Middle School Article Archive

• 7 Things To Tell the Teacher - Sharing key information about your child can help teachers make a connection.
• Talking With Teachers About Student Progress - Don't wait for the report card to find out how your child is doing in school; a veteran principal offers tips for parents to keep in touch all year long.
• School and the Internet: What You Should Know - How students are using the Internet at school, and precautions you should take at home.
• Have a Conversation About School - Get beyond one-word answers and find out what your child really thinks and feels about school.
• Eating, Sleeping, and Learning - Establishing healthy habits now can ease the transition to a new school year.
• Summer Amnesia: Avoid the Brain Drain - Kids lose academic ground in the summer. Use these tips to keep them from falling behind.
• Better Grades—You Can Help! - Make sure your child is ready to learn and achieve at school with these 10 smart tips on what you can do at home to prepare her for success.
• 10 Tips for Middle School Parents - Ways to stay involved in your child’s education—even when she’d rather not have you around.
• Internet Safety Tips for Parents - Kids need to use the Internet; these tips will help you keep them safe.
• MySpace and Facebook: What You Should Know - Social networking sites keep growing in popularity. Here are 10 things to get parents up to speed.
• Moving Up to Middle School - The step from elementary to middle school can be a big one, but these tips will help ease the transition for both parents and children.
• Bullying: How Parents Fight Back - Kids are often reluctant to talk about bullying. Here’s how to spot it and what to do if your child is a victim.
• If Your Child Is the Bully - What to do when the school says your child has been involved in bullying.
• Summer Reading List - These books will capture your kids’ imagination, and they’re perfect for reading aloud.
• Parents Are Teachers, Too - Use these simple ideas to reinforce learning at home and develop your child’s academic skills.
• What Is Your Child’s Learning Style? - Understanding how your child learns can reduce frustration and improve achievement.
• Back-to-School Books - Reading about going back to school is a great way to ease the transition. Especially with younger children, as you turn the pages together, you can talk about their real-life hopes and fears as well as discuss the wonderful characters in these books.
• Can Food Help You Learn? - Eating certain “brain foods” might make your kids smarter...but research shows they’ll be better off with a balanced diet, a good breakfast, and regular physical activity.
• How Boys Learn - Many boys need opportunities to move around and like competitive situations.
• How Girls Learn - Girls like to collaborate and often create strong relationships.
• 10 Questions About Your Child and School - The more you know about how your child deals with challenges and what's expected of him, the better you'll be able to help him achieve. Start by asking these key questions.
• Teach Your Child Values With Gifts From the Heart - Teach your child to give as well as receive.
• Helping Others Can Teach Your Child Lessons in Responsibility - Pitching in at home teaches children about responsibility.
• Teach Responsibility Using ‘When-Then’ Phrases - Responsible people complete tasks they need to do before turning to those they want to do.
• Teach Your Child the Value Of Hard Work, Perseverance - Help your child learn to work hard and persevere.
• Make Resolutions To Bring Out the Best in Your Child - Resolutions that are virtually guaranteed to evoke better behavior from your child.
• Prepare for Teen Years by Teaching Your Values Now - How can you teach your values while still allowing your child to be with others?
• Help Relieve Too Much Pressure On Kids to Excel - The Girl Scouts of America recently conducted a national survey asking young people about their biggest worry.
• Volunteering as a Family Teaches Children Values - Looking for a way to help your children become better citizens?
• Model the Behavior You Want to See in Your Child - Each action you take teaches a powerful lesson to your child about the kind of person he should be.
• STAR Method Helps Children Deal With Disappointment - Four steps that can give your child a way to feel in control, even during a hard time.
• Children Who Volunteer Get Better Grades - Children learn important lessons when families volunteer together.
• Parents Influence Character As They Make Daily Choices - The choices you make will teach your child more about what it means to be kind to others than 100 lectures.
• Use the Six E’s To Teach About Responsibility - You can help your child develop the trait of responsibility by using the six E’s.
• Teach the Importance of Treating Others With Respect - To help your child make friends, model the qualities that make it possible to attract and keep friends.
• Teach Your Child How To Be Unspoiled & Self-Reliant - Tips on raising an unspoiled child.
• Take Action To Help Your Child Be a Good Competitor - How to tell if your child is too competitive.
• Write Thank-You’s Together To Show Their Importance - Helping your child write thank-you notes.
• What If Your Child Doesn't Like a Teacher? - When children are very young, they usually adore their teachers. But as they get older, they may find there’s a particular teacher they just don’t like.
