Miki Ando among Parenting Award winners

To the countless other great parents in Japan, thank you. You may not get public recognition, but your reward is the love you get in return, and your trophy is your happy child.

Ando, 26, is a two-time world figure skating champion who retired last year after giving birth to a baby girl. She has never disclosed the identity of the baby’s father.

She is currently in a relationship with Spanish professional skater Javier Fernandez, but the couple hasn’t announced any plans to get married.

I would like to know what the criteria for this award was, in addition to selecting folks who would get exposure for the sponsor. While I admire single parents -- I am one myself -- I hope Ando has more going for her as a parent than the fact that she had an out-of-wedlock child, and is now involved with another guy.

Best 'parentist' would be the usual name for this award!

jerseyboy:

The criteria? Being a famous person or at least a tarento.

As a married parent with 2 kids, ANY woman that can have a career and take care of children as a single parent with love dedication and devotion and not worrying what and how society thinks about them NOT only should they get an award, but they should also get the highest praise and respect.

@bass4funk

It's not very often I agree with you but how could I not do so now with your present comment ? (Having "been there, done that" myself - although the children were not born "out of wedlock", I can't really say I had any "respect" or praise...)

@jerseyboy - Your "out-of-wedlock" comment belongs in another century. Sexist nonsense on your part.

Would prefer to join 'sponsored' all inclusive events than individual celebrity awards ceremonies, not taking away the recipients parenting credentials.

So, hang on a sec. The woman had an out-of-wedlock baby to a father she won't mention, but is rumored to be her (former) Russian coach (who married four of his figure skaters in the past), is now in a relationship with ANOTHER man and they have no plans to marry but she hopes -- it's not a prerequisite -- that anyone she chooses as a partner would see her daughter as their own?

Obviously the people who choose these awards have no prerequisites for the award, in any case. Good on Ando that she can still work and raise her child, and has found a partner she loves, but I think the choice seriously undermines an already vapid and ridiculous 'award system'.

The woman had an out-of-wedlock baby to a father she won't mention, but is rumored to be her (former) Russian coach (who married four of his figure skaters in the past), is now in a relationship with ANOTHER man and they have no plans to marry but she hopes.....I feel the makings of a daytime drama serialisation coming on.......but who to play the Russian coach?

I don't know if Ando lets the father spend time with their daughter. I don't know if there has been communication of any kind between the father and the daughter. Perhaps the father wants no part of his daughters life. Perhaps he'd like to see his daughter and spend time with her. We just don't know. Maybe Ando is refusing to let the father be part of their daughters life. This would be the traditional way to handle the situation in Japan. When relationships go sours one parent disappears. Sorry, I can't give Ando a "parent award" unless I know more about the father and the reason he is not a part of his daughters life.

@jerseyboy - Your "out-of-wedlock" comment belongs in another century. Sexist nonsense on your part.

Maria -- nonsense. This is an award for parenting and I was simply stating the obvious -- a woman has a child without marrying the father, and is now involved in another relationship, but is somehow judged to be a role model of a parent. That is not sexist. If it was a man who had fathered a child without marrying the woman, and now was involved with yet another woman, I'd wonder by what measure he was selected as well. In fact, a relative of mine recently gave birth to a baby, and she and the father are not married, although living together, and I have supported her from the day I became aware of her situation, and would judge her an excellent parent. I would like to know on what basis you feel she deserves the award.

@jerseyboy

So if this unmarried relative of yours fell out with her partner and found another, would that affect your view of her being an "excellent" parent? Seems like it should.....

A judgement of 'modern' lifestyle choices perhaps over traditonal family planning. Understanding the effects of attitudes and behaviours, does it not follow that others will form opinions and judgement even into the 'moral' ability to parent a child?...From a personal point of view without judgement, I admire the importance of traditional family values in Japan society, seen from my own experiences.

I believe most single parents, even though they have a hard time with day-to-day occurrences, feel a great sense of joy and responsibility in bringing up their children. If you're comparing on a scale, the good times outweigh the bad by a long shot. Nothing feels as good as holding a child that is solely your responsibility.

Perhaps when her kid is a few years old then maybe she shud be in the running, BUT this is clearly the same all the other ""awards"" its just PR BS!

and I really appreciate that "talent" is in quotes.

Best parent award? The public has never seen her child. How do they know what kind of mother she is?

a woman has a child without marrying the father, and is now involved in another relationship, but is somehow judged to be a role model of a parent.That is not sexist. If it was a man who had fathered a child without marrying the woman, and now was involved with yet another woman, I'd wonder by what measure he was selected as well.

I don't know this lady's situation, but don't forget; If a pregnancy occurs 'out-of-wedlock', a man can walk away but the woman cannot. It is sexist for you to judge her. She is taking care of her child, and the 'father' can just go on with his life with no responsibility for the life he created.

I wonder if Miki Ando had not been a figure skater well known an f a single mothe having a baby out of wedlock if she would have received this award. This is a joke for all the other true mother who didn't receive an award!

She doesn't need a man to be a good mother, kaimycahl - silly award or not.

She is currently in a relationship with Spanish professional skater Javier Fernandez, but the couple hasn’t announced any plans to get married.

Poor guy. She is going to drag him down with her.

lucabrasi: "So if this unmarried relative of yours fell out with her partner and found another, would that affect your view of her being an "excellent" parent? Seems like it should....."

You guys are missing the point completely -- and that's that myself and jerseyboy are asking what the criteria is for her winning the good parent award, because it seems the only criteria she's met is that she is a celebrity parent who doesn't even hold the treatment of her child as a prerequisite for a good partner. Those are in what she says, by the way.

and that's that myself and jerseyboy are asking what the criteria is for her winning the good parent award,

I think you know the answer is that there is no criteria. There would be no other reason to give such a meaningless award to celebs other than promoting them so they can make even more money. Miki Ando was on TV yesterday as a judge on a singing competition, lol. She's just getting a "geinojin" push, nothing more, nothing less.

Parenting role model??? If sleeping with so many guys that it takes a DNA test to determine who the father is then yes..she deserves the award! What a joke!

Sorry, but Miki Ando sounds like a total idiot, not a best parentist or whatever it is.