Tweens
Age 10-12 years
Today's precocious preteens often shock parents when they begin to act like teenagers. Don't be fooled, they’re still children. They’ll astonish you with their ability to conceptualize, to argue brilliantly, and then to do foolish things.
The Middle School years are a time of magical blossoming, but like all huge transitions in our kids' lives, they’re filled with ups and downs. As with parenting toddlers, parents who don’t accept and constructively negotiate their child's blossoming independence invite rebellion, or even worse, deception.
The biggest danger for tweens is losing the connection to parents while struggling to find their place and connect in their peer world. The biggest danger for parents is trying to parent through power instead of through relationship, thus eroding their bond and losing their influence on their child as she moves into the teen years.
Start Here:
Peaceful Parenting Your Preteen
Here's your game-plan to encourage healthy habits and values while navigating your preteen's need for age-appropriate independence.
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Staying Close to Your Tween Daughter
If you can adjust your parenting to her new needs, the tween years are the perfect time to strengthen your relationship with your preteen daughter.
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Beyond Discipline for Preteens
Here's how to deal with preteens and discipline using respectful, positive guidance and WITHOUT relying on punishment (including timeouts and consequences).
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