WNYC’s “Being 12″ Series: Insight into the Most Awkward Age

This week, I’ve been listening to WNYC’s series “Being 12″. As the mother of a 12 year-old daughter, I’m fully aware of the ways that this age can be exciting, nerve-wracking, heartbreaking and just plain hard. Schoolwork gets more complex, friendships shift, and bodies change. Kids this age seem to balance on the knife’s edge between childhood and the full-blown teen years. The typical tween has more freedom and independence but also more worries — grades, appearance, the opposite sex. It’s a confusing time for kids and parents alike. This radio series explores the many facets of early adolescence via interviews with kids (who articulate their challenges in charming and  funny comments) and audio recordings of educators, parents, a children’s author, pediatricians and more.

My favorite broadcast of the series this week has been the ‘New Tech City’ piece called Tweens and Tech Guide: Getting Them to Open Up. This 15-minute segment delves into how to talk to kids at this particular age who are “thinking about what it means to have an identity, in real life and online.” There’s even a survey for kids that poses questions about their use of technology in order to get them to reflect on the choices that they make. The folks over at New Tech City hope to compile the data from the survey and report on it in an upcoming segment.

Even though I’m living it in my own house everyday, the ‘Being 12′ series’ peak inside the world of 6th and 7th graders is informative and really interesting. I highly recommend it. All of the radio segments are available to listen to online at WNYC.org.