'Housewives' Pair Nurtures Kids, Knocks Cast Mates

"There's no rational explanation for the irrational," said Simon van Kempen, co-star of The Real Housewives of New York City, when asked about fellow cast mate Kelly Killoren Bensimon.

Although Bravo has recently finished airing the third season of the reality show, van Kempen and wife Alex McCord aren't done offering provocative comments. Their book tour to promote Little Kids, Big City: Tales From a Real House in New York City, came to Syosset Borders Friday night. The crowd that included men and women of all ages listened to the couple read excerpts from the book and answer questions on their relationships with cast mates and the reality of being on a reality show.

"I started writing down my experiences while I was pregnant, " McCord, mom of 6-year-old Francois and 4-year-old Johan, told the audience. "Initially it was for the kids to have [as a memoir] when they grew up." 

The couple began blogging for Bravo about the show and was approached by a literary agent. After having their young boys portrayed in earlier seasons of The Real Housewives as wild and inappropriate, they received a lot of criticism from the public for writing a parenting book.

"There was an article recently in New York Magazine that was very one-sided," said McCord, "talking about how having children makes people depressed.  Not everyone feels that way. There are so many dogmatic things out there that hold people to impossible standards that they can't match." 

Their best parenting advice? 

"Have the confidence to do what you feel is right; there's more than one way to raise a happy child," McCord said. "What works for your family isn't going to be the same as what works for someone else, and what works for one kid won't necessarily work for another. Talk to everyone, read everything and then have the confidence to fly by the seat of your pants."

Although they were happy to discuss their book, the couple fondly nicknamed "Silex" by many of their fans was also open to answering questions about the show and specific events that aired during the third season. 

* When asked about cast mate LuAnn de Lesseps's single "Money Can't Buy You Class," van Kempen replied, "Auto-Tune was invented for a reason." 

* McCord said Bensimon's claims that she was forced by producers to go on the trip to St. John (in celebration of cast mate Ramona Singer's vow renewal) were false. 

* The couple agreed that the newest housewife, Sonja Morgan, is a great addition to the cast.

* The reason that their sons barely appeared in the third season was not a conscious effort on their part, but rather "because well-behaved kids do not make for good television." 

They also confirmed that what we see on television truly is their reality as they live it, although being on the show gives a little push to the drama. 

"In real life if you get mad at someone," Alex said, "you can walk away. On reality TV, you can't do that." Luckily for the producers, that inability to walk away created drama that has attracted 2.5 million viewers on a weekly basis.

McCord and van Kempen have come a long way from being portrayed during the first season as the couple who couldn't bear to be apart for even one second. This season, she gained a huge following as she came out of her shell and into her own, speaking her mind on many different occasions while evolving into a genuine and loyal friend.

Others admire the couple for the way they interact with their fans through social media. One attendee at the book signing was overheard thanking van Kempen for responding to a post that she had written on his Facebook page.

Jamie F. and her friend Laura F., both 29 and from Smithtown, are big fans of the entire Real Housewives franchise and were overjoyed to have found out about this book signing via Facebook. 

"We can't not watch," Jamie said. "It's like a drug,"

Little Kids, Big City: Tales From a Real House In New York City, can be purchased at Borders (425 Jericho Tpke.). Follow Alex McCord on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/mccordalex and Simon van Kempen at http://www.twitter.com/simonvankempen.

Amy Platt is a mom who is definitely flying by the seat of her pants when it comes to her two children. The Syosset resident is also the founder of LIParentSource.com, an online resource centralizing information and resources for local families.