Can Technology Keep Tweens Safe?

The increase in use of the internet and technology has led many parents to become naïve in their safety concerns for their tweens.  Tweens now have multiple avenues when it comes to meeting people because they can meet people both in person and online.    The people met online cannot be seen and can often misrepresent themselves which at times can lead to dangerous situations.  Tweens are spending more and more of their free time online and many parents may feel like this is a safer environment for them because they are at home. 

I believe this has led many parents to become more lenient on having talks about strangers and the proper precautions to take when meeting a new person either in person or online.  Instead, they would rather try to further use technology to track where their kids are or install cameras to see what they are doing.  Goodstein points out this phenomenon when she mentions that parents are now purchasing cell phones with GPS tracking (Goodstein, 2007, p.107).  She further goes on to say that parent’s are equipping their tweens with cell phones because they feel they are safer (Goodstein, 2007, p.107).  I think the increase in the use of technology has given parents a false sense of security when it comes to their children.  They no longer talk to them about things, but rather buy devices that track what they are doing.  What good does a GPS device do if your child is at a safe location but there with a stranger or drinking or doing something else that they shouldn’t be doing?  I believe one of the most essential things parents can do to keep their tweens and teens safe is keeping the avenues of communication open.  If parents are able to talk to their tweens and in turn tweens feel comfortable talking to their parents then they will have a better relationship, and be more likely to follow rules and stay out of trouble.  Technology can be used as a way to keep tweens safe, but should not be the sole way that parents pursue this.

Goodstein, A. (2007). Totally Wired: What Teens and Tweens are Really Doing Online. New York: St Martin’s Griffin.

And Technology Continues...

Technology continues to bring more and more advances to the way we do things.  People are always trying to find new ways to appeal to people to make things more interesting or done easier.  Much research has shown the large amount of purchasing power that tweens hold so it isn’t surprising to see that many new technological advances are directed at tweens.

The new social book application developed for the ipad is specifically aimed at reluctant readers.  It combines features from social media sites, which are extremely popular now, with reading to try to push more tweens toward reading.  The application allows individuals to share favorite passages from their readings, can be linked to applications such as Facebook and Twitter, and also allows sharing of new books purchases which allows others to see what you are reading.

I think this application could be really good for those that want to be more social with their reading.  It can be a good way for tweens to collaborate and discuss what they are reading, which in turn can lead to critical thinking.  Some tweens just aren’t that into reading but combining it with social media may really help them read more.  The author of the article is skeptical and believes that many tweens enjoy the solitude of the reading experience.  I think this is just one of many new ways technology is being developed to make a profit, but at the same time try to appeal to a certain niche of tweens. This application isn’t for everyone but for those that are very social if may just be the right thing to start them on the reading track.

Social Books: A Boon For Teen Readers — Or A Bit Too Much Noise?

Best Friends???

A Best Friend? You Must Be Kidding is a really interesting article.  I haven’t heard anything about educators and other professionals trying to dissuade kids from having best friends until I came upon this article.  Growing up from preschool onward I always had a best friend.  We were as close as friends could be and I loved the connection that we shared.  When we were younger we would hang out at recess, and as we got older we played on the same sports teams and we were always at each other’s house.  I really enjoyed knowing that there was one person there that I could count on and would listen when I was having problems.  I definitely believe that learning how to have a close relationship like that early in life has helped me develop more of those relationships later in life.  So after saying that at first glance I thought I was going to completely disagree with the reasoning presented in this article.  The main reasoning educators give for the move away from best friends is they are doing so to try to prevent exclusion and bullying (Stout, 2010).  They believe that more bullying is likely to take place if two people have a close bond because it will lead to cliques and there will always be someone that is left out and therefore picked on.  They want to encourage children to be friends with everyone but not to be really good friends with anyone.  I can see this point of view but I don’t complete agree with it.  I don’t think having a best friend necessarily leads to more bullying and exclusion.  I believe the benefits of having a close friend greatly outweigh the disadvantages mentioned in this article.  I agree with the psychologists reasoning in the article which states this type of encouragement can lead to superficial friendships which will greatly hinder the relationships children and tweens will develop later in life (Stout, 2010).  Close relationships have been shown to increase self esteem and confidence and also help develop relationship building skills later in life and this is exactly the type of things we want our children to have.  I think schools should encourage close relationships because of all the benefits that they bring.  Children can have these types of relationships without excluding or bullying others.

