Scrapbooking the Tween Years

Until recently I had never heard the phrase "tween years." Now, I am seeing it pop up all over the place. What are the tween years? These are the years between the ages of 8 and 13. With daughters aged 8 and 12, our family is full swing in the tween years.

The tween years consist of a transition from the childhood years to the teenager years. In these years, tweens will combine traits of a child and a teen, often going back and forth between the two. They begin holding back on physical affection with their family while desiring affection at the same time. They play less with childhood toys but still enjoy them at times. They also question their parents' values, experience more mood swings, tend to see things as black-and-white and spend more time by themselves. These important developmental changes provide scrapbooking opportunities for those in this age group. Here are a few ideas for scrapbooking the tween years:

Emotions. Consider the emotions of your tweens. Are they moody? Have they changed in their demeanor? How do they respond to challenges, frustrations and disappointments? Pair an appropriate photograph with a typical emotion for these years. For "So Easy," I used a photograph of my daughter at the pool and documented her emotional struggle with how she feels about her swimming skills.

Independence. How do your tweens show their new desire for independence? Do they negotiate? Do they debate? Maybe they question values and compare them with others. Maybe they have taken on more household chores or they are earning an allowance. Photograph the tweens' household chores and include how these chores show their independence. Alternatively, journal about a debate or negotiation. For "Independence" I took a photograph before and after my daughter got her ears pierced and wrote about her growing independence.

Physical Development. Older tweens will start to experience changes as puberty affects their bodies. How are they changing physically? Document these changes through photographs and journaling on a layout. Show developmental changes through a series of photographs.

Childhood Behaviors. Tweens, while maturing, will still hang on to some aspects of childhood. What items and aspects of childhood does the tween continue through the tween years? Some will hang on to special toys. Some will still enjoy snuggling with their parents. Some will enjoy physical activities more than playing with toys. Consider what hasn't changed then photograph it and create a layout about it. For "Little Changes" I paired a photograph of my daughter doing two new interests with journaling about how she still enjoys some things and has changed her interests at the same time.

School. The demands of school change during the tween years. Moving on from basic math and reading skills, the tween begins more challenging material and homework habits. How is the tween making the change? Document the struggles and successes in dealing with schoolwork during these years.

So, remember to photograph and journal the differences in the tween during this time of transition.