Helping Your New Middle Schooler
Make The Transition
Moving
from elementary school:
to middle school is hard for anyone. Your
middle schooler may feel overwhelmed, anxious and even scared to walk the halls
of middle school. Depending on the
setting, they could be in a new building.
They could be with other kids they have not met yet. And, they could be the youngest around after
being the oldest in their former school. When it comes time to make the move,
be sure you are doing all you can to help them adjust.
may interest you Infants (0-1 year of age)
may interest you Making The Transition To A First Grader
No
Mom!
The
most common words you will hear from your middle schooler will start with the
word "no." This is normal and
to be expected. The fact is, middle
school is also a time when you start to explore yourself, forging your own way
and getting to do things on your own, without mom and dad to help you through.
When you ask your child if they would like your help, and they tell you no,
realize this is a good sign. They are
trying to work through their problems on their own, which should be a sign of
good intentions.
On
the other hand, you may hear a change in the discipline of your child during
the middle school years. They may be more
willing to talk back and may question your authority. Realize that this too is
a sign of being independent and do not take it to heart. Most parents will still want to enforce the
rules, as a family you should not feel that changes are necessary for your
middle school kid.
It
Isn't Just The Building
There are many other changes happening for your middle school kid, too that
have nothing to do with the school itself.
Suddenly, boys are cute and girls look pretty. And, of course, puberty is in full swing,
which means lots of raging hormones and misunderstood topics. You can help your child through these
situations by simply being informative but not pushy. Ensure they have had the opportunity talk
with you about puberty and that you have answered their questions. Give them guidance when you can without being
too over the top about it. The fact is,
your child will feel embarrassed and if you push them too far, you could push
them away.
For
many boys, puberty brings on more aggression and anger. This often happens at school. If you find
your child is acting out more, realize that it may be normal, but that does not
mean it is allowable. Talk with your
school about potential problems and get them under control. Middle schoolers do need guidance and often
need more reassurance of the rules than kids younger than them.
Handling
School
School
itself will change for your middle school child, too. A variety of school issues change too. Here are some things to prepare your child
for leading up to middle school.
· Let them know that the demand for work will be higher during their
middle school years than during their elementary years. This is also a time to talk with them about
grades and the importance of them.
· Talk with your child about the increased amount of social activities
and after school activities, they will have more exposure. Set limits on what they can do including what
affect it can have on their grades.
· Let them know that they are going to have more responsibilities in
school. For example, your child will be more responsible for finding their way
from classroom to classroom. They will
need to remember which books to bring home, as their teachers won't be helping
them.
Moving
into middle school can be a lot of fun, too.
Your children are going to meet new people and start growing into their
own people. You may find this a good
time for bounding, but more than likely your child will want more freedom to do
the things that interest them. They may
want to go to the mall with friends or meet their friends at the arcade. Realize that all of your hard work in talking
to them and teaching them over the last few years is going to come into play
now. In most cases, they will enjoy
being a middle schooler, and you may enjoy them, too.
With my best wishes