2008

We're so busy at AllyKatzz... the website, Pulse-Check Research and our new AK Ad Network, that I need to put my blog on hold for a while. But if you need to know something about tweenage girls, please shoot me an email or call me:

denise@allykatzz.com
202-415-1660 (cell)

Here's to a great 2008!

Denise

AllyKatzz on ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson!!!

Spears' Pregnancy Prompts Sex Talk in Households

How Will You Talk to Your Kids About Sex and Teen Pregnancy?

AllyKatzz ON NPR!!

All Things Considered with Melissa Block. Girls and Moms Respond to Teen Star's Pregnancy.

AllyKatzz in USA TODAY

Spears' pregnancy is an opportunity for parents: Don't panic, just talk to your kids.

We asked tween girls to tell us what they really want for Sunday Breakfast...then we asked them to rate them. Fruit didn't make the list!

Posted by Denise Restauri

It Wasn't Me!

Do Tween Girls Blame The Dog?

Tween Girls are EVERYWHERE on the Web

We asked AllyKatzz Tween/Young Teen Girls: How Many Websites do YOU have an account on?
7% said only 1 website
25% said 2-3 websites
67% said more than I can count

They're everywhere on the web.... even imdb. Here's what they say:

"well i have a lot I got Tagged,Bebo,Ally Katzz,Mizz Bimbo,My Dollmaker,Meez,Blingee,The N,I-Dressup,I got Yahoo,Hotmail,Trollz,Millsberry,Club Penguin,Imvu and datz bout it."

"i have too many to count i signed up for so many wesites and accounts i just dont know anymore!"

"More then I can count.... well i can count some.....Allykatzz of course, myspace, club penguin, neopets, imeem, icarly"

"cartoondollemporium, icononator, christianforum"

"uhmm like half of the websites out there! there are soo many I use! The ones I use most often though are allykatzz, imdb, myspace, myyearbook, facebook, yahoo (email), pagii, photobucket, care2, blogger, elf, foodnetwork, youtube, girlslife, seventeen, and esnips. woah that's a lot already!"

Posted by Denise Restauri

Tween GIRLS GET their WEB Info From Other Girls

That's not a "missing bar" next to my parents. It is zero. Some girls said their parents tell them about kiddie sites, not cool sites. Other girls said parents are clueless about cool sites on the web. Some girls said parents have this equation: cool = not safe = stay away. And that's why they aren't looking to dear old mom and dad for cool websites... makes sense to me!

Posted by Denise Restauri

How Many E-Mail Accounts does One Girl Need?

AllyKatzz tween and young teen girls told us (check out my post from 9/29) that they don't use email to talk. BUT over 59% have more than 2 email addresses. Disconnect? Yes. But it's not in the research. The disconnect is in what girls sign up for and what they actually use. They love to sign up for things, but then they forget they have them, forget the passwords or go on to the next new shiny object. In this case, they left email behind for the immediate gratification they get from text messaging and IM... or things that are more engaging like facebook.


"verizon, AIM(like, 2), yahoo, and tons of others i never use or can't remember"

"i have one that i use all the time, one that i check occasionally, and one or two that i share with friends. "

"oh i have two. aim and comcast. lol. i have had more than that but don't anymore."

"i made one for a web site, and that one has an attachment on it so my friends can email me, and i have an old one that i didn't want anymore because, it had a lame name that my mom made up."

Posted by Denise Restauri

Mags WIN: Celeb News

AllyKatzz tween girls love being online... but it's not their #1 pick for celeb news:

Posted by Denise Restauri

Tween Girls Have RHYTHM

Tween girls doubt themselves and question whether they should call boys, tell their parents stuff, try out for cheerleading... but one thing they think they've got is RHYTHM.

Tween Girls WAKE-UP

Moms, Cell Phones, Pets and Siblings are all on the "what wakes up tween girls?" list. BUT NUMBER ONE, at the top of their WAKE-UP List: ALARM CLOCK!!!

Starbucks Not In Tween Girls' Wallets

Some tween girls drink coffee at Starbucks. Some drink non-coffee drinks. Some get pastries only. Some don't go to Starbucks. And here's what they say about Starbucks' Gift Cards:
Posted by Denise Restauri

Tweens "TALK"????

AllyKatzz Tween Girls tell us how THEY want to TALK to their friends:

TWEEN GIRLS Trust Friends to??? Part 2...

It was back in the 60's... 8th grade... my friend Debbie wanted her ears pierced. We didn't have piercing places at the mall... it was the doctor's office.. but that meant asking mom and waiting... BUT Debbie wanted them pierced THEN. That's when and how I came up with my much sought after 5-step ear piercing process:
1. Throw russet potato in the freezer
2. Throw needle in boiling water
3. Freeze earlobe with ice cubes
4. Place frozen potato behind ear
5. Everyone takes deep breaths

Things certainly have changed. AllyKatzz Tween Girls Say NO WAY when we asked them if they would let a friend pierce their ears. They have lots of reasons... including the fear of mom, fear of pain, fear of uneven holes and fear of HIV from a needle. So maybe my 5-step process wasn't the best way... but we had a whole lot less fears... and a lot less to be fearful of.

Posted by Denise Restauri

Tween Girls TRUST their Friends to....

How much do tween girls REALLY trust their friends? For starters... AllyKatzz girls say they do NOT Trust them with scissors!
Next week, we'll find out if they trust them with a needle!

