Raising tweens
So you have a tween…
Perhaps she's 11 years old, wants to be 16 one minute and plays with her Barbies the next, explores fashion, dance, and makeup tips via TikTok yet still wants you to tuck her in at night with her lifelong stuffed bunny by her side.
Or, he’s halfway to 13, doling out opinions largely extracted from YouTube, obsessed with his buddies, sports, and bodily noises yet often close to tears and in need of a snuggle when even a minor thing doesn’t go his way.
As a parent of a tween, you’re likely on a rollercoaster of emotions - confused, enamored, awed, and more than a little frustrated. You’ve probably asked yourself more than one, “Who are you and what have you done with my kid?”
I’m glad you’re here.
Raising a tween is a conundrum! They are conundrum that morph before our eyes from affectionate and silly kids one minute to a mystery of contradicting behaviors the next.
One day they are cuddly, attentive, and enjoy our company. Another day they are unpredictable, moody, and uncooperative.
They are old enough to be genuinely funny, playful, and more in-tune and insightful about the world around them. Yet despite one foot in adulthood, tweens are going through a complex neurological development process, which leaves everyone in the family, including them, wondering about what is going on.
As a parent of a tween boy and a 5-year old, I know how challenging “tween-dom” can be. As a practicing Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in Emotional Connection for over 20 years, I bring parenting and relationship insight and research to help parents find clarity and connection with their tweens and each other. As a woman and parent of faith, I incorporate spiritual insights to help empower you and your family along the way.
Join us for the journey!
This is a community for and by parents. We will be posting regular blog updates and podcast episodes, “workbook” resources, suggested tools, and other insights for parents of tweens. Sign up below to receive updates by email and follow us on social to keep up to date.