HELP!

1
HELP!

• A Parents Guide to Middle School

2
Goals For This Parent Meeting

• Prepare you for Middle School Transition
• Discuss differences between parent concern and
  student concerns
• Expectations
• Developmental information about your child

3
What To Expect

• You and your child have heard rumors
• Overconfidence or worry
• Confusing comments and actions from your child
  regarding middle school
• Information will come home for registration

4
Differences Between Student and Parent Concerns

• Academic
• Social
• Logistics

5
Information From Middle School

• Maps
• Registration for Specials Classes
• Band, Chorus, and Special Groups
• Parent Night
• Packet with hints to help your child succeed

6
Developmental Concerns

• Independence from parents is increasing
• Responsibility is growing
• Consequences are stronger
• Self-esteem lowers
• Peers become more important than parents as far
  as influence
• Sleep cycles change and sleep deprivation can
  occur.
• As bodies and social skills develop, brains can
  go stagnant.

7
How You Can Help Your Child

• Become MORE observant!
• Schedule, Schedule, Schedule
• Monitor activities and exposure to media
• Know real-time friends and internet friends,
  discuss safety
• What if?

8
Academic Concerns

• Team Model with several teachers
• Agenda books are vital for information gathering
  and organization
• Check work and assignments nightly
• More restriction and monitoring needed
• Go against tendency to allow them more
  independence

9
What we will do to help your child

• Answer questions
• Virtual tour with pictures and additional
  information
• More study skills and test-taking tips
• Feeder Visits
• Registration for Band and Chorus
• Combination Lock Lesson
• Supply information

10
Your Childs Brain

• Largest growth period since they were infants.
• Growth occurring in the frontal lobe
• Decision-making skills are impaired
• Rollercoaster emotions
• Risk behaviors increase because their brain has
  difficulty considering consequences

11
Color Image of Brain Growth
12
Brain is Pruning

• Use it or lose it
• Skills that are not used will quickly diminish
  during this time.
• As pruning occurs children may forget how to do
  something so frustration can set in.

13
Parent View of Teen Brain
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Parenting

• Maintain consistency
• Allow discussion but not argument
• Be ready for But why? questions
• Although they may say You are so mean! know
  you are making the best choice for your child.
• Monitor friends, music, T.V., games.

15
Peer Power

• Dont underestimate peer influence from work
  habits to fashion
• Trying to fit in not stick out
• Your child will want to walk away from you in the
  mall ( unless you are buying )
• Can be easily embarrassed with attention from
  adults.
• Allow some freedom with responsibility but
  maintain control
• Duck theory If it looks like.it is!

16
Responsibility

• Give children responsibility at home
• Avoid picking up after them or doing it for them
• Give consequences and stick to them
• Help them keep organized
• Dont give freedom unless its earned

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Conclusion

• Wars are won through small battles.
• Your childs future is at risk.
• Love them enough to stop them.
• Self-Control, Respect, and Responsibility are
  learned at home but reinforced at school.