What a whirlwind of a week! I survived the Emmys, my co-host Tom Bergeron took home a win, and we kicked off Season 15 of Dancing With The Stars, All Stars.
We’ve already said goodbye to one star, injuries are taking a toll in the ballroom and the competition is fiercer than ever!
My family celebrated a new year, sharing together religious traditions over Yom Kippur and we helped raises a ton of money for Operation Smile at their 30th annual gala.
Plus we celebrated my girlfriend’s marriage at a gorgeous emotional wedding a top a Malibu reserve. It was an important and hectic week – balanced by meaningful sentiments and philanthropy. But seriously can one possibly cram in any more?!
I can’t believe it’s already October 1st. I’m trying to dodge the Halloween stores this year and shop by catalogue for my kids. I just ordered Shaya a Devil Boy costume and he doesn’t understand what “in-the-mail” means so he is tearing open all my deliveries every day, anxiously awaiting his evil costume.
I’m trying to talk Rain into being a Lolly Pop Princess and talk my 12-year-old out of it… waaay too sexy for my older girls! Age-appropriate costumes are a tricky conversation, but a battle I will ALWAYS win.
I took my almost-teenager shopping for “heels” last week. Actually, wedges are a better description. She has Saturday night Bar Mitzvahs all year and is really stressed about dressing right and fitting in. It’s such an important topic to discuss with our kids. Parents make their own choices, but my daughter knows she will NOT be walking out of our house in a tight minidress and high heels. The problem is that she is my size, actually bigger shoe size, thank God, but same size body. Which means, no Juniors department for her, we shop in the same department and it’s tough to find age-appropriate dresses for her.
Even worse, kissing games and Truth-or-Dare are all around her. My daughter asked me how old I was when I first kissed a boy… I try to always be honest with her, but on this one I had to claim amnesia. Then I said, “Why would you want to waste your first kiss on a silly game and a boy you don’t care about!?” She got that and we continued having a great conversation that felt like two friends.
I love that we are close enough to discuss this delicate stuff and I pray that she will always trust me and confide in me. She asked if she could just “say” she has kissed a boy so it won’t be a big deal amongst friends that she really hasn’t. Then it got ethical. I don’t like lying of any kind, I also want my kids to be leaders, not followers, and be confident in their choices and not pressured into bad ones provoked by embarrassment.
So I told her to own all her choices, and to know that the whole boy/girl thing is a biggie for everyone and never to worry about anyone thinking less of her. I remember being 12 and how kids judge, they will any way you slice it, but they judge you harder for making lame choices. I really want my kids to feel strong and confident in all their decisions. On another note, I’d like her to avoid to the kissing bug as long as she possible can. I always remind her how much I trust her, and it’s not just as a guilt trip or manipulation; I really do, until she breaks it.
It’s a CRAZY time…tweens going on 20!
