Thursday, November 19, 2009

New Moon Opens Tonight, But Not All Parents Are Thrilled


CNN recently covered tween parent ambivalence about New Moon, and we wrote about this same topic earlier this week here. The movie opens tonight at Tyson's Corner here in the D.C. area. Did you attend the midnight show? Did your tween? Tell us about your experience!

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Mickey Mouse is 81!


The most famous mouse in the world made his debut in a short film called "Steamboat Willie" back in 1928. Today, he holds the title of "Chief Greeter" at all Disney Parks. For a great history of Mickey, check out the Disney Archives.

Many of today's favorite tween celebs got their start in the House of Mouse, including Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Emily Osment, Zac Efron, and Vanessa Hudgens.

Photo: Crafty Confections

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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Opting Out of the Twilight and New Moon Craziness?


While all the world is a-twitter about the release of New Moon (the second book and movie in the Twilight series), one would get the impression that this is ALL tween girls are talking about. While New Moon is on track to bust a few movie-going records and has been supported by a star-studded, all-out marketing campaign, a few tweens are opting-out. Miley Cyrus, a tween celebrity favorite, remarked this week during a radio interview that "I don't like anything about it [Twilight]." Ms. Cyrus doesn't believe in vampires and is frightened by werewolves jumping out from the screen.

Several parents have raised concerns about the overt sexualization of New Moon's stunning male leads, Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson, but there is little concern about the content of the story (although the fourth book, Breaking Dawn, is a bit more controversial). Dr. Wendy Walsh, who holds a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, commented on this topic and writes that Twilight isn't over-sexualizing its stars as much as "keeping up with industry standards, for better or worse". She has used the books to start productive conversations with her tween about relationships, hormones and restraint. Dr. Walsh concludes that her own tween daughter's obsession with Jacob is simply an age-appropriate school-girl crush, and, as a parent, she takes solace in Twilight's teenage sex abstention message.

Is your tween Twilight-obsessed? Are you? Will you be attending opening night of the movie this Friday? Has the series sparked any conversations with your tween?

Photo: Getty Images

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Saturday, November 14, 2009

Study Confirms: Tweens Today Are Headed in the Right Direction

In December of 2009, the Girl Scout Research Institute will release Good Intentions: The Beliefs and Values of Teens and Tweens Today. The study examines the ethical beliefs and values of young people today and how those have changed as compared to a landmark Girl Scout study on the same issue conducted in 1989.

Overwhelmingly, youth today:
Are not prone to risky or inappropriate behavior:
- 62% say they would not cheat on a test (compared to 48% in 1989)
- 58% say they would refuse an alcoholic drink if offered one at a party (compared to 46% in 1989)
- 33% say they would wait until marriage to have sex (compared to 24% in 1989)
- 18% say smoking is okay if the person finds it enjoyable (compared to 27% in 1989)
Are civic-minded and generous:
- 84% (compared to 77% in 1989) say they will vote in every election
- 76% (compared to 63% in 1989)say they will give regularly to charity
- 79% say they will volunteer in their community (question not asked in 1989)
Value diversity:
- 59% say being around people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds is important to them (question not asked in 1989)
Know their own minds and stand on their own two feet:
- 79% (compared to 72% in 1989) say they would express an opinion they knew to be unpopular
- 26% (compared to 34%) report feeling pushed to fit in
Are close to‚ and respectful of, their parents:
- 94% say they have an adult in their lives who cares about them
- 92% of those who do say it is their parents
- Overall, 62% say their parents are the first people they turn to for advice

As parents, I'm sure you already knew this about your tween - but it's always nice to see a positive trend.

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Friday, November 13, 2009

Tween Voting Power and the People's Choice Awards

The entertainment industry is full of awards (VMAs, CMAs, Oscars, etc.), but it isn't too often that tweens get to vote. The People's Choice Awards are not age based - anyone can vote - and this year's nominees are stacked with tween faves including Miley, Taylor, and Demi. Tweens really could rock this vote - so go vote!

