The Ultimate Tween New Year's Eve Party

Ms Twixt's plan for the Ultimate Tween New Year's Eve Party:

It must be a sleepover, of course. Invite her BFFs to ring in the New Year with style and sweets.

New Year's Eve Decorations:
A huge disco-ball-esque pinata sets the stage (we love the ones by Confetti Systems):

Similar available from Urban Outfitters, $28-$48 depending on the size

The girls can make confetti-filled balloons:

Here are the directions from Family Fun's website:

Materials:
Large balloons
Brightly colored construction paper
Hole punchers
A funnel or empty plastic bottle
Pins or pushpins

When it comes to making a big bang, popping balloons is unparalleled--and even more thrilling if streams of confetti come pouring out. Prepare your New Year's balloons by setting the kids to work punching circles out of brightly colored construction paper with a hole puncher. (or use store-bought confetti) Stuff as many circles or confetti pieces as you can into each deflated balloon using a funnel, or improvise one by cutting a plastic soda bottle in half. You may also want to write fortunes on small pieces of paper and slip them into the mix. Blow up the balloons and hang them high, but still within reach. A few moments before the appointed hour, hand out the pins. When the time is right, let that confetti fly.

New Year's Eve Festive Attire:
Fabulous glitter top hats set the mood:

From Oriental Trading.com; $14.99 per dozen

And glow bracelets are a MUST!


For a fun bit of sparkle, how cool are these glitter-y Converse kicks?

From Target, $24.99

Fun sleep masks will help the girls get some shut-eye - eventually:

From BeePosh, $10

New Year's Eve Treats:
Mocktails, for sure. Here is a fun recipe, or you can make sparkling Jell-O parfait using sparkling Jell-O and seltzer:

Starry Night Mocktail:
4 oz. purple grape juice
2 oz. pineapple juice
4 oz. ginger ale
Lemon and lime peels
1 or 2 slices of star fruit
Ice

In a tall glass, mix the juices and the ginger ale. Make spirals from small strips of the lemon and lime peels. Slide the slices of star fruit onto the glass rim.

And there must be cake - perhaps a confetti cake?


Or special NYE cupcakes?


Or maybe "almost midnight cookies"?

Receipe from The Decorated Cookie blog

Some folks serve breakfast at midnight, and this could be a great way to help wind things down.

New Year's Eve Party Activities:
If your city has a First Night celebration, count yourself lucky (Ms Twixt and tweens will be enjoying a chilly but festive First Night in Boston this year). But if not, Disney Channel is running an amazing line-up of shows and stars starting at 6pm EST featuring Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and more tween stars.

Make a wishing tree: set out strips of paper and colorful pens and invite guests to write down their wishes for the future. Hang them from a wire form or branch to make a New Year's Wishing Tree and take turns reading them at midnight.

Or have fun with fortune fish:


However you choose to celebrate, MsTwixt wishes you a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

It's National Candy Cane Day!

Today is National Candy Cane Day! What will you do with any holiday leftovers? (We shower them on our gingerbread house as snow.)

Hammond's, one of our all-time favorite candy makers, hosts a Candy Cane Festival every year. Although it's not on National Candy Candy Day (this year it was December 12th), we hope to attend it one of these days. Yum!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

First Tweens Have a Tropical Christmas

First Tweens Malia and Sasha Obama are spending Christmas in Hawaii with friends and family. The Obama family always returns to the President's home state for the holidays, and this year they will be in the same rented house on Oahu as last year. The First Tweens will share a room with a view of the home's pool. The house is on the beach, and the family plans to spend down-time on the beach.

Christmas dinner will be spent with friends and family traveling with the First Family, and a Christmas tree will be flown in from the mainland. According to the President, the girls will receive books, video games and iPod "stuff" as gifts.

Photo from Getty Images.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Emma Watson Wishes You a Happy Christmas

Harry Potter star and Brown student Emma Watson is in the holiday spirit - she created a special mini-site just for Christmas to wish her fans, share her holiday music pics, and give us an update on her life (she is back filming the Harry Potter movies in England while on break from Brown).

