A tween (pre-teen) is a child who is between the stages of childhood and adolescence.
Children start their tween years somewhere around ages 9-12 years old. The exact age can vary, with some children showing signs as early as 8 years of age. Some tweens may be in this stage until they’re 13 years old. Regardless of the exact age, tweens all have one thing in common at this stage of life: they experience significant physical, cognitive, and emotional changes as they approach puberty. During this stage you may notice your tween’s emerging individuality and desire for independence and self-expression.
One of the biggest differences you’ll notice from childhood to the tween and teen years is the mental maturity of your child. They will, quite simply, begin to grow up. Their brain is growing and maturing in ways that are helping them develop more mature tastes, and further understand the world around them. While you’ll see the first signs of mental maturity in the tween years, the teen years are where your child will truly grow into an adult. During this stage, adolescents assert their individuality and seek independence.
Some of the challenges that tweens & teens face are:
At Growing Mindful NYC, Michelle can help empower your tween or teen by helping them develop self-awareness, distress-tolerance and problem-solving skills in order to better cope with challenging experiences and emotions.