Tween Girls Did NOT Watch Kid Nation

Did AllyKatzz tween girls do what they said they were going to do - NOT watch Kid Nation? Girls who did watch it, what do they think? Bad News For Kid Nation...

68% did NOT Watch it last night.
24% Loved It.
6% said OK, not great
1% Hated It


Posted by Denise Restauri

TWEEN GIRLS PICK GOSSIP GIRL

TODAY, We asked the AllyKatzz Girls - tween girls ages 10-15 what they'll be watching TONIGHT. Gossip Girl? Kid Nation?




Posted by Denise Restauri

What CELL?

Has your daughter lost her cell phone? If yes, she's not alone. Over the weekend, we asked the AllyKatzz if they ever lost their cell phones... Above are the poll results. And here's what they said:

“Yesh, more than once! I lost it t a basketball game... and some how it was found in the boys bathroom.. There's many more but none as funny as that !"

“I always loose my cell phone. I've had mine for about two years now. The worst part about whenever I loose my cell is that It's usually not charged up so I can't borrow my mom's phone and hear the ringing! Then after I find my phone, (which I always do) I loose the charger!”

“i have once then i did a second time and actually it went through the washing machine :D”

If you're a parent, love to hear your stories.
If you're an inventor, I'd be thinking... "hmmmmmm"
If you're a marketer with a product that helps them find their lost phones, call me!

Posted by Denise Restauri

Tween Girls Are NOT Buzzing Bout Kid Nation

There's lots of talk about Kid Nation... but it's adults talking about it. The show debuts on September 19... It's September 5 and 58% of the AllyKatzz girls have NOT HEARD about it. Another 15% have heard about it, but aren't interested in watching it. Only 26% have heard about it and want to watch it. We saw similar pre-debut results from the girls when Slumber Party Girls launched... a CBS tween girl show. The day before it launched, the girls were clueless about the show. My advice to CBS... you need a marketing plan to reach tween girls... those same girls who make High School Musical a hit do NOT know about Kid Nation.

Posted by Denise Restauri

Tween Girls -Drugs and Drinking

Back to school… peer pressure… drinking and drugs.

We asked the AllyKatzz girls: Do kids at your school do drugs or drink alcohol?
42% say YES.
20% say NO.
36% don't know.

Here’s what they're talking about:

From a 12 year-old girl from California:
“none of my fiends have done drugs or aything my two of my friends get drunk a lot. its really uncomfortable. one new year they drank a whole bottle of champaigne AND WE ARE ONLY 13!!!!!!!! my mom let me have a couple sips but i would always say no thanks cuz champaigne tastes gross. but yea i have two friends who get drunk a lot like i mean a lot!!!!!”

A 13 year-old girl from Michigan:
“i know some people that drink, and i know a lot of kids at my school that take drugs."

A 13 year-old girl from Delaware:
“I have never tryed drugs but I know people who have done them some were my friends but I am not going to make the mistakes they made trust me.”

It's scary and sad... but it's their reality. More about drugs and drinking tomorrow.

Posted by Denise Restauri

Kid Nation

You’re a parent and you see this casting call for a new reality TV show:

• Need 40 kids. Girls and boys. Ages 8-15.
• Mission: Bring a ghost town back to life.
• Child’s Pay for performing tasks YOU wouldn’t want to do: $5,000.
• No parents, no teachers. Anywhere.
• In fact, kids can’t even talk to parents on the phone for 40 days.
• But don’t worry about missing out on those 40 days with your child because you’ll get to see how happy or sad your child was – along with millions of other people - because they’ll be filmed in front of reality TV cameras. You’ll get to see them crying and saying, “I want to come home!” You’ll get to see them being humiliated and stressed. Maybe you’ll even get to see them saying, “Mommy, why did you let me do this?”

What are the first things that come to your mind? My first thoughts were questions:

Q: Is this Lord of the Flies meets reality TV? Who would air this?
A: It’s a new CBS reality show called Kid Nation.

Q: What do shows like this say to our tween and young teen girls?
A: I'll ask the AllyKatzz girls when it airs in September. I think their initial reaction based just on what they see on the show (not based on child abuse claims, etc) will be that it's cool because the stars are kids, just like them... AND they'll see the power of kids... the power to change the world. That's what they want to do ... change the world or at least be heard.

Q: Would I let my daughter do this?
A: No Way!

Q: What are these parents thinking?
A: I don't know. I think we should ask them and find out vs. speculating. Be good for morning TV.

Q: Do we need to give our children better ways to be heard, seen and change the world?
A: Yes.

