Tweens and Teens

Adolescence can be a tricky time, both for parents struggling to understand their children’s issues and for teens and tweens attempting to forge their new identities. Learn how to understand your teenagers in these articles.

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Teens are growing in all directions during puberty. Learn about the physical growth stage of adolescence in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Writing notes, building up the relationship, and knowing what's worth letting go of can make parenting teens easier. Learn how to get teens to listen from this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Bullying is a continuous and relentless form of verbal or physical violence directed toward the weak and insecure. Learn about some of the effects of bullying on teens in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

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Teenagers should be responsible for their homework, their own room, and for cleaning up after their projects. Learn about common teenage responsibilities from this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Teens often has sleep difficulties. Learn what to do if your teen can't sleep in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Make the punishment fit the crime and don't be excessive. Find out what a good punishment is for teens from this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Teenage promiscuity is a risky behavior that parents need to address. Learn what to do if your teenager is promiscuous in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

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Families may have financial problems to deal with, and parents may want to share these issues with their teens. Learn how you can talk to your teen about your financial issues in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

The teen years are marked by stressful changes that can affect teens socially and academically. Learn how to help your teen academically in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

You can see what your teen does online either by stealth or upfront. Learn how to monitor what your teen is doing on the computer in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Usually, teenagers babysit for others and don't need a babysitter, but there are exceptions. Learn whether your teen needs a babysitter from this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

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To borrow a well-turned phrase, it's not easy being teen. That's why we turn to the silver screen for a glimpse into the emotionally fraught lives of teenagers. Actors make it seem so gritty, glamorous and understandable in these 10 beloved movies.

By Chris Obenschain

What happened to your sweet little child? Who replaced your sunny kid with the sullen, sarcastic tween you've got now? Don't despair -- there's a reason for all the attitude, and several easy ways to deal with it.

By Linda C. Brinson

Having trouble interpreting your tween's slang? You risk losing face by asking him what he means by poppins or tope. We'll help you decode his secret tween language so you can keep your cool points and improve communication.

By Chris Obenschain

Coping with bullying is difficult, and it's not about fighting back or sucking it up. What are five ways a parent (or any adult) can intervene to help a bullying victim find a way out, or at least a way through, this type of peer abuse?

By Julia Layton

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To deal with cyberbullying, you have to know whether or not it's occurring. But if you suspect that your teen is being hounded by harassing text messages, chat room rumors and embarrassing e-mail blasts, there are steps you can take to help.

By Jessika Toothman

Today's bullying goes far beyond pulling pigtails. Even with the passage of anti-bullying laws, bullying is out of control, sometimes even with fatal results. How should you talk to the school if your child is a target?

By Denise Harrison

The transition from middle school to high school marks a pretty exciting time in a child's — and a parent's — life. But it can be scary, too. Discover 10 differences between middle school and high school.

By Alison Cooper

Most kids want to look cool and grown-up, and what's more chic and mature than sipping on a latte? Coffee is becoming more and more popular with younger kids lately, but are some kids too young to get the jitters?

By Melissa Sandoval

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Tweens aren't the only ones that have a hard time with the challenges of middle school. Parents often find the changes just as difficult. What can you do to make sure you and your child make it through unscathed?

By Laurie L. Dove

From geeks and nerds to hipsters and scenesters, navigating teen subcultures is no easy task. How can you tell which group your teen identifies with, and how should you handle it?

By John Kelly

During the tween years, your child is most likely going through a lot of tough changes. One day he loves being with you, the next he's embarrassed because of something you said. How can you stay connected with your tween while sparing him any embarrassment?

By Jill Jaracz

From sodas to chocolate milk, many kids have a drinking problem. Silent calories and surprising ingredients make them of them the equivalent of liquid dessert. What are the worst offenders?

By Laurie L. Dove

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Parenting a preteen involves a different approach than you might use with younger children. What should you keep in mind when caring for your preteen?

By Thorin Klosowski

Everyone who's been through puberty knows it can be tough. But what if the changes started early -- say at about age 6 or 7? Why are many girls starting puberty so young?

By Stephanie Watson