As age 12 for my wonderful son rolls ever closer, I am taken aback quite frequently by the abrupt changes - both positive and, hmmmm - well - challenging, shall we say?
The leaps in the cognitive processes are rather astounding. Particularly when coupled with the rather variable moods.
Is this where I start hanging on for dear life?
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I suspect this is where you look back and think that all the worrying you've done up to this point was just silly nonsense.
Good luck.
As a wise person once told me, however, you have laid the foundation and you have to trust that your messages got in there somehow. Reinforcing those messages is still important, but your child is going to use his own judgement more and more.
It is also important to watch for serious signs of negative change. If your "good student" starts pulling F's, don't wait or ascribe it to hormones. That's a sign (in some cases) of serious problems that aren't addressable by discipline alone.
You have to be a monitor and a guide even though you may no longer be the acknowledged "ruler" of your kid's life.
<insert: this is, of course, advice from someone who hasn't got any kids.>
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
It seems like just a few short years ago that I worried that the art of reading would never click on in his brain. Now, I worry about how to get him to put the books down long enough to do his homework and chores! *grin*
And a few years before that I worried that health concerns would not allow enough time for him to even learn to read.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)