A Best Friend? You Must Be Kidding

Media Messages

Today’s tweens are receiving a wide variety of messages via the media.  Companies like Disney and Nickelodeon have taken over a large segment of the demographic with their TV series and made for TV movies.  A large portion of both TV and websites specifically for tweens seem to be sending an overwhelmingly positive message.  It’s almost as if they want tweens to believe that life is always going to be full of sunshine and blue skies.  I believe that it creates a huge misconception with tweens.  It’s almost as if the media wants tweens to live in a bubble where they will be protected from all the dangers and hard things in life.  How are tweens suppose to learn and grow if they don’t experience the good with the bad? 

I think another thing the media does is send a large sense of empowerment to tweens.  They make them believe if they really believe in something and work hard at it then it will happen.  I think this is a great message to send young adults, but it isn’t realistic.  There are situations where tweens can make a difference through hard work and perseverance, but there are also many cases where the opposite happens.  If tweens aren’t aware of the possible negative aspects of life then they will be unprepared for the future and will have unrealistic expectations.  Both Disney and Nickelodeon have numerous examples of ordinary tweens that have made it big which may make the majority of tweens feel that this is normal and expected when in fact it is very unlikely to happen. 

I think sending both positive and empowering messages to tweens is important and beneficial but I also think it’s important for them to receive more realistic messages as well.  This will allow them to move from their bubble of security into experiencing more real life situations.

Social Networking in Tweens

In the last few years social networking sites like Facebook have really exploded, especially with tweens and teens.  Most of the sites are a type of community where tweens can go to meet and chat with their friends.  They can also use the sites to support political and environmental causes, post how they are feeling or what they are doing, communicate with friends, meet new people and share pictures or videos of what is going on in their lives (Goodstein, 2007, p.60). 

I think one reason why they have become so popular with tweens is that they are a way for those that are not as comfortable with face-to-face and group interactions to be more outspoken.  They are a forum where tweens can gain confidence through joining social groups and gaining friends.  They can also be a great way to keep in touch with friends that have moved away or ones from prior schools, church groups or athletic teams. 

I can completely understand why tweens love social networking sites because I also feel the same way and I am twenty-seven.  They are a way for me to express myself and share what is going on in my life in a quick and easy way.  I hate to admit the amount of times I check Facebook a day but it is a way for me to stay up to date with what is going on with my friends.  I love the sharing aspect and how easy it is to communicate with others through things that they post.  I think social networking sites are great way for tweens to stay connected with their friends, learn to interact with others, and share their feelings and thoughts.

Goodstein, A. (2007). Totally Wired: What Teens and Tweens are Really Doing Online. New York: St Martin’s Griffin.

The Role of Technology in the Life of Tweens

Technologies play a large role in the lives of tweens today.  They have changed the way they interact with their environment and also how they are obtaining and learning information.  Although as Goodstein mentions tweens are doing many of the same things today as they were in the past but the advent of new technologies has greatly changed the ways things are done.

Cell phones are now tweens main source of communication.  They are able to stay in constant communication with their friends through texts or phone calls.  Parents are also able to reach them at almost all times which can be a good and bad thing.  On one hand tweens can feel smothered by constant phone calls from their parents but on the other hand they can also easily lie about their whereabouts due to the portability of phones.  This makes it much easier for them to go places without their parent’s knowledge.  I believe that cell phones have made tweens more independent because they give their parents a false sense of security.

Computers are another technology that plays a central role in tweens lives.  They use them for school work, games, chatting and meeting with friends, and shopping.  If they have a question and need information the computer/internet is usually their first source.  With the vast amount of information available over the internet it is important for tweens to learn information literacy skills so they can be able to sort through the information and be able to determine credible sites.    Many individuals in this age group also spend a significant amount of time online either posting information to their blog or on social networking sites.  They all know how to navigate and use these web 2.0 tools very well but many lack the knowledge to know the dangers and wide ranging effects of the information they post.  I think it’s great that they are able to have access to the web because it gives them many skills that are advantageous to their learning but they need to be made aware of the possible dangers and consequences as well.

Goodstein, A. (2007). Totally Wired: What Teens and Tweens are Really Doing Online. New York: St Martin’s Griffin.

Boys and Reading

After our discussion about boys and reading I decided to do some further research.  I agree that tween boys aren't reading as much as girls and I think that there are many things that go into that.  For one, they aren't as interested.  They would rather be doing other things and many times at that age reading isn't considered "cool".  Another reason is that not as many books are aimed at boys and since boys aren't going to the library as much many displays are aimed at girls.  Boys also are limiting in the genres they will read so that further restriction their choices. 

