All of a sudden I realize, that tweenitis is upon us. Now, there was a time, that preteen type behavior did not hit until closer to 12. These days tweenitis begins much earlier than it did back in my day. Back in my day, no I am not getting old or middle aged.
The definition of a tween as per google:
A tween is a child between the ages of 9 and 12. A tween is no longer a little child, but not quite a teenager. While a tween is not yet in the midst of adolescence, he or she will face a variety of obstacles in the next few years including transitioning from elementary school to middle school, approaching puberty, increasing responsibilities, increasing amounts of homework, and exposure to dangerous behaviors by their peers including drugs, sex, and more.
Now today while in the Christian bookstore, let me plug Lifeway Christian Stores here, LOVE that store. And yes I used love because the sheer help their products have been to me. I found a book called : Mom's Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl World by Nancy Rue. She sets the time for tween age as 8 to 12. I agree with her. My sweet daughter can be wonderfully all little girl one day and the next seem like a moody teen girl. She is already being faced with decisions I never dreamed of at 8. Her "best friend" told her yesterday she wouldn't be friends with her anymore, because she was treating her like a baby. I said, Well, what happened Hannah? Hannah said "Mommy I have no idea, she just, like that, didn't want to be my friend". I talked with her about how kids will do that and that we must forgive and be that person's friend regardless. But really "mean girls" at 8 years old. It blows my mind. Hannah is a sweet, compassionate little girl. I just pray that she never treats another child the way she was treated yesterday. Peer pressure at 8 to wear ear rings, like or not like a certain pop star. How it isn't cool to wear some things but it okay to wear others. Is it just me, or does it appear that the waves of tween/teen times is about to crash over this house. I do not remember it being quite so intense at age 8. I played with everyone and while I had a "best friend" she happened to be my sister. My friends at school were all equally liked and I played with whomever would play. Now in the 2nd grade, they are already dividing into cool, not so cool and who knows what else. Where Hannah, falls....I have no idea. I hope I can teach her, that a girl needs to be herself and be proud of who God has made her to be.
Christopher being well into his tween years seems to be weathering it pretty well. Although, apparently he has had to ask some guy questions of his father, that Mommy is not privy to know. I find it cute and precious that he knows he can go to his Daddy with these questions. I sure do NOT know how to answer. The fact that puberty, is just around the corner has sent me running to the Word of God and Christian books about teens and tweens. I now have in my possession a book about boys and dealing with these difficult years and one for girls.
Jenny is still refreshingly, completely and utterly all LITTLE girl with her cute pronunciations, and view of the world as filled with sunshine and rainbows. My older two are all too aware that life is not all sunshine, rainbows and butterflies. They are already facing things that requires them to be secure in themselves and in their Lord. My job as a mother, is to guide them. I am not afraid on one hand, but on the other, the responsibility sends me quaking to my knees to cry out FATHER, help me know what to do. He is my source and the one who can help me, and help me to help them weather this next chapter in life. Puberty...it isn't here yet..but it headed this way full force.
I pray that as a mother I can be a shining example of womanhood to both my son and my daughters. Both of them need to see me as a Godly, prayerful woman, who seeks God for EVERY situation. They need to see me being a wife to Mike that is supportive and loving and prayerful. In seeing that, they will learn what they need for the future. I can not do this in my own strength...so I look to my Redeemer from whom my help comes. I also pray that as a mother, I will use wisdom as to when to let go and little and when to hold on tight and hold them back for stuff they are not ready to face yet.
Now...off to read and get ready for my kids to come home and spend some quality time, planting seeds and watering them so that my children can blossom into who God is making them to be.
