Ask:
What is the best thing about being a mom to a tweener?
Answer:
He's is starting to be more independent.Which i like!Since he can get his own snacks and make himself sandwiches,microwave foods,drinks.But he is still at the stage where he wants me to still tuck him in at night,which i like Because i know that will end soon.(he's 11)
Answer:
My dd is 10 and she is sooooo thoughtful. She will make surprise notes, pictures, or cards if someone is feeling down or sick. I, also, like the fact that she can do most anything on her own. She still asks permission before getting something to eat or drink, but is able to fix her own. I also love that she still loves for me to read her picture books when I read them to my son. That is some sweet together time.
Answer:
Like the previous posters, I love it that they are getting so independent. They are handling their responsibilities really well.
My twin tweens can go from being super independent to kissing me goodbye in front of their classmates. It lets me know that even if they wanted to act like they didn't need me, they still do.
And I can't believe I'm saying this but I like that they are unpredictable. Just when I think they're gonna feel a certain way about something or react typically, they surprise me. It definitely is keeping me on my toes.
Answer:
ok my son is only 5 months old, so he has awhile until he's a tweenie. But I teach middle and high school and thought I'd post a reply so you can hear what an "objective" person thinks of these guys.
They're great fun! I enjoy teaching middle school kids for a number of reasons. One is their enthusiasm! Kids this age can get excited about anything, as long as it's sold to them in the right packaging. Being a math teacher, I'm becoming an expert in sales as I try to get them excited about practicing fractions, learning algebra, etc.
At this age, as you have already commented, they are becoming independent but still need their parents and lots of guidance. They are learning to think for themselves, with adult brains, for the first time, and it is exciting to watch. They learn to start testing boundaries and while this is healthy, they definitely appreciate having them and being disciplined.
I like teaching kids this age because they are fun, unpredictable, keen, interested, but still malleable. While I much prefer teaching the subject and content at the high school level (because the material is more interesting for me personally), I miss the excitement found in the middle school classroom. Good thing I teach all levels, that way I get a good mix.
Enjoy your tweens! Pretty soon they'll be typical moody teenagers... (who are also a joy to teach, but for different reasons all together.)