On Becoming Preteen Wise: Parenting Your Child from 8-12 Years;

The middle years, 9 to 12 years of age, are perhaps the most significant attitude-forming period in the life of a child. It is during this time that the roots of moral character are established. From the foundation that is formed, healthy or not-so-healthy family relationships will be built. During the preteen years, patterns of conduct are firmly established patterns that will impact your parent-child relationship for decades to come. Rightly meeting the small challenges of the middle years significantly reduces the likelihood of big challenges in the teen years. On Becoming Preteenwise is based on the familiar axiom that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is much easier to avoid making mistakes than it is to correct them after the fact. This is particularly true of parenting.    Just ask any mother or father continually challenged by a contentious or rebellious teen.