Posted by Denise Restauri

Entertainment VS. Reality

Girls do confuse TV characters with reality? Yes and sometimes to the extreme because these celebs spend so much time in their living rooms that the girls start to think they know them. And it's not always the superficial, "I Love Miley!"... some of these girls go much deeper. Note to self/all of us parents: Get our daughters out of the house and into reality with their REAL friends. These years are tough and it's easier for our daughters to watch other girls go through the drama vs. actually living the drama so they'll hide in front of the TV. The following is straight from a 13-year-old girl's AllyKatzz blog:

"Okay. I've seen ALOT of blogs about Celebs... But I can't help but ask... WHATS THE BIG DEAL?? Okay lets start with Miley Cyrus/Hannah MOntana... Okay.. I was teached that havin split personalities was a bad thing... I think she's THE ONLY celeb who has Split Personality Disorder and GETS famous off of it! And yes it's medical issue. Ask MP's Writing Frnd.. She's writing a book about it on her computer. AND she does ALOT of research! And I don't think she's all that gr8. Her music ISN'T BAD... It's just NOT GOOD... you know?? ANd her show is... well.. wierd.. It's funny. But she's RLLY mean and stuck up! ANd the episode she's SUPER mean to Jackson I wanted to hurt her! I mean she's not a bad actress she's just... augh.. And her dad is GR8.. Y he's on THAT show and not off making RLLY good music lyk he did.. Is BEYOND ME! Okay now.. Ashley Tisdale... She's RLLY arigant.. Well to me.. ANd well.. I don't know... I just don't care for her that much. And now Brenda Song she's pretty good.. Not perfect.. But who is?? She's a RLLY good actress.. And whats the big thing with the JOnas Brothers?? I don't understand.. Now the younger one.. NIck?? I think. Is cute.. But thats only because I lyk dudes with shaggy hair.. Well what do yall think?? Oh and EVERY one is entitled to having their own opinion PLZ don't bash me for havin mine none. And I won't bash urs.. U know?? Okay well gotta go.. PEACE OUT."

Posted by Denise Restauri

Girls ARE Shopping

ALLYKATZZ PULSE-CHECK RESEARCH SAYS YES!!!!


Posted by Denise Restauri

TWEEN Girls BUZZ Marketing

Do tween girls spread the word about their fave products? You can bet the mortgage on it... and when they find something they love or NOT, they want to tell the world ALL about it. These girls are alpha girls... they are peer influencers and other girls are listening to them.

LOVE IT! - this from an alpha girl from New York:
"i don't kno about u, but i decided to no longer use prducts that are tested on animals. then i learned that almost every toothpaste brand tests on animals! what toothpaste do i use now? my mom told me about Tom's of Maine. they make toothpaste, deodorant, mouthwash, soap, floss, and shaving cream in good smelling scents like lavender and apricot--and none of it's tested on animals! they also make all their packaging recylable and their energy at their factories is offset by wind power! neccesities that help animals and the enviorment? i'm there!"

Or NOT! - this from an alpha girl from Wisconsin:
"You've heard of Ipod...haven't you? Of course you have, why do I even bother to ask? You probably know some of the accessories but for sure don't know all of them. The basic ones are Ipod covers, skins, arm bands, "boom boxes" and much more. But how could someone come up with this? It is a toilet paper dispenser and plays your Ipod...these "Ipod Accessories Inventors" I think have gotten a little obsessive and a little crazy...don't cha think?"

Posted by Denise Restauri

Tween Girls Forge?

We asked tween girls if they ever forge their parent's signatures...



What makes tween girls forge our signatures? AllyKatzz girls tell us why and how...

"i did cause my mom said to cause she was 2 busy 2 do it her self."

"yes i have alot cuz im really 4getful n at my old skool u had 2 get every test sined n i would always 4get so i would forge a signature "


"one time i got a dentition and forged my dad's handwriting "

"I admit, I did tat once in 6th grade. I had this horrible gym teacher, and I always forget stuff like that, so she said that if I didn't bring it in the next morning, I'd have to run 2 miles around the gym. Yeah. So, like me, I forgot. I was completely freaking out (I can't run for very long, I have trouble breathing and one time I passed out, but the teacher wouldn't listen.) and my mom wouldn't answer her phone, so my friend and I went down to the bathrooms and I copied my mom's signature perfectly. the teacher didn't suspect a thing. I know it was wrong... but I'm never going to do that again! I was so scared I'd get caught ALL throughout gym. That was like the worst feeling ever."

"Oh my god yes! Too many times! Lol, I know it's not exactly a laughing matter, but it is kinda funny! I even got to go see a concert by this one band. It was fun, but I did feel really guilty afterwards. =("

"only once!!! and it was becuz i had to have it done and i didnt get a chance to ask my mom that day thats the only reason!! only once and id never do it agian! "

Tween Girls Clique?

Are Cliques in school really important to girls? Or do they seem more important than they really are? The AllyKatzz Tween girls tell us what goes on in THEIR schools.

First, we asked the girls, Are Cliques Important In YOUR school?

60% said yes and 40% said no. Then also told us that cliques aren't a boy thing. And then they said...


“The cliques in my school are seriously like the sterotype cliques. They actually try to break people up, try to sabotage other people's social status's, they even have sterotype girls that are amazingly pretty. Then you have the cheerleaders, the snobs, the geeks, the nobodies, and then there are new people and people who are just okay that are quiet and shy i would probably be in that group but i am a cheerleader so i am kinda in both. But i try to never gossip. Our school is like mean girls but without the THREE plastics (there are like 5 or 15 but who's counting?), the cursing, and the parties. (i think the parties)”

“TOTALLY! There's football guys, band gurls, the girls who lyk luv trees, the smart girls, the smart guys, and geeks over all.”

“They are important in mine. I dont want to be in one, but the boys fall for the cliques and most girls want to be friends with the cliques. ”

“yes, and i hate them! most of the cliques are just based on clothes/money. and it stinks! ”

“yes if u came to our school at lunch thats the first thing that u would notice and if u where there for a couple of days no would figure out that no one messes with other peoples cliques and wear they sit !!!!!!”

