It’s back to school season. This is a big deal for any family from kindergarten to high school, but I think it’s especially important for children entering middle school. Grades 6 through 8 are a time of great change, physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, and otherwise. TikTok creator Nick Bowers (@nikbowers_), who specializes in helping moms and teens navigate and even thrive through middle school, wants parents to be aware of the “social upheaval” ahead, especially for young girls.
“Sixth grade is a battle for friendship, and everyone knows who they are, but my daughter wonders if she’s worth the attention,” she explains. “Her interests change. Her friends change. Comparisons begin. She becomes more aware of the popular group than ever, but adolescence makes it even more troubling.”
“There’s going to be rejection. There’s going to be big changes. There’s going to be comparisons. There’s going to be jealousy. There’s going to be a feeling of, ‘Why am I not like them? I want to be like this.'” The key here is that these big changes are going to be two to three. It happens in monthly cycles. I call it brainstorming, and any middle schooler understands it. Some people keep it all to themselves, some people overshare, some people have words, and most people don’t have words.
“Now is the time when we need to protect her self-confidence the most, because how we build her brain now is shaping the way she sees herself during each of these storms. The wrong friendships can rewrite her self-worth really quickly.”
Bowers offers expert advice on “creating a beautiful mess,” but honestly, I understand Understanding these issues in advance is a great starting point for parenting middle school students. Because everyone I know Middle school is a difficult age, but I think many of us forget the specifics. why It’s difficult. We attribute everything to hormones without understanding exactly how they make our children think, act, and doubt themselves.
So, parents of middle schoolers, remember when your once-nice child starts acting nice, trying to give you a little grace and space…and maybe a hug. They may pretend it’s too big for them and roll their eyes, but they need connection now more than ever.
