What's a Tween?

 This is. She's modeling her new outfit that she'll wear to the school dance Friday afternoon. She has on her earrings and her new heels.

Many of you have followed her from birth. I wonder if you're as startled as I am at this seemingly sudden leap.

I looked up tween: a child in pre-adolescence, typically 9 to 12. The name is a mash-up of teen and between.

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What to expect: 

Early signs of puberty may include growth spurts and body changes.

Brain undergoes structural changes enabling more complex and abstract thought.

Mood swings, self-consciousness, and stronger desire for personal identity are typical.

Friends and peer groups are more important now. There is a growing desire for independence.

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It's fascinating watching the development, even as it catches me by surprise---and, to speak the truth, makes me a little wistful.