“yes!!! not many boys at my school have cliques but almost all the girls do!”

“Yes! There are so many cliques at my school. You got the populars, the people that think they are popular but the really are not, the video game people, the sport guys, smart people, not so smart people. The list can go on forever!”

Posted by Denise Restauri

TWEEN GIRLS DUMB DOWN?

AllyKatzz.com Girls SAY:

---

AND what tween girls are SAYING about dumbing down... straight from their AllyKatzz.com blogs:

"Boys are ALREADY dumb, so there's no point in even acting like we're not smart. The dumber we act the dumber they get!!"

From a girl who calls herself 'I will be famous'… "I just be myslef! They boys are always bragging about how smart they are, so I show them up! I am 1 out of 3 girls in my 8th grade math class (I'm in seventh grade!) and it feels good to show them wrong! Everywhere I go people are like "Oh, your blonde, so you most be dumb!" But I'm not! The only reason they think blondes are dumb is bcause look who else is blonde! Lindsey! Paris! Nicole! But I want to be a vet, and that takes four years of college!"

"they make me nervous so yes, i dumb down... but not on purpose!"

"No, I act smart to make them feel dumb, lol. Joking! I don't try and act dumb around anyone."

"usually guys go the dumb blonde pretty girls, but i dont think you should act dumb to get their attention"

"excuse me for my lack of seemly modesty, but im a lot smarter than most kids at my skool, so, i do try 2 dumb down a little, that way they all dont go "grammar snob". i kno, im weird! "

"i dont play dumb. i just be me cuz if they cant accept that, then thats their problem. i know a lot of girls who do play dumb and its obvious and really annoying and i can tell it gets on the boys nerves too."

"sometimes i get tounge tied but thats it! i dont try to act dumb!”

Posted By Denise Restauri

SIGN UP NOW!!! Ypulse Tween Mashup

I didn't want to bury the lead! The Ypulse Tween Mashup will be held September 28 at the Javits Center in New York City in conjunction with Digital Life, a massive consumer electronics show. The Mashup is all about helping media and marketing professionals reach tweens using technology in a multi-platform world. I'm on the Advisory Board and for everyone who knows me, I only do things I really believe in!

Posted By Denise Restauri

Tween Girls Take Responsibility???

We know that some girls cheat on their homework and exams. Now, what about taking responsibility for their actions? The AllyKatzz girls share what’s going on in their hearts and heads:


"I try to put the blame on somebody else, like my dog, or my younger sisters because I don't want to dissapoint my parents."

"If I'm wrong, I apoligize and promise I'll never do it ever again, well at least try not to. If I'm right, I keep my mouth shut."

"If you did something wrong you should take responsibility like a grown up."

"It depends on what I did (:"

"I hate it how some people deny everything and try to blame everything on other people......its called karma chicas"

"I accept all the charges. If you cant do the time, dont do the crime. "

"i do try to not accept responsibility but only if its totally mortifying (embarrassing) but i hardly do anything bad i usually take the blame but its hard"

"not only do i take responsiblility for what i have done but sometimes if i dont want my friends to get into trouble for something minnor i'll take responsibility"

Posted by Denise Restauri

Do Tween Girls Cheat?

Here's What AllyKatzz Tween Girls Say:


" i did it twince on a spelling and vocab test then i felt really bad and i told my mom and she said it's okay as long as i don't do it again and i didn't"

"The ONLY reason I cheat on my homework is because I don't how to do it and my parents are busy or I 4got to do it.. so yea."

"i dont really cheat but sometimes me and my friends will "help" each other on homework. but thats it. i dont really call that cheatin"

"Never! I never do because someone could have all the wrong answers."

"on homework I might slip in a little calculator action, lol,but I never cheat on test/exams! Thats bad! And I only slip in calc. when I check over and when even my parents dont get it."

"Sometimes my mom does my homework when i am super buzy and already know how to do whatever it is"

Posted by Denise Restauri

Tween Girls Speak Up about MySpace

Last week, MySpace deleted 29,000 convicted sex offenders.
This week, tween girls ages 10-15 tell us why and how. First, results from a poll dated Sunday, July 29:


Now, what AllyKatzz tween girls are SAYING about MySpace:

First, the standard work around the 14+ age requirement... straight from a 12-year-old tween girl: "Yeah, you have to get yor parents permission. But if you mke a new acount and put ur birthday as your older then 13 then you dont need to send in ur parents permission"

"I am on myspace. I'm only 11 but i'm super careful and i only talk to people i know."

Even without sex offenders, it's high drama. For many girls, this is a bigger problem than keeping predators away: "I don't want 1 and I don't hav 1! I HATE myspace! It causes SOOO many problems in jr. high and high skool becuz of all the drama!" (age 12)

"You guys, Myspace IS a safe site, it's about the people not the site. As long as you stay on private and only accept and talk to people you know, it's safe. Although, right now there are a lot of problems, so I might delete mine." (age 12)

Lots of girls said "My mom won't let me!" But not many girls said, "My dad won't let me!" Hmmmm. That's another subject for a different blog. The differnt roles that moms and dads have.

