Congratulations, You've Got Tweens!

by Paul Pettit ASP '89
Kregel Publications, 2007, ISBN 0825434742  

Your daughter is begging to start dressing like a high school senior. Your son says he would rather play violent video games with his friends than play catch with you in the backyard. And ... they're only eight years old?! What is going on here?

Congratulations, you're entering the complex world of tweens! Between the ages of eight and 12 years old, kids begin to explore life, independence and their developing identities as individuals. It can be a rough ride for parents, but you're not alone. Five-time dad Paul Pettit has recently navigated these rocky roads and is here to help.

Offering expert advice, personal stories and thought-provoking discussion questions, Pettit teaches parents how to implement a balanced-parenting style that fits each unique child. In balanced parenting, grace and freedom are paired with healthy boundaries to encourage maturity and responsibility—virtues that carry over into the identity-shaping teen years and beyond. Pettit also addresses the critical importance of communication, showing parents how to talk with their tweens on an honest and heartfelt level. By practicing balanced parenting and authentic communication, parents will discover a give-and-take, love-and-limits approach to raising tweens.

About the Author

Paul Pettit ASP '89 is the president and founder of Dynamic Dads, an organization offering encouragement to fathers. A former sportscaster and youth pastor, he currently serves at Dallas Theological Seminary as director of spiritual information and is pursuing his doctoral degree in the area of family studies. Paul enjoys theology, Kansas University basketball, and Texas barbecue.