Freaky Twilight Moms
As seen in the May edition of Bella Magazine.
Since the dawn of Harry Potter, I’ve made it a policy to read what my kids are reading. I do this cheerfully as I love to read and it’s a fun way to have at least one thing in common with my teens. Do I read everything? Nah. For instance, recently they got into a very long series of animated Japanese-style comic books. I checked out, literally, after flipping through the first book. What’s to discuss? I can imagine myself starting with: “Did you like the sketch of the guy karate-chopping the other guy?” “Mom, get a life.” However, the anime books kept even my non-readers reading and we requested about 127 inter-library loans in order to see every last tae kwon do move. (Thanks, Hollins Branch Library, for your patience!)
Literature heavy on hobbits or dragons don’t get my blood pumping, but other than that, I really enjoy peering into their taste in what we used to call literature. When they were younger, I would bribe them to read with the offer of a private Book Club with me. If they read Old Yeller or the Little House books (or whatever dorky book I chose), I’d take them out to dinner and discuss the book. After a while, that idea became “lame.” I ratcheted up to pure bribes. After enjoying The Shack, I offered each of my kids $5 if they would read and discuss it. Only Caroline took me up on my offer and sadly only got $3 into the story before she was lured back to a series that has cats as the protagonists.
To really discuss books with teens, you have to read what they’re reading. And just FYI, Harry Potter is so Last Year. The hip kids are reading the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. (And if they say they’re not, they’re lying.) Everyone has read at least one in this popular (42 million sold!) series. These books even caused my son Daniel to ask, “Do you think books can be addictive?” (Posed after a cumulative sixteen reads….he has good reason to be concerned!)
With that kind of question, I was more compelled than ever to hop on the bandwagon and see what all the fuss was about. Hearing only that it was a genre called “vampire romance,” I picked up the first book gingerly, as if it would bite me. I thought I was the only person over 14 who was reading the books. Turns out I’m not alone. Although initially written for an adolescent audience, this series is popular from middle school through menopause. (Warning for parents: the romance heats up as the books progress.)
What’s it all about? Dreamy, hunkish vampire love for a girl who just simply can’t believe she’s anything special. Of course she’s special…her name is BELLA! (Everyone who reads Twilight is transported back to high school when we also suspected we weren’t special but swooned over the football captain, not the Living Dead.) After only a few pages, I could see why Danny asked the question. The books actually did suck the life out of me as I devoted every waking hour to completing the series of four books over three hypnotic, dinner-less days last summer.
As a lark, my Book Club decided to read Twilight. We are a proper group of Roanoke ladies who generally dip into The Good Earth or The Road. We have a little wine and cheese and are both jovial and erudite. The Twilight Book Club was being held at my home. After one member offered to bring virgin Bloody Marys, I knew we were in for a serious theme night. I put on a blood red shirt, baked a cake with a vampire face, and invited Danny to be our guest speaker. The Book Club was getting hip!
To add some panache to the discussion, I got online and was flummoxed to find over 12,000 variations of Twilight themed t-shirts. Good news! All come in adult sizes. A few of my favorites were:
Shh, don’t tell Daddy, Mommy’s reading Twilight again
You say ‘obsessed’ like it’s a bad thing
Literature heavy on hobbits or dragons don’t get my blood pumping, but other than that, I really enjoy peering into their taste in what we used to call literature. When they were younger, I would bribe them to read with the offer of a private Book Club with me. If they read Old Yeller or the Little House books (or whatever dorky book I chose), I’d take them out to dinner and discuss the book. After a while, that idea became “lame.” I ratcheted up to pure bribes. After enjoying The Shack, I offered each of my kids $5 if they would read and discuss it. Only Caroline took me up on my offer and sadly only got $3 into the story before she was lured back to a series that has cats as the protagonists.
To really discuss books with teens, you have to read what they’re reading. And just FYI, Harry Potter is so Last Year. The hip kids are reading the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. (And if they say they’re not, they’re lying.) Everyone has read at least one in this popular (42 million sold!) series. These books even caused my son Daniel to ask, “Do you think books can be addictive?” (Posed after a cumulative sixteen reads….he has good reason to be concerned!)
