Parents who think their children are growing up too fast may not be simply lamenting the passage of time. Child development experts agree that physical and emotional changes that would have happened to teenagers years ago are now common among children age 8 to 12, or “tweens,” according to the Associated Press.
Children have easier access to contemporary influences that parents don’t approve of, such as images of sex, violence and adult humor in movies, music, video games, television shows and websites. Some kids start dating at earlier ages and carry cell phones, AP said, and girls wear makeup and clothing that is well beyond their years. Many tweens are increasingly disrespectful of their parents.
“The shift that’s turning tweens into the new teens is complex — and worrisome to parents and some professionals who deal with children,” AP said Nov. 26. “They wonder whether children are equipped to handle the thorny issues that come with the adolescent world.”
Along with the article was a list of tips for parents of tweens, which began with advising parents to set limits such as “You can’t go to an R-rated movie.” Also, parents must recognize teachable moments when they’ll be able to convey to their kids their own family values. Parents might want to seek a support system through a circle of likeminded parents facing the same tween challenges, AP said.
And parents are advised to keep a close relationship with their children because such relationships often offer alternatives to violent and sexual messages.