What Pre-teens Want: Love & Support
Despite the bravado and the mantra 'It's my life', your child still
needs your support and your unconditional love.
Remember,
underneath the clothes, attitude or whatever it is you don't like, they're
still the same person. They may talk a lot about freedom but they're just
beginning to move away from childhood, and want your help and guidance
on the way.
Out
of his depth?
Your pre-teen may be acting more like an adolescent than a child, and
with this comes new insecurities. Teenagers struggle with identity: Who
am I? What do other people think about me? What do I believe in? The list
of things teens worry about is long - appearance, popularity, lack of
confidence, the future.
Peer pressure
Friends are very important and rejection
or criticism by the peer group is hurtful and leads to feelings of uncertainty
and lack of self-worth. At the same time, your child has to cope with
unfamiliar and increasing pressure to succeed academically. When he has
to deal with these new, grown-up problems, your pre-teen needs you to
believe in him.
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