be more present.

- Clair on January 22nd, 2010

He does talk about Cameron in the interview. He talks about how he was absent in his younger years and he’s worried about him and stuff. He also talks about having to use enhancements, like Viagra. This isn’t the whole interview, just portions of it.

- kinsey on January 22nd, 2010

Seriously?! Blaming Michael for Cameron’s problems? He never said he was a dead beat before, just said that now it’s easier to focus. Wayne Gretzky, for example, had 2 more kids after retirement and said that he was able to see things in their lives that he missed with his other kids when he played professional hockey. Is he a bad father too?

- Andrea_momof2 on January 22nd, 2010

In a way,all first-born children are the ones that parents train with and make the most mistakes with,regardless of the age gap between first-borns and youunger siblings.It’s problematic but no one is born knowing how to parent. I have only one child but I’m one of the sixth of nine kids.My older siblings and my father himself admits that he was inexperienced and confused when they were born.By the time I came along he understood a lot more about raising a family and life in general. My younger siblings, born to my father and stepmother,had a totally different experience.We all had a father at different stages of his life,but ultimately the thing that mattered is that he did his best to the extent of his abilities. I think Michael Douglas -whom I am not a fan of- simply tries to avoid talking about his experience with Cameron because it is painful and controversial.He might not want to bring his relationship with Cameron to the press so people don’t ask him about details.It is a delicate and painful subject that he might not wish to share with the world.It’s a lot of speculation,but that is the impression I get.

- eva on January 23rd, 2010

I agree. I get so sad for those “starter” kids (and their wives). I wish they could get a replacement father as easily as these men get replacement kids. On the up side of course I am glad he is being a more present father with Carys and Dylan ,and I do admire his honesty in a way. He certainly is addressing the elephant in the room.

- moose on January 23rd, 2010

Despite their age difference, Michael and Catherine seem to have one of the strongest marriages in Hollywood and it is lucky for their children to be able to grow up in Bermuda, away from media attention. He seems to realise how old he is and his father is living proof that he too can live past 90.
As for Cameron, he is an adult who made his choice in dealing with drugs. In the same interview, Michael admits he wasn’t the father he could’ve been: “On reflection, he says, “I’ll assume whatever responsibilities I have to. Would it have been better to have been around more? Absolutely. There were absences, and I was no angel.” But that does not mean he is to be blamed for Cameron’s struggles.
I wish all the best for him and his family and hope Cameron comes to grips with his problems.

- Kaisa on January 23rd, 2010

Here’s what he said about Cameron:
“I’ll assume whatever responsibilities I have to. Would it have been better to have been around more? Absolutely. There were absences, and I was no angel. [...] I think it’s easier for me to be a good father [now]. I’m not so concerned about my career. I like to be home a lot more now. I see the confidence my kids have got versus the struggle for confidence that I had or that Cameron might have dealt with.”

Anyway, as another poster said, there’s good and bad for all kids, his younger kids won’t have him around as long, he might not be alive when they have their own kids. And yes, as a youger person one’s work might be more important. I think it’s this way for everyone (to a lesser extent). First kids are always the ones you “experiment” on, that’s just how it is. Having your father a bit absent is no excuse at all for what Cameron did.

- Alice on January 23rd, 2010

it’s common that people look to blame someone when addiction strikes. Half of the comments here point fingers at Michael, while the other half point fingers at Cameron. You can probably also blame Kirk Douglas, and his father before him. It’s usually a legacy that’s passed down the line.

Addiction is a coping mechanism that many people use to block themselves from feeling pain and other hard to handle emotions. Recent research shows that about 75-85% of all americans suffer from SOME sort of addictive behavior.

Addictive tendencies can start off very young in children… and it’s been shown that people with absentee parents are at higher risk due to the impact this has on early brain development.
Breaking the cycle is difficult, although very possible if one is determined and has proper support. Blame usually does very little to solve the problem.

- fuzibuni on January 23rd, 2010

@ Jennifer: Sure, he can be hurt by the changes in his dad’s perspective and jealous of his underage siblings, but neither serves as an excuse to be self-destructive. It’s not Michael Douglas’ fault, nor should he (or can he) take responsibility for his son’s choice to remain a drug addict or attempt to smuggle drugs into his jail cell. If anything, Cameron Douglas has had more opportunities to right his life than any one of us would have, given that he comes from such a wealthy and ostensibly powerful Hollywood family. I’m not down with the pity party for a grown man. Besides, Michael Douglas is here for him now; he should take advantage of that.