And this from a true AllyKatzz fan: "NO way! Too dangerous! Besides I'm sticking with allykatzz!!! I don't like myspace... and I'm almost 13"

What can YOU do to help keep your tween girl safe? Don't put your head in the sand. Talk to your daughter about what she likes or doesn't like about MySpace. What's the attraction? Making new friends? Peer pressure from school friends? How can she get the same results in a safer way? Forbidding her to have a MySpace page won't work. And forget the "put the computer in the living room" theory that is based on a crazy assumption that the only place our tween girls have internet access is where the home computer is. That's crazy.

Posted by Denise Restauri

What's a Tween Girl Dream Vacation?

Do YOU Know?

We asked the AllyKatzz girls, "WHO IS THIS??"

Are tween girls obsessed with being the best?

AllyKatzz tween girls say:


What are tween girls obsessed about? Mostly grades and pleasing their parents:

“I'm really not obsessed with being the best...but my parents want me to be. It's tough to be a kid! :(”… age 12, Ohio

“I"m obseesed with it almost never happens even this yr I'm cutting myself off from any thing "social" after school cuz here colleges look ALL the way back to the 8th grade...grrr... I HAVE to study and I HAVE to get STRAIGHT 'A's”… age 13, Oklahoma

Posted by Denise Restauri

My Daughter Would Never Lie to Me

Or would she? The AllyKatzz girls tell us the truth.


Posted by Denise Restauri

Strangers in Need. Tween Girls Vote.

The AllyKatzz tween girls start off saying, “This is realy hard. I want to pick all of them." But forced to make a choice, here's what they say:

"It would be great 4 every choice. But I think sending a card 2 the older people in the nursing home is SUPER important becuz sick chldren get cards from family and friends as well as soldiers. The majority of people in Nursing Homes have no family at all. I am not kidding! It really brightens up their day and wouldnt u like 2 brighten up some1s day that has left the world 2 u like it is now? Old people r full of MANY things 2 tell. Their knowledge just goes 2 waste if no1 takes the time 2 hear about it. So I actually encourage u 2 make a card 4 some1 in the nursing home. I guarentee theyll brag about it 2 all the nurses, and keep it up in their room before they die."


"I think all of the above shud have been a choice! But I chose Soliders in Iraq! They carry the fear of dying everyday with them!"

"I said homeless cause I don't think they get enough attention and enough help... There life is really hard!"


"I think sick kids because i feel for them. poor things in the hospital laying there helplessly hoping Gods gonna help them."

Posted by Denise Restauri

Is That a Banana In Your EAR?

Another AllyKatzz tween girl fave gadget!
"The next time your cell phone rings, pull this Banana out of your purse and make all your friends stop in their tracks! Its more fun than a barrel of monkeys! Made by Nanaco, it fits most cell phones and costs $12."

Posted by Denise Restauri

MORE TWEEN GIRL GaDgEtS

The AllyKatzz tween girls love this gadget. Me, too!

"How convenient is this? With these sauce-dispensing chopsticks you’ll never have to dip your sushi in soy sauce again for $21, you can purchase two pairs of these chopsticks. You can get creative and put in ketchup and eat your fries a whole new way!"

posted by Denise Restauri

TWEEN GIRLS GADGETS and Gizmos

AllyKatzz Tween girls are reporting on their favorite gadgets and gizmos. A girl from Texas shares one of her FAVE gadget finds:

The Japanese Noodle Cooler: Tired of blowing on your noodles to make them cool?Well then,this wacky pair of chopsticks is right 4 u!They're made in japan if u want 2 know.They come with a miniture fan attached to the pair of chopsticks,and if you want to turn it on,then u just flip the switch=D They can cool your noodles way better then you can by blowing on them,and you don't just have to use it to cool japanese noodle soup,you could fing other ways to use it,mabey to cool off you'r steamed vegetables,or to cool you'r spaghetti or pasta? I think this would b pretty useful in a food fight!You could just turn it on high and blow it to the person next 2 u!LOL!

It might make the chopsticks a little heavier though,so It would make it harder to use them.(As if it wasn't hard already LOL)So u decide if you would want it,or if you want to stick to the origanal kind.I think it's pretty cool,but I don't really mind blowing on my noodles either.

Posted by Denise Restauri

Do Girls Break Parents' Rules?

And here's what they're saying:

"sumtimes bcuz im mad or hormones get the best of me."

"I don't. Does that mean I don't have a life? "

"why???? all there doing is keeping u safe..?????? like whats the point?????!?!?!"

"I don't becausse I don't kno the consequences!

ADD Does Not Mean ADDvantage

Learning Differences can have a huge impact on our girls that goes way beyond grades. It eats away at their self-esteem...


This blog from a 12-year-old girl from New York:
"ADD does not mean ADDvantae... i am friends w/ this girl who has ADD. it is horrible that ppl think that just b/c she doesn't catch on as quickly as everyone else, they can be mean to her. they often say "hidden insults" to her, insults that aren't so obvious. she doesn't realize that their insults, but others do. they also never want to hang out w/ her b/c she's "stupid", but whenever they want something from her, they act all sugar sweet and act like their really her friends. she gets hurt a lot in the end when they turn on her. just b/c she has ADD and probably won't recongnize that you're teasing her, doesn't mean you should tease her. when you see someone w/ ADD, don't take advantage of them."

