For me, October has always had the perfect vibe. The crunch of leaves underfoot, the cozy sweaters, the pumpkin spice everything—it’s a month steeped in drama. But once you’ve entered the magical purgatory known as parenting tweens, you start to notice something unsettling: October is tweendom, in seasonal form.
It’s moody. It’s unpredictable. It’s dramatic. And yes—it comes with way too much sugar.
So buckle up, fellow parents of tweens. Let’s unpack why October feels like the month our children and this season were secretly separated at birth.
1. October Is the Ultimate Drama Queen
October doesn’t do “subtle.” One day it’s warm and sunny, the next day you’re shivering in three layers and regretting every decision that led you outside. The trees are dying but somehow beautiful. The sky is either Instagram-worthy or looks like it’s auditioning for a horror film.
Sound familiar? That’s your tween.
One second they’re giggling over slime videos on TikTok, the next they’re storming into their room like you’ve personally ruined their life by asking them to put their shoes away. October, like tweens, thrives on drama. It’s not just fall—it’s a full theatrical performance with costume changes and mood lighting.
2. The Costume Situation
October is basically one long runway show. Your tween’s version of this? Every day is a costume change.
- At school: A hoodie that swallows them whole.
- At practice: A jersey two sizes too big.
- At home: Pajamas from two years ago that they refuse to throw out.
Halloween just gives them an excuse to lean into this wardrobe whiplash with fake blood, neon wigs, or a costume so ironic it requires a 15-minute explanation. Tweens don’t just wear clothes in October—they become characters.
3. The Emotional Weather
If October had a personality, it would be:
- Sunny but snappy at 9 AM.
- Storm cloud at 10:15.
- Dramatic sunset at 6 PM that makes you gasp, “Wow, so beautiful.”
In other words, your tween’s exact emotional weather report. They, too, can shift from angelic to apocalyptic before you’ve finished your coffee.
But here’s the kicker—both October and tweens have moments of breathtaking beauty. Just when you’re convinced you can’t survive another slammed door, they’ll curl up next to you on the couch, whisper something funny, or hand you a Reese’s cup “because you looked tired.”
Like October’s sunsets, those glimpses remind you: the chaos is worth it.
4. Candy: The Fuel of October and Tweens
October is powered by candy, and so are tweens.
Think about it: Halloween is the one time of year where you watch your child barter like a Wall Street trader. They will trade two Kit-Kats for one king-size Snickers, no questions asked. They will analyze the value of a Reese’s pumpkin like it’s cryptocurrency. They will form alliances with siblings and betray them seconds later.
And while you’re hiding in the pantry eating the good chocolate, you realize candy is the perfect metaphor for tweenhood: too much of it at once will make everyone sick, but little doses sprinkled in? Pure joy.
5. October Is Dark, But With Twinkle Lights
Tweens live in that in-between space too. Childhood is fading like long summer nights, and adulthood isn’t quite here. They’re equal parts silly and serious, hopeful and haunted, craving independence but terrified of it at the same time.
October teaches us how to live in that tension. Yes, it’s darker now. Yes, the mornings feel colder. But there’s magic in the shadows—pumpkin glows, cinnamon-scented candles, ghostly yard decorations. Tweens are the same: if you squint past the eye rolls, you’ll see flickers of their growing brilliance.
6. Every Outing Feels Like Trick-or-Treat
October is one long trick-or-treat, but so is parenting tweens.
You never know what you’re going to get when you knock on the door of their mood. Trick? A sarcastic comment about your outfit. Treat? A random hug because they “just felt like it.”
Sometimes you hit the jackpot—a great family dinner conversation, everyone laughing at the same dumb meme. Other times you get a rock in your plastic pumpkin. You just keep showing up at their door, hoping for more treats than tricks.
7. October Is for Parents, Too
Here’s the part we don’t say out loud enough: October feels like tween season for us too.
We’re in our own moody transition. We’re tired, juggling schedules, haunted by the ghost of laundry yet to be folded. We’re watching our babies slip into the complicated, messy, beautiful humans they’re becoming. It’s bittersweet, like October air.
So, lean into the sarcasm. Laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. But also, let yourself be encouraged: October ends with a holiday that’s basically about one thing—fun. Even if they don’t say it, your tweens still want you in the background, flashlight in hand, cheering them on as they dart from house to house.
Final Pep Talk
Parents, October and tweens are here to teach us something important: beauty lives in the messy middle. The leaves have to fall before new growth begins. Our tweens have to stumble through mood swings and candy crashes before they find their footing.
Yes, it’s dramatic. Yes, it’s exhausting. Yes, you will hear the phrase “You don’t understand!” roughly 43 times before Halloween. But October reminds us that transitions are powerful. They’re worth savoring, even when they’re loud, messy, and sticky with Jolly Rancher wrappers.
So grab your hoodie, light your pumpkin candle, and embrace this season of change. October won’t last forever, and neither will the tween years. Both are dramatic. Both are moody. Both are full of candy. And both, in their own wild way, are absolutely unforgettable.
Fry, Party of Five 