- Jen DC on January 23rd, 2010

I would just like to point out that Michael is acknowledging the fact that he did not participate in Cameron’s life in the manner in which he is proud of… Cameron did have another parent. Kids no matter how you raise them make independent choices. At least, Michael is admitting that he is far from perfect and is giving recognition that he did not place his child before his career, though, Cameron I am sure benefited monetarily from his father’s success.

Parents are not perfect nor are children. Every person has their flaws. Addiction can not be attributed to the lack of interaction of a father. Plenty of children are raised in fatherless families and do not have addiction issues and are not in prison.

Hindsight is always 20/20.

I am sure if everyone started a ‘second’ family we’d all do things a bit differently; it doesn’t necessarily mean our children will turn out ‘better’.

- Krystal on January 23rd, 2010

Very well written, fuzibunni (#22)!

What happened when Cameron was younger, happened when he was younger. It doesn’t matter how badly Michael or Cameron would like to change it, they can’t. Michael realized his mistakes with his first child (and as others have said, EVERY parent makes more mistakes with their first children than with subsequent children), and is making more of a point to not make those same mistakes with Dylan and Carys. On Cameron’s end, no matter how bad a person’s childhood, there are ways to overrcome that without turning to drugs. No one person is at fault. In any given situation, there takes at least 2 people to make it what it is. It’s never just 1 person!!

- Sarah M. on January 23rd, 2010

Michael Douglas being absent for however long isn’t really an excuse for Cameron’s behavior. He had another parent, someone should have been giving him the stability and confidence he needed, and even if that happened, he made his own choices to become a drug addict. At what point do you say that someone is a lost cause (I don’t want to hear that there is no such thing as a lost cause in people because there absolutely are!) and cut your losses? Should Michael neglect his younger children (thus repeating the same mistake!) and work tirelessly to try to reform Cameron, who from his actions doesn’t seem to want to be reformed? Cut the guy some slack, he’s trying to be there for the kids that have a future and a chance in this world. (I’m not saying he’s not involved with Cameron or anything, but federal prison takes away a lot of options in life and at 31 you kind of have to say “Make your own way” after so many years of screwing up.)

- Rebecca on January 23rd, 2010

Yes, Cameron made his own choices but so did Michael. I don’t care what anyone says, how you raised your children is a strong indicator of what type of adult they will become. Sure, not all people raised by deadbeats, naive, or just plain bad parents turn out as drug dealers or any type of criminal, but they have other issues. All I am saying is just because that child is now a bad-decision making adult, the parent does not get a free pass for placing something else, like a career, before their child.

- Shirese on January 23rd, 2010

You don’t stop being a parent just because your child turns 31 or is in prison. Its a lifetime job. Michael’s responsibilities are to all his kids. I wish him luck.

- moose on January 23rd, 2010

@Jen DC: Read the comment again. I did not give a “pity party” for Cameron. He is a grown man who made his choices (which as an adult he should take responsibility for, I believe I said that the first time); I never said his father’s behavior was an excuse for him to be “self destructive.” However, I did make clear MY OPINION that MD may well have been hurting him by not being present for him as a child, and that it would probably hurt most any child to have that happen, celeb or not, which may cause some emotional issues later in life (or not..depends on the person). I never said that his father’s absence was why he “chose” to be a drug addict, as you put it. Nor did I say that CD was jealous of his siblings; I pointed out that it would be hard to see that one’s father was now present and there for your siblings in a way he was not for you, especially in print, publicly, for everyone on earth to read. I’m sure he loves his siblings very much. And as for MD being there for him now, I’m sorry, but where did you read that? I don’t even know if that is the case or not, so you can’t say that for sure. He COULD have washed his hands of him right now with these latest charges, so you can’t say that he is there for him now; you have no idea if he is or not. As well, I would say that as humans we all have the chance to right our lives, no matter how much or little money we have. Just because Cameron grew up rich and with a famous family, does not mean that just because he has money, his own demons or drug addiction will just go away. Hello, have you seen all the kids that battle addiction (which my opinion is a biological issue in part that takes a lot of work to overcome, it’s not just, “ok, today I’ll stop shooting heroin”) that come out of Hollywood?! Parents present, parents not..I believe my exact statment to conclude my comment was: “The point I make here is that parental involvement is really only ever half the story in these situations.”

