Transcript
0:00 You've also worked so much with parents of kind of kids in those messy middle childhood years. What tends to catch them by surprise? I think what happens is they feel like wait I am starting to feel competent or I have just started to feel competent and now all of a sudden who is this kid? It's not one day but it can feel like and then one day they're like I don't even like that anymore. >> Yes.
0:24 >> Or like oh no that you know band or whatever that's that's like dumb. I'm not into that. If you're like, "Wait, what? When were you gonna give me the memo?" Like, "This was your favorite. I swear last week." >> When they're young, they're kind of a planet that orbits around us. They gaze at us. And even when they're annoyed, or even when they're melting down, you know, they need you. When they're younger, presence is really important, but they're kind of all over the place.
0:45 And then when they become like a tween, and when I say that, I mean they're probably starting puberty. They're having hormonal shifts. They're confused themselves. They don't need a playmate anymore. They really need the steady person to almost go back to and be like, "Wait, who am I again?" And then your presence reminds them and they're like, "That's who I was and now I'm off to go figure out who I am
Summary
- Parents may feel competent in their parenting until their child suddenly changes interests.
- Tweens often reject previously loved activities or interests, leaving parents bewildered.
- Younger children tend to orbit around their parents, needing them for guidance and support.
- As children enter puberty, they experience hormonal shifts that contribute to their confusion and desire for independence.
- Tweens require a steady presence from parents to help them navigate their identity.
- Parents play a crucial role in reminding tweens of their past selves as they explore who they are becoming.