Many parents think the most critical time in their child's development is when they become a teen or reach puberty; although it is true this is a tumultuous time for both children and parents, the years leading up to the teen years or what we refer to today as the "tween" years just may be a more critical time in your child's life.
At age 9, children are faced with the reality (albeit subconscious in nature) that they are stuck between two worlds; the world of sitting on mommy's lap and the world of not being quite old enough to step fully into the shoes of a big boy. This is the time it is the most critical to develop a connected relationship with your child, because it will define who they become as an adult.
