Serve Them on Occasion
As our children grow older, we rightly give them more responsibilities and independence. We expect them to contribute more at home. Pre-teens are dealing with increasing societal pressure. Their trying to find their way through complex situations and keep up with more demanding academic work on top of those higher expectations at home.
Let us not forget that, although they look big as they stand nearly nose to nose with us, they’re still children. Ease the pressure by serving them sometimes. Bring them breakfast in bed or clean their room for them. These acts of service speak of our love in a way that words cannot.
Show Interest
Show your pre-teen that you’re interested in her feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Be empathetic to the situations they are facing, and ensure she understands that you are on her side and always will be. This is a critical time for the relationship because if we are too judgmental, critical, or negative, our kids will stop turning to us and rely more on their peers to be understood and accepted.
While it’s still important to guide them, the relationship should be one of the top priorities, because our guidance will only matter if they know that matter to us!
For more parenting tips for teens and tweens, check out this article.
