Parents of middle schoolers..........? - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
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It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
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So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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i felt the same way when my son went to middle school now hes getting ready to enter the 8th grade the good thing about our middle school is they keep the kids together by grade they have what they call clusters and all there classes and even there bathroom is in one area and the other kids in other grades cant use there area even there luches were by grade which was way different then when i was in middle school. My son did come to me about a week after starting the 5th grade and said alot of kids were getting in trouble and having to stay after school and he asked me what would happen if I get in trouble and have to stay after and I told him I would come to school and get you but you would have to walk all the way home and home is about 8 miles I told him I would drive behind him but he would have to walk weather its raining or snowing. And knock on wood he never got in trouble and had to stay after.. One year left I hope he keeps up the good work.....Good luck..
Maybe because I had a girl and not a boy I didn't think about the change so much. My dd was already so mature it was a blessing to be out of the elementary school. Just keep an eye on the friends your son has in middle school and make sure you approve. I'm a stickler as to who is acceptable companionship for my dd. My dd starts high school on Sept 9th but again I'm not worried because she is very mature and has a good head on her shoulders.
Last year our oldest son started middle school and I was a wreck!! Like your son, our Nick is very innocent of many things going around with other kids his age. I was so nervous about how he would do "living" out of locker, changing classes in a huge building with multi-levels and wings, and dealing with almost over 700 other 7th and 8th graders.
I am happy to report we both made it through the year! We did have a few bumps in the road, but nothing major.
I agree with the parents who have said you need to maintain open communication with your child and with his teachers. Make sure you meet all of your son's friends.
I chaperoned one field trip and was HORRIFIED by the behavior I saw from some of the kids. I could not believe how the girls were acting (like cats in heat) and some of the language the kids were using. I think there is such pressure at that age to fit in and grow up too fast.
Luckily Nick is more concerned with video games than he is with being "cool".
Want some perspective from a middle school teacher?
Like many have said, your son will gravitate to other kids who have the same interests as he does. He may get pulled in the opposite direction, but will find his way back. While keeping an open line of communication with him, make sure you still allow him to test the waters and become more independent.
The teachers may seem like they don't care about your child, but we do. During the first few weeks, or even months, we will guide them in their every day tasks, such as turning in their homework, when to go to their lockers, etc. However, we do start to back away as the students do need to learn to be more independent. Some students will take more time at this than others so please have patience if your son keeps forgetting his work. Keep an open line with the teachers as well.
The middle school body and brain is changing very rapidly and there will be some days where you son would forget his head if it weren't attached. Just roll you eyes at him and give him a hug.
Honestly, I think middle school is much harder on the parents than on the kids.
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Another great way to keep in touch with your kids is to have the house that the group likes to hang out at. My son and his friends have used our house as the main hang out since the beginning of middle school and it helped me stay close to him and his friends. Now they will be juniors in high school and they still like to sit down with me and fill me in on everything-they're not shy! It may cost me an arm and a leg in food and drinks but the relationship I have with the whole group of guys and girls is priceless.
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I managed to keep my innocense (I know now that living in a small town that we're naturally sheltered from a lot) but i came out very jaded. Because I kept that innocense, and because my parents didn't let me go to socials, date, or wear short skirts and make up, I lost every "friend" that I had in my class. Litterally. I didn't regain some of those friendships until my senior year - or later as an adult - but none are in my inner most circle...
I had serious trust issues and didn't make new friends easily. But that's just me. LOL... just be there for them, and even when you're ready to strangle them because they're testing the waters once again (and in a more "grown up way") let them know that you won't give up on them, judge them by appearance, and that you'll always lend an ear! By not changing their ways, my parents gave me a stability in a very unstable part of my childhood.
I am 60 years old and thus way past middle school which in my day was 7-9th grade but I do remember how horrible it was for me! So when my oldest son first approached it, only now from 6-8th grade, I was worried. Maybe it is just because I expected it to be so awful that it was but it was bad and it was bad for each succeeding kid. It wasn't a problem with their innocence being lost as much as it just was hormones running wild. One son did not talk to us for 2 years- he wasn't mean or anything, he just answered everything with the reply "blarg". Another son went from straight a's to d's but changed not at all in his behavior at home or at school, he just stopped doing homework (or at least turning it in cause we made him do it at home!) Anyway the happy ending to all of this is that by the end of middle school they all had returned to their normal selves, just older and wiser, and after that, high school was a breeze!
So hang in there. Hopefully your experience will be easier but if not, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Suzie
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One year left I hope he keeps up the good work.....Good luck..
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Pixie Dust
So when my oldest son first approached it, only now from 6-8th grade, I was worried. Maybe it is just because I expected it to be so awful that it was but it was bad and it was bad for each succeeding kid. It wasn't a problem with their innocence being lost as much as it just was hormones running wild. One son did not talk to us for 2 years- he wasn't mean or anything, he just answered everything with the reply "blarg". Another son went from straight a's to d's but changed not at all in his behavior at home or at school, he just stopped doing homework (or at least turning it in cause we made him do it at home!) Anyway the happy ending to all of this is that by the end of middle school they all had returned to their normal selves, just older and wiser, and after that, high school was a breeze!
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