I've got a ten-year-old boy with a BFF (also a ten-year-old boy) who spends so much time at my place he practically lives here, so observations:
This has been an age of wanting to look cool in front of friends and becoming fully aware of how they appear to their social crowd. To that end, there's a lot of straining limits to appear more grown up and independent--in front of friends, anyway. In private, that eases about 90%.
It's a time of big transitions, too. Kids this age are getting into more serious academic work at school, and frequently wax nostalgic for the simpler times of previous grades (and snacktime, and in-class games). They seem to feel like they're being asked to do grown-up stuff (long division is a particular torture) without any of the freedoms they see grown-ups enjoying, or even any of the perks that teenagers get. The younger kids get naptimes and cuddles without embarrassment, the older kids get cars and can hold a job, but what's in it for a ten-year-old?
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sarken
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Date: 2012-10-01 01:15 pm (UTC)This has been an age of wanting to look cool in front of friends and becoming fully aware of how they appear to their social crowd. To that end, there's a lot of straining limits to appear more grown up and independent--in front of friends, anyway. In private, that eases about 90%.
It's a time of big transitions, too. Kids this age are getting into more serious academic work at school, and frequently wax nostalgic for the simpler times of previous grades (and snacktime, and in-class games). They seem to feel like they're being asked to do grown-up stuff (long division is a particular torture) without any of the freedoms they see grown-ups enjoying, or even any of the perks that teenagers get. The younger kids get naptimes and cuddles without embarrassment, the older kids get cars and can hold a job, but what's in it for a ten-year-old?