I used to teach 5th grade, and I heard over and over again, “How can you teach 10 year olds every day? I could never do that!” It always struck me as funny because I truly love this age.
Now I have my own ten year old and I find myself really enjoying our time together. Here’s why!
Independence
Gone are the days of double knotting shoelaces, packing diaper bags, and reminding them to go to the bathroom before getting in the car. Ten years are able to take care of their daily needs, but I find that my son is great about helping with some of my responsibilities too. Having an extra hand to carry in groceries or walk down to the mailbox is very handy!
Responsible
While my ten year old still needs frequent reminders to do his chores, it is nice to have kids at the age where they can do their own laundry and clean their own rooms. Ten year olds are also starting to understand work ethic. My husband and I find this handy when our kids are asking for money to buy something. What can they do to earn some money? We like teaching our kids some life skills starting around this age! 
Fun-Loving
I find that 10 year olds are a mix of still enjoying “kid” things plus finding more grown-up activities fun too. When I was teaching, my students still loved when I would read stories with funny voices but were mature enough to handle more classroom responsibility too. Another added bonus is that ten year olds play games our entire family finds fun. We’ve traded Uno Moo for The Game of Life. Ten year olds still like to be creative too!
They like their parents and teachers
It wasn’t until the end of 5th grade that I noticed more “sass” coming from my students. Throughout most of the school year, kids still seemed to like coming to school and being the leaders in our building. My ten year old still enjoys talking to his teacher each day and seems to genuinely like hanging out with us.
New Opportunities
This year our ten year old has been able to start band and try some new extracurricular activities. He’s enjoyed trying new experiences and learning how to balance all of his activities. We’ve had a few days where his instrument doesn’t make it to school or he forgets his lunch at home, but overall, the independence he’s gaining is a great attribute!
What’s your favorite kid’s age?
