S A F E T Y

Ages 8-12. The Tween years what to expect?

Being a parent nowadays most of you will have heard of the term “tween”. We’re here to walk you through the psyche of the “tweens”.

The word tween is used to describe an age group of children that are between being a child and a teenager. Namely, the ages of 8-12. Most of these children are in middle school and are quickly approaching puberty, along with all the challenges that adolescence brings.

Being a parent nowadays most of you will have heard of the term “tween”. We’re here to walk you through the psyche of the “tweens”.

The word tween is used to describe an age group of children that are between being a child and a teenager. Namely, the ages of 8-12. Most of these children are in middle school and are quickly approaching puberty, along with all the challenges that adolescence brings.

The tween years are a time of immense transition and change. Thus in this digital era it is both easier and harder for them to fall prey to a whole host of problems

As you can see the internet is a huge part of a tweens life and thus plays a role in shaping your child. The influence of the Internet and media on the psychosocial development of children is profound. Thus, it is important for parents to monitor their child’s exposure to media and to provide guidance on age-appropriate use of all media, including television, radio, music, video games, and the Internet.

There has been an increase in parents of 8-112s and 12-15s themselves saying that controlling screen time has become harder; however, most 12s consider they have struck a good balance between this and doing other things.

So let’s take a look at what are children spending this time on? Here are some of the trends in online searches by tweens:

Many parenting experts and analysts believe that tweens are the targets of marketers for their money and the influence they have over what their parents buy. We can’t forget that it was the “tween power” that made Hannah Montana, the Jonas brothers, and Harry Potter a household name.

It is prudent to note that tweens are exposed to unhealthy doses of violence, sex, drugs, and other behaviors through the internet.

It is prudent that parents help their tween and counteract negative influences. Your family values will go a long way to helping your tween navigate these tricky times.