• Breakfast Most Important Meal for Schoolchildren - Don't let rushed morning schedules keep kids from starting the day with something nutritious.
• Homework Styles for How Your Child Learns Best - As a parent, you know many things that make your child unique—including how he learns best.
• January Means New Beginning - January starts the new year.
• Attitudes About Time Can Affect Kids' Motivation - You probably already know how motivation affects your own work.
• Four Ingredients Make Any Child More Successful - Kids can be successful without a lot of outside help.
• It’s Not Too Early for Your Child to Think About Careers - Elementary school is not too early for children to begin to think about a career.
• Get a Great Start to Make Your Child’s Year a Success - How you start the school year can determine how well the rest of the year will go.
• Give Your Child a Special School Work Survival Kit - Students are just like other workers. They need to be adequately “equipped” to do their jobs—both at home and at school.
• Encourage Your Child to Think About Future Career - It’s not too early for your child to begin thinking about a career.
• It May Not Be Smart To Praise Your Child for Being "Smart" - It’s common for parents to praise children for being “smart.”
• Expect Your Child To Pay the Consequences for Stealing - And if you suspect your child has taken anything that does not belong to him, you need to make sure he knows just how big a deal it is.
• Questions To Ask Before Yours Is a Latchkey Child - Questions to ask before you allow your child to stay home alone.
• ‘Mommy Checks’ Encourage Children To Be Responsible - Across the country, educators are learning the benefit of “catching kids being good."
• Teach Your Child To Take Control of Relationships - Steps to help your child resolve conflict.
• Stay in Charge When Your Children Are Home Alone - Just because you allow your children to stay home alone after school a few hours—doesn’t mean you give up your authority over them.
• Start Good Habits Early to Make the Most of the Year
• Routines and Schedules Start the Year Right - Ways to get your family back into a good routine for the school year.
• Cardboard Box Organizes Homework - An easy way to keep kids school stuff organized.
• Help Your Older Child Get Organized - As the state of their rooms usually shows, preteens and teenagers are not naturally organized! As students move into the higher grades, though, teachers expect them to assume more responsibility for their own learning.
• Afternoon Plan Ends Morning Catastrophes - Organization can make mornings easier.
• Setting Expectations at Home Helps Children in Many Ways - Setting expectations for your children at home and following up on those expectations is a great way to build responsibility.
• All Children Can Be Encouraged To Be Productive - "Output failure” is caused by subtle breakdowns in neuro-development and can affect memory, language, motor function and organization skills.
• Teach Children Consequences of Their Choices - As children grow older, they make more choices.
• Teach Your Child The Process of ‘Plan, Do, Finish’ - Students can’t be successful in school if they lack organization.
• A Card System Keeps Your Child Focused on Chores - Use a "Tickler File" to keep kids on task.
• Be Involved as Your Child Learns To Make Choices - We all want our children to learn how to make responsible choices.
• Letting Children Choose Builds Responsibility - If children are to learn how to make responsible choices about yound adult issues, they first need plenty of practice making other decisions.
• Do You Know Why Your Child Gets Bad Grades? - Your child has brought home a report card that’s less-than-perfect.
• Parents Can Help Children Get Along With Teachers - Students do better in school when they have a good relationship with their teachers.
• Help Your Child Avoid Foods That Might Affect Learning - Children who eat right have more energy and ability to learn. Protein and iron, for example, help the brain function.
• Report Card Time: 3 Ways To Help Your Child - A midyear report is a good time for you and your child to set goals for the remainder of the year.
• Help Your Child Stay Calm and Confident on Test Days - Nobody likes to take a test. And some kids get what’s called “test anxiety.”
• Watch for Signs of Learning Disabilities in Your Child - Parents don’t always know when their child has a learning disability.
• Teach Tattlers Better Ways to Solve Problems, Get Attention - When toddlers tattle, they do it just to report the events of a day. But when elementary-age children tattle, it’s more serious.
• Avoid Overscheduling During the Final Weeks of School - At the end of the school year, children can often become overscheduled.
• Consider Having An End-of-the-Year Conference - Whether your child has had a great year, or one that’s not so wonderful, an end-of-the-year conference can help you learn some important things.
• Parents Should Be on the Lookout for Vision Problems - About one in every four children have undetected vision problems. This can lead to poor grades and behavior.
• What To Do if You Think Your Child Has a Learning Disability - What do Albert Einstein, Woodrow Wilson, Greg Louganis, and Cher have in common? All had learning disabilities. So do millions of kids today.
