If you have a preteen, you might be noticing that sometimes, your preteen is moody. Over time, you might worry: Is this normal or is there something else going on? We do know that there are a lot of issues that come up for preteens. They have so much to deal with; bullying, schoolwork, peer pressure. So realize that that they might be moody some of the time. What you want to watch for is, what's it like over time? Is it everyday for more than two weeks. Has my child, who is normally someone who would go out with their friends, now someone to withdraw and stay home most of the time. Did my son, who is normally an A and B student, grades drop down to D's or F's? That means there is something going on. When I was frustrated, when I didn't know what was going on with my teen, I did something called, a "heart-to-heart." I would sit my son down and say, "I need to talk to you about what's on my mind, but I also want to hear what's on your mind. Tell me. How are things going for you?" He would tell me, and then I might say something, like, "What I need is for you to come home every day and say hello to me. If you do that, I will be glad to ask you fewer questions." We had that heart-to-heart, which meant that we could be connected. We could talk and pay attention. Get help, if you are worried. Talk to teachers, talk to friend's parents, and if you need to, get professional help. Teens and preteens do tend to be moody.