The Preteen: 8 to 13 years
The Preteen: 8 to 13 years
The preteen is a volatile, changing individual who is beginning to be
free of dominant adults. Preteens are now extremely interested in and
influenced by their circle of friends and acquaintances, or peers.
Preteens have a code to follow and secrets to keep. This gang phase and
other preteen behavior may be hard on you. However, it is just as
important that your child go through these phases as it was to go
through the crawling, creeping, and toddling phases. You can deal with
the preteen period if you try to understand what is going on, and if you
remind yourself that a child’s growing up usually costs a lot in adult
comfort.
By Fritz Redl, Ph.D.
“The Preteen’s Health” section by Eugene F. Diamond, M.D. Arthur
Kovel, M.D., Consulting Editor
