Moonpreneur
It has always been said that Parenting is a full-time job. It doesn’t matter which part of the world you hail from being a parent to an 8 to a 12-year-old child can be tough, especially in the digital age of YouTube, Amazon, Facebook, and Google as well as several emerging AI tools such as ChatGPT and Midjourney, etc.
A child who is in this age group is a different person than what they were a few years ago and it has been observed that establishing a strong parent-child relationship in these years can lay a solid foundation to help your kid glide through the adolescence period.
1. Give them their share of time
Every kid needs time and attention from their parents. You must make time from your busy schedule to check on them every day regularly. This helps establish an open communication channel between you and your kid. In America, mothers with college degrees spend 120 minutes a day on average with their kids. Fathers with university degrees only spend 85 minutes a day on average with their kids.
Taking out minutes before bedtime or while you’re cleaning up and hearing them talk about their day makes you aware of the things going on at their end. Also doing something together like enjoying a sport or camping might help you in bonding closely with your kids and it can become a rewarding experience!!
2. Become more than a parent, become their friend!!
It is always said that to know what your child is up to you should develop an interest in the things they watch or do. This helps you to keep up with the type of content they are consuming online as well as helps you as a parent can engage in an open dialogue with them, and this shall serve as a vital means of connection, enabling you to tackle topics that range from school to social media trends. This would help you keep an eye out in order to ensure their safety both online and offline.
3. Take interest in their interests
A survey of 2,000 parents of school-aged children found that 35% of them believe their kids will pursue careers in a STEM field in the future. Pre-adolescence is the time when kids start to develop various interests both academically and in several extracurriculars. Thus it is important to form a strong bond with them to help them feel confident enough to pursue their interests.
If your child has a deep interest in Robots then we at Moonpreneur cater to 7 to 16-year-old kids through our holistically designed Robotics program and we can assist your kids to pursue it in the most fun way possible!!
4. Try to be more understanding
They are not the same kids once they have entered the pre-adolescent stage. The way you as a parent approach them matters the most in communicating effectively. It is wiser to get to know about their day while having a conversation with them rather than bomb them with questions. The key is mostly listening to everything they have to talk about and being non-judgemental about their concerns.
For starters, you can ask questions like, “Who did you have lunch with today?” or “Can you show what you learned today?”
5. Support them
Your child needs you the most at this stage as they may be confused as to how to handle certain situations, which interest one should pursue academically to ensure their college applications look good in the future, or how to fit in the new friend group at school, etc. Your support can help them navigate through their turbulent years of pre-adolescence and adolescence effectively.
6. Try setting higher standards
Kids look up to their parents for being the correct role model. According to a survey, roughly 67.4% of mothers and 60.2% of fathers are the preferred role models for kids between the ages of 8 and 18.
When you set standards high for yourself you help them in setting higher goals in their life as well, thereby becoming a good role model for your kids. Kids must learn early in their life that through enough hard work and dedication, they can achieve their goals in life and you can play a pivotal role in making them see that.
7. Avoid making topics a taboo
In a study, 2,000 parents of children aged 5 to 18 were asked to reflect on their attitudes toward sex as well as how they have discussed it with their children. 58 % of respondents said they’ve already talked to their kids about sex, and 21 % say they’ll do it soon. A similar number of people (21%) nonetheless do not intend to discuss “sex talk” at all. To add to that a recent survey found that 6 in 10 American parents said they were brought up to believe sex was “taboo.”
Making topics like drugs, alcohol, and sex a taboo in the household won’t help your child because those things are still out there and peer pressure can make kids do unwise things. Having an open environment related to these topics is essential as it helps your child talk about it and understand why is it wrong for them to indulge in it.
Wrapping It Up!!
Parenting pre-teens can be exciting and challenging, but with these seven tips, you can get through it effectively and maintain a positive parent-child bond. Keep in mind to set a good example, promote healthy habits, encourage their interests, and be patient and understanding.
You may provide your pre-teens the encouragement and nurturing environment they need to thrive and develop into confident people who are prepared to face the challenges of puberty and beyond by putting a few of these hacks into practice.
Moonpreneur is on a mission to educate and ignite the flames of entrepreneurship through our holistically created online STEM programs, which will help kids master the futuristic sciences such as Robotics, Game Development, App Development, Advanced Math, and much more!!
Register for a free 60-minute robotics workshop today!
Adding a tip on teaching financial responsibility is also a good hack to try on.
Absolutely, teaching financial responsibility is a crucial aspect of parenting. It can help kids understand the value of money and develop good saving habits early on.
Setting high standards leads to unnecessary pressure on kids. It’s essential to strike a balance between setting goals and allowing them to explore their interests naturally.
You’re right, balance is key. While high standards can motivate, they must not overwhelm. Allowing natural exploration fosters genuine growth and self-discovery, which are essential for a well-rounded development.
Isn’t blurring the parent-friend line a concern for discipline?
Kids nowadays share their thoughts only when they feel their parents won’t overreact. You need to treat your kids like you are their friend so that they feel the connection while sharing anything. However, at the same time, you should also take up authoritative steps to ensure their discipline.