The show airs on January 6, 2010. Tween faves include:

Robert Pattinson for Favorite Movie Actor
Kristen Stewart and Anne Hathaway for Favorite Movie Actress
Emily Osment and Miley Cyrus for Favorite Breakout Movie Actress
Taylor Lautner for Favorite Breakout Movie Actor
The Harry Potter trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) and the Twilight trio (Edward, Jacob and Bella) for Favorite On-Screen Team
Harry Potter 6 and Twilight for Favorite Movie
American Idol and Project Runway for Favorite Competition Show
Glee for Favorite New TV Comedy
Taylor Swift and Beyonce for Favorite Female Artist
Taylor Swift for Favorite Country Artist
Demi Lovato and Lady Gaga for Favorite Breakout Music Artist
Good Girls Go Bad featuring Leighton Meester and Cobra Starship for Favorite Music Collaboration
Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga for Favorite Pop Artist

Who will you vote for?

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Got Milk? Demi Lovato Does


Growing bodies need good nutrition, and tweens need calcium. Tween star Demi Lovato is starring in a new "Got Milk" campaign in all of her rockstar glory. The ad photo is great, and it's nice to see tween stars guzzling something other Starbucks and Diet Cokes. Go Demi!

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Happy Birthday to HSM Star Monique Coleman!


The actress played smart, ambitious Taylor McKessie in the High School Musical series. She is 29 years old today!

We LOVED her prom dress in HSM3 but can't find a pic anywhere - please share if you have one!

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Thursday, November 12, 2009

New Craft Kits For Tweens


The American Girl company (owned now by Mattel) is now making craft kits for girls. The kits are available at Michael's craft stores and coming in a range of themes including school, parties, pets, doll fun, and room decor. The kits are for
jewelry, sewing crafts, cards, scrapbooks, and fashion art among others.

We have not yet tried these kits, but they appear to be more complex and age-appropriate for tweens than the Alex craft sets. They would be cool birthday or holiday gift - or provide a welcome diversion during Thanksgiving holiday travel.

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Happy Birthday to Agent 99 - Anne Hathaway is 27!


To our favorite female spy and our favorite princess, a very Happy Birthday to actress Anne Hathaway! She always plays smart, cool, funny young women - be they ruling Genovia (The Princess Diaries), kicking some bad spy behind (Get Smart), saving the prince (Ella Enchanted), or righting fashion wrongs (The Devil Wears Prada) - we think she rocks as a role model for tweens.

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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Zac Efron in D.C. Today!


HSM star Zac Efron was on Capitol Hill today to lobby Congress for more funding for the arts in public schools. He was joined by "Me and Orson Wells" co-star Claire Danes, and both actors are in D.C. to promote the new film.

Mr. Efron did tour the White House but First Tweens Malia and Sasha Obama were not there to meet the tween heart-throb in person.

Both stars were in Georgetown last night for reception at the Ritz Carlton and a screening of the new flick at the AMC Lowes Georgetown theatre. (Note: "Me and Orson Wells" is rated PG-13)

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Alex Rider's Creator Comes to Washington!


Have you read the Alex Rider series?!?! We HIGHLY recommend the books by Anthony Horowitz about British super spy Alex Rider - sort of a tween James Bond. The books are full of adrenaline and smarts - tween gals and guys alike will love them.

Mr. Horowitz' newest book, (#8) Crocodile Tears, comes out in London tomorrow (Nov. 12) and in the U.S. on Nov. 17. The author resides in London and does not cross the pond very often, but our own Politics and Prose (D.C.'s BEST bookstore) is hosting Mr. Horowitz for a book talk and signing on November 24th at 10:30am.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Emily Osment is Coming to D.C.!


Newly minted rock star Emily Osment (her album launched two weeks ago and is not only playing well on Radio Disney but her first single, "All the Right Wrongs" also topped Billboard's new artist charts this week) is coming to Washington this month! She'll be at Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA on November 23rd at 7pm; tickets are only $15.00.

For newbies, Ms. Osment is part of the Hannah Montana cast and plays Miley's BFF, Lilly. She is 17 years old and is both a singer and songwriter. She says the first song she wrote was when she was three years old about a tree.

(BTW: Honor Society is also coming to D.C. this weekend at Jammin' Java on November 14th. As of press time, this concert was sold out for both the 2pm and 6pm shows, but you can check their site for updates.)