BTW, for all Harry Potter fans on the East Coast, be sure to check out the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Museum of Science if your travels take you to Boston this season - it closes February 21.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

First Official Movie Stills of Eclipse Released

The third book in the Twilight saga, Eclipse, isn't due in theatres until June 30, 2010, but the first official stills from the movie were released today. In this novel, the battle between Jacob and Edward is still in full swing but the Cullens and Quiluetes must band together to protect Bella from a new enemy. Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner return in their marquee roles.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

National Chocolate Covered Anything Day!

Okay, so this is one of those odd holidays, but what a great excuse to eat chocolate? We wrote recently about the opening of the first ever Peeps store in the Washington area, and we often have a Peeps fondue bar during our candy parties - they are the perfect thing to cover in chocolate!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Glee Nominated for Four Golden Globe Awards!

Glee has been nomimated for four Golden Globe awards including Best T.V. Show, Best Actress (Lea Michelle as Rachel), Best Actor (Matthew Morrison as Mr. Shue), and Best Supporting Actress (Jane Lynch as Coach Sue). Winners will be announced on January 17, 2010.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Happy (Belated) 21st Birthday to Vanessa Hudgens!

HSM star Vanessa Hudgens turned 21 on December 14th and was feted with a surprise party in L.A. attended by her HSM cast-mates and other Disney stars (including Zac Efron, Corbin Bleu, Ashley Tisdale, and Selena Gomez). Guests enjoyed red velvet birthday cake - Happy Birthday Vanessa!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Happy (Belated) Birthday to Taylor Swift!

Breakout country/pop singer Taylor Swift celebrated her 20th birthday on December 13th.

How's this for a birthday present?: for HER birthday, Ms. Swift donated $250,000 to several schools that she attended as a child. The funds will go towards books, program and salaries. "Something I wanted to do at the end of this amazing year and especially on my birthday was give back to something I really believe in, which is education," Swift said. "The schools that I went to and the amazing people I got to learn from really turned me into who I am, and I wanted to give back."

For her birthday celebration she hosted a party at her home in Tennessee during which she baked Christmas cookies and gingerbread men for her guests.

Taylor Swift is a class act - it's never all about her.

Photo from BigPicturesPhoto.com of Ms. Swift at a Baskin-Robbins in NYC (is that a wig?)

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Justin Bieber in D.C.!

Tween singing sensation Justin Bieber was in Washington earlier this week to perform for the President, First Lady, and First Tweens at TNT's Christmas in Washington celebration. This annual event will be broadcast by TNT, and you can check out Mr. Bieber's performance on December 20th. He sang "Someday at Christmas" by Stevie Wonder and posted this picture of him with Michelle Obama, Usher, and President Obama via TwitPic (you can also follow Justin Bieber on Twitter at www.twitter.com/justinbieber, and be sure to follow MsTwixt at www.twitter.com/MsTwixt on Twitter too - we track cool things for tweens and their parents!)

This is Justin Bieber's first performance in D.C., and we hope he comes back!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

A Twilight Valentines

Look what's coming this Valentine's Day - New Moon conversation hearts! Perfect for your Twilight-crazed tween.

Available at CandyWarehouse.com

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Peeps Opens First Ever Store Near Washington!

We are HUGE fans of Peeps (who isn't?!?) and are so excited to tour the first ever store devoted to Peeps. It opened December 10th at the Shops at National Harbor and features every kind of Peep shape and color imaginable, Mike and Ikes, and Hot Tamaless, among other candies made by the Just Born company.

The store has a giant color-changing marshmallow Peep presiding over the candy and features Peep art from local artist David Ottogalli. We can't wait to visit!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

The Perfect Stocking Stuffer for Tweens

Quite possibly the coolest stocking stuffer or Hannukah night present for your tween: candy ear buds.

These are compatible with any MP3 player and would be fantastic for any age tween. The flavors include Bubble Yum, Dots, Razzles, Tootsie Rolls, Reese's, Jolly Ranchers, and more.

And the price is right: $12.95. Available at CandyMachines.com

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Chat Live Online With Daniel Radcliffe This Weekend

The 6th movie, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray this week, and Warner Brothers is hosting a live online chat with Director David Yates and Daniel Radcliffe. The chat will be on Saturday, December 12th at 3pm EST.

The DVD is a must on the gift list of any tween HP fan, and the Blu-ray version allows one to be connected online to participate in the live chat. A great opportunity for your tween (and you!) to chat with the star.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

First Tweens and Jordin Sparks at National Tree Lighting

First Tweens Malia and Sasha Obama were on hand with the President and First Lady for the lighting of the National Christmas Tree this weekend. Idol star Jordin Sparks was also on hand to perform at the event, singing "I'll Be Home For Christmas".

