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DVD Review: "JONAS: Rockin' The House"
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So let's talk about the Jonas Brothers. They're talented, funny, and totally cute. And there's three of them! (Not counting Frankie the Bonus Jonas, of course.)
We love watching their Disney Channel show "Jonas" because (1) it makes us laugh, (2) the music is awesome, and (3) it's great to watch the dynamic of three real-life brothers in a sitcom setting. Now the first five episodes, plus two exclusive premiere episodes, are available on DVD, along with a fun "You've Just Been JoBro'd" prank on co-star Chelsea Staub.
"Jonas" follows in the footsteps of the Beatles movie "Help!" (where John Lennon has a bed in the floor just like Nick does) and of course, the TV series "The Monkees" (check it out and you'll see what must have inspired the JoBros' zany, girl-crazy personas). There's something just really addictive about watching pop stars play a slightly altered version of themselves.
Which makes us wonder: how much of "Jonas" is based on their real lives? Obviously, the guys don't go to a prep school or live in a converted firehouse. And we kind of giggle at the scenes where Nick, Kevin, and Joe can, like, walk down a street and not be chased by screaming girls. But if you watch them play off each other on the show, both in comedy and when they perform music, you get a sense of how strong and honest their sibling relationships are. Which means of course that they do occasionally fight about stuff. They must! That we probably won't see on the show or the next JoBros concert movie, but it's fun to think about. (Does Joe ever get jealous of the other guys' solos? Does Nick get ganged up on by his older bros? Will Kevin grow apart from them when he gets married?)
These are real people who are growing and changing just like the rest of us; we hope they only have great things lying ahead for them.
Check out IML's sections on Sibling Rivalry and Birth Order to get advice on sib situations and share your experiences! And then enjoy this Jonas video clip, which is one of our faves.
The Dreaded "D" and The Wicked "S"
Did you know that every year in the U.S., the parents of one million children get divorced? Wow! That's like, the population of a small city! Think about your friends, neighbors, and schoolmates. How many have divorced parents? Probably at least a few, or even half, right? It feels like divorce is pretty common and normal, and it is...but that doesn't make it any less sad or difficult for tweens who go through it. That's why Divorce was one of the first topics we covered, and why the divorce You Said It page is always filled with comments and advice from other IML'ers. Stop by and share your story!
We just read some new facts and figures that made us think about a subject that unfortunately will never go away.
Did you know that every year in the U.S., the parents of one million children get divorced? Wow! That's like, the population of a small city! Think about your friends, neighbors, and schoolmates. How many have divorced parents? Probably at least a few, or even half, right? It feels like divorce is pretty common and normal, and it is...but that doesn't make it any less sad or difficult for tweens who go through it. That's why Divorce was one of the first topics we covered, and why the divorce You Said It page is always filled with comments and advice from other IML'ers. Stop by and share your story!Divorce is hard enough, but then (sometimes) comes remarriage. Here's another "whoa!" factoid: in the U.S., 1,300 new stepfamilies are formed each day. Adjusting to a new stepparent and possibly new step-siblings can be really scary, but there's good news. Experts say that while a new stepfamily can be rough going at first, if everyone works together, eventually kids who live in a stepfamily are happier than those whose parents never remarry after getting divorced. IML talked to some tweens who feel that way; check out Stefanie's Story and Cortney & Joshua's Story. These stories remind us that where there is love, communication, and teamwork, there is always hope!
