Your cart is currently empty!
The Big Changes That Happen When Kids Hit 12
When you really think about it, turning twelve is a huge deal. The shifts kids go through during this last year of being a preteen are incredible. Reflecting on my own twelfth year, I can see just how dramatic my transformation was. Sure, my kids are navigating a different world and are a different gender, but I trust they’ll have their own mix of excitement and anxiety about this pivotal year too.
I remember what it felt like to be young, a bit lost, and honestly, convinced I’d never figure out the whole shaving thing. The first half of my twelfth year, I was in seventh grade—was it middle school, a seventh-grade center, or junior high? Time flies! By summer, I found myself adjusting to eighth grade in an actual junior high, feeling so grown up.
I was a totally different person by the end of that year. At the start, I played the flute, and by the end, I was sharing my first kiss with a boy—both experiences were awkward in their own right. In the beginning, my friends called me Casper for being pale and sweet, but by year-end, I had earned the nickname Lucy because I resembled that Peanuts character and often acted like her too.
I started the year sporting a feather in my hair, but once the principal banned roach clips, I switched to chewing on cinnamon toothpicks until those got banned as well. Who knew happiness would be outlawed? My fashion also evolved; I began with parachute pants and shoulder pads, only to end up in blue eyeshadow, wondering why I was always alone.
Initially, I was flat-chested, downing milkshakes with raw eggs while doing exercises to “Increase My Bust.” Spoiler alert: that didn’t change by year’s end. I was hooked on Judy Blume books, first Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, then forever reading Forever, and still feeling lonely.
I remember being scared to be home alone, but by the end, I was babysitting kids across the street and even paying them to stay out of my hair. My taste in music shifted from Golden Earring and Lionel Richie to a full-blown love affair with Duran Duran and U2. I went from biking everywhere to tagging along with Becky’s older sister, who showed us how to make dresses from trash bags.
My family movie nights turned into sneaking episodes of 48 Hours with my friend Cathy. I started the year smoking Yves St. Laurent menthols and ended up thinking I was a rebel with Camels. I oscillated from wanting my dad to leave to dealing with the reality that he actually did. Sleepovers were a no-go at the start, but soon I was sticking bras in freezers with my pals.
I went from not having a single deep thought to filling an entire diary by year’s end. My music evolved from my parents’ radio to discovering alternative bands. Friendships that faded away during school hours were replaced by connections that would last a lifetime by the end of the year.
As I help my kids navigate their own transformations, it’s a reminder of how far I’ve come since my own twelfth year. For more about the journey of parenthood and home insemination, check out this post on intracervicalinsemination.com. If you’re looking for reliable information on tools for home insemination, visit Make a Mom. And for further insights into family building options, Resolve.org is an excellent resource.
In summary, turning twelve is a whirlwind of changes, from physical transformations to shifting friendships and interests, shaping the way kids see themselves and the world around them.