I don’t think it is a surprise to anyone that we are HUGE Gator fans around here!!  Along with being a Gator fans, we are also huge Tim Tebow fans.

Recently, we watched a special on Tim Tebow with our tween. It was about Tebow preparing for the NFL draft. It showed how much hard work he put into preparing for the draft. We continue to be so impressed by the incredible athlete and positive role model he is to our tween.

He recently filmed a commercial for FRS sports drinks. In the commercial, he talks about how people always told him he wasn’t good enough, fast enough or strong enough to be a quarter back. It is a really awesome commercial and quite inspiring .

As parents, we need to find these great role models for our tweens. The media is full of quite a few scum bags (in my opinion) that I find it so refreshing to find such a good person and athlete as a role model for my tween.

I hope that Tim Tebow continues to find success in his NFL career with the Denver Broncos.  I hope kids can look to him as an inspiration in their lives rather then half naked singers who teach them that partying and beauty are more important then a strong character and work ethic!!

Way to go Tim Tebow, keep up the success and being such a great role model in the lives of our children!!

Can you hear the drums, can you feel your heart beat quicken…..can you hear the screaming fans??  That is right, college football is on the horizon.  As I have said before, we are hard core Florida Gator fans!!  We love college football season…we live for it!!

What will college football bring to my tween this year?  Hmmm, I would definitely say….lots of nail biting and tv yelling, lots of yummy football food, lots of family time, lots of orange and BLUE…but a little less Tim Tebow.

I know we aren’t alone in our love for college football.  We have dear friends who are Tennessee fans, LSU fans and even a fellow Mom Talk blogger, Kelly Gump who is a Ohio State fan.  College football brings people together.  Not only that, but it makes my tween so HAPPY!!  He lives for college football season.  I think it is up there as one of his favorite things to do.  I love that he loves it and that it is a family affair.

I better get cracking on some fun new ideas for football food and spirited orange and blue football spreads.  In my opinion, if it is something my tween loves and it makes him really happy…it makes me really happy.

So, whether you are a Gator or a Buckeye (Kelly Gump) have a wonderful football season with your tween.  Sport your team colors, let loose and let the good times roll.

And oh yes….”It’s Great To Be a FLORIDA GATOR”

I will tell you one thing, having positive role models for our tweens can be tough!!  When I was in my tween years, I had pictures of New Kids On the Block and Debbie Gibson pasted all over my walls.  I was also one of those girls who looked up to people I admired.  I had older girls that I saw at school and church and I wanted to be just like them!!! 

I think our kids need positive role models in their lives.  They are in a place where they are figuring out just who they are. While there are lots of negative examples in the media, there are also lots of awesome examples out there.   My little guy loves Tim Tebow (the quarter back for the Florida Gators).  He is also a favorite of mine, too. He doesn’t bask in his success, he thanks his teammates, shows excellent sportsmanship, works hard in football and in his own life!!  He spends his free time going to prisons and speaking to the inmates about how they can turn their lives around.  Now THAT is exactly the kind of role model I want for my son!!

As a mother, whenever I see someone living their life really spectacularly, I want my kids to see it, too.  I want them to see that amidst all the bad and immoral behavior out there, there is LOTS and LOTS of good.  I want them to see good people, working hard to accomplish their dreams, serving others, treating others with kindness and LIVING THEIR DREAMS!!!  Those are the role models we need our kids to see……and  learn from!!!

Who are some positive role models in you and your tweens’ lives?

My husband is a total college football junkie!  And so it is, our son has also become a college football junkie, too!!  I used to fight it tooth and nail.  I always have far too much to do then to sit for FOUR HOURS and watch a football game.  It used to drive me crazy, there was no way I was going to sit and watch football with my boys!!  After many, many years,  I figured out that my football junkies were never going to change!!  So, I pulled up my bootstraps and decided if I had to sit and watch these games, then I was going to make it fun for ME and my daughters, too!!

The result: I now LOVE football along with my tween and husband.  We make it a family affair (don’t get me wrong I only watch ONE team…..that is where I draw the line.)  I make the games super special by making lots of fun football treats, inviting friends over and having the kids help me with each detail!!

It is amazing to me that by changing my attitude, I have developed a fun family tradition that will continue many generations.  I love college football (The Florida Gators….chomp chomp) and love that it is a family activity now.

Moral of the story: Even though our interests might be different then our tween’s, we can make the choice to make ourselves a little uncomfortable and embrace the things they love!!  Whatever it may be, whether its bike riding, chess, wrestling, weight lifting, reading or even history.  Be a part of your tweens life by supporting and embracing their interetsts.   GO GATORS!!

What activity does your tween love that you might consider embracing?