Tweener Twrouble

Ever heard of the word “tweener”? It’s something you’d only hear from Lizzy McGuire, but a former boss of mine confirmed that there is such a word that exists and in fact, is a newest section in a department store. Well, it’s actually the age between childhood and teenage years, and thus the name. Pre-teens, by puberty, a prelude to madness as what we used to call it. But now it’s a whole new category to watch out for.

I have a “tweener” living in my home right now and it is a totally new experience. I am used to infancy, toddlerhood (what a terrible stage), the pre-schooler and the grade-schooler. Having three children, (that’s all thank you), and a whole lot of nephews and nieces, I am used to all these stages and I could indeed write a book of the dreadful, awful, frightful things to watch out for in rearing children.

But a “tweener” in the house…? A few steps to adolescence, my 10-year old son has an awkward, almost pathetic but really very enthusiastic gait towards puberty. Just recently, we introduced him to a best friend he could never leave behind throughout his active years. A deodorant. We tried to give him a mild deo-powder at first but as he is a very active and ‘healthy’ kid he needs something stronger. The problem is, we have to constantly remind him to apply every time or else at the end of the day, I would be the one to suffer. Well, imagine washing clothes everyday to get rid of the nasty smell and to avoid contaminating the others. And it’s not just the OC in me.

I remember asking my mother, as a pre-teenager, to buy a deo just like what my older sisters were using. But instead, she gave me this big, white, unpolished stone that I had no idea what to do with. Later I would find out that you could: 1. dip it in the water and scrub it furiously against your underarm, 2. pulverized it and apply after bath, and 3. throw it to anyone who would tell you ‘you stink’. My very first liquid deo courtesy of my then college sister (b’cause she couldn’t stop me from using hers cause I so hate, hate, hate that stone) was already during high school. Can you imagine that? My poor, unfortunate underarms.

The difference between Tween-age life then and now is colossal. Then: we were still considered as children before we hit thirteen, so less expectations, less pressure. In general, life was easier, carefree and simpler. I can understand now, why my son is so distracted from deodorant. Imagine, thinking about his friendster account and his cell phone load alongside. Not to mention, the million other things in YouTube, MTv and PS3.

Oh, I can hardly wait till it’s puberty time for my children. That dark, problematic, self-centered stage in a human life. As early as now, there’s a training going on. Not that I’m being an annoying, meddlesome, stage- mother. I just want to prepare and arm my children to the more twroubled path they have to take, that is…adolescence.

Written: Saturday September 1, 2007 - 05:25am