5 Tips to Encourage Independence in Your Tween

This is a sponsored post written by me for Mazoola. All opinions are mine alone. I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. This post may contain affiliate links.

I still cannot believe it, but my oldest daughter has entered those formidable tween years. As she matures into a new phase in her adolescence & craves more independence from us, I’m wanting to make sure she remains responsible and careful. Today I’m sharing five ways that I’m encouraging responsible independence in my tween daughter, including how to establish smart financial habits via the Mazoola App. 

1. Encourage financial responsibility.

Like her mom, Sophia loves shopping. Thanks to the Mazoola App, we now have a safe, digital mobile wallet with funds that she can use at her own discretion. It still gives me full control over how much money she has available to her, which retailers are approved, how much funds are available for each purchase, etc. I can even use the app to monitor spending habits throughout the month, reward her for completing her daily chores, pay her a weekly allowance, and generally oversee all financial transactions. I love that I can even set specific limits for different stores.

Setting up the digital wallet is super easy and only takes a few quick steps: 

1. Set up an account, connect your funding account (bank) and add your child to the family account. It’s all digital – no need to wait for cards in the mail! I love the convenience of that!
2. Set transaction limits and pre-approve certain retailers for your child. You can add multiple children and set different age-appropriate rules for different children. 
3. Create chores, set up allowances and establish budget goals through the app. On Sophia’s phone, she can keep track of which chores she has completed throughout the day.

It was so easy to set up on my phone and then get it set up on hers as well. Sophia has loved being able to control some money and having the right to make certain purchase decisions on her own. It really encourages the child to be independent and responsible, while still keeping the parent in full control of the process. I can see summaries over the past 30 days of all spending, saving, goal-reaching, charity-donating and more. 

Here are some more reasons why we’ve been really enjoying Mazoola:

• The app provides tools & articles to teach kids how to be financially responsible. 
• The app encourages social responsibility by allowing kids to donate to certain charities that have been approved by the parent. 
• Completing household chores, such as making one’s bed or loading the dishwasher, can be associated with rewards. This builds positive long-term habits and creates a link between productive work and earning money. 
• The child’s private info (name, age, location and shopping history ) is never saved or stored by the app. Mazoola is committed to the highest levels of privacy and security.
• Just like a bank, transactions are 256 bit encrypted and FDIC insured up to $250,000. That gives me total peace of mind!

Mazoola is not just popular in our household. In fact, Mazoola was named ‘Best in Tech’ in the 2021 National Parenting Product Awards!  Families all over are recognizing the value and convenience offered by Mazoola. Also, rest assured that Mazoola has been certified COPPA and GDPR compliant. This means that your account information is kept private and confidential thanks to multiple layers of high-level security. Mazoola is “powered by privacy!”

Want to try Mazoola for your family? The app is currently offering families a one-year membership at no cost with the ability to cancel anytime. Download for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play. To snag a FREE membership for one year AND get $10 when you sign-up (create a profile/fund an account), simply use this link to sign up. 

2. Let her make her own choices.

When it comes to school classes / electives, there will come a time when your child can choose which classes to take. You may have strong opinions on this, but refrain from making the decision for her. Instead, discuss the pros and cons of each choice and encourage your child to think about which class might align better with her long-term goals. Encouraging her to make the decision will empower her and give her confidence for future decisions.

3. Teach time management and organizational skills.

As your child enters middle school and then high school, you don’t want to have to remind them every day of upcoming deadlines and assignments. Take the time to help your child develop life-long habits of time management and organization. Purchase an academic planner so your child can see all upcoming due dates and plan accordingly. 

4. Focus on communication.

With more independence comes more responsibility. If your child is going to a friend’s house after school, make it clear that she needs to communicate that with you ahead of time. As your child begins to spend more time outside of the house with friends, it’s important that communication is made often throughout the day.

5. Set clear and fair household rules.

I’m a big fan of setting clear expectations ahead of time. When it comes to household rules, create rules that are appropriate for the age of your children and write them down. Let your child review them and ask any questions. By putting them down onto paper, you can reduce chances of misunderstandings and confusion down the road.

Don’t forget to sign up for the Mazoola App (use this link) to get a FREE membership for one year AND $10 account credit. How old are your kids? Are you trying to encourage independence in your tween child?  

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