by Maureen Thomas

Created on: August 10, 2009   Last Updated: August 11, 2009

As a parent and former middle school teacher I know the trepidation with which many parents view their child's transition to middle school. It can be an anxious time for your child; they are no longer the biggest fish in the little elementary school pond, rather they are about to become, at least in their mind, ocean-bound minnows.

The best advice I can offer you is not to panic. It's not as bad as you think it is! And, chances are, your anxieties far outweigh your child's. So, don't add to his or her fear. Rather, take practical steps and have low-pressure conversations emphasizing the positive aspects of growing up and moving on.

Teachers and administrators are very sensitive to the fact that there is a world of difference between sixth and eighth graders. In most places, the sixth graders start a day early. The emptier hallways give them a chance to navigate the layout of the school; in fact, the whole day is usually a tour of the building and a dry run of their classes. This is in addition to the summer Back to School Night most middle schools hold for incoming sixth grade students. For the first couple of weeks, most teachers give kids a lot of leeway as far as being late due to locker and schedule snafus. The actual percentage of kids that have real problems with this is very low, and teachers are literally waiting in the wings to help ease potential locker nightmares.

Another understandable parental concern is that of their kids being exposed to older kids, thereby picking up adolescent mannerisms and street smarts before their time. In all but a few cases, the teenage years are a rocky ride, one that can hopefully be postponed at least until the kids actually are teens. Thankfully, in many middle schools, the sixth graders occupy a separate wing or hallway, eat lunch, and of course have classes with only sixth graders. The most exposure they get to the older kids is usually on the bus. Most buses now are equipped with cameras which has helped to cut down on incidents of bullying, profanity, and other negative behaviors. Granted there will always be bullies, but for the most part, the gulf between the older kids and the incoming sixth graders is so wide in their minds, most eighth graders would rather die than be caught interacting with a little sixth grader.

If your school district doesn't have a uniform policy, you will have the clothing issue to deal with. Don't rush out and buy a whole new wardrobe; a couple of new outfits will suffice.

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