And this from an 11-year-old girl from South Carolina... “i know one of my friendz has it and the teacherz say that she needz extra help since shes ADD. THAT IZ SOOOO NOT TRUE!!!! She iz ttly smart and she iiz capable of what ever she has to do.”

Bathing Beauties

We asked the allykatzz.com girls... What's YOUR SWIMSUIT? No surprises here...
Bikini - 59%
Tankini - 25%
One Piece - 16%

My Precious Little Girl...

I'm switching things around today... instead of the tween girl's view... here's what EMO looks and feels like... from a parent, Laure. When I asked Laure for permission to share her email, she said: "If I can help someone else, it can't be anything but good." Thanks Laure.

"Jeez, I just dropped into the More magazine website to see how I can go about doing some freelance writing for them, since I am a very knowledgeable, worldly, seen it all 46 year old who thinks she has loads of wisdom to share with all her other over-40 friends...then I stumble upon your column about 'tween girls, emos and cutting and I'm reading all about my 14 year old. I just remembered that I don't have all the answers yet.

I found out that my precious little girl cuts when she gets upset--it started in the 8th grade, and it really emerged once she found a best friend, who has a habit of ditching her until the girl feels like hanging out with my daughter. The girl is very possessive so when my daughter tries to cut the cord, and do her own thing, this girl will step in again and take up all of her time, get in the middle of any other friends, and shoo away any boys my da ughter likes. My daughter then gets left on her own, alone, and this causes her to cut. I have finally observed that any time she gets rejected she cuts.

It's very frustrating because I have been in an abusive relationship before and I've tried to teach her to beware of getting into that sort of thing--never did I imagine that it wouldn't necessarily be a boy to mess with her head, but a trusted friend. Even though I have always been supportive, caring, loving and I think she is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, and I don't just say that because I am the mom--she doesn't always believe it herself. She is very pretty but many times does not feel like she is. It is a shame because I can't do anything else to make her feel good about herself. I feel in my heart that this is something she will eventually work out of. To be honest, I personally feel that she heard about it awhile ago and thought it would be a dramatic way to do something scary and cool to maybe win people's attention or pity. I guess she is rather emo, when I think about it.

I have talked to her quite a bit about it. Most of the summer she will be away at camp, home on weekends, and I know she is having a blast at camp--thank God. I am hoping she can put this behind her to begin high school next year. The most important thing I can tell her is to tell me when something is bothering her, no matter what, because when she doesn't talk, and keeps something in, is when she seems to get the most upset. I don't know if its because she doesn't want me to be worried about her, or whatever, but she seems to keep a stiff upper lip around me even if she is very upset about something.

The one really great thing is that we have a good relationship and that I am capable of helping her through this. But I will tell you something--I always thought my daughter was stronge r than me, able to speak her mind all the time, not painfully shy like I was when I was her age...so this situation has blown me out of the water. I think we will be able to work on this together though--because I am not going to be able to do the counseling thing right now. I believe that the more I know about and read about this issue, the better informed I will be about it, and the more I can help her. She has total faith and trust in me.

One of the really great things about being over 40 (okay, over 45, dammit) is that we have seen and heard a lot, and if we are at least halfway well adjusted, we can take on anything that comes along.

Thanks for some very insightful information. It was very helpful to me to read what the girls were thinking. I am sure if you look at my daughter's myspace (which i loathe) some of those comments could have come from my daughter a couple of months ago. "


Posted by Denise Restauri

Good Day Paris!!!! I Said Good Day!!!

I'll be on ABC News Now today... "In The Newsroom"... 3pm EDT... to talk about what tween girls are saying and thinking about Paris NOW!

Here's the Paris Hilton pulse-check of the AllyKatzz.com tween girl community:

Girls are tired of celebrity lies:
“PARIS BROKE THE LAW???!!! HOW CAN PEOPLE PAY MONEY TO TALK TO A CELEBRITY WHO BROKE THE LAW!!!!! IT'S JUST STUPID!!! SHE'S GONNA BE LIKE "OH, IT WAS UNFAIR OF THEM TO PUT ME IN JAIL..... I NEVER WILL GO BACK...." AND THEY'RE PAYING BIG BUCKS TO LISTEN TO HER LIE???????” … age 10, Hawaii

Paris should pay to be interviewed! And all monies go to charity.
“this is so stupid! who cares about a famous rich brat who takes advantage of everything? i think this is insane! who wud pay her for an interview?! especially when she already has LOADS of money! the people who REALLY need money r the homeless, people with diseases, the elderly, and other charities…. if anything, they shud be TAKING money from her!”... age 13, West Virginia

How outraged are the girls? Enough to keep their families from watching the interview? The Girls Vote:
• I vote to LET my family watch the TV Interview – 40%
• I vote to NOT let my family watch the TV interview – 60%

Why are they so outraged, but still wiling to watch?
They are a part of our celeb obsessed society… the good, the bad and the tears:

"i think i want to see her cry after wat all she has done so im watching it!!!!!"

"I said yes causeI want to see how pathetic she is!!"

Important Note: the girls who are responding aren’t mean girls… but Paris’ behavior makes them think mean thoughts because it’s the only way they can feel like the world is fair. Plus, Paris disappointed them.

How do they feel about the Larry King Interview?
Here’s what a 12-year-old girl from Connecticut says:
“… Larry King is AWESOME! I'm so glad he's not paying her! Thats a sighn that he doesn't support her so hopefully he'll make her say the truth. I think He wants to show the real paris not just what the press wants us to see. So I'll watch that.”

