Help! I Have a Child in Middle School
Are you the parent of a middle school student? Did your child begin 6th or 7th or even 8th grade in August? If you are in that stage of parenting, it’s quite a challenge. You may find that your child no longer wants you to come to the school to eat with them. You may discover that your intelligence has declined significantly. Your sweet child, who once begged for another bedtime story, really does not like you too much right now.
No need to despair. It will get better. I promise.
I have two memories that really stand out. Both memories consist of interchanges with my youngest son. When Mitchell was in 6th grade, he had a teacher that he absolutely despised. She was an “old school” educator. And in fairness to him, she was exhibiting signs of burnout. I read in the local newspaper that she was going to retire after that school year. I thought it was funny! I told Mitchell that his favorite teacher was going to hang it up at the end of the school year. He was not amused. At all. He went off on a tangent! In the most belligerent tone, he said: “Why did she not retire last year?” And… he chastised me for laughing! My good-natured child temporarily lost his sense of humor.
Fast forward a few years. He survived 6th grade. He graduated from high school in 2014. He went on to earn an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University. A few months after his college graduation I drove him to Dallas to get on a plane to Los Angeles. He would spend a few days with his older brother in LA and then fly to China.
Mitchell has been teaching English in China since June of 2019. We have not seen him in almost 2.5 years. When I walked him to the security area at Love Field in Dallas, he paused to hug me. His final words to me before departing were as follows: “Thank you for bringing me this far.”
His expression of gratitude was packed with meaning. It was sincere and heartfelt. My belligerent 6th grader grew up. He is a responsible young man. There is justice in the world…He is a teacher now! I wonder if any of his middle school students dislike Mr. Knox? I seriously doubt it because his sense of humor has definitely returned.
Are you the parent of a middle school student? It will get better. I promise. One day you too will take them to the launching pad. And like me, you will shed some tears when it happens