The article I found presented an interesting way to increase reading in boys and is definitely something I will keep in mind once I start my career as a librarian.  In the article, the librarian (Chris Gustafson) had a yearlong project in which she would create a reading list.  Once students read the book, they were required to answer a few short questions and then their name could be entered into a drawing for a prize.  After looking at the state reading scores Chris decided to look at the results of her project by gender and found that surprisingly only 28% of the entries were from boys.  After reviewing some possible solutions she decided to instill the spirit of competition and pinned the girls against the boys.  In the new reading competition if more boys than girls read and entered their names in the coffee can then six names were drawn for the monthly prizes and vice versa.  The change she made to her project has greatly increased the number of boys participating each year.  By adding an additional element that appealed to boys she was able to get a greater amount to start reading.  As librarians we have to look for creative ways to engage boys in reading otherwise they will continue to lag behind girls.

Gustafson, C. (2008). Reading Motivation Through Competition: Boys as Readers. Library Media Connection, 26(5), 16-17. Retrieved from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text database.

Bullying in Tweens

I recently read a portion of Totally Wired which dealt with bullying and cyber bullying which I found very interesting.  According to the Education Resources Information Center, “Bullying occurs when a person willfully and repeatedly exercises power over another with hostile or malicious intent” (Goodstein, 2007, p.77).  Tweens are especially prone to bullying due to the extreme changes they are going through.  Many have low self esteem and are going through changes that make them feel vulnerable.  In order to combat this some resort to bullying which gives them a sense of control and power. 

In girls, bullying is usually done by individuals with low self-esteem or by those that are jealous or insecure (Goodstein, 2007, p.79).  It makes them feel better to put others down and they put on a façade of being cool with an abundance of confidence.  Bullies usually have a group of followers that laugh at their jokes which in turn elevates their popularity status, gives them greater confidence, and makes them more prone to do it again.  The social culture today actually promotes bickering and backstabbing which makes teens and tweens think it is ok.  The advent of increased technology has made bullying or cyber bullying as it is now called more prevalent and is more anonymous.  Now bullies can send cruel IM’s or emails without being able to see how much it hurts the other person.  This creates a disconnect where the bully isn’t given a chance to emphasize with how their victim feels and therefore will continue with the bullying and sometimes even increase the level.  It is definitely easier to say mean things through email or to spread pictures or jokes through text messages so the humiliation felt by the victims is more widespread.

After the large number of school shootings in the 1990’s the government decided to do some research studies in order to determine why bullying is done and who bullies are (Goodstein, 2007, p.77).  Since that time they have set aside a considerable amount of money for anti-bullying programs, and twenty-one states have adopted anti-bullying laws (Goodstein, 2007, p.78).  I think the government and individual states are trying hard to get control of this widespread problem because of the far-reaching consequences it has.  Bullies may not know the profound effect they have had on their victims but many carry the pain with them for a long time.  Until a stronger stand is taken on this problem it will continue to grow and grow.

Goodstein, A. (2007). Totally Wired: What Teens and Tweens are Really Doing Online. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.

Poison Ivy

A contemporary realistic fiction book that I recently read was Poison Ivy by Amy Koss.  In this book three popular girls, Sophie, Ann, and Benita are on trial for bullying and constantly berating Ivy, who is known throughout the school as Poison Ivy.  I found the girls in this book very similar to the main characters in the movie, Mean Girls.  They are popular and almost everyone in the school wants to be a part of their group, but at the same time almost everyone is afraid of them.  No one wants to do anything to upset them or get on their bad side for fear of being the next one that they choose to humiliate.  This is exactly what happens in the book.  Everyone knows how much the three girls pick on Ivy and call her names, but no one is brave enough to speak up and a few even lie in order to try to get on the girls good side.  I think this book is completely accurate and it is really sad.  Girls can be extremely mean and they don’t even realize how much they can hurt people.  They form cliques and exclude people and hurt people but everyone is trying to get in with the most popular kids.  I remember this from my middle school experience.  I don’t remember the girls being as vicious as the ones portrayed in this book but that may be because I was in the “popular” group and wasn’t on the receiving end most of the time.  I still remember being hurt a fair share of the time because the majority of the girls that were my friends would talk behind my back in a minute.  Unfortunately that is how things were and still are in middle and high school.  It is funny to look back on now and realize how ridiculous it was but at the time fitting in and being cool were extremely important. 

One of the things I enjoyed about this book was that a student stood up for Ivy and decided to tell the truth.  He wasn’t worried about what the popular girls thought and he was willing to stand up for what he thought was right.  There are people who are willing to stand up for others no matter what and this book brought that to light..

