You and your child are both likely to be worried as she prepares to start middle school. You're worried about your child learning enough so that she is prepared for highschool. She worries about how to get to English class. You want her to feel safe on her first solo trip to school and back. She worries about her haircut. Both of you hope that she will fit in and make new friends at middle school, as well as not be overwhelmed with homework.
You may be concerned about the future of your child, or whether middle school is preparing them for success. She probably worries more about her basic needs, such knowing how open her locker for the first time. You can support her by recognizing the difference between her concerns and worries, while still keeping an eye on her progress. These tips will help you prepare both of you for this exciting new experience:
Your child will be more orientated if you help them.
If there is no orientation, ask the school if you and your child can go look around a day or two before school starts. Ask if there is an orientation for new students. If not, you can visit the school with your child a few days before classes begin. Together you can identify important locations like his office, locker, cafeteria and bathrooms. Middle schoolers are often most concerned about their lockers. Buy a lock that your child can practice with during the summer. It will save your child the hassle of fumbling around with their lockers on the first school day.
Plan how you will get to and from school in case of emergency
Before school starts, have your child practice her route and tell them where they can get assistance in the event that she is unable to do so. Help can be found at the homes or businesses of friends, bus drivers and other people. You and your daughter should be both confident that they can make it to school without you.
Encourage a buddy-system
Encourage your child to contact a friend who will be attending the middle school he is going to and set up a time to meet. This can either happen before or after school. If your child is worried about going to school alone, encourage him to call a friend from elementary school who will be attending his middle school and arrange a meeting before or at lunchtime.
Wearing the right clothes is a wise choice
Middle schoolers may find it difficult to choose school clothes. To make this easier, you can strike a balanced between giving your children some autonomy and setting them limits. To begin with, ask the school about any dress codes. Most middle schools have a dress code that prohibits tank tops and short shorts. Some also ban certain colors. Let your child ask her friends what they will wear. Don't buy all the clothes before school starts. Your child can see the must-have styles of this year and get an idea before budgets are exhausted. Allow her to choose her own wardrobe but keep the right of final approval.
School rules explained
Ask the school for the rules regarding cell phones, dress codes and open campus during lunch. Your child will be able to avoid breaking rules by doing this. Your child may feel more comfortable if they know how the school handles behavior problems such as bullying.
Organise your child's life
Help her to create a daily schedule or a simple notebook. This will prepare her for the new middle-school responsibilities. Check in on your child's assignments regularly. She may be working on more projects and assignments in high school than she was in elementary or studying for multiple tests. It's possible that she will need some help to learn how to complete everything in time. This does not mean you should help your child with their homework. She may need some advice on how to do her homework, but she needs to learn to take responsibility for it.
Teach Time Management
Teach your children to maximize their time by carrying a notebook or review sheet at all times. You can use odd moments, such as waiting for the bus or in the doctor's clinic, to study. Also, it's important to establish a routine for your child that includes homework time and other obligations. This will avoid the time crunch of middle school, which is caused by extracurriculars and increased homework.
Keep up with your child's classes
You may think your child should be able to choose her own classes. However, you need to check with an advisor that she is meeting all requirements.
Communication is key
It's important to remain available to your middle-schooler, even if you feel he's not interested in talking to you. Lawrence Kutner is a parent-child communication specialist and psychologist who recommends that you talk to your child often about small matters. He won't be able to open up about important topics if he doesn't share with you what happened at baseball practice. He suggests that parents speak to their children while driving, cooking or even just sitting across the table. Middle schoolers can feel less intimidated to talk when they are not forced to look at each other. He also encourages middle school parents to be persistent.
Beware of bullies
There are many middle-schoolers who fear bullying. This problem is growing in schools. Thankfully, there are now rules for schools to help prevent and deal with bullying. Be sure to check if yours has one. Teach her what to say if she is the target of a bully. KidsHealth.org recommends that kids not show anger to the bully because it will only make him feel more powerful. The bully should be ignored and the child should leave if possible. Tell an adult you trust about what's happening. Your child can be reminded that it's not a bad thing to inform an adult of bullying. Tell your child that fighting or bullying back is never a good thing. You don't know what the bully is going to do, so it could be dangerous. Your child may face a bully at a certain time or place. Encourage her to try and enlist the help of a buddy. Bullies tend to be less aggressive towards a group.
Comments are closed.