Tweens!

Have you ever said to yourself "who are you and what have you done with my child"?  I seem to be saying that a lot lately, you see I have a tween.  A tween is a youngster between the ages of nine and 12 and considered too old to be a child and too young to be a teenager.

My ten year old, sorry I was just corrected.  My 10 1/2 year old and I have always had a good relationship.  I have always told my children that they can come talk to me anytime day or night.  There have been many 3 a.m. talk sessions (I would not trade those for anything).  Lately it seems as though we are doing more butting heads than talking.  When I ask my son to do anything from homework to completing his chores.  I am greeted with huffing and puffing, rolling of the eyes, talking under his breath, and my favorite "I hate this, why do I have to do everything" stomp stomp stomp.  Where is my sweet child who wants to curl up on the couch and read a book with me?  I know that he is trying to assert his independence, figure out who he is and what he likes and doesn't like, but sheesh I want my lovable little boy back.

I was talking to my mom on the phone and telling her about what we have been going through.  I could actually hear her SMILING, especially when she told me "I had one like that, no make that two".  I had better practice saying the Serenity Prayer because in a couple of years I will have a teenager and another tween.

I have noticed that there is a ton of information about tween girls, but there doesn't seem to be the same emphasis on tween boys.  Why is that?  Boy go through a lot of changes during this stage as well.