As a mom, I’m amidst the fabulous tween and teen years for three of my children.  Long gone are the days of birthday parties with a theme, in which I created games and crafts that matched the desired theme.  No more pin the crown on the princess or hunt for the plastic reptiles in the yard.

There are some distinct advantages to the passing of such parties.  I no longer have to spend countless hours creating these crafts and games, shopping for the materials, and finding just the right party favors.  There is a lot less hands-on time required during the…

As a teen or kid, having and getting together with friends is very important and crucial to growing up properly.

There are many benefits to having kids get together with friends.  First of all, this helps kids build social skill that they will need throughout life.  Secondly, friends are fun, and life should be a fun experience.  Finally, well…friends are friends.  Period….

Tonight, I am going to my middle school’s first dance of the year, and I’m so excited.  Earlier, I was talking with my mom, and we were talking about what I would consider the dos and don’ts (mainly don’ts) for parents of middle schoolers going to dances, and I decided that you should know, too….

Do you have a child with a birthday that falls in the autumn? Here are some party ideas that work wonderfully in the autumn for many ages:

Pumpkin picking and decorating: Get a few parents to help you carpool the children to a nearby farm. Then, let them each pick out a pumpkin of their own. (To avoid spending too much, mention a maximum weight or show them an example of the perfect size.) At home, have some decorating supplies (paint, glitter, glue, googly eyes), and you’ll have many decorated pumpkins that can double as party favors. Older kids could try…