Top Pop Culture Moments of 2010 According to Mom

It’s that time of year again. Magazines, newspapers and blogs are packed with Top 10 lists spotlighting the best and worst of 2010. As a mom who finds little time to break free from the house or crack open a magazine, my list probably isn’t as edgy or cool as others, but hopefully it’s one parents can identify with. Especially if you’re the kind of parent who thinks Real Housewives of Atlanta and a Hostess cherry pie is a rockin’ good time. And if you are that person, wanna hang out sometime?

Tangled hits theaters – It’s hard to find a “girl” movie that boys like too, but Tangled is packed with enough action, adventure and humor to thrill the Y-chromosome sector. I especially liked it for Rapunzel’s spunky hairdo at the end of the film. So much so, that I was about to take a picture of it to my hairstylist, but thought basing my look on a Disney character was borderline obsessive.

Miley smokes the salvia – Like many little girls her age, MJ is a huge Miley Cyrus fan, yet I rarely let her watch Hannah Montana because I’m disgusted by the way Hannah talks back to her dad. However, for any adult with a TV and Internet access, there’s no escaping Miley’s classy stripper pole dancing, 40-year-old man grinding and salvia smoking. MJ, what about liking that nice Demi Lovato? Wait – scratch that.

Cee Lo Green says “F$*& You” – A tongue-in-cheek song paired with one of the most incredible, memorable voices in pop music today. Thankfully, since both the dirty and edited versions are available via iTunes, I can choose my preference based on who is riding in my car with me.

Katy Perry rules our radio – My daughter wouldn’t know Katy Perry if she was standing in front of her, but throughout 2010, Perry has established herself as a permanent fixture in our household. MJ knows all the words to “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream” and “Firework,” including the lyrics I so cleverly changed to “Let’s go out and play tonight…” With Perry’s new single, “E.T.” about to be released, I know she and her firework-and-whipped-cream spouting bosom will be in our lives throughout 2011.

Sex and the City 2 (aka “Good Lord, stop your whining”) – For years, I ate Sex and the City up with a spoon, followed by a couple of cosmopolitans. When the original Sex and the City movie was released, I was disappointed. (Seriously, Carrie, he treated you like crap for 10 years and left you at the altar. Run, run away in your $400 Blahniks!). When Sex and the City 2 was released in May 2010, I was downright aggravated. Your life’s too overwhelming for you with your million dollar apartment and full-time nanny? Wah! Furious because your husband installed a kick-ass TV in your room so you could snuggle and watch movies together? Bradshaw, I would give up my Nine West boots from Kohl’s to hang out in bed with my husband all night and watch Casino!

iPad causes thousands to salivate – In April, Apple launched the iPad, causing die-hard fans to swarm Apple stores like it was 4 a.m. on Black Friday. For parents, the iPad has become a one-stop information and resource not only for us, but for our kids as well. While the iPad serves as a library, theater and personal assistant, its most important role is as an electronic babysitter to keep energetic preschoolers calm in pediatrician waiting rooms.

OMG! OMG! TV Moments – Because we have two little kids at home, a night out to the movies is a rarity. However, this year, TV provided enough edge-of-your seat thrills and hilarious laughs to dominate over many of the craptastic movies Hollywood litters our theaters with. Breaking Bad and Mad Men were both excellent this season (Don Draper married? WTH?) while The Walking Dead premiere was one of the most disturbing, yet electrifying, hours of television I’ve ever seen. And Sofia Vergara on the Modern Family Halloween episode? Priceless.

Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People­– 2010 witnessed the launch of some incredible books including Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom and Brady Udall’s The Lonely Polygamist. The book I sneak a look at every time I walked into Barnes & Noble? Comedian Amy Sedaris’ Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People. As someone who is handicraft-challenged, I find Sedaris’ instructions for crafts made from salvaged materials hilarious. The Wall Street Journal referred to the book as “a Girl Scout jamboree suddenly overtaken by a band of circus freaks” – and I wholeheartedly agree.

LouFest premieres in St. Louis – With amazing local and national acts, including She & Him, Built to Spill and Carolina Chocolate Drops, LouFest became the premiere St. Louis destination for music fans. Thankfully, due to the overwhelming success of the event, LouFest 2011 has been scheduled for August 27-28 with the lineup to be announced soon. Presale passes already sold out as of December 16^th, but early bird tickets will be released in Spring 2011.

Toy Story 3 creates a nation of crybabies – It’s a rarity in the film world – an animated movie that became a critic’s darling, gripped the attention of rabid, sugar-laden preschoolers, and left parents like me blubbering in our soda-encrusted theater seats. With fabulous CGI graphics and an even better script, it’s no wonder Toy Story 3 leapt to the top of critics’ lists in 2010.

Now my question to my fellow parents is – what pop culture moments of 2010 had the greatest impact on your lives? What about on the lives of your kids?

By Nicole Plegge, Lifestyle Blogger for SmartParenting