Photo by bjsmombren

Do you ever look at your teen and think about how differently they are growing up from the way you did?

I consider myself a pretty responsible person, and I thank my mom and dad for that. They were the opposite of helicopter parents, letting me make my own decisions and working out my own solutions.

But I worry in these days of over-protectiveness that I'm not doing all I can to foster the same qualities in my own children.

So as my own kids grow ever closer to their teen years, I've compiled a list of some of the habits I'm going to try my darndest to instill to foster maximum responsibility and independence:

-- They need to find their own job and make their own money.

-- Find their own transportation to and from work: bike, legs. My parents never chauffeured me.

Photo by tami0755

Texting is a huge topic of conversation on CafeMom. Some moms complain about their teens doing it way too much (one kid received 3,000 in a month) and others have gotten walloped with huge phone bills on plans without unlimited texts.

But at least one mom in Tween Titans is looking on the bright side:

"Kids probably do talk more freely by text, but keep in mind you may also want to communicate by text. My daughter has revealed some important info to me by text. At least it breaks the ice and then we talk about it. It's not my ideal way of communicating, but if it works to keep us in contact, that's okay with me."

Photo from Self magazine

I heart Zooey Deschanel. She's too cute. The 29-year-old actress plays Summer in the film 500 Days of Summer and she's also one half of the band She & Him.

When Deschanel isn't busy planning her wedding to Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard, she's taking full advantage of the warmest season. 

Zooey is Self magazine's August covergirl and she shares her tips on how she keeps healthy emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Photo by CamsMom82208

I'm part water rat, and after a full day of swimming in our pool when I was little, my mother used to tell me, "Well, you sure don't need a bath tonight!"

Just now reading bltcahill's Journal post on all the yucky stuff that's floating around in swimming pools, I think Mom was mistaken.

bltcahill pointed out that chlorine doesn't kill everything. Several different forms of illness-causing parasites and bacteria have been found in pools, including ones that cause hand, foot, and mouth disease and herpangia. And, yes, they are spread through fecal matter ... poop!

My 6-year old son Clyde made this little movie version of Three Billy Goat's Gruff. We had a lot of fun making it, and I'm sure I'll be able to sell this for a lot of money when he's a famous screenwriter.

Enjoy!

Have your kids made movies, performed plays, or written stories this summer?

My daughter and I had a total "girl day" last week. Everyone else was busy or in camp, and Princess Carolyn and I grabbed a bag of tortilla chips, plopped down on the couch front of the Food Network, and watched the Barefoot Contessa make grilled pizza.

"Ooooh, I love parsley," my daughter says any time a TV chef reaches for something green. It wasn't parsley, it was basil. And she doesn't like parsley, not at all. She detests it. I think she says this to pretend she's into the show, an excuse to stay in my lap eating the chips she wouldn't ordinarily get.

Chips or not, I was enjoying the relaxing afternoon with my kid and the idea of grilling personal pizzas. Host Ina Garten says this is a fun make-it-together meal for kids (though she admits she never has kids at her house).

Of course Ina made her very own pizza dough from scratch, yeast and all, in her fancy-schmancy mixer that costs more than my car.

I'll just buy the dough already made at the grocery store.

Photo by Amber727

To inspire my little guy to drink more fluids, I bought him a water bottle in his favorite color (green) to carry around at day camp. But it often comes home barely touched.

"Sweetie, you have to drink more!" I say.

Toddlers and little kids need contant reminders about this, especially when playing the day away in the heat and sun.

Tots are way more prone to dehydration than grownups. When their blood doesn't get enough water pumped in, it gets thicker. Our kiddos' tiny hearts then have to work harder to keep the flow going. You can just imagine the implications for the rest of the body!

If you're into DIY beauty products, then you might give making your own sunblock a try. Homemade sunscreen has less chemicals than commercial brands, and some people with sensitive skin find it to be less irritating. You can make sunscreen using your favorite store-bought lotion or completely from scratch...

Photo by momof3teenagers

Moms know that their teen age boys have the ability to talk. They have concrete proof. They hear them on their cell phones talking to girlfriends for hours. The get in trouble for talking in class. And they sure yell loud enough when they're on the sports field.

But actually talking to mom and dad, sharing their day, bearing their emotions at home? Nah, nothing, fine, whatever. Some moms are lucky to get that much out of their teenagers.

"I got excited a few months ago because my son initiated a conversation about toothpaste!" says MomIWant. "We had a real conversation (with words) for about five minutes. It was really exciting and the highlight of my month (not joking about this). I usually get "huh" "yup," "nah," or "okay/fine" -- end of parent vocabulary."

Moms are always looking for fun, inexpensive ways to entertain their kids during the summer...

Participating AMC Theatres are offering $1 movies every Wednesday morning as part of its AMC Summer Movie Camp.

The movies are popular G- and PG-rated films from 2008—including Horton Hears a Who. Keep reading for complete schedule...