TIPS+FOR+PARENTS

Welcome to the world of Middle School- a vibrant and exciting time in your child's life! Yet it can also be a frustrating, challenging time for families. The transition from Elementary School to Middle School is a very important time for your preadolescent, and your child will need lots of patience, love, advice and support.

On this site you will find educational information that address your child's development as well as information on how to best support your child during the Middle School years. I hope that you find this site helpful and information. If you have any areas of interest that you believe would be useful to parents, please let me know and I will address them. Also, if you have any interesting, informative research as to "parenting tips for adolescents," send them to me and I will be more than happy to post them on this site.

__Posted October 27, 2007__

TIPS for Parents
The years from 10 to 15 represent a time of physical, emotional, social, and intellectual change. The former Center for Early Adolescence identified seven needs that promote healthy development during this time: As these needs suggest, young adolescents search for personal meaning in their lives. They attempt to determine who they are and what kind of person they will become as they participate in activities that give them a sense of accomplishment. Young adolescents learn to define themselves by being exposed to a wide variety of experiences. Exploration is the key word, literally a "trying out" of many different opportunities and possibilities. Help your child build meaning in her life by encouraging "safe" risks and providing parental limits and unconditional love. Remember, the experiences that build responsible, caring, and morally courageous adults begin long before adulthood. And in this particularly vulnerable period from 10 to 15, young adolescents need more guidance than ever as they move from childhood toward adulthood. //**About the Editors:** Edward Brazee is editor of professional publications for National Middle School Association and professor of middle level education at the University of Maine. Constance Carter is director of Operation Breaking Stereotypes, a non-profit organization that facilitates exchanges between rural and inner-city middle schools and high schools.//
 * competence and achievement
 * social interaction with peers and adults
 * diversity
 * participation in school and community activities
 * self-exploration and definition
 * routine, limits, structure
 * physical activity

Posted Sept. 26, 2007

What young adolescents want — and need!

 * 1) Every child wants to believe in himself or herself as a successful person
 * 2) Every youngster wants to be liked and respected
 * 3) Every youngster wants to do and learn things that are worthwhile
 * 4) Every youngster wants physical exercise and freedom to move
 * 5) Youngsters want life to be just

From Chris Stevenson, //Teaching 10-14 Year Olds//, 2nd edition, 1998. Available from NMSA.

[[image:check_this_out_clipart.jpg caption="Posted Sept. 18, 2007"]]
=__Tips for Parents__= What Your Kids Want From You They might not tell you directly, but your young adolescents want your attention. The amount of time that 10- to 15-year-olds spend with their parents and family is very, very small—generally less than 15 minutes each day. So, what can you do to get more time with your kids?
 * They want your attention—**totally and fully. They don't want to try talking to you when you are reading, watching TV, or checking your e-mail. You've given your full attention to others all day, and your kids know that. That is why they want your attention—//now//. Turn off the TV and computer and put the newspaper down. Look them in the eyes, and let them talk to you.
 * They want to do something with you.** Take them outside to play catch; throw the Frisbee; walk, jog, or ride bikes around the block; or shoot some baskets. Make dinner together or bake a treat for a neighbor. Loosen up and enjoy being with each other. This is often the moment when that heart-to-heart talk you've been wanting to have will magically occur.
 * They want to know what you think—**about them, life in general, and their prospects for their future. They want to talk about what they see, hear, and experience in the rest of their lives. Talk with them about their thoughts and yours. Read together. Pass along articles from newspapers and magazines that interest you; they will be interested, too.

Staying The Course
Parenting is a rewarding, but sometimes exhausting job, so it is understandable when parents feel worn down and too tired to stay the adult course. In some instances, parents may feel it is all right to weaken, but in the long run, children benefit from a voice and position of strength. · It is important to remember to be the strong but caring parent when that sweet, loving child of 9 turns into an independent, "I have my own idea of what's right" young adolescent of 10 or 11. It seems that just last week chaperoning a school trip was an act of pure love by a parent. Now the demands to "drop me off a block away" and the pleading not to chaperone the field trip or the dance come regularly and forcefully. Remember that, while it is important for young adolescents to become independent, it is equally important for them to learn to be themselves and enjoy their friends in the presence of caring adults. Young adolescents need to become individuals, but they also need to learn that they do not control their parents' attendance at school functions. To be fair, be sensitive to their need for separation from their parents; but giving them that much control is more autonomy that they can handle. So, next time, compromise by saying, "I know you want your space, and I promise not to be right beside you the whole time, but your school needs my assistance, and I plan to be there for part of the time. Besides, I enjoy seeing you having such a good time with your friends."
 * //About the Editors://** //Edward Brazee is editor of professional publications for National Middle School Association and professor of middle level education at the University of Maine. Constance Carter is director of Operation Breaking Stereotypes, a nonprofit organization that facilitates exchanges between rural and inner-city middle schools and high schools.//

How Can I Help My Child With Reading? (Posted Sept. 17, 2007) o Read biographies and novels o Read and explain instructions for using new appliances o Read interesting articles from the newspaper or internet o Read to a younger brother or sister o Read to find out more information about a topic o Read for fun and enjoyment > > **__MENTORING SCHEDULE__** > //**Monday**// > Share events of the weekend ("Rate Your Weekend") > Check "Week in Review" signatures > Organize for the week > > //**Tuesday**// > Class Issues > Thinking Games > > //**Wednesday**// > GLUE > > //**Thursday**// > Action Thursday > //**Friday**// > Week in Review
 * Recognize your child’s successes in reading and offer praise.
 * Ensure that your child is exposed to a wide range of reading materials in print and electronic formats, e.g. newspapers, letters, emails, the internet, recipes, TV guides, magazines, puzzle books etc.
 * Encourage your child to read for different purposes:
 * Recognize that you and child may have very different ideas about what you feel your child should be reading. Respect your child’s choices.
 * Make sure you read some of the books that your child enjoys so you can share reactions together.
 * Take an interest in books written by your child’s favourite authors; talk about them and give them away as presents.
 * Encourage your child to talk about the books he or she enjoyed or disliked. Foster thoughtful criticism and comment.
 * Support learning by guiding, advising and talking things through.
 * Let you child know that sometimes people need to discuss and clarify issues to help further understanding.
 * Discuss ideas, statements and underlying beliefs which are evident in newspapers, books, posters, advertising, the internet, video games and television programmes.
 * Read books that have been made into films and encourage your child to talk about differences between the books and the film.
 * Talk to your child about how your own parents read to you as a child or told you stories.
 * When you watch a movie, talk about the characters, about how time and place were important in the movie, about the sequence of events in the movie and even a possible alternative ending.
 * Connect whatever your child watches on TV or plays in a video game to something in a novel or short story.
 * When something is difficult for your child to read, read it to him/her and then discuss what it is about.
 * Read with your child on a nightly basis.