• If You Think Your Child Needs a Tutor - If your child is having trouble in a subject, you may have thought about finding a tutor. But first try talking with your child’s teacher.
• Offer Suggestions for Children Who Don’t Like Recess - For many kids, recess or P.E. is their “favorite subject.” But some kids dread this time of the day. It’s when they get teased, left out or picked on.
• Build Your Family’s Self Control - Once children reach elementary school, tantrums should be few and far between.
• Angry Reactions Can Be Controlled - Everyone feels angry sometimes, but not everyone expresses anger the same way.
• Help Your Teenager Schedule Activities Wisely This Year - The second half of the high school year is especially busy.
• Encourage Your Teenager to Be Self-Directed During Free Time - You know you should keep track of your teen during the late afternoon—the time when teens are most likely to get into trouble.
• Start an After-School Club to Meet Your Teen’s Interests - Your teen spends hours on the computer, but there’s no computer club at school.
• Teens Can Combine Physical Fitness With Earning Money - Has your teen become a couch potato?
• Help Your Teen When There is ‘Nothing to Do’ This Summer - For many teens, the lazy days of summer are just that.
• Math Success Tips for Adolescents - Most students can master math if they work hard.
• ‘Esteem Boosters’ Help Your Teen Keep a Positive Attitude - Many things can happen throughout the course of a teen’s day to hurt self-esteem.
• Let Teenagers Know They Have Some Influence - When babies play peek-a-boo, they’re learning about cause and effect.
• Teens Who Believe in Themselves Build Confidence - Confident people are generally happy and successful.
• Help Prepare Your Teen by Reinforcing Key “Life Skills” - Besides learning reading, writing and arithmetic, teens also need to master certain life skills.
• Don’t Criticize Shy Teens, But Be Available if They Want Help - It’s Friday night and there’s a school dance on.
• A Mentor Can Help Your Teen Build Confidence, Succeed - Parents are the most important caring adults in a teen’s life, but teens will be most successful if they have other caring adults behind them too.
• Help Combat Eating Disorders; Boost Your Teen’s Body Image - How to help your child develop a better body image.
• Explain That Sometimes, Success Starts Out as Failure - Examples for your kids of successful folks who made it through rejection.
• Another Adult May Be Able To Inspire Your Teen To Act - Your teen may be willing to take a risk for another adult that she would not take for you.
• Help Teens See Their Own Special Talents, Potential - Teens thrive if they have the right self-image.
• Instill the Character Traits Your Family Values in Your Teen - As a parent, you choose the values you instill in your teen.
• To Develop Responsibility, Get Your Teen to Take Charge - Some people have more success than others—not because they are luckier—but because they have positive attitudes and a strong sense of responsibility.
• Successful Parents Know Three Ways to Build Character - Tips for making the job of parenting a teen easier.
• Finding Patterns Makes Math Problems Easier - All the math problems your teen’s teacher assigns do have solutions.
• Talk With Your Teen About the Qualities of True Friends - Here are some other qualities of true friends to discuss with your teen.
• Peer Pressure Can Be a Good Thing for Your Teenager - We often think of peer pressure as a negative force.
• Discuss Cheating Violations With Your Adolescent - Few teens want to seem out of step with their peers.
• Alert Your Teen’s School When Cyberbullies Threaten - If your child is the victim of a cyberbully, he may be facing problems with bullies at school, too. Take steps immediately to help your teen.
• Help Steer Your Teen Toward Safe, Healthy Friendships - Many parents worry about negative peer pressure.
• Help Your Teen Avoid Peers Who Promote Risky Behavior - Suggestions that may help your teen NOT go along with the crowd.
• Tips for Teaching Teenagers The Value of Money - The older your teen gets, the more important it becomes for her to know how to spend wisely.
• ‘Imaginary Portfolios’ Teach Teens About the Stock Market - Today, more and more people have some money “in the market."
• Teens With Inner Strength Overcome Life’s Problems - How teens can overcome personal obstacles.
• Teach Your Teen How To Keep Up With Records, File Taxes - If your teen held a paying job during the year, she’ll need to file a tax return.
• Organize a Family ‘Launch Pad’ To Cut Down on Morning Chaos - Steps to organizing your mornings.
• Give Responsibility To Prepare Teens For Adulthood - Help your teen learn to be responsible.
• Planners Can Help Teens Keep Track of School Tasks - How to help your child organize school work, other tasks.
