Transitioning From Elementary To Middle School

BY MIDDLE SCHOOL MOMMER KIM CAIFANO

To watch or listen to the YouTube teaching on this topic click here.

The transition from elementary into middle school is quite a milestone. 🌟I entered this stage with very little “inside information” and I don’t want other parents to fumble their way around as much as I did. So here are 7 quick tips for parents of children entering their first year of junior high / middle school. 

I hope it leaves you feeling equipped and encouraged. 💪🏽Here are my insights:

1. You may feel like the only one who doesn’t know what they’re doing. But rest assured, you are not alone. It may appear that others have it down more than you do, but often it’s because they have other kids that have already gone through the middle school process.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to other parents and ask questions. And definitely don’t be afraid to ask your school questions. They acknowledge that just last year these kiddos were in elementary school, so they know you’ll have questions. Remember, this is middle school, not high school. 😉

2. Expect emotions from your middle schooler.  They may get off the bus tired, angry, or anxious. I don’t say that to scare you but to prepare you. I encourage you to be there to listen and problem solve to the extent you can, but don’t try to “fix things” immediately. 

If strong emotions are going on for a long period of time, I encourage you to seek outside help of course. Also keep in mind that your school likely has a counselor on hand and perhaps even an entire office dedicated to helping and supporting middle schoolers through this season of transition. 

Meanwhile, your role is to make a consistent effort to check in with your child for the first 4-6 weeks especially. Again, it may not be right after school. Find their “talk time.” 👇🏼

Read my article 3 Tips To Get Your Middle Schooler To Talk or watch my YouTube teaching by the same name. 

Because …. I guarantee there are things going on - in the lunchroom, regarding their locker, regarding the bus situation, hallway chatter, the list goes on. Keep checking in to see how they’re handling everything. 

3. It’s not too late to update the locker situation. If you saw other people setting up with a locker shelf or magnetic cup holder and you didn’t have such things, it’s ok! Buy it now. 

I do recommend those two things specifically. 👆🏼 That locker is big, and adding one more row of shelving can help organize your child immensely. Email the school and ask for the locker dimensions first, then place that order for a shelf. 

Regarding the cup holder, I recommend ordering this online so you can see reviews first. We bought one from [unnamed store] and it kept falling off and did more harm than good for our son in 6th grade. Yikes. 

4. One of your biggest roles is to keep your child organized this year. This is a process that will not take place in a day, week, month or year. It’s actually an important part of what middle school is all about. Getting those organizational and executive functioning skills down so that they are ready - in due time - for high school. 

One fantastic way to do this is to purchase a trapper keeper or an accordion folder. Something tangible that will help them stay organized. This is often not on the school supply list, fyi. While there are apps out there, most teachers I spoke with seemed to recommend something more tangible. 

5. Get a grip on who the point people are. Most likely this will include the school attendance line; the school nurse; the teacher point person or team leader; the school psychologist; and any people involved in regard to your child’s IEP or need for learning assistance. 

The sooner you have these different numbers and emails the more confident you’ll be in your parenting.

6. Get to know the clubs being offered. Middle school is full of a variety of clubs and organizations. Everything from chess to acting to coding to science to bowling. It’s not just about sports and music after school - practically anything your child may have an interest in will likely be offered. 

This is a wonderful way for them to get to know other kids and stay active.

7. Stay on your A-game as a parent. Now is not the time to “check out.” Your child may be more independent, but don’t mistake that for an excuse for you to step back. If anything, you’ll need to lean in all the more. 

Ensuring homework is getting handed in, checking in with their emotions, making sure they have the supplies needed for band, gym, art, and so on.

Your parenting style may look different, but it’s still rather intensive. Stay alert. 💛

Want more info? Get my Freebie: 16 Insider Tips About Middle School here.