I would read and TAKE IN the whole comment as a whole before you respond to it, because you read mine totally wrong. I see both sides of the story, but heck yeah, I think Cameron got the short end of the stick and I think MD kind of sucks for that part!

- Jennifer on January 23rd, 2010

also, just to clarify my previous statement,
i don’t mean to say that every child who has an absentee father or mother is going to become an addict. there are many factors at play in the realms of addiction. I’m was specifically referring to cases where there is some kind of parental neglect or the child is not having their needs met. these types of experiences can cause cognitive shifts in children that might lead them toward addictive behaviors.

- fuzibuni on January 23rd, 2010

@ Jennifer: Oh, I read your comment thoroughly; I don’t think it or the subject matter require a second reading.

My very simple points are as follows:

- Cameron Douglas had approximately 10 years between adulthood and his nearest sibling’s birth to deal with whatever issues he had with his father. And who’s to say what’s said between them privately, other than the individuals themselves? It’s more important to Carys and Dylan that their father adore them publicly right now, since they *are* young. Furthermore, the gist of the AARP article is about being an older father to young children; given that fact, why would Cameron Douglas be upset?

- Due to his family wealth, Cameron Douglas has had ample opportunity – more opportunity than the average addict – to deal with his addiction(s). Not that kicking a habit is *easy* – please point out where I say that – but since he never had to worry about how to pay to stay out of jail and enter a facility, that could be considered a boost in the right direction.

- I took Michael Douglas’ statement re: “accepting responsibility” to mean that he’d be there to support his son. I don’t know any other way to interpret it.

- Parenting is less than half the story. I see your comment as part of what’s wrong with kids today; it’s less about what they make of themselves and more about what was done or not done to them or for them. Cameron Douglas had it easy in comparison to billions of others. *That’s* from when the “pity party” interpretation arose.

- Jen DC on January 24th, 2010

Why is everyone blaming Michael for Cameron’s behaviour? Cameron’s mother did not work, she had lots of money and she should bave been an attentive parent.

- Jennede on January 24th, 2010

I’ve only skimmed the comments but I did want to say that I would have found it rather inappropriate for Michael to be discussing Cameron considering his current situation. What is happening is a private matter and honestly I would think Cameron would be upset if he read this article and saw all sorts of comments from his Dad about him being in jail etc. And, as someone pointed out, the AARP article is about being an older father.

Best of luck to them all. Cameron is going to need his families support. To be honest I think his Dad having more kids is giving him a better perspective on being a more present father for Cameron.

- kris on January 24th, 2010

No kidding Jennede! I really hate how they’re saying that Cameron turning out the way he did is all Michael’s fault. It’s like saying kids who have a parent (or parents) in the military are going to grow up all sorts of messed up because one parent is gone a lot.

- Rebecca on January 24th, 2010

i think people are missing the point – it’s not that an absent parent makes a drug-addicted child (ie – the military reference) michael douglas (back in the day when cameron was little) was known for being a bit of a jerk, and not just “away at work” – he didn’t give his family the time of day and was partying/womanizing etc. it’s one thing to be away in the military etc, it’s another to be a crappy parent.

- amandamay on January 24th, 2010

The point I was trying to make is that here you have a fine example of a man doing what he should have done when he fathered children early in life: being a dad and bragging about his children. Everything he now loves about his children with Catherine is something he should have loved doing with Cameron and his first wife but probably never bothered or felt the need to do so. The lack of attention or blaming it on youth and stupidity is an excuse that will never heal Cameron’s heart. While it may not justify Cameron’s actions…deep down inside you always wonder why is it that children of deadbeat dads always have it harder in life.

It’s just pathetic and horribly sad for children (and first wives) that there are so many men like Michael Douglas out there. I will always pray that my granddaughters steer away from individuals like those and find someone that truly knows how to be a husband and father young in life.

- Barbi on January 24th, 2010

I think it’s great that his younger children have a loving, hands on dad but feel for his older son, who he admits he neglected. I hope his son gets the help he needs to kick his habit and michael continues to work @ being a good father to all three kids.

- Mary-Helen on January 24th, 2010

I remember reading an article about a man who ran a remand centre for youth and he merely commented that he could not think of a single case of a boy being placed in his care that had a strong positive father figure in his life. Sure Cameron has two parents but he is a boy and his FATHER was absent/uninvolved. Thats a pretty big deal. If Michael had died some horrible death when Cameron was 10 we’d all be saying, “well that explains the drug addiction”, but you can “lose” a parent and still have them alive.Is the wound any less? Up for debate. Some would say its more damaging as the parent is actively choosing not to preant you, love you…etc.

