- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preteenagers today articles
- preteenagers today q&a
- teenagers today articles
- teenagers today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Crushed
Surviving Your Preteen's
First Love
First Love
By Lisa A. Goldstein
Whether your preteen suddenly starts talking about someone of the opposite sex or their behavior is more circumspect, it's time to face reality: Your preteen may have a crush. What? You thought this fun stage didn't begin until the teens? Think again.
"Parents of preteens or 'tweens' must know that these girls and boys are just beginning to navigate through all the new hormones they are experiencing," says Nicole Caldwell, pediatric psychologist at Children's Medical Center Dallas. "It is normal for preteens to first notice the eruption of these hormones by a sudden interest in the opposite sex. So what can you do as a parent?"
First, it's important to realize that it really is normal to have a crush – even a serious one – during the preteen years. This is when significant changes in hormones begin. These feelings not only are new, but they're intense, Caldwell says. "Due to their developmental age, they are limited in their ability to look beyond their current emotional state," she says. "Therefore, a crush is serious from their point of view."
Parents should keep in mind, however, that preteens are every bit as vulnerable to hormones as the rest of us. Just as quickly as a crush develops, it can also deflate. Be prepared for your preteen to be hurt. "Just as the emergence of the crush brought much elation and [many] starry-eyed looks, when it ends ... it will likely leave the preteen feeling overwhelmed with sadness," Caldwell says. "This is why it is called a crush."
Want to see more?
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||