As amazing as it is to watch our kids grow up, it can be difficult to say goodbye to some parts of their personalities as they mature.
As they head into their pre-teen or tween years, our little darlings will start to make some major changes.
Many things they liked before will be completely removed from their radar, and they’ll start to embrace new hobbies and habits.
While you can wait and enjoy the ride first-hand, we like to prepare ourselves for what is coming.
So, here are four things you can expect to happen when your child enters their tween years.
1. Physical changes
While we’re obviously aware of the changes that go along with puberty, it can be quite a shock when our sons come home from school a few inches taller than when we dropped them off.
It’s important to treat them the same and not to make a big deal out of their changes; no doubt they’ll be coming to terms with their ever-changing frame. The physical changes can come with some confusion, so don’t be afraid to have those conversations with them.
2. Not-so-softly spoken
While not everyone is the same, some tweens can develop more of an attitude than you might be used to. Whether they become distant or start to speak more harshly than they did before, remember that they are still just kids.
Tread carefully when it comes to sarcasm; this one we learned the hard way.
3. Night owls
Whether you struggled to get them to sleep before or not, no doubt this problem will rear its ugly head now that they’re getting older.
While they’ll demand you to let them stay up later, getting a good night’s sleep is still incredibly important.
Sleep can easily affect our mood, and making sure you’re getting enough sleep is one way to combat the morning blues.
4. Busy bees
As they head towards their teen years, their schedules will start to get a whole lot busier. From after-school activates to chill-time with their friends, get used to them spending less and less time at home.
It’s important to make sure they don’t become overwhelmed by their increasingly busy schedule, however; so if it seems to be becoming too much, take something off their plate.