How do girls feel about the products that Paris endorses? Companies should be really concerned about this question because Tweens spend $51B annually and have considerable sway over another $170B annually spent on them by parents and family. Tween girls made the High School Musical soundtrack this year’s top-selling compact disc.

We asked: Will girls buy products that Paris Hilton endorses?
The girls responded:
• No way! I won’t buy anything Paris endorses – 48%
• I buy products I love – doesn’t matter to me if Paris endorses them - 49%
• Yes – I want stuff that Paris Likes – 3%

What about Hilton Hotels? Do girls connect the Hilton dots?
from a 15-year-old girl from Ohio: “…i don't want to stay at Hilton Hotels!! If she [Paris] were nicer, i would know her dad - the owner - raised her well”

from a 13-year-old girl from Alabama who is NOT a Paris fan: “… I lyk soft beds and maid service as much next person. I just don't lyk the daughter of the owner.”

What TIPS do tween girls have for Paris?
1. Start a charity or start giving BIG time to a charity.
2. Walk the talk : “…WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO IS GO GET A JOB AT WAL-MART!!!! AND HER PARENTS NEED TO TAKE AWAY ALL OF HER FANCY STUFF, AND MAKE HER GET A JOB AT WAL-MART!!! THAT IS WHAT I THINK!! SHE NEEDS TO GO GET A MAJOR WAKE UP CALL, AND START ACTING LIKE SHE HAS SOME SENSE!!!! GOOD DAY PARIS! I SAID GOOD DAY!!!!” age 11, Georgia

For more about what tween girls are thinking and saying about Paris... watch ABC News Now!

Posted by Denise Restauri

High six-figure deal for Paris???

New York Times Article this morning... ABC says it was outbid by NBC for Paris Hilton Interview because ABC was unwilling to make a "high six-figure deal" with Ms. Hiltons family. My daughter, Ally, who has the "Paris is a loser" attitude posted a blog on AllyKatzz to see what tween girls from across the nation think about this interview. Check out what tween girls are saying about Paris and her family.

PS: Book Review will now be every other Friday... so please stop back next week.

Posted by Denise Restauri

Summer Loving Tween Girl Style

AlltKatzz girls are dreaming and wishing and hoping for a summer love – the romance and fun that is straight from the opening scenes of Grease…
Summer loving had me a blast
Summer loving happened so fast
I met a girl crazy for me
Met a boy cute as can be
Summer days drifting away to oh oh the summer nights.

What beach? The one at the mall!
“Dating is so stressfull! Sometimes i think its better if i was just single all the time! But as soon as i see an ubercute boy walking down the mall, i forget all those crazy "no boyfriend!" thoughts and dive right in. But sumtimes boys are a let-down. They can be totally cute but then they r plain jerks! its hard to find a cute and nice/sweet boy, isnt it? Me and my friends have made an oath...We will find the perfect boy this summer! we just have to!”... age 12


Tell me more, tell me more… was it love at first site?

“My favorite kind of boys are the punky band type. i think spiky hair, some kinds of piercings, and tatoos look good on boys. I also love their unique spirits”… age 14

“nice, honest, funny-a little, faithful, understanding, sweet, cute, a really good friend, 1 or 2 years older then me b/c they r much more mature, helping me when im down like if i had a friend prob or someone died”... age 13

“ummm skater guys…hot and preppy”... age 14

“I LIKE two types.
1. the bad boy -piercings r hot
2. the preppy type mixed with a little bit of skater/surfer type. they r so cute. ”… age 15

“even tho i DONT want a boyfriend, i think the perfect guy would be older than me a little, be really funny, and really kind. With long hair, too. I dont know why, long hair is just cooler!~~peace-out”… age 12

“a year older or younger and super cute and not too nice but nice and he wouldnt be afraid to act like himself!”… age 15

“my perfect guy would have to be atleast a lil cute (im not that picky)honest.sweet.not afraid to tell the truth.great friend.easy to talk to.unpredictable.and i think thats it”... age 13

“my type is like black longish hair... and well CUTE... skater/surfer types are the ones i always fall 4... ((hott 2))”… age 12

OK, not all girls are thinking about summer love. Some girls are humming See You In September:

“I think once school starts again I'm going to be boy crazy -_- the only thing is..They've taken our pride, they've taken our dignity, and now they've taken our eye-liner what a rip!!”... age 14

Dying of Boredom

This blog is so funny. When tween girls are bored, you do NOT want to be the person, place or thing that causes their boredom! This blog is from a tween girl who calls herself skittles8:

"Over the weekend, I went to the Dean Martin Festival w/ my mom 'n my gramma in Stebunville, Ohio. let me give U guys a tip, NEVER GO THERE. IT SUCKS. its sooo boring. but let me give U the details...i didn't want to go from the start, but there was no one 7:30, which sucked because i usually wake up at ten. The drive there is two hours because Stebunville is right by the Ohio River, which is at the bottom of Ohio. the car ride was better than the festival! well, it is comfy in my mom's car. LOL. okay, so we got there, and we had to go to the church where Dean Martin went. If you don't know, dean martin was a famous singer way back when. okay, the church was boring. then we went to the parade. it was okay. then we went to this place called the Spot Bar, and behind it there was the place where people who looked and sounded like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Marilyn Minroe were singing. And then Deanne Martin (his daughter) sung a few...BOREDOM AGAIN. Then we went to our hotel in West Virginia which was right across the Ohio River. I went in the pool which was the best part of the trip, i thought. After that we had to go to the night part of the festival. it was just like the afternoon's part. I was TOTALLY DYING OF BOREDOM. even my mom and gramma were. we wasted 30 dollars a seat on it! we went back to the hotel, fell asleep, woke up, drove back home, and that's it. Intreging, isn't it? SO NEVER GO THERE!! PLEASE DON'T. IF YOUR PARENTS THINK OF GOING, BEG THEM NOT TO. I wrote this blog for your own good."

