Parents of children aged 9 to 12 know that tweenhood brings some unique challenges. Your growing children are definitely not tiny babies anymore, but they’re still your babies, right? Here’s our ultimate list of the funniest 13 telltale signs you have a tween!
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Ready to chuckle? Here we go…
1. They make you feel old… Very, very old…
My 12-year-old just called The Goonies an "old-timey movie" and I'm sad he has to move out now.
— Kim Holcomb (@kimholcomb) February 27, 2018
2. Your tween’s newfound passion for fashion makes you feel a little behind the times.
Me to my 12yo "By the way, I'm chaperoning your school dance tomorrow night."
— One Classy Motha (@MothaKim) December 4, 2015
*gently lays out MC Hammer pants and starts quad stretches*
3. You start to daydream about fresh new content for your tween to tune into on the iPad.
If some preteen YouTube star could create a Clean Your Room Challenge or even a Put Your Clothes In the Hamper Challenge that would be awesome.
— Jessica Watson (@JessBWatson) August 3, 2018
4. Your morning routine becomes more and more challenging.
dad: "come on, you guys are LATE!!!!"
— dadmissions (@Dadmissions) June 30, 2016
11yo: "you should have started YELLING at us earlier!"
5. You discover that your once impressive slang vocabulary no longer meets their high standards…
My kids moved to another table at lunch when I called the waffle fries "hashtags."
— Housewife of Hell (@HousewifeOfHell) October 13, 2013
6. You start allowing them more freedom over their food choices, with varying results.
9-year-old: I'm ready for pizza.
— James Breakwell, Exploding Unicorn (@XplodingUnicorn) October 16, 2019
Me: It's breakfast time.
9: I said what I said.
7. …And you might get a bit of sass if you can’t meet their demands!
Me: What do you want for breakfast?
— James Breakwell, Exploding Unicorn (@XplodingUnicorn) October 15, 2019
9-year-old: Waffles, scrambled eggs, and bacon.
Me: Your choices are cereal or cereal.
9: Don't expect a tip.
8. You realise they know you all too well.
When my 10yo asks for something and I just give a huge sigh, she says “Yay!” because she knows she’s already won.
— SpacedMom (@copymama) October 9, 2019
9. You no longer have to think up creative ways to embarrass them.
Me: *breathing*
— Jessie (@mommajessiec) June 6, 2019
Tween daughter: God, Mom, quit embarrassing me!
10. You loosen the reins and let them take on new responsibilities.
My 9yo just made a "protein shake" out of milk, cookies and ice cream.
— Robert Knop (@FatherWithTwins) October 19, 2018
I'm making him my new nutritionist.
11. They start asking the tough questions–and you start giving them the honest answers.
9yo: Mom, what did you do before you had kids?
— Jessie (@mommajessiec) August 16, 2018
Me: Slept in.
12. You notice that they are beginning to become more independent.
My 10 yr old has never met a stranger. Today at a hotel pool I couldn’t find him and he was with an entirely different family making dinner plans.
— Lady Lawya (@Parkerlawyer) July 1, 2019
13. You come to terms with the fact that parenting doesn’t get any easier. Just different!
Just heard the mom of a newborn tell her crying baby “it’s ok, we’re figuring it out… we’re just on day 8” and honestly I’m on day 3,654 and I’m still figuring it out.
— Snarky Mommy (@SnarkyMommy78) March 6, 2019
In search of some cool toys and games for your tween? Check out our website!
Why can’t you trust an atom? Because they make up everything!