Welcome to the Jungle
Hello, friends. "Welcome to the jungle, we got fun and games" (I didn't say that; Axel Rose did). While I don't think Mr. Rose was talking about middle schoolers, he may as well have.
You used to have this relatively chill child. They liked you. You liked them. All was well. And then, like an atom bomb, hormones hit your sweet cherub. They've exploded into cranky beasts who want you to drop them off a block before school, even though you dragged your butt into the car during the cold of Midwestern winter morning. You just realized they are wearing Crocs and will probably get frostbite, and you'll have to take them to the doctor and miss work. Where Are The Boarding School Applications?
Allegedly.
Raising a middle schooler is challenging. You know that already. But what help can you get, and why should you listen to me anyway?
Hi, my name is Katie. I'm a National Board Certified Teacher, a 15-year middle school teacher veteran, and the mom of a 13-year-old and 11-year-old. In other words, I'm an accidental expert on middle schoolers. While your innocent babe is no more, I find the ages of 11-14 to be some of the most exciting during a child's development. This is the age where your child is finding out who they are, and who they want to be. They are messy and funny humans (no one can make me laugh harder than a 12-year-old boy). The best day of my life was when my kids finally understood sarcasm.
My favorite thing about middle schoolers is that if you show up as your authentic self, they might not love you, but they will respect you. Simply put, they smell b.s from a mile away. If you show them your messy self, they learn to grow into messy, imperfect, and confident adults. Give them room to lovingly try things; if they "fail," they're not failing. They are just learning who they are.
But how can you support them without losing your mind? I will take time, care, practice, and a whole lot of kvetching. And that's okay. I've got you. We're going to discuss school strategies, parenting strategies, strategies for dealing with stress (for both you and your child), and plenty of moments when I don't have the answers. It's okay not to have answers. It only matters that you try.
Here we go, guys. Let the games begin.