I have one thing to say, I am so glad she's an AllyKatzz.com fan!

Posted by Denise Restauri

Tween Girls SUMMER READS

The books that the AllyKatzz gave TWO PAWS UP! for this week. Tween girls are kicking off the summer with these books:

LBD books
It is a 3 book series about 3 BFFs living in London and facing normal problems. they are really good. one of the LBD (that what they call themselves), Fleur, has this wacko dad and his antics are funny. Claude is the best charcter b/c she is like every girl u love 2 hate at first, but then u see what a gr8 girly she is. And Ronnie...she's probably like every one of you that are reading this blog. Reviewed by 11-year-old

The tail of emily Windsnap
This book kept me busy 4 days!!!!!! … about a girl {emily} who discovers she is human out of the water and a mermaid when her legs get wet!!! P.S Tail is spelt like that because she has a mermaid!!!!!!! Reviewed by 12-year-old

Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover Or Title!
during summer we had to do a book report for the book TANGERINE BY EDWARD BLOOR! I looked at it and thought! omg this is going to be so boring. SO i started to read it.....then i started to understand the book! It got interesting and more interesting and i couldn't put it down! So just because the title or cover of the book looks unappealing it could stil be a GREAT BOOK! SO READ ON THIS SUMMER!!! Reviewed by 12-year-old

Clique … it's about these rich bratty teens that hate their leader's Dad's, Friend's, Daughter named Claire. Avalabile at Target, Walmart, Barns-n-Noble, your local book store, or you local library. Reviewed by 10-year-old

From the Files of Madison Finn
This is a great series!! It is about a girl named Madison Finn who is a commited blogger and web site surfer (just like us!) and her 4 bff's. They go through adventures and mishaps all along the series! 2 paws up! Reviewed by 14-year-old

Elsewhere is this new book im really love. Its a bit sad but unless u are like really sensitive to books then u wont cry… its about this girl who dies and goes to this place called elsewhere where everyone gets younger until they are young enough to become reborn. Reviewed by 11-year-old

You know how sometimes you read a book, and it's like, wow, that's a one of a kind, it was totally awesome? Well, Maureen Johnson writes those kinds of books. I've read The Key to the Golden Firebird and 13 Little Blue Envelopes, and they rock! Reviewed by 13-year-old


Quick Rates: More AllyKatzz 2 Paws up Winners for this week:

SASS Girl Overboard - soooo good it had jus the right amount of love, friends,and excitement…

What Every Girl (Except Me) Knows - wonderful book that is great for girls that are about to hit their teen years!

This is a must read too! Twilight and New moon by Stephanie Meyer…I just Love EDWARD!

The Warriors – one of my fave book series

Now You See Her and Milkweed…Also, I'm a HUGE fan of the Princess Diaries books and the TTYL books.

THE FINAL SUMMER OF THE TRAVELiiNG PANTS♥

Uglies-Pretties-Specials!! The best books!!!

All american girl and ready or not … these are two FAB books for the teenage soul!!!

goose girl byshannon hale! it is totally awesome, and i would read till 12 pm cuz i couldnt put it down!! it is a must read!!

Chew on This. It's all about fast food. If you want a motivation to stop eating so much junk, I recomend this book!

For all publishers and authors... please check out the AllyKatzz Book Club and the AllySTREETKatzz special book review mission. If you want AllyKatzz girls to read/review your books, please send an email to lindsay@allykatzz.com. The girls will be forever grateful!!!

What do Tween Girls Think about Lindsay Lohan?

A year ago, here’s what allykatzz girls were saying about Lindsay Lohan:
“lindsay lohan is my fave actress and singer! shes so pretty shes so good in all her movies!!!!!!!!!!!!”







Here's what tween girls are saying about Lindsay Lohan TODAY:

• Love her always: 4%
• Like her: 14%
• She's so yesterday: 15%
• She's just so downright yucky: 29%
• Really, who cares? 38%

"I heard she went to jail, along with Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton. Totally, those three are "Witches of Eastwick" casting spells on people for "fans". Totally old school.”

"Really, Who cares about her? She's just one of those "old child actress's who turned tabloid material" I used to really like her but now I don't really care about her"

"i liked her in the parent trap. but now shes gone bad. i really think her movies r gettin worse. (and does she really think she can sing?!?)"

Tomorrow, Thursday, at 11 am EST, I’ll be on "Top Priority" for ABC News Now, ABC News' 24-hour broadband news service. "Top Priority" is a 15-minute live show that focuses on women's issues. Tomorrow’s segment is about parents talking to tweens about adult issues… including celebrity scandals. Hope you'll join us.

Posted by Denise Restauri