I love tweeners. Always have. There is something about this awkward, geeky, confusing, overwhelming, mysterious time that both excites and scares me at the same time. As the mother of 5, who has successfully negotiated her way through the tweener stage, I am appreciative of those still in it.

When we take the time to invite our children into their lives from the earliest possible days, we provide an environment rich in support, encouragement and faith.

As a result, we have kids who enter the world of tweenerdom who exhibit a sort of swagger and confidence that comes from KNOWING that they can handle what comes their way. They are more deeply embedded in their lives and as a result, are happy with themselves and with those around them.

So if you are experiencing the first pangs of what I call “push back” from your tweeners, it could be that they aren’t feeling as confident about their lives as they might.

Enjoy this video and remember, rebellion IS NOT the natural state of these amazing tweeners.