"To kick off summer this year, my two daughters—ages 9 and 12—went to my mother-in-law’s house in northern Michigan for Memorial Day weekend. They spent time with their cousins, took rides in the golf cart, and even did a cold plunge in the lake. Along with my niece, age 11, they also hit a tween summer milestone—they watched the 1995 movie Now & Then for the first time.
Chronically on a budget and short on time? Opt for ordering a personalized Father's Day card online and delivering it to their door. Use code EVERYMOM for 50% off your first card!
That quintessential summer movie played on repeat at sleepovers when I was their age, too. For those who haven’t seen the movie, Now & Then is a coming-of-age flick set during the early 1970s—you could say it’s the girls’ The Sandlot. It follows four friends—Roberta, Tina (Teeny), Samantha, and Chrissy—who reunite as adults and reminisce about a memorable summer when they were 12 years old. The movie stars Christina Ricci, Thora Birch, Gaby Hoffman, and Ashleigh Aston Moore as the young characters. And Rosie O’Donnell, Melanie Griffith, Demi Moore, and Rita Wilson as the grown-up friends.
When my daughters came back home, they were raving about how they saw “the best movie.” When I asked what it was, I couldn’t believe they’d watched one of my favorite summer movies without me! So we rewatched Now & Then again together (the movie is streaming on AppleTV and available to rent on multiple platforms). And now my wish for them is to have a Now & Then summer.
Rewatching Now & Then with my kids
Like many parents, I often wonder whether the family movies I loved as a kid are actually appropriate for my kids to watch. After rewatching Now & Then, there were some mildly inappropriate parts I’d forgotten. For example, the girls come across the boys (including pre-Casper ‘90s heartthrob Devon Sawa) skinny-dipping in the creek. The girls also have some discussions about the male anatomy, hence the movie’s PG-13 rating.
But overall, Now & Then felt wholesome and authentic to what it feels like to be a 12-year-old girl. And it holds up now, according to my tweens. From crush talk to witchy activities to puberty hopes and woes, Now & Then covers it all. Not to mention some more mature topics many kids have to deal with, like divorce and death, whether they’re ready for them or not. But female friendship and nostalgic summer vibes are really where the movie gets its magic.
Remembering the magic of a simpler summer
You can’t scroll through social media right now without seeing a nostalgic post about summer. So many of us are looking back toward simpler summer joys—jumps through the sprinkler, bike rides through the neighborhood, or catching fireflies after dark. Now & Then captures summer nostalgia but also something more. It bottles up the fleeting time between childhood and the teenage years when newfound freedom, self-discovery, and friendships become life’s focus.
Giving my kids moments to experience a Now & Then summer
But the majority of kids today don’t have as much freedom as the kids in our favorite summer movies. It’s tough to give them an unstructured summer because parents are working and need childcare. Between camps and activities—all necessary for working parents in the summer—kids have less time to roam free and go on adventures. Does this mean our children won’t have summer magic? No. But their summers will probably be different. Which is why I’m hoping my girls and I can get a little inspired by Now & Then when it comes to unplugging and adventuring this summer. We live in a town where it is safe to give them a little more freedom, so I’m going to encourage:
- Taking bike rides into town with friends—although not as far as the girls did in the movie, and mine will be wearing bike helmets
- Going to a restaurant or a coffee shop with friends—and no parents
- Having impromptu (water) fights—maybe even with the boys down the street
- Playing backyard games with the neighbors—like Red Rover!
- Letting them stay up until the streetlights come on—if they’re playing outside and I know generally where they are
- Hanging out at the library—although maybe not researching unsolved murders
- Helping with household projects like gardening—or painting the garage
- Earning money for a common goal—like the girls did to buy their treehouse
At the same time, I don’t want my kids skinny-dipping, falling down sewers, hanging out in graveyards, or sneaking out of the house at night. Rather, I’m channeling Now & Then as more of our summer vibe. Because before they know it, my girls will have summer jobs and more responsibilities. So right now, I want them to still relish the childhood magic of summer.
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
Kathy Sisson has been a key contributor in the editorial parenting space for eight years, not only as a full-time editor at The Everymom but previously as a freelance writer for top parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, Parent Co., and more. As an editor at The Everymom, she has produced hundreds of articles on a range of parenting topics, reviewed dozens of family-focused products, interviewed leading experts in the children and parenting world, and created viral parenting social media content. A mom of two, she is committed to sharing the honest, helpful, and often humorous stories of motherhood.