It now seems like a lifetime ago that my baby was heading off to middle school for the very first time.
Yes, I know she will always be my baby, but she’ll be a college junior in a couple of weeks, and she’s learning to navigate the world on her own terms. Hopefully at this point, she has everything she needs to successfully spread her wings. Maybe you’re in the same boat as I am. Reality has hit that sooner than you care to admit, your child is becoming more independent and sooner rather than later middle school awaits. Here are a few things she needs to learn during these years.
- How to wash (and iron) clothes. Maybe it was looking at the huge mound of clothes that needed to be washed that brought sudden clarity to me, but when my daughter was about to start middle school, it hit me she is perfectly capable of washing and ironing, if she chooses. If she doesn’t have on clean or ironed clothes, that’s on her, and it’s not a reflection of my mothering skills. Lord knows allowing her to take responsibility for this has been a blessing to me since it’s one less thing on my ever-evolving to-do list.
- How to wake themselves up. Call it the summer of enlightenment for me, but right before she started middle school, I also realized my daughter is very capable of setting an alarm and getting herself up. Maybe it was the way she jumped up without prompting the day one of her favorite shows premiered on Netflix, and she wanted to watch an episode before school started. She woke herself up and was fully dressed with backpack ready in record time. Since I told her she has to get herself up, she has consistently done it.
- How to tell time. By middle school, kids need to also know how to tell time, and not just with the clock on their phone. Call me old school, but I think they need to learn to tell time with an analog clock. There are plenty of YouTube videos to help with this.
- How to feed themselves. Whether it’s packing a lunch or getting their own breakfast, by middle school, kids should have some autonomy on how to feed themselves without having to rely on you to figure it out. One of my Facebook friends once said she started out by teaching her kid how to cook one meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That works for me.
- How to talk to their teachers. Talking to adults can be intimidating for many kids, but they have to learn to communicate with their teachers. Whether it’s asking about a missed assignment or seeking help when they don’t understand homework, it’s beneficial to them to start learning how to have the conversations rather than you having them for them.
Bonus: The proper uses of the internet. Many of us take for granted that since our kids live in a tech world that they know the proper way to use the internet, but unfortunately many don’t. Take the time to go over internet dos and don’ts, including what sites offer accurate information, how not to be a bully, and what to do if she is cyberbullied or contacted by a stranger.
What are some things you feel kids should know before middle school?
