Movie Review: New Moon

oooh la la I am so tired this morning because ... of course, we had to see New Moon at 12:05 AM this morning. Luckily the theater let us arrive two hours early and sit waiting cozily inside, doing homework, reading and listening to the chatter of all the excited Twilight Saga fans. Not everyone was so lucky - when we arrive at 10 PM there were still lots of people sitting in the cold waiting to get in to one of about five midnight (ish) shows. My daughter said there was also a showing at 4 AM in case you needed to see the movie before work.

We were so thrilled when the movie started and cannot wait for the next movie, which I heard will come out in June! This second of four, is a far better movie (technically) than the first one was, and even the acting seemed to improve although the character of Edward still pouts way too much, but as a mom, I am not all that tolerant of "poor me." The tension between Edward and Bella is much more believable now that they are a couple, and of course, the buzz of the night was what team do you play on - Edward or Jacob - and I have to say, the jury is still out, although if you rank the spontaneous"oooohhs and aaahhhs" when the shirts came off, the newly buffed out Jacob wins hands down!

We also saw one of the first shows of Twilight and I noticed that the audience this year was different - many more men, a few gay couples, more young adult women, including several teachers preparing for morning lessons, a couple dads, and a lot more of the preteen demographic - but everyone seemed to have a great time! Fewer people recited the lines with the characters, and I loved the Volturi! The wolves are also amazing, but Alice and Charlie are still my favorite characters, although for a dad to wait five months to say "this is not normal" to a teen depressed after a break up, was a little off - you think?

You know me, I have to say the book is much better, there is so much more to the characters and plot in the book, but I loved the movie and the two hours flew by! Teen love, emotions and pain are the name of the game - and this movie is the perfect opportunity to talk with your kids about depression, risk-taking, puberty, and the pain associated with relationships. Have fun!

Photo credit: Angie22Arts

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Dinner Together Makes a Difference

I know I have said this before, but now there is more research to back it up. A recent report on the results from the "back-to-school" survey (September 2009) done by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reports a decade of research finding that the more often children have dinner with their parents, the less likely they are to smoke, drink, or use drugs.

Bottom line - compared to teens who have family dinners 5+ times a week, those who do not are twice as likely to use tobacco and marijuana and 1.5 times likelier to use alcohol. They also get significantly better grades and report that it is easier to talk to their parents.

Not only is getting to the dinner table important, it is also important for parents to give their kids their undivided attention - and to get theirs. No talking on the phone or texting at the table. No Gameboys, Walkmans, Ipods, reading or watching or listening to TV, at the table either!

Like the post on the ideal relationship with a parent suggested earlier this week, teens really need to know they are important to parents and for parents to listen to what they have to say. These are probably the two most important things a parent can do to support the emotional and physical health of a teen.

So, are we doing it? Sadly, no - the report suggested that only 59 percent of families are having 5+ dinners together, but that rate is up from 47 percent in 1998 - so there is hope. Sadly, 70% of the families not having dinner together reported that they are too busy with work or other activities to share the evening meal.

I wonder how many parents would actually look their teens in the eye and say, "I am sorry, I know having diner together is the most important thing I could do for your health, but we are just too busy."

Nah, I think making dinner together a priority, and saying "we are going to eat dinner as a family because you are important and we do not have enough time together," might be a lot easier!

Photo credit: ndigoprime

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Thank You - Grand Rounds 6.8

Thank you Louise Norris at Health Insurance Colorado for hosting Grand Rounds 6.8 this week and including a post from Teen Health 411 about what teens want from parents.

This week was really diverse, interesting, and downright odd in the case of the dystonia claim and the beautiful pictures, combined with our 37 degrees in Palo Alto this morning made me feel very thankful!

Photo credit: Hare Guizer

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Snacking and the Environment

One way to increase the health of teens would be to get them into the habit of carrying healthy snacks, when they are little. A recent study in Pediatrics with 800 elementary-aged children found that purchases made at corner stores contributed to the frequent intake of high-calorie, low-nutrition foods.

Makes perfect sense. Some of these kids shopped at these stores daily and with under a dollar could buy a snack with an average of 356 calories - and, in case you were wondering, they were not buying fruit, nuts, or bottled water. The most common snacks were chips, candy, and soda.

Limiting corner stores near schools would constitute a community level intervention, and families can help by making sure kids have single-servings snacks, water, and some constructive information about money management when they are young.

Photo credit: Greencolander

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Ode to the Human Body

A body - we each have one - whether we cover it, fight with it, or celebrate it. In the beginning of our life, an adult cares for the body we are given and as we grow, we assume more and more control over the wonders of it and responsibility for its upkeep, functioning, and longevity. As children we damage it continually while learning our limits and challenging the environment - defying it in the case of my children - to coast into adolescence.

As teens, the body is religiously cared for, adorned, stared at and cherished - our own body as well as the bodies of others - and can become a battlefield as we assert our right to control our own body. In adulthood we accept the body beautiful, attempt to adjust with age as it requires more exercise, more vegetables, less pizza, alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and everything else we used to love. Some enhance the body the beautiful, but more settle in to its routine and comfort.

Middle age brings a gentleness from having learned (usually the hard way) that our body is fragile, can be ill or breaks more easily, and we continue to appreciate it and realize that our future require this vehicle to take us to the events that let us share in graduations, weddings, and births of more small bodies that need care.

I am thankful for my body and the bodies of those around me - the strength, comfort and amazing versatility of the human form.

Photo credit: Ed Bierman

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