Middle school orientation is for parents and not soon-to-be middle schoolers.
Clearly, parents have a much harder time with the transition to middle school than their 12 year old children do. This is sad and pathetic, but also painfully true. Middle school orientation is held in the winter so parents have a solid two seasons to fret about their child'sin ability to navigate the stressors of middle school.
Middle school takes a child from the comfort and safety of elementary school and throws her into the halls of junior high. I would be less concerned about this transition if I wasn't scarred from my own middle school experiences.
I clearly remember nearly flunking home-economics because my grape jelly was really more like grape soup. Grape jelly = yum; grape soup = yuck.
Middle school was also the time I had the worst hair day of my life that lasted a solid two years, my heart was broken by some nameless prepubescent boy, and I learned my mom was right about the consequences of not washing my face each night. Darn pimples!
Then there was the time I gave my undies to one of the geeks at school. During the school dance he charged admission into the boys bathroom to anyone who wanted to see my undies.
Wait. That didn't happen.
I was totally smitten with a rich boy. My BFF, Duckie, wasn't sure he was right for me, but that's mostly because Duckie had a crush on me.
Wait. That didn't happen either.
Well there was that one day when I had to go to detention on a Saturday morning. I met a rebel named Bender who was totally not my type, but I fell for him anyway.
Geez, that didn't happen either. Do I actually remember anything accurately from my own adolescence?
I think perhaps this sketchy memory is protecting me from going completely overboard with nerves regarding my own daughter's middle school transition. My own experiences were certainly less dramatic, less memorable, and less amusing than a John Hughes' film.
My real hope is she finds her niche and a BFF just like Molly Ringwald.
(Note: Molly Ringwald was the author's imaginary friend from 7th - 12th grade. In fact, they may still be "friends.")
Clearly, parents have a much harder time with the transition to middle school than their 12 year old children do. This is sad and pathetic, but also painfully true. Middle school orientation is held in the winter so parents have a solid two seasons to fret about their child's
Middle school takes a child from the comfort and safety of elementary school and throws her into the halls of junior high. I would be less concerned about this transition if I wasn't scarred from my own middle school experiences.
I clearly remember nearly flunking home-economics because my grape jelly was really more like grape soup. Grape jelly = yum; grape soup = yuck.
Middle school was also the time I had the worst hair day of my life that lasted a solid two years, my heart was broken by some nameless prepubescent boy, and I learned my mom was right about the consequences of not washing my face each night. Darn pimples!
Then there was the time I gave my undies to one of the geeks at school. During the school dance he charged admission into the boys bathroom to anyone who wanted to see my undies.
Wait. That didn't happen.
I was totally smitten with a rich boy. My BFF, Duckie, wasn't sure he was right for me, but that's mostly because Duckie had a crush on me.
Wait. That didn't happen either.
Well there was that one day when I had to go to detention on a Saturday morning. I met a rebel named Bender who was totally not my type, but I fell for him anyway.
Geez, that didn't happen either. Do I actually remember anything accurately from my own adolescence?
I think perhaps this sketchy memory is protecting me from going completely overboard with nerves regarding my own daughter's middle school transition. My own experiences were certainly less dramatic, less memorable, and less amusing than a John Hughes' film.
My real hope is she finds her niche and a BFF just like Molly Ringwald.
(Note: Molly Ringwald was the author's imaginary friend from 7th - 12th grade. In fact, they may still be "friends.")
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