Koss, A. G. (2006). Poison Ivy. New Milford, CT: Roaring Brook Press.

Gaming Industry Markets Tween Girls

I found this article and thought it was really interesting because I have always associated video games with boys.  It seems that all of the games that are highly marketed deal with fighting, war, car racing, and street fighting which are things that are of most interest to boys.  I have never seen a push with advertisements towards girls in regards to gaming.  The article indicates one of the reasons for this is that the gaming industry has found that casual gamers are making up a large part of the market and therefore they are moving some of their focus to this demographic.  The majority of tween girls aren’t hardcore gamers but if games are made that are more in line with their interests I can see how there could be a large market for this.  A previous article I read by Whitley shows how large the tween market is and companies are trying to cash in on every angle that they can (Whitley, 2010).  The article notes that EA has a lineup of games aimed at tweens with one of the biggest being Charm Girls Club, which is a game that features proms, pajama parties, hair teasing, and malls (Campbell, 2009).  Sony is also working to appeal to tween girls by making a lilac colored PlayStation that will go with the Hannah Montana game (Campbell, 2009).  I think that Sony and EA are on the right track with their push to integrate tween girls into the market.  The features of the Charm Girls Club are in line with many of the interests of girls at this age and will likely be a big hit with them.  Many of them love going to the mall and hanging out with their friends, and a game that replicates this is ideal.

CAMPBELL Gerard.  (2009, June 23). Tween girls growing target for game makers. The Press,E.7.  Retrieved September 29, 2010, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 1757514741).

Whittley, A. (2010, August). Tiny Power Shopper: Children aged eight to 12 wield outsized economic clout when it comes to cellphones and the virtual world of video games. National Post, F.P.7. Retrieved September 14, 2010 from ProQuest Newstand. (Document ID: 2124837501).

Thoughts on the Tween Summit

I was really fascinated by the Tween Summit website.  Prior to this class I was not even aware that sites and organizations such as these existed.  One of the main things that I noticed from the website was the strong stance it took on giving tween girls a voice in society.  Many adults do not recognize that individuals at this age have important things to say and are thinking about real issues such as bullying and the environment.  These summit and also the past town hall meeting that was had was a place for tweens to go in order to express their opinions without fear of being laughed at or ignored.

The website is all about supporting tween girls in their thoughts and ideas.  Just from looking over all the material that the website has to offer I got an immediate sense of empowerment.  I believe empowerment is one of the main goals of the website. By doing so they are providing tween girls with the confidence they need to express their ideas.  The summit is an avenue to do this because it offers a safe and comfortable place for tween girls.  They are surrounded by peers and also adults who understand them.  The summit works to help them be comfortable with expressing their thoughts so that when they go back home they are able to better communicate with their parents and other adults.   Many young people have great ideas and are able to offer fresh perspectives on things and I think this website and the tween summit is a great way to start hearing from this demographic.

Tween Summit

Marketers are Impacting our Understanding of Tweens

I think that marketers play a large role in our understanding of tweens.  Marketers want to make money and are always looking for new ways to sell goods and new demographics to market too.  Due to this they are always doing research to find out who is buying what, and what groups have interest in various materials.  According to research the tween population is spending about 15 billion a year (Hulbert, 2004).  This is a huge amount of money and marketers all want a piece of it.  Another article I found by Whitley, also shows the strong buying power that this age group holds.  He indicates that “tween purchasing power has opened a window of opportunity for companies seeking fresh revenue streams (Whitley, 2010).  Therefore, marketers are willing to put up the money to find out what makes this age group tick; what they like, what they don’t like, where they are hanging out, etc.  They are then using this information to directly market to them.  The research and marketing then causes us to associate certain products, movies, songs, and websites with this age group.  By providing us with all this information about tweens they are directly influencing our perception of this age group.

Hulbert, A. (2004, November). Tweens 'R' Us. New York Times Magazine,6.31.  Retrieved December 14, 2009, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 749942491).

Whittley, A. (2010, August). Tiny Power Shopper: Children aged eight to 12 wield outsized economic clout when it comes to cellphones and the virtual world of video games. National Post, F.P.7. Retrieved September 14, 2010 from ProQuest Newstand. (Document ID: 2124837501).

Ways to Help Tweens with the Transition to Middle School

I remember my first day of middle school and how much I dreaded it. There were going to be new kids that I didn’t know, new teachers, and a completely different schedule. It was all so overwhelming that I didn’t know which area to even focus on. To top that all off my body was going through changes and I was having crazy mood swings. I think the feelings I had are experienced by many teens as they embark on their journey into middle school. Even though they are typical that doesn’t make the transition any easier. That is why it is up to teachers and administrators to create a school that supports adolescents (Inlay, 2005, p.42). This can be done by making small changes. One of the changes done at the River School in Napa was creating a democratic environment where teachers and students were treated with mutual respect (Inlay, 2005, p.42). This type of environment teaches adolescents that in order to be treated like an adult they need to act like one and also provide the teacher with the amount of respect he or she deserves. Another change that I personally experienced that helped with the transition was starting to change class in fifth grade. In my school during fifth grade we went to a different teacher for math, science, and language arts, and then had a main teacher for the rest of the day. This gradual change in going to different teachers really helped when I entered middle school where we were going to different rooms for every class. I already knew what it would be like because we had experience it so it made the process easier.


Inlay, L. (2005). Safe Schools for the Roller Coaster Years. Educational Leadership, 62(7), 41-3. Retrieved from Education Full Text.

Teen Prostitution

“Over the last year, (2003)local and federal law-enforcement officials say they have noted a marked increase in teen prostitution in cities across the country”, with girls as young as ten years old showing up in court (Smalley, 2003). Many of the girls are being targeted in malls, and a growing number are coming from middle class families (Smalley, 2003). The information in this article initially blew my mind but after thinking about it more I could see how easy young teens can become targets. Some teenage girls develop much younger than most so they can look very physically mature but still be very young. Also during the adolescent years many teens are facing confidence and self-esteem issues. This makes it easy for a pimp to swing in with a few nice words and gifts and have the girls willing to do anything he asks. The pimps make the girls feel pretty which increases their confidence and makes them feel good about themselves. It’s scary to think about how easy it is for a young impressionable teen can become a prostitute and how easy it can be for them to hide it from you. I think one of the best ways to prevent this is to keep the lines of communication open. Make sure to talk to you teens about these types of issues so they are aware of the types of things they may face in the future. A parent can also make sure that teens are properly supervised until they reach the age where they can make more mature and rational decisions.


This Could be Your Kid

Parental Support is the Key to a Healthy Teenager

The Series Institute outlines numerous internal and external assets that a healthy middle school age child (8-12 years) and teenager (12-18 years) should exhibit. At first glance it would seem incomprehensible that anyone could display all of these traits, nonetheless teenagers who normally have raging hormones and selfish attitudes. According to Lerner though, “Research shows that most young people go through adolescence having good relationships with their parents, adopting attitudes and values consistent with their parents’ and end up getting out of the adolescent period and becoming good citizens” (A Peaceful Adolescence). Much of this outcome depends on the support given by parents during these developmental times. Parents may not think that they have any influence over their children but they are mistaken. Children and early teens are constantly watching how their parents react to situations and function within society in order to learn how to deal with the problems they face. The Series Institute also agrees that parental support is crucial because many of the attributes they recommend for a healthy middle aged child focus on parental support such as parents should tell children it is important to tell the truth (Development Assets for Middle Childhood). This line of reasoning makes sense because children in their early years (8-12) need guidance about what is right and wrong and how they should interact with the world. They are starting to gain more relationships outside of their family and are facing difficult issues such as peer pressure and drug use. At this younger age they are more receptive to their parents and therefore parents need to provide guidance so that as their child grows older they have the tools they need in order to make the right decision when faced with hard issues.




A Peaceful Adolescence


Developmental Assets for Middle Childhood


Developmental Assets for Adolescents

Defining the Tween Age Group

         I believe that it is hard to nail down an exact age or age range when an individual is considered a tween. Both Naked Reading and Serving Young Teens and ’Tweens have given a range of ten to fourteen. I agree that this is a reasonable age range, but I believe that it is very hard to limit it. Individuals develop and mature at many different rates. Lesesne agrees and states that children begin puberty at different stages so there is no definite timeline or age when the process begins (2006, p.11). Some girls may start menstruating at ten while others may be late bloomers and not start until sixteen. Others may physically mature, but emotionally and mentally still be interested in younger type materials. I think that is why it is important to get to know the individual rather than making assumptions based on their looks or age, prior to recommending a book. In a perfect world this would be the best solution but due to time constraints it is not always possible. If I had to put an age range on the tween group I would probably extend the range given by the two text books and include eight to fourteen years old. This wider age range would allow for those that started developing both a little earlier and a little later. Using this larger more inclusive age range in developing a library collection would be helpful because it would allow the collection to include a wide range of materials appropriate for a diverse group.




Lesesne, T, S. (2006) Naked reading: Uncovering What Tweens Need to Become Lifelong Readers.  Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.