Tween Parenting: Laying the Foundation at Preschool

Bringing up girls is a test of one’s discernment, patience and wisdom. And especially for Mummies. I think before man invented mirrors, there were Mummies and Daughters!

Nicole is now 10, and Nadine is 7. And of course the younger one is on her own journey as she grows up. Nothing is replicated in the parenting journey. She’s loving school, making new friends, exerting her rights and making decisions to define her passions and preferences.

And we have Nicole. hmm… At 10, she has an incredible talent at rolling her eyes. She is also able to make the most cynical comments over an innocent plate of spaghetti. And she is a amazingly bossy and naggy! The way she gets her younger siblings to clean up their mess, the tone she uses when they monkey around after bedtime and her very natural defensive mechanism that comes up when you least expect it!

I know this is part of growing up, and it seems normal, from all the conversations I had with fellow mummies, and books I read. At the same time, I’m also very mindful that beneath all that, there’s still a very sensitive little girl who’s just a tad bit nervous about growing up.

So you have a tween who is extremely excited when she finds a Kway Chap stall (yup, she loves it!), who watches Sofia the First with her sister, who still keeps trying to break an egg without crushing the shell, who writes little notes to describe her day and leaves them by my pillow, who enjoys doing up new hairstyles with the countless hair accessories she owns… the list goes on.

It’s such times that I know those pre-school and lower primary years were critical in building those values and character foundations. I’m learning to manage all that early teenage angst, and I’m comforted that the initial building blocks are dug well within her. Trusting God now for greater wisdom and patience as we enter this new parenting phase.

Posting one of my favourite photos of the two girls…

Sisters

(Visited 259 times, 1 visits today)