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Happy 40th Birthday to Sesame Street!


Who doesn't love Sesame Street?!?! Our favorite is Cookie Monster - who's yours?

One of our favorite bloggers, Bakerella, just posted these AMAZING cake pops in honor of the 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street - we think they are fabulous!

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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Malia's Grades, High Standards, and Tween Stress

Much has been written in recent days about Malia Obama's grades. During a speech President Obama made last week to educators in Wisconsin, he went off script and related a story about First Tween Malia Obama's study habits. He and First Lady Michelle Obama have set high standards in their home for grades, saying the "the goal is 90 percent and up." These standards were communicated to their daughters years ago when Malia brought home a B grade on a test.

The President's goal in relating the story was to reinforce how important it is for parents to set high standards for children. He was proud that Malia has internalized these high standards and told the audience that she recently got a 73 on a science test and "felt depressed" by the grade. She said followed the study guide, but that alone was not enough. Rather than get discouraged by this experience, Malia resolved to study harder.

A few days later, Malia earned a 95 on a test in that same science class. While that grade was what she and the President wanted, what made him more proud was her saying that she "just liked having knowledge".

This story is an interesting contrast at a time when researchers are finding that the current generation (often referred to as Millennials or "Generation Next") has been raised expecting praise and validation for ANY effort. Millennials are born between 1982 and 2000 and technically includes Malia Obama (who was born in 1998). The President's call to set and maintain very high standards for our kids is a refreshing message to the take-easy-road mentality that is often portrayed as realistic paths in media today.

At the same time, tweens today are more stressed than ever. A study released last week by the American Psychological Association shows that tweens experience great stress due to "school pressure and family finances", and that most parents underestimate the amount of stress their child is under. Not managing this stress now can lead to serious long-term health implications according to the study's doctors.

As all parents try to do, we are constantly working to strike a balance between motivating and supporting our tweens. We set high academic standards, but we are also constantly looking for signs of stress in our daughters. Tweens are at an age where social pressures begin in earnest and physical and emotional growth occurs at a rapid pace. Sometimes we have to cut the the girls a little slack, and a B grade is perfectly okay.

How do you strike this balance? Is expecting A's of your children realistic or a no-brainer? How do you handle it when a lower grade comes home? Are your tweens stressed, or are they blissfully unaware? Please post your comments below.

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Friday, November 6, 2009

A Book Tweens Help to Write


Have you heard of the "Amanda Project"? It's a new book series for "young adults" (read: older tweens) with a twist: readers can contribute chapters to help craft the ending of the book. The Amanda Project is the story of Amanda Valentino, told through an interactive website and book series for readers aged 13 & up. On the website, readers are invited to become a part of the story as they help the main characters search for Amanda.

The author is Melissa Kantor, and this innovative series was picked up by Harper Collins this year - the first book, "The Invisible I" came out this September.

Here's how the story starts:
"What happened to Amanda? AMANDA VALENTINO came to our high school on Halloween. She disappeared on the Ides of March. She left us some clues, but we’re not sure what they mean. The only thing we know for sure is that she utterly, completely changed our lives. Will you help us find her?"

The first 8 chapters are available to read for free online.

Also check out the latest chapter in The Exquisite Corpse book series at the Library of Congress - three chapters have already been posted, and the fourth is due this week.

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Thursday, November 5, 2009

Miley Cyrus and Very Special Christmas Album


Tween star Miley Cyrus has recorded a Hannah Montana Christmas carol for "A Very Special Christmas 7" album to benefit the Special Olympics.

The "Very Special Christmas" album series is notable for bringing together the biggest names in the music business for great causes, and this year's effort should be just as successful. Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens of HSM fame, Colbie Calliat, and Mitchell Musso will also be on the record.

"A Very Special Christmas 7" will be available on November 23rd - a great gift for tweens this holiday season and a great way to support this cause.

Tracks include:

Colbie Caillat - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Leighton Meester - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Vanessa Hudgens - Winter Wonderland

Kellie Pickler - Santa Baby

Sean Kingston - The Little Drummer Boy

Gloriana - Silent Night

The Carter Twins - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Charice - The Christmas Song

Mitchel Musso - Jingle Bell Rock

Ashley Tisdale - Last Christmas

Kristinia DeBarge - Do You Hear What I Hear?

