tweens Archives - The Culture Mom

25Mar

A Mother-Son Weekend in the Catskills

My son and I recently spent some time in the Catskills. We basically jumped in our car and headed to the mountains for some R&R and a bit of bonding. He loves to ski, so knowing that was part of our plan was a big motivator for him. The Catskills is an interesting getaway choice because it offers so much to do for both children and adults, and we were both up to the challenge of checking it out. Equipped with a full tank of gas, we set out from Westchester for two days of adventure with a group of writers and their children. Where We Stayed Our Read More

05Oct

Binging Gilmore Girls All These Years Later

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I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Gilmore Girls on Netflix for a few reasons. For one thing, I selfishly wanted to revisit Stars Hollow, the fictional town in Connecticut in which the show was based. I missed its eccentric residents and I certainly missed Loralai and Rory. From Miss Patty's Dance School to Luke's Diner to Kim's Antiques to Weston's Bakery, I was eager to revisit parts of the show that remain etched in my memory. I have often wondered how I would perceive these characters and places today, as a mother and resident of a place not Read More

30Jun

Taking My Tween to See The Fault in Our Stars

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When I interviewed the author John Green, who wrote The Fault in Our Stars, I was a bit star-struck. Here I was schmoozing with the Judy Blume of our day, and one of the other interviewers on the call asked him how he felt about that title. He admitted that being called the modern Judy Blume made him feel uneasy but also very proud. Her books dealt the tough issues of puberty and adolescence of her day and so do his. He writes so eloquently about illness, death, falling in love, breaking up and the tough choices we have to make in life. It was just Read More

29Jun

Sleep Away Camp Photos are No Lie to Me

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“Welcome back and Shalom!” were the words we heard upon entering Camp Sprout Lake as we pulled into the long driveway off the main road. I looked back at my daughter I in the back seat, her energy emanating with excitement. Camp was truly her home away from home and she was so happy to be back. We’d come a long way since last summer when bringing her felt more akin to child abuse than anything else. As I rode the one hour, fifteen minutes to the Hudson Valley to leave her off for her one week “Taste,” she sat silently weeping in the front seat. All Read More

17Apr

Binge Watching The Fosters

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A few weeks ago, my 11 year-old stumbled into a show on Netflix called The Fosters. I'd heard of it before but had never really paid attention. We eased our way into the first episode and by its end, we were completely and utterly hooked. Hence began a week of a total binge fest in our house. My husband was away on business, so we watched two episodes a night. If you haven't watched it yet, you should know that the show follows the lives of two two foster mothers (partners) that share a home with their biological son, adopted twins, and two new foster Read More

27Nov

Holiday Gift Ideas for Tweens

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Last weekend I went to the Kidzvuz Holiday House Party and got the complete low down on truly awesome picks for holiday gifts for tweens. If you've been wondering what to get this year, look no further. They had all the right bases covered for the two kids in my house, starting with... Travel: We are a traveling family, so I was happy to find out more about Hilton Homewood Suites, for extended travel or residential style visits. As a family, we always like spreading ourselves out, making our own meals, having a swim and chilling out with comforts. Read More

10Apr

Giveaway: American Girl’s The Body Book for Girls (5 copies)

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My daughter turned 10 today and we are entering the dark abyss of what could be tough conversations about her changing body. I want to teach her to make the right dietary choices, explain that growing hair under her armpits, teach her about hygiene and teach her to know what to expect when she's not expecting all these changes to transpire at some point in the next few years. There are also social pressures and situations that could impact her body image and self-esteem and I want her to understand and take them full on when they occur. When I got a Read More

12Jun

Tween Talk

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My daughter turned nine a few months ago and I have already seen changes in our conversations. They are getting heavier and more complex. I'm having to really dig into my brain and my heart to provide the right answers and guide her in the right direction as she enters this new phase of life, inches closer to being a pre-teen, then a teen-ager, then an adult. Can we please slow down time? When I talk to her, I'm shifting my memory back to my own childhood and sharing my own stories with her so she can see that she is not alone (" When I was your Read More

14Feb

A Dose of Fashion Week at Barbie’s Dream Closet

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One of the many perks of blogging is the events that I'm invited to. From time to time, my children are also extended invites to these events. I'm quite careful about the events that I choose to attend, for so many reasons. For one thing, I live in Westchester and it's not easy to take my children into Manhattan. While I love going in, I choose what I bring them to as it is a good chunk of the day. For another, I want to keep the thrill of going to these events very much alive and special. But when I get an invite that I know is going to mean Read More

03Nov

The Book Corner: My Tween Daughter’s Picks

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When it comes to reading, my tween aged daughter (age 8) takes after me. I was a book worm when I was younger, so now she's a book worm. After we say good night, she reads into the wee hours. I don't want to know what time her light goes off. It's been so interesting to see her book choices develop as a tween and how they compare to my own choices, either now or back then. She's slightly selective based on the cover of a book, which I'm constantly trying to convince her not to be, but I must admit that even as an adult, a cover can be enticing to Read More