by Michele July 14th, 2016| Behavior, Tweens
Earbuds. Headphones. They are everywhere. It's not just a tween problem. Take a walk down any city street, and you'll see a multitude of people walking with either one or both ears hosting an earbud. From shoppers to joggers to executives, a good portion of them have their ears focused
by Michele June 30th, 2016| School, Tweens
As a parent of a tween, you may fondly recall the younger years when your child was excited to learn. Whether it was counting the stairs as you headed to bed or searching for a certain color in a grocery aisle, your little one was proud to show her knowledge.
by Michele June 23rd, 2016| Seasonal, Tweens
Summer is upon us, which for many means it's swimming season. Whether you have access to a pool (in your yard or elsewhere) or make regular trips to the beach or lake, it's important to review water safety rules with your tween. Of course, as an all-knowing tween, your child
by Michele June 16th, 2016| Seasonal, Tweens
If you've been reading the articles this week, you've seen that the theme is gardening. As I contemplated gardening and the tween age group, I did wonder, Do they mix?
I apologize for my ambivalence, but my answer is maybe. It really depends on two things. First, it depends on your
by Michele June 9th, 2016| Communication, Tweens
The tween years can be tricky. (I know, I've said it numerous times.) However, they really can be. During these years we need to focus on our children's self-esteem even more. Of course, we need to do it judiciously, as it is important to give them a good foundation, but
by Michele May 26th, 2016| Behavior, Tweens
I cannot stress this enough, the tween years can be hard. For everyone involved. Out of the pre-college parenting years, I think middle school is the hardest. The kids are trying to figure out where they fit, are dealing with hormonal fluctuations, and are having greater responsibilities placed upon them.
by Michele May 19th, 2016| Seasonal, Tweens
If you're the parent of a tween, you know that he has a decent level of independence (or should). Your tween is at a point where he is handling most of his packing and organizing. Hopefully he's doing things like packing his own lunch, organizing his backpack, bringing the appropriate
by Michele May 12th, 2016| School, Tweens
For students who get a traditional summer break, the school year is coming to an end. As a former teacher, I can assure you that the excitement is prominent on both sides of the equation. There's something gratifying in seeing all of the growth that has been accomplished during the
by Michele May 5th, 2016| Entertainment, Tweens
I've always hiked with my kids, which made hiking a natural choice when they were tweens. Even if it isn't something that you regularly do with your family, I'd suggest taking your tweens on a hike. Why take a hike? Let me count the reasons.
Hiking is a great family activity.
by Michele April 21st, 2016| Safety, Tweens
Somewhere during the middle school years your child may want to stay home alone. Whether it be while you run a quick trip to the grocery store or for a short period of time between the end of the school day and an adult coming home from work, your tween
by Michele April 14th, 2016| Social, Tweens
As your child enters the tween years, he is going to want to spend more time with friends. A lot of this will be spent hanging out at one of their houses- shooting baskets, playing PS4 games, or streaming tv shows. Those are the easy and inexpensive get-togethers. All you
by Michele April 7th, 2016| Communication, Tweens
Do you remember the awkwardness of being a tween? You didn't feel like a kid anymore, but you also weren't a teenager. You were stuck in the in-between of adolescence. One day you wanted to play with your childhood toys, and the next you were enviously studying teen-directed magazines. The