At What Age Do You Consider a Kid a Tween?

If you feel as though your child woke up one morning with a different body, mind and attitude, you̵7;re not alone. Many parents watch with astonishment as their tween transforms and heads into the double digits with a bang. This is a time of transition for both of you and the more you familiarize yourself with what to expect and how to deal with your preteen, the smoother this time will be.

  1. Age Range

    • Tweens fall in the middle of childhood and the teenage years. The name ̶0;tween̶1; is referring to the between years. Usually when you hear someone being called a ̶0;tween,̶1; the name is referring to a 10- to 12-year-old. Depending on who you talk to, 9-year-olds might also be included in this category.

    Also Known As

    • You can use ̶0;tween̶1; interchangeable with the label ̶0;preteen.̶1; These are two names for the same age group and refer to the same ̶0;between̶1; or ̶0;pre-teenage̶1; years. You could even call this age group the ̶0;pre-adolescent̶1; group and it would have the same meaning.

    What to Expect

    • Your child will start to hit puberty at some point during these years and everything changes. Not only will you notice changes in his body, you will also notice more emotional ups-and-downs, testing of the limits and disagreements. He might start giving you some attitude that you̵7;ve never seen before. He will be striving for independence and finding new interests during this time.

    How to Deal

    • Get ready to take some deep breaths and learn to choose your battles. You̵7;re not going to win every argument or get her to see your point of view on everything, so let some of the little issues go. Even if you can̵7;t get your tween to readily take your advice or instructions, KidsHealth suggests modeling the qualities that you want her to learn and practice, such as healthful eating and respecting others. Even if she̵7;s pulling away, let her know that you love her and appreciate her every day. Try to have family meal time and one-on-one time. Stay involved and interested in her life.

    2. Previous:

    Next: