How do you feel when you are in between stages of life? Excited? Nervous? Afraid?  Tweens - those kids in between childhood and adolescence - are capable, growing into their own thoughts and ideas and preferences, but not quite as opinionated as teenagers.  In this “in between” there is plenty of room for curiosity and character development if we will stay connected to and interested in our kids.  My guest this week is Charissa Lopez (she’s gotten married since she was last on the show as Charissa Fry), a therapist and parent coach, and she encourages us that healthy attachment can lead to healthy individuation (that process of our kids distinguishing themselves from us).  She helps us see that for the entire time we are in relationship with our kids they need comfort and encouragement and connection with us. Though we still have authority over our kids we, as parents, are transitioning out of such a hands-on role in their lives and Charissa helps us think through puberty and friend groups, and our tweens’ spiritual growth.  Connect with Charissa Lopez:  Website:  https://charissalopez.com  Special Resources for DMA Listeners from past episodes: https://charissalopez.com/resources/regulation-pack/ Links Mentioned*:   **For resources mentioned below, parents should read the book first. Don’t feel like you have to read every word to your child. Just use the parts that work for your family and skip the rest. Or discuss why some people believe differently than you.* Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté  It’s So Amazing!:A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies and Families The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Younger Girls, Revised Edition The Care and Keeping of You 2: The Body Book for Older Girls Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys Birds and Bees Ministry with Mary Flo Ridley and Megan Michelson Related Episodes: Connecting Through Play :: Charissa Fry [Ep 319]  The Window of Tolerance :: Charissa Fry [Ep 260]  Self-Differentiation and Why it Matters :: Nancy Houston [Ep 335] Featured Sponsors:  Find links to this week’s sponsors and unique promo codes at dontmomalone.com/sponsors.