Carrie Underwood - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

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Happy Birthday Kevin Jonas!


The senior JoBros turns 22 today. Although Kevin Jonas is the eldest of this young trio, he has been a performing musician for over twenty years. Happy Birthday Mr. Jonas!

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Selena Gomez Auction to Support UNICEF


Did your tween collect any money for UNICEF this Halloween? Selena Gomez is UNICEF's youngest-ever ambassador and has been a big promoter of the "Trick or Treat for UNICEF" campaign this year. As another way to earn funds for this worthy cause, Ms. Gomez has created an online auction of several items from her own (and some cool friends') closets and an opportunity to meet the tween star herself.

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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The 20th Anniversary of Wallace & Gromit


We LOVE Wallace and Gromit, the British claymation characters - you may know them from their Halloween movie, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Shockingly, they are celebrating their 20th anniversary today! Even Google is excited - this is the Google Doodle that was up on the Google homepage in England today.


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Happy Birthday to Eloise!


Eloise, the creation of Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight, has her birthday today. Betsey Johnson is hard at work on an Eloise-themed suite for the Plaza Hotel, and these cupcakes are from her Spring 2010 show at the Plaza last month. MsTwixt and tweens are having pink milkshakes and reading the original tonight to celebrate. What's your fave Eloise book?

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Michelle Obama on Balancing It All

Katie Couric interviewed First Lady Michelle Obama as part of Glamour magazine's Women of the Year issue (due out Nov. 10th). The interview covered a whole range of topics, and you can see the entire interview on Ms. Couric's YouTube site.

What struck us most was the First Lady's take on balancing her life - with kids, work, husband, etc. She spoke about her reliance on family (we are SO jealous that she gets to have her mum live with her), asking for help when she needed it, pursuing her dreams, having a husband who supported her in those pursuits (including going into debt), and putting her children first but herself a close second. MsTwixt was especially struck by her comment about men not apologizing for taking care of their needs first and applying that lesson to her own health and career. You can see an excerpt of this portion of the interview courtesy of CBS below:


Watch CBS News Videos Online

Food for thought and lessons for us all.

BTW, a special shout-out and congrats to our friend Susan Rice for also being named a Glamour Woman of the year! This is a well deserved honor.

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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

First Tweens Spotted at Miley Concert Tonight

We know that First Tweens Malia and Sasha Obama are big Miley fans. It seems that the First Lady has bent her strict school-night rules to permit the girls to see the Miley Cyrus concert tonight in D.C. - Politico.com broke this story.

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Glee Season One Soundtrack Out Today!


As reported earlier, the soundtrack for Season One of Glee is out today! While Glee may not always be for tweens, the music certainly is. The CD is $8.99 from Amazon. We can't wait to get our copy!

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Twilight Barbies?!?!


I suppose these were inevitable, but as of today one can purchase Edward and Bella Barbie dolls. Edward is frosty-skinned, and Bella looks a bit like Skipper. Ms. Twixt is not sure what to make of these - the Twilight series seems a bit mature for the I-still-play-with-Barbies set, doesn't it? What do you think?

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How to Get Tix to the D.C. New Moon Advance Screening

Nordstrom in Tysons Corner has bought out the entire AMC theatre at the Tysons Mall to show an advance screening of New Moon on Thursday, November 19th at 9:30pm. Here's the catch: in order to get one ticket, one must spend $50 in the Brass Plum department at Nordstrom. The purchases can be made at either the Bethesda or Tysons locations, and online sales do not count. Tickets for the advance screening are still available as of today.

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Monday, November 2, 2009

Happy Birthday to Hilary Knight!


One of the original tweens in literature, Eloise, was brought to life by illustrator Hilary Knight. Did you know that Eloise's birthday was determined by choosing the middle date between Mr. Knight and author Kay Thompson's birthdays? (Ms. Thompson's birthday is coming up soon on November 9th.) Mr. Knight is 83 years old this year.

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Happy Birthday to Cookie Monster!


Happy birthday to our all-time favorite Sesame Street character! We love you Cookie!

