Parenthood is not an easy job especially when you are dealing with middle school goers.As they are in the transition of becoming adults from kids so handling this age group is quite dicey. You should avoid doing certain things in order to build and maintain a healthy relationship with your child and not spoil it. Please read through the article and learn about some things you must avoid telling or doing to your child in mid school.
- Wake them up early in morning
If you are still in the habit of waking up the little one in the morning still, then it’s time for change. Set an alarm clock to do the work.Initiate the routine when your kids should get themselves up every morning for school as they start going to middle school. I have done the same with my kids.
Expect that there will be times when they will rush out with only a few minutes left for the school bus. Let them understand that the snooze button the alarm clock is not luxurious as it causes them to skip the breakfast. They should learn the hard way.
Some parents find it adorable to wake up their kids in the morning, but if you want to raise a well-functioning adult and not a dependent child, it’s time to change.
- Preparing their breakfast and pack the lunch
When kids are going to midschool, you need to stop making their breakfast and packing lunch. The sound of clanging cereal bowls is like my morning alarm.As a mother or parent ensures that your kitchen is stuffed with enough food so they can eat breakfast comfortably and pack the lunch.
As a parent it is natural to worry what they are packing for school lunch. But you need to let go off that thought but ensure that your pantry is full of healthy stuff and it is up to the kids what they want to take as lunch.
It is a fact that after a few yearsyou will be having no idea of the meals they are having away in college. So it is better to start during the missed school days.
- Fill the paperwork on kid’s behalf
I have kids, so can definitely tell you that it means a whole lot of school appear work or homework.This used to be a nightmare till I made the kids reached an age when they are able to fill the paperwork by themselves.
Similarly, teens or students of mid school are expected to complete own paperwork, as best as they can. Stop spoon feeding your kid; they are now old enough to do the paperwork, but as parents when you sign it,verify that they have done it correctly and ask them to make any changes if required.
This is a way to make your kid accountable. If they start it now, they will be comfortable in filling out for college and job application later inlife and do it on own without any intervention or help. Help them grow as responsible and self-sufficient individual.
- Deliver the forgotten stuff for kids
As parents, you should not miss any opportunity of providing natural consequences for the teens. Have they forgotten something important? Make them feel the pain for that. Kids learn that next time they must remember taking all important stuff and do not rely on parents blindly.
Make some rules that you will not write pleading texts to school teacher since they have left anything in the school. You will see the changes, as they become more careful about their belongings.
- Planning for kids at emergency when they have forgotten about an important assignment
You all know that school homework or projects are not assigned the day before their submission is due. Studentsare given enough time to finish their homework. Some kids may get casual and keep it pending for the last day.
Make sure that as parents you are not running and picking up materials in the last minute so that your kid can submit the finished project next day. Teach them responsibility and carefulness the hard way, if they are taking serious stuff casually.
You can keep poster boards or general stuff handy for your procrastinating child.You may ask in family meeting whether anyone has upcoming projectsso that you get enough time to pick items at your convenience that week. See if they respond. Do not help the kids who have not taken thetime to plan.
- Do the laundry of kids
“Oh, no! Youhave not washed my jeans?â€Thisis a common response from kids for their mother who can lose their mind and think that parents are there to do the laundry anytime. Try giving then a reminder once ina while that you are not there to work for them, so it is better if they start doing theirown stuff, but you are always there to help.
You can wash the clothes and ask your kid to put them away in closet, just a healthy way to ensure that they do not take things for granted.
- Email or call their coaches and teachers Â
In middle school a child must have the maturity to handle issues. When your childrenare having an issue with a coach orteacher, let them deal with it on their own.
As parents, you must, of course, listen to the matter and decide that whether the issue is solvable by your kid. If yes then ask your kid to talk to teacher and get it resolved. Stop being that over-involved parent.
- Meddle in the academics
Stop getting involved in their academics like before. The teens are in middle school let them own the grades and academics. You can talk about the papers and projects over dinner, but let them be responsible for it.
This way you can lessen the over parenting epidemic, which does not help the studentsin the long run, even though with your spoon feeding they may earn some good grades in the early years. Let them be happy when they achieve anaward at school and also feel the pain when they fail to get a satisfactory grade in some discipline.
The main parenting goal is to raise a kid or teen into a capable and competent adult. You must feel confident when your kids step in the real world, which they will do fine because earlier you have taken a step back and have set them free to feel real life stuff by themselves.