Tween Stages - What to Expect from Your Eight to Ten Year Old Child

You survived the terrible twos and even, the toddler stages. Now, you are looking at your beautiful baby as a tween. You may have noticed the terrible twos never go away. They change as your child grows. If you have a girl, tween years can be especially difficult. Boys have their own set of challenges. Here are a few items that can be attributed to the tween years.

The terrible twos consist of tantrums. As your child gets older the tantrums change to talking back, and even crying fits. You will think your child is two years old again. The tween will more than likely push things away and even refuse help. You should be able to talk them out of their fit. Humor works really well for my tween. This usually occurs between six and eight years old. The talking back never goes away, but with a little love and a lot of patience it will subside.

Another tween stage is the dramatic stage. There is not an actor in the world that can out-do an eight year old diva going through her tween stage. Everything is a big deal. This is a stage that also goes into teen years. Everyone has hurt your tween and they do not like her. Predictably, tomorrow she will tell you the same person that hated her today is her best friend. The world is your tween's stage. Everyone in the world is just another "thing".

Tweens go through a trying stage similar to that of toddlers. This is the stage where they will try to get away with everything. You have to watch your tween to see if he or she is lying or covering up the truth. Check behind them every time the opportunity arises. Even if your tween does not lie to you intentionally, he or she is going through so many changes that sometimes their mind gets information confused. This starts at about eight years.

My tween is always forgetting homework or books. I have to go behind her writing down homework. She hates to write, at least for homework. Sometimes, she just gets things backwards or only listens to half of what is said. I have to call the teacher or another parent just to make sure we are doing things correctly. Parenting advice, you just have to let your child take the consequences of his or her actions. I tried that too and besides the tears, it really did not work. She is still a young tween, so time may make a difference.

If you remember being a teenager and knowing everything, you ought to live with a tween. These little people aren't even in high school and yet they are telling you what to do! Tweens will tell you "I know" a million times and still not do it or not do it the way you have asked them to. Tweens can be extremely tiring, like two year olds.

By the time the night finally arrives and bedtime is minutes away, you are blissfully aware of the end of the day and the finale to your favorite tween saga, at least, for the day.