If youâve ever woken up wondering which version of your child youâll get today⌠congratulations. Youâre raising a tween.
One minute theyâre sweet, chatty, and asking for a snack.
The next minute theyâre dramatically sighing because you spoke.
Welcome to the mood ring years â where emotions change faster than the weather and parents are left trying to decode the color of the day.
Tweens can go from laughing uncontrollably to deeply offended in under 30 seconds. And no, they canât explain why. Their brains are under construction, emotions are leveling up, and logic has temporarily stepped out for coffee.
They feel everything â friendships, embarrassment, excitement, disappointment â all at full volume.
Hereâs the tricky part:
They want independence, but they still need reassurance.
They want privacy, but they still crave connection.
They want you close⌠just not too close.
They may roll their eyes in public but still want a hug at bedtime. And honestly? That contradiction is kind of beautiful.
Tween brains are rewiring at lightning speed. Emotional responses fire faster than reasoning skills, which means feelings come first and explanations come⌠maybe later.
This isnât bad behavior â itâs development. Messy, emotional, confusing development.
To feel heard, not fixed
To know theyâre safe expressing big feelings
To be reminded theyâre loved on hard days
To know youâre still there, even when they push away
Sometimes the best thing you can do is sit nearby, offer snacks, and wait.
If youâre exhausted, confused, or wondering if youâre doing this right â you are not alone.
Raising tweens isnât about having all the answers. Itâs about staying steady while everything else feels unpredictable. Itâs about being the calm in the emotional color swirl.
And if todayâs mood ring is flashing every color at once?
Deep breath. Tomorrow might be blue. Or green. Or glittery chaos again.
Youâve got this. Even when it feels like you donât. đđ