[Sabra]

Hello:

Does anyone have any tips as to "how" they survived the junior high or middle school years???

Thanks very much!!

[lisa in venice]

I just found this forum and was hoping to find some ideas. i have two of 'em in my house and the best suggestion I can come up with is Jack daniels and Vicoin but I haven't figured out how to get them to take them . Just kidding but there are times I daydream abot a tranquilizer dark that will stop the bicking immediately.

Mine are nearly 14 and 11. The Puberty Faerie has come to my house, She has come, she has seen, she has conquered. I just hope that she is gone soon.

lisa

I have a pretty good repoire with the middle school students (6/7 grades) that I work with. I make a point to treat them with respect, asking their opinion on things, listening to their point of view and saying really? with great interest when they announce a find that surely I wouldn't know (such as Aerosmith has been the most popular band in the world for 30 years!)

It's not easy, I don't think I would do as well with my own kids and I try to be supportive of their parents, you certainly have your hands full!

[lucyjoy]

I have five teens and they're fun for the most part. It's their teasing/practical jokes back and forth that drive me mad. I also don't think I have any picture frames left on the walls that haven't been glued back together. (The six year old knows to play ball outside, but appaently by 13, that's been erased from their memories).

We had to put a time limit on the phone. I always give the kids the option of explaining the caling rules to their friends, or I'll gladly do it for them. (Do you know people let their 13 year old girls use the phone at 4 AM? I'm not very nice at 4 AM).

The biggest thing for me has been deciding what really matters and what doesn't.

[debsdone]

Boy, do I hate this age! I have one going into middle school and one in middle school. Having gone through it 3 times before I am somewhat prepared, but it is still ugly. On the other hand it is facinating to watch them grow. My little girl has grown 4 sizes since the beggining of 5th grade in Aug. They begin to have an intrest in the world, and I have a hard time staying calm when they express themselves about politics and world events. They take on whatever they hear, and it requires very gentle and cunning de-programming or else they will dig in deeper. The current talk of "war" has them in a tizzy. But the things they say! So we do what we do about all things, talk, talk, talk, talk. We let them talk and we talk as well. They are bright and interesting and annoying. We keep them soooo busy with sports they don't have time to get in trouble, so that is really helpful. But in the evening, when they still ask to cuddle with mom and dad, they become the adorable children they always were. Till tomorrow........Love, Debi

[kelly thompson]

i have 3 brothers im parenting,josh is 13,he'll be in 9th grade in sept,adam's 10 going on 11,he'll be in 6th grade,as will my other brother kevin.its not easy keeping your sanity with one soon to be high schooler,and two soon to be middle schoolers in the house.i set limits for them,especially josh,who has a strict curfew,10 pm sun-thurs midnight fri and sat.if he doesnt call and let me know he'll be late,then hes grounded for a week.josh knows better then to cross me on this issue too.