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Living With a Tween

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By lakeerieartists


Between childhood and adulthood

Tweens are a new phenomenon in the parenting world.
Tweens are a new phenomenon in the parenting world.

Do you have a tween at home?

Do you live with a tween?  What?  You don't know what a tween is?  A tween is a child between child and teenager usually between the ages of 11 and 15 years old.

When I was growing up a generation ago, there was no such thing as tweens.  There were children, teenagers, and adults.  But nowadays, an entire new group of kids has emerged, and rightly so, because our children develop so much faster than we did even just one generation ago.  Tweens are physically and hormonally more developed that we were.  My 12 year old daughter is just one inch shorter than I am and wears adult sized clothes, and she is no where near close to done growing.

But are they even close to as mentally developed as a teenager?  No way, they are still far behind teens in mental and emotional development.  So even though they look like teens or adults, they are not.

Do you live with a tween at home?

  • Yes, and my hair is turning grayer by the minute.
  • No, and thank heaven I don't.
See results without voting

Bryn is my tween


Communicating with Tweens

Tweens can be hard to communicate with because of hormones. The hormones we are used to thinking of being a teenager issue starts much earlier as girls especially start growing faster. Tweens can be very moody, and unsure of themselves. They cry easily, and feel less sef-confident in their new bodies.

One minute they will be happy, the next depressed. It is natural for them to be that way, but you need to keep an eye on them to make sure that the moods are not lasting too long.

Give them boundaries. They will test them over and over. You will have to repeat the rules, and the consequences. But they need your guidance.

Make sure to let them know that you love them. They are at a critical point in their development right now, and need to hold your hand, even if they seem to be pushing you away.

Praise their successes, even if they turn around and disappoint you the next time. They are listening to your every word, every nuance at this age.

Be the calm in the storm of their emotions. You need to be the one who anchors them in a confusing world of propaganda, internet, and peer pressure.

Bryn crazy dancing!


Where do tweens get their information?

Tweens get most of their information from school, the internet, and their peers.  And you have to teach them how to wade through gossip and innuendo to get to the truth.

Since so many of them already have their own Ipods, computers, or at least internet access, it is much, much harder to intercept everything they learn.  It is far more important to make sure that they are required to get permission from you to go anywhere or do anything even if it is with a trusted friend.

As adults, we are much more aware of dangers from the internet, and misleading, and fraudulent practices online, but our tweens are much more trusting, and vulnerable.  Since we cannot really monitor their intake of information, we absolutely need to know where they go, who they go there with, and what they are doing when they are there.  It is our job to protect them, and we as parents must monitor them.


Tweens need to get a lot of exercise

Self-confidence is a big issue for tweens.  Because their bodies are changing, they are uncomfortable with them and need to stay physically fit to use up their boundless energy and strengthen their bodies.

Getting them involved with group activities like team sports will also help them relate better to their peers, and learn teamwork and cooperation.  Try to find sports that are less competitive and more team oriented.


Tweens are Often Hungry

Tweens eat a lot. This is the best age to really get them to start eating healthy meals, because at this age they tend to eat just about anything in front of them. They are growing rapidly, and using up food's resources quickly. However, when they stop growing, they will need to know how to nourish their bodies more efficiently.

Lots of complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables are the best snacks and appetizers. They will take longer to digest and give your tween more nutrients than a sugary snack. They also sustain their energy much longer.

Tweens also need a lot of protein for their growing bodies. This is a good time to teach them about vegetable proteins and the difference between fatty proteins and lean more dense proteins.

Smaller, more frequent meals is a good way for tweens to keep up their energy, and get good, solid nutrition.

Living With a Tween in the News

  • Donât you know Young JV yet?Manila Standard Today23 hours ago

    I met JV Kapunan, Red and Elsa Kapunan’s youngest son, last week. He is called Young JV, but mom Elsa is thinking of dropping the word “young” as his son, now 19, is passing the “tween” phase and moves into adulthood next year.

  • Fashion Forward: Obama looks perfectly polished in TalbotsUSA Today3 days ago

    This week: Michelle Obama raids Talbots for her latest event ensemble.

  • APA Survey Raises Concern About Parent Perceptions Of Children's StressMedical News Today2 days ago

    Stress related to school pressure and family finances has a greater impact on young people than parents believe, according to a new national survey released by the American Psychological Association (APA). Building on past research indicating that stress is a top health concern for U.S.

  • FYI, Monday, Nov. 9The Columbian3 days ago

    Clubs• TUESDAYMUSTANGS UNLIMITED CAR CLUB, 7:30 p.m. meeting at the American Legion, 4607 N.E. St. Johns Road. All members and Ford enthusiasts are...

  • Har Mar Superstar: The continuing adventuresMinneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune6 days ago

    Babe in video? Check. First album in five years? Check. HBO series in development? Check and exclamation point.

  • MeetingsThe State7 days ago

    PUBLIC TRANSIT MEETING: 10 a.m.-noon Saturday at the Eau Claire Print Building, 3907 Ensor Ave. (Ensor Avenue and North Main Street). All residents of Richland County and the city of Columbia are invited to offer input concerning their transportation needs or desires and how the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority can make changes to attract new riders. Coffee and doughnuts will be ...

  • Cinemania 2009Hour.ca7 days ago

    French cinephiles rejoice! It's that most wonderful time of year, when Montreal's Cinemania festival gathers the best cinematic exports from the Old Country, fully complete with English subtitles, to satisfy revellers on both sides of the so-called linguistic "divide" here in the New World.


Appreciate your tween while you can

Tweens turn into teenagers, then adults very quickly so appreciate your tween while you can.  Although you may be earning some additional gray hairs during this part of your child's life, you will soon see it pass by. 

They really do grow so quickly, almost before our very eyes.  Sometimes, I think that I can tell that my daughter has gotten taller just overnight.

Comments

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Janet21 profile image

Janet21  says:
6 months ago

My daughter is 11 and she is definitely much more mature than I was at that age. Kids grow up so much faster today. I wish that wasn't the case. I wish they could stay innocent for a bit longer, but with everything they hear at school, her innocence is slipping away fast.

thegreenerme profile image

thegreenerme  says:
6 months ago

No tweens or babies here yet! It's definitely a difficult age to go through. Great to see you over here on hubpages!

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