She tweeted live from the event: “Obamas were so sweet! I met Michelle & the girls @ the Jonas concert this year! First time meeting the Prez though. [sic] Hes tall!! And so nice!” You can follow MsTwixt on Twitter too at www.twitter.com/MsTwixt and see who we're following as well.

Photo from WENN.com

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

The Power of Youth, Covered by Variety

Variety magazine, arbiter of all things Hollywood, held it's 3rd Annual Power of Youth event this weekend in L.A. The event honors up-and-coming kid stars who harness their celebrity power to put a spotlight on charity causes. It's nice to see stars doing good - even nicer to see them starting young to do it.
2009 honorees were:
- Corbin Bleu for his support of the Starlight Foundation
- Miranda Cosgrove for her support of St. Jude's Research Hospital
- Jesse McCartney for his support of City of Hope
- Annalynde McCord for her support of the Blind Project
- Keke Palmer for her support of the Boys and Girls Clubs

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

It's National Cotton Candy Day!

Any excuse to eat one of our favorite treats: today is National Cotton Candy day!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Taylor Swift Blogs About Winter

We just our first snowfall here in Washington, and that's certainly put MsTwixt and tweens in the holiday spirit.

We're not the only ones enjoying a winter wonderland - here's Taylor Swift's latest blog entry about the season:

"I love winter.
I'm laying on the couch, wearing fuzzy red and white socks. In my peripheral vision is a giant, lit up Christmas tree. This is my favorite time of year. Hands down.

I just got back to Nashville this morning after being in LA all week. Today I was out and about and in the studio all day, and when I drove home, I saw this strip of restaurants on Main Street in my hometown.. I've driven that road and seen those restaurants four billion times since we moved here almost six years ago. Somehow they've never looked as perfect and welcoming as they did tonight. It was Sunday night and there were cars jammed into every last parking spot available. I could see the smoke billowing out of fireplace chimneys into cold winter air. It's the holidays. People are coming together and going out for dinner and something about seeing that just stuck with me. I love everything about this time of year, but mostly the way that people find ways to be with the ones they love. And I love sweaters. Everyone is wearing sweaters right now."

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Glee Soundtrack Part Deux - Out Tomorow

Just in time for the holidays, the Glee Soundtrack Volume Two comes out tomorrow! This is the perfect gift for your tween Gleek fan although MsTwixt does wish the mash-ups were included. Here's the latest line-up:

1.“Proud Mary”
2.“Endless Love”
3.“I’ll Stand By You”
4.“Don’t Stand So Close To Me / Young Girl”
5.“Crush”
6.“(You’re) Having My Baby”
7.“Lean On Me”
8.“Don’t Make Me Over”
9.“Imagine”
10.“True Colors”
11.“Jump”
12.“Smile”(cover of Lily Allen)
13.“Smile”(cover of Charlie Chaplin)
14.“And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”
15.“Don’t Rain On My Parade”
16.“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
17.“My Life Would Suck Without You”

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Tween Appropriate Interview With Glee Cast

Calling all gleeks: check out this really cool interview with the cast of Glee on JSYK.com - perfectly appropriate for tweens - about who'd they "slushie", what's on their iPod right now, and their message to high school students today.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

A Gingerbread White House

The White House has just released photos of its holiday decorations. The First Lady's theme for this year is Reflect, Rejoice, Renew (as we are still a nation with troops fighting two wars and in the midst of a recession), and she opted to re-use holiday decorations from past White House administrations and things found in the White House Kitchen Garden. We love that her ideas can be used by tweens to inspire their own homemade decorations.

Check out pics of this year's White House Gingerbread House - it weighs about 400 pounds! It's covered in white chocolate and includes the White House Kitchen Garden in marzipan and Bo in marzipan - how cute is that? After Christmas this confection will be moved to the White House Visitor Center for the public to view.

And here's a video by ABC News of the White House Pastry Chef, Bill Yosses, talking about the process of building this year's gingerbread house with shots of Bo in marzipan, the Kitchen Garden, and the dining room in dark chocolate.

Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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?

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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)

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.)

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.


If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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?

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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!

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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?

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

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.

If you liked this post, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here.