My 11-year old son is starting middle school this fall and I admit I’m slightly terrified and definitely anxious because there is no doubt that big changes are coming his (our) way. The tween years…that stage in life where you’re no longer a self absorbed, happy, go lucky young kid but you’re not yet a hormonally driven teen.  As a parent, I think this stage is crucial and oftentimes overlooked as we focus on the very young years of our kids lives, ensuring they’re growing at the right pace, or we place a big focus on the adolescent years concerning ourselves with teen rebelliousness, reckless driving, unprotected sex, alcohol,…

As of lately I have become fascinated with Generation Z and learning everything I can about them. Having two members of that generation in my home has afforded me a wealth of knowledge that marketers pay a lot of money for. My latest obsession has to do with their media consumption preferences and behaviors. With my kids on summer break, this allows more time to observe their behavior in this arena because once school starts, they get very little, if any, time with media and electronics during the week.   I can honestly say that if I removed our 50-inch flat screen TV from our home, they probably would not…

When I opened my eyes this morning, the first thought that entered my mind was that it’s Mother’s Day. A day about me, a day for me, and a day to relax and let everyone else take over. My older son gave me handmade paper flowers in a beautiful vase, and my little one gave me a small picture of a flower he drew…”thanks for everything that you do for us” was the sentiment. I feel lucky to have them and am grateful for the beautiful family my husband and I created.   Motherhood is a job I take seriously and one that requires a lot of love, hugs, dedication,…

The other day I attended some automotive focus groups, and one of the respondents said, “I don’t ever want to drive a mom car.” She was, of course referring to a mini-van and the lifestyle that goes with it…a soccer mom, if you will. She was probably visualizing a hurried mom, wearing yoga pants, loading sports gear into her car, chauffeuring a million kids, a toddler screaming, not wanting to be seated, food crumbs all over the place, and mom frantically driving from place to place taking her kids to different activities….whoosh, just typing that made me all frenzy! This got me thinking, at what point, did soccer mom turn…