With that kind of question, I was more compelled than ever to hop on the bandwagon and see what all the fuss was about. Hearing only that it was a genre called “vampire romance,” I picked up the first book gingerly, as if it would bite me. I thought I was the only person over 14 who was reading the books. Turns out I’m not alone. Although initially written for an adolescent audience, this series is popular from middle school through menopause. (Warning for parents: the romance heats up as the books progress.)
What’s it all about? Dreamy, hunkish vampire love for a girl who just simply can’t believe she’s anything special. Of course she’s special…her name is BELLA! (Everyone who reads Twilight is transported back to high school when we also suspected we weren’t special but swooned over the football captain, not the Living Dead.) After only a few pages, I could see why Danny asked the question. The books actually did suck the life out of me as I devoted every waking hour to completing the series of four books over three hypnotic, dinner-less days last summer.
As a lark, my Book Club decided to read Twilight. We are a proper group of Roanoke ladies who generally dip into The Good Earth or The Road. We have a little wine and cheese and are both jovial and erudite. The Twilight Book Club was being held at my home. After one member offered to bring virgin Bloody Marys, I knew we were in for a serious theme night. I put on a blood red shirt, baked a cake with a vampire face, and invited Danny to be our guest speaker. The Book Club was getting hip!
To add some panache to the discussion, I got online and was flummoxed to find over 12,000 variations of Twilight themed t-shirts. Good news! All come in adult sizes. A few of my favorites were:
Shh, don’t tell Daddy, Mommy’s reading Twilight again
You say ‘obsessed’ like it’s a bad thing
Meanwhile, in a town called Spoon....
Twilight Mom
Freaky Twilight Mom is more like it! I am only going to wear my Twilight themed t-shirt around the house…or possibly when we go to Williamsburg this summer. (Just kidding…I didn’t get the shirt but my kids know just which one I want!) Surprisingly, my teens were really into it. I asked, “Do you think it’s weird that Mom read Twilight for book club?” and they said, “Nah, it’s cool!”
Danny did a dynamite job as our guest speaker at book club and explained how he relates more to the Werewolf than the Vampire. It all but garnered applause. Do you read this as an endorsement for the monsters-among-us books? That’s not my point. (At all!) My point is this. I endorse reading! And I’m willing to go where my kids lead. I read The Naked Olympics prior to a book report on Ancient Greek competitions. Reading their books has made for some lively dinner conversations. Think about it. Why discuss who is next to go on the Reality TV Show Du Jour? How about we talk about books?
It’s so crazy, it works. Read along with your teens. Tell ‘em Freaky Twilight Mom sent you.
BIO
Martie Smith Byrd says “Any book is better than Sponge Bob Square Pants.” She anticipates the glorious day when her kids will read things she can’t even understand. She and her reader husband Dave parent their five teens in Roanoke, Virginia.
Twilight Mom
Freaky Twilight Mom is more like it! I am only going to wear my Twilight themed t-shirt around the house…or possibly when we go to Williamsburg this summer. (Just kidding…I didn’t get the shirt but my kids know just which one I want!) Surprisingly, my teens were really into it. I asked, “Do you think it’s weird that Mom read Twilight for book club?” and they said, “Nah, it’s cool!”
Danny did a dynamite job as our guest speaker at book club and explained how he relates more to the Werewolf than the Vampire. It all but garnered applause. Do you read this as an endorsement for the monsters-among-us books? That’s not my point. (At all!) My point is this. I endorse reading! And I’m willing to go where my kids lead. I read The Naked Olympics prior to a book report on Ancient Greek competitions. Reading their books has made for some lively dinner conversations. Think about it. Why discuss who is next to go on the Reality TV Show Du Jour? How about we talk about books?
It’s so crazy, it works. Read along with your teens. Tell ‘em Freaky Twilight Mom sent you.
BIO
Martie Smith Byrd says “Any book is better than Sponge Bob Square Pants.” She anticipates the glorious day when her kids will read things she can’t even understand. She and her reader husband Dave parent their five teens in Roanoke, Virginia.
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