Tween Realities
The realities are a distillation of the research findings into four analytical tools that map the key issues that define tweens’ lives. The realities provide a conceptual framework for thinking about the tweens.
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Reality #1: Social: Stuck at Home
“Sometimes I make friends online because they’re friends with my other friends.”

Being stuck at home is a particular experience unique to tweens. They are old enough that they have started to gain independence. They are able to meet up and hang out with their friends without parental supervision, but they are not able to get to most places by themselves. This makes the experience of being home feel more like being stuck at this age.

Reality #2: Fantasizing: Trying it on for Size
“I think I want to be a designer...or president.”

The tweens spoke of window shopping at eBay, buying fashion that the celebrities are wearing, getting good grades, and aspiring to have a family some day. The tweens are fantasizing about their future and trying things on for size to see how they might fit in the future.

Reality #3: Time: No Time
“Music is very important to me so when I’m doing homework I can get it done faster.”

Between school, hanging out with their friends, chores, and homework, the tweens have no time to waste. They go from one thing to the next, and they have developed systems for how they like to work and play.

Reality #4: Space: My Most Valued Object – My Room
“This is my closet. I spend a lot of time in there.”

The tweens’ rooms are a major part of their lives. It is their space that they can personalize, brand, and decorate. It is the place where they can start to build their identity, listen to music, surf the web, and hang out with friends.