Oh, how I wish I’d had this explanation when I was treating the few “tween” patients I’ve had come through my clinic. You can bet I’m holding onto it for the future.
I don’t normally have a pediatric practice, but from time to time my patients bring their children and grandchildren in. And when they say “My 10, 11, 12, 13-year-old child/grandchild is acting out, upset all the time, depressed or just tired all the time”, my heart used to sink a bit.
Now, armed with this excellent and very age-appropriate explanation, I feel ready to tackle all the tweens that get thrown at me.
This mother’s description of her tween son’s brain is a must-read for all parents.
By understanding the actual changes happening in their brains, adults can address the raging ‘tween’ personality changes in constructive and healthy ways.
We have a responsibility to future generations, parents or not. And one way we can fulfil that responsibility is by engaging them in a manner that benefits them today and going forward. Explanations like those in this article are beneficial, especially as we confront more and more sophisticated thinking in the child-adults we are helping to adulthood.
I hope you enjoy this read as much as I did. And please pass it on to the parents/grandparents of tweens that you know.
Photo credits:
1 – Photo by Joseph Gonzalez on Unsplash
2 – Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash
3 – Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash
4 – Photo by Nathaniel Chang on Unsplash
