I, for one, am thrilled with middle school.
It has allowed me to do what is difficult to do in elementary school, which is LET GO.
In middle school, teachers aren't communicating with parents all the time. A parent could look at this as being kept in the dark; I see it as being allowed blissful ignorance. Having a chunk of responsibility taken off my shoulders.
In middle school, the tables have turned. If I want information, I ask my child.
"Do you have any papers to give me?"
"What time does the club end?"
"Can you buy a sweatshirt during lunch?"
There is considerable grace in letting go.
I need to write that again: There is considerable grace in letting go.
Usually when I think about letting go, it is in terms of dying. I admire people who go through the dying process with grace, who come to a point when they realize fighting against it isn't working.
Life is an entire series of episodes of letting go.
Letting go of friends, jobs, schools, hobbies, toys, interests, preconceptions, beliefs....that is life.
There are some kids who, for whatever reason, really need more support in middle school. But many of the kids I see whose parents are clinging to them, struggling against the Great Letting Go, are fine. The kids are fine and need to be let go a bit.
It has allowed me to do what is difficult to do in elementary school, which is LET GO.
In middle school, teachers aren't communicating with parents all the time. A parent could look at this as being kept in the dark; I see it as being allowed blissful ignorance. Having a chunk of responsibility taken off my shoulders.
In middle school, the tables have turned. If I want information, I ask my child.
"Do you have any papers to give me?"
"What time does the club end?"
"Can you buy a sweatshirt during lunch?"
There is considerable grace in letting go.
I need to write that again: There is considerable grace in letting go.
Usually when I think about letting go, it is in terms of dying. I admire people who go through the dying process with grace, who come to a point when they realize fighting against it isn't working.
Life is an entire series of episodes of letting go.
Letting go of friends, jobs, schools, hobbies, toys, interests, preconceptions, beliefs....that is life.
There are some kids who, for whatever reason, really need more support in middle school. But many of the kids I see whose parents are clinging to them, struggling against the Great Letting Go, are fine. The kids are fine and need to be let go a bit.
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