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Blog 3: The Parenting Seasons of Expansion
For the Big Kid Years & Tween/Teen Chapter
“Just when things start to settle, life invites you to stretch again—this time with more wisdom, and more wonder.”
— Traciana
If you’re parenting a big kid, tween, or teen—you already know. These years arrive disguised as a return to calm, but in truth, they are a deep recalibration.
You’re not in survival mode anymore—but you’re also not coasting. These chapters bring real questions of identity, belonging, discipline, independence, and legacy. And the truth is, just as your child is becoming more themselves, so are you.
For the parents who are juggling growing careers, shifting hormones (yours and theirs), aging parents, and the sometimes-silent ache of “What now?”—this space is for you.
I’ve supported tens of thousands of high achievers navigating this chapter. I’ve been in it, too—as a parent, a founder, and a woman building her next chapter while guiding a child through theirs. And I can tell you, this season holds profound potential—not just for growth, but for generational healing and becoming.
Chapter One: The Big Kid Years
Independence. Influence. A deeper rhythm begins here.
This chapter doesn’t shout—it hums.
Your child is growing into their own rhythm. They’re asserting preferences, forming friendships, asking bigger questions. You may finally have moments of quiet again—but within that quiet, a deeper invitation arises.
This is when your influence moves from the surface to the soul. They’re not just watching what you say; they’re studying how you live.
What’s awakening now:
- A reevaluation of your purpose beyond caregiving
- The subtle shift from managing life to modeling alignment
- A need for practices that replenish—not just productivity, but presence
“These years ask us to stop performing parenting—and begin embodying presence.”
— Traciana
There’s wonder here—not in milestones, but in meaning. In discovering who your child is becoming, and rediscovering who you are, too.
Chapter Two: Tweens & Teens
Boundaries. Becoming. Your legacy unfolds here.
If parenting young kids reshaped your routines, parenting teens reshapes your expectations. There is grief in letting go of who they were—and awe in witnessing who they are becoming.
What’s being redefined:
- Communication evolves. Silence becomes a language. Trust becomes a strategy.
- Your dreams for your own life may feel urgent again, and you may feel torn between showing up and letting go.
- Many parents report this as a time of existential reawakening. Career changes, relationship shifts, and new creative callings are common.
According to a 2022 Pew Research Center report, 72% of parents of teens say they are simultaneously navigating a personal life transition while parenting.
This chapter asks:
- How do you hold space for someone becoming who they are, while also tending to your own expansion?
- How do you grieve, grow, and guide—without losing yourself?
This season, so close to the Big Kid years in time, can feel worlds apart. Yet they are connected—each one expanding your child’s sense of self, and your own.
You’re Not Done Becoming
The myth is that by this stage, you’ve figured it all out. But the truth? This may be your most potent transformation yet.
At Happiness 360, we hold space for this:
- Sound rituals and recalibration practices for transitions
- Tools to support identity realignment, communication shifts, and generational healing
- Expert insights and guidance for parents rewriting what it means to show up
This chapter is not just about preparing your child for the world—it’s about preparing yourself to rise into your next evolution.
“We don’t outgrow our need for support. We just grow into more meaningful kinds of it.”
— Traciana
Your next chapter begins with one aligned step.
Thrive Abroad Society:
A globally minded support hub for parents navigating identity, purpose, and growth during the older kid, tween, and teen years.
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