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New Tween Singing Sensation


Check out 12-year old Gabby Gillespie from Houston, TX (audio warning: this site plays music automatically, so you may want to mute your computer first). She just recorded her first album this Fall and is nearing a record deal. Young, bubbly and positive, she's got some great tracks your tween will love including a "What a Best Friend Knows" (from the Fairy Godmother Academy Vol. 1).

Tell us what you think about Gabby's music here!
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Moomin Visits Washington


One of our family's all-time favorite characters in children's literature is Moomin, the Finnish hippo. If you haven't heard of Moomin, consider this your wake-up call. Moomins are kind of a Finnish version of Ugly Dolls. Created by cartoonist Tove Jansson, the Moomins are a fantastical (and extremely cute) family of trolls who look remarkably like hippos. They have all kinds of adventures with other nutty characters, and the series is notable for its focus on inclusion and acceptance.

Finns are also well known for their technological innovation, comprehensive healthcare system, and (my personal favorite) amazing family leave policies (covering both moms and dads). Did you know that their students are the smartest in the world? Check out the article in the Wall Street Journal about "What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart?" that ran last year - clearly the Finns are doing a lot right.

You can learn about the world of Finnish children from birth to teen covering education, health care, fashion (Marimekko anyone?), hobbies, environment, school architecture, music, Moomin characters, and much more for free at the Finnish Embassy until November 15th as part of the "I Kid You Not - Kids and Teens in Finland" family exhibit. This is part of the Kids Euro Festival that's being going on all Fall in Washington. The exhibit is open Friday to Sunday, 11am-4pm, and is sure to appeal to tweens and the entire family.

MsTwixt and family plan to soak in the atmosphere this weekend at the Finnish Embassy at 3301 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

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Sunday, November 1, 2009

Happy 35th Birthday to Hello Kitty!


She hasn't aged a day since her debut 35 years ago and still looks as cute as ever. Did you know that Hello Kitty lives in London with her parents and twin sister Mimi? The woman who created her is Ikuko Shimizu.

A special exhibition called "Three Apples" of Hello Kitty-inspiried art is at the L.A. theatre space, Royal-T until November 15th. There's even an entire apartment outfitted with Hello Kitty things, and tokidoki artist, Simone Legno, created a special poster just for the event (available for $20). The exhibit is open to the public and free. (BTW, "three apples" is how much Hello Kitty weighs.)



At the opening party on October 22nd, tween celebrity Miranda Cosgrove of Nickelodeon's iCarly was in attendance, as was Tarina Tarantino and Kimora Lee Simmons. The birthday party today included breakfast of Hello Kitty waffles and pancakes, artist workshop, temporary tattoo booth, and, of course, birthday cake.

Happy Birthday Hello Kitty!

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Volvo and Twilight - A Safer Ride For Tweens and Their Parents?


Swedish car maker Volvo launched an online sweepstakes today featuring Edward from Twilight called "What Drives Edward?" - the winner will attend the November 16th L.A. premiere of New Moon and receive a Volvo XC60. (Full disclosure: MsTwixt owns a Volvo. As a reminder, this blog does not nor ever has accepted payment for any product reviews.) As Twilight fans know, Edward drives a Volvo, and the company hopes to parlay Twilight's appeal to tweens to reach their parents with its safety message. But this is a marketing campaign and so should be recognized as such.

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Halloween at the White House 2009






Wow! Could your house handle 2000+ trick-or-treaters? Halloween at the White House this year was attended by 2600 children. The President and First Lady invited children of White House staff, members of the military, and local schools to attend the festivities. The "Presidential Pumpkin" weighed in at 1000 pounds (can you imagine carving that?!). Guests received cookies made with honey from the White House bees (check out the story on these cookies from one of our fave blogs, Obama Foodorama, Presidential M&Ms, and a dried fruit medley (in keeping with Mrs. Obama's health focus). The White House had a "skeleton" band and costumed acrobats in giant bubbles mingling with the tricker-or-treators.



No word on what the First Tweens chose as their Halloween costumes; according to the First Lady, that knowledge requires "top secret clearance." The First Lady wore cat ears, feline make-up and a leopard-print twin-set. The President was reportedly dressed as the "First Dad."

Photos from the White House blog, AP and Getty

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