6 Comments
User's avatar
Yael Schonbrun's avatar

LOVE this bookstack! Also, my oldest turned 16 on Monday, so this essay landed at the perfect time for me. Thank you Kathryn!

Kathryn Barbash, PsyD's avatar

It's not even my full "tween/teen" book collection :) Sixteen! I can't fathom it and yet, as we know, it will be here before I know it.

Amber Groomes,Ph.D. (she/her)'s avatar

My oldest is going to middle school next Fall as well 😭 I think it will be good for him, but man am I struggling with how fast they grow up 😮‍💨It brings up a lot!

Kathryn Barbash, PsyD's avatar

Me, too. I am really feeling the feelings. My youngest is going to kindergarten and everyone keeps asking if I am doing okay with that and I am like I am fine with that but the middle schooler feels really like time is flying too fast.

Ana Willis's avatar

Totally agree. I've been having similar reflections about the simplicity of caring for toddlers vs tweens and teens. I always tell my kids, back then the biggest decision was which park we were going to in the afternoon. They would all go happily, no arguments, no opinions. Yes, I was exhausted physically and sometimes emotionally too, but somehow I find myself with nostalgia over those days as my oldest is transitioning to high school next year!

Kathryn Barbash, PsyD's avatar

Yes, the things of young kids feel really different in hindsight.