- moose on January 24th, 2010

What’s done is done, I’m sure if he could redo the past he would, but he can’t. What’s he supposed to do now? He’s being a good father for his younger children, and I’m sure he’s there for Cameron too, but not in as big a capacity (though I’m sure it’s easier now that they live in NYC and not in Bermuda) as he is with his younger children. He’s admitted he’s made a mistake in the past and it seems like he’s working to make it right.

Dead horse, yeah, y’all are beating it.

- Rebecca on January 24th, 2010

Rebecca- They don’t live in Bermuda any more? Does any one know why?

Jennede- I agree! Who’s to say that Cameron’s mother didn’t contribute to him being the way he is now?

- CelebBabyLover on January 25th, 2010

CelebBabyLover – I believe Catherine is doing a Broadway play/musical, so the family is currently in NYC. I don’t think the move is permanent.

- Tess on January 25th, 2010

Tess, it does sound like it’s permanent. They “recently relocated” and “Catherine quickly found a job” implies that they moved first, then she found a job.

- Rebecca on January 25th, 2010

If he had only spent half of the time with his son Cameron, like he spends it with those two, Cameron would have become a much better person. You need to be loved by both parents, so whatever this man says, i can not support him, to me he is fake, he left his oldest son, because of all his womanizing. He did not deserve this article, because no child deserves what Cameron got from his dad.

- christa on January 25th, 2010

It’s interesting that the children from the first marriage were ignored by their fathers because Dad was working and didn’t have the time for them. Then Dad remarries, and it’s as if they no longer exist and are never mentioned while the second marriage offspring are idolized by Dad and he’s so thrilled to spend all his time with them. It’s not just M.Douglas but a multitude of men in the entertainment business have this same attitude. They need the trophy wife half their age, and the new kids to prove to themselves that they’re still ‘studly’. Say what you want about Cameron, but if his Dad paid him the attention he needed growing up, he would have had a better childhood. It must have been very hard for him to watch his Dad show the affection to the new kids, that was never show to him.

- Joan Miller on January 25th, 2010

christa and Joan Miller- I’ll say it again: Cameron has TWO parents, and what’s to say that his mother didn’t also contribute to the way he ended up?

I’m not saying that Michael is blameless, but I don’t think he deserves ALL the blame either.

- CelebBabyLover on January 26th, 2010

I really don’t think the parents are to blame at all. Even the world’s greatest parents could have done things better, but the bottom line is that each person is responsible for his/her own choices in life. A lot of people have terrible parents or terrible childhoods, yet move on and become productive members of society. It’s about choices, and only Cameron is responsible for his choices, IMO.

- Tess on January 26th, 2010

Bittersweet story. It’s good that he has “seen the light,” but it would have been better if he had seen it when Cameron was a boy. Not to make excuses for Cameron, but he deserved all the fatherly attention that his half-siblings are now getting. That was his birthright.

- LPW on January 26th, 2010

My dad and stepmom had twins when I was 11. My dad sucked back then as a father. He is still trying to figure out how to have a relationship with me and I’m nearing 40 and he’s 60. But I’m happy for my siblings that he learned some of what NOT to do with me. He’s a MUCH better father to my brothers and for that, I’m happy. I’m not resentful of that. But I’d be lying if I said I’m sad that I missed out on so much. Every child deserves an involved and loving father. I didn’t get that and nothing can change it. BUT…it does make me a better parent to my children, so in some ways I’m grateful he sucked. LOL!

- MM on January 26th, 2010

I agree with the posters who find it hard to stomach these older fathers who gush about their new (younger) wives and children while the “starter” family is seemingly dismissed.

While it’s true that we are responsible for our adult choices (i.e. no free passes to Cameron), I think what is grating to many about this article is that the victims of bad parenting (or bad behavior or outright abuse from others) are supposed to dust themselves off and “get over it” because the transgressor now says, “Oops, sorry, the past is the past, move on everybody. I’m now a great and responsible person.” Well, that’s cold comfort to a victim. So Michael Douglas shouldn’t be absolved of blame for his poor parenting and given a free pass now because he “sees the light.”

- AE on January 26th, 2010