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Start Talking
Know! The
Middle School Challenges and Changes
9/8/2016
The first day of middle school has come and gone. While your child’s
initial fears of navigating the hallways, using the combination lock
and finding someone to sit with at lunch may be officially behind her,
it doesn’t mean she’s got a peaceful, easy feeling about the rest of
her middle school experience. And as a parent, you must know, this is
only the beginning.
We’re talking about a new set of classmates, teachers and coaches with
higher expectations, an increase in the amount and difficulty of
homework and tests, a rise in responsibilities at home and school, and
a peak in the pressure to fit in and be accepted. It’s enough to make
anyone’s head spin.
ThinkstockPhotos-89988124.jpgAnd we cannot forget the other changes
middle school youth are encountering. They’ve got hormones kicking into
high gear, their physical appearance is changing and their emotions are
all over the place. In other words, your tween has a lot on his/her
plate!
Research clearly shows that it is during these transitional middle
school years that many children begin experimenting with alcohol and
other drugs - be it from the increase in stress, exposure to
substance-using peers, the desire to fit in, curiosity or simply the
fact that substances are available and accessible.
The child who exhibited strong anti-substance use attitudes in
elementary school may suddenly not be so sure of himself now. The child
who would have had no problem saying ‘no’ if offered alcohol, may now
hesitate at the question. The move to middle school can bring with it a
shift in attitude and behavior. As the parent of a new middle school
student, you will need to be especially vigilant in your prevention
efforts.
Here are three need-to-KNOW! items:
KNOW! that every child (including your child) is at-risk for substance
use;
KNOW! to increase your knowledge on current and emerging drug trends;
KNOW! to increase the number of prevention-related
conv1StartTalking.jpgersations you have with your child.
By keeping the lines of communication open and talking to your child
often about the dangers of substance use, you can actually cut their
risk in half.
Learn how to get the conversation started at StartTalking.Ohio.Gov.
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