• Accountable Teens Keep Promises, Admit Mistakes - An accountable teen takes ownership of what she did, and deals with the aftermath.
• Give Your Teen Advice to Plan Ahead for Final Math Exams - How to get ready for that big math test.
• Help Your Teen Make Good Promises and Follow Through - A huge part of being responsible is actually doing what we say we’re going to do.
• Ask ‘Who Owns the Problem?’ To Develop Teen Responsibility - Teach teens to take responsibility for their problems.
• Give Your Teen Guidelines for Practicing Good Judgment - Having good judgment is a necessary step toward becoming responsible.
• Help Your Teen Budget Time, Money This Summer - For many teens, the summer paycheck is the first “real” money they’ve ever had. And some have a tendency to spend every cent they make on clothes, CDs, and entertainment.
• Help Your Teen Become More Responsible This School Year - Help kids become responsible for themselves.
• The Four R’s of Responsibility Help Teens Learn From Mistakes - Teens can sometimes learn important lessons about responsibility from those mistakes.
• Encourage Your Teenager To Keep a Spending Notebook - Teens need help in learning how to manage their money.
• The Four-Jar System Helps Teens Budget Money Wisely - Learning to manage money is a big part of growing up.
• ‘Coach’ Your Teenager in This Process for Making Decisions - How to coach your child toward making good decisions.
• Encourage Teens To Do Things for Themselves - The next stage for your teen is adulthood—taking care of himself without constant help from parents.
• Maintaining a Schedule Builds Teen’s Sense of Responsibility - As your teen moves toward adulthood, she should gradually take over her own schedule and activities.
• Encourage, Notice Signs of Responsibility in Your Teen - Signs that your child is becoming more responsible.
• Make Your Teen’s Volunteer Time More Successful - Tips to make your child's volunteering more successful.
• Offer Your Services to Promote A Safe School for All Students - It’s a fact. Schools are still among the safest places teens can be. But school safety doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when parents, staff and students work together.
• Teens Should Be Making Conscious and Informed Choices - Help your child make conscious choices.
• Extracurricular Activities Are Fun, But Set Limits, Priorities - A whole new world of activities, sports and clubs often opens up once a child reaches middle school.
• Provide Nutritious Snacks for After-School Study Sessions - Chances are, the refrigerator is your middle schooler’s first stop upon walking through the door after school.
• Start Planning a Fun, Enriching Summer With Your Child Now - April is a good month for you and your child to sit down and talk about how she will be spending the summer.
• Community Service Programs Promote Fun and Learning - Studies show that children who participate in community service have better grades and more interest in school than those who don’t.
• Having a Collection Boosts Academics and Self-Esteem - Starting or keeping a collection is a great after-school activity for your child.
• Middle Schoolers Can See the Value of Volunteering - If your child hasn’t already become involved in volunteer activities, middle school is a good time to start.
• Look for Educational After-School Programs in Your Town - Many towns do have places for children to spend safe time after school.
• Keep Your Child Out of Trouble During the After-School Hours - The hours from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. are a problem for many working parents.
• Make Sure Children Are Ready To Be Left in the House Alone - Generally, experts say middle schoolers are ready to be home alone.
• Ways To Help Your Middle Schooler Succeed in Math - Even if you can, it’s not a good idea to try to “reteach” your child what he doesn’t get in math class.
• Investment Game Teaches Important Skills - Nearly every middle schooler is interested in making money.
• Middle School Math Mythbusters - Schools and community groups have made a real effort to encourage more students to take math each year.
• High Self-Esteem Can Help Children Face Peer Pressure - During middle school, it’s normal for kids to be self-conscious.
• Help Your Child Recognize Strengths, Boost Confidence - Kids who do poorly in school usually have low self-esteem.
• Show Your Child You Love Him Many Ways on Valentine’s Day - This Valentine’s Day and beyond, make sure your child hears your “I love you” message loud and clear.
• Boost Self-Confidence, Help Your Child Focus on the Positive - How to help your child see herself as a person of value.
• Parents Can Protect Middle Schoolers’ Fragile Self-Esteem - Things you can do to help your child through the turbulent middle school years.
• Don’t Forget To Boost Your Child’s Esteem This Summer - To feel good about himself, he needs your encouragement, acceptance and approval.
• Help Middle Schoolers Bounce Back From Disappointments - How to help your child take disappointments in stride.
• Friendship Skills Are Survival Skills for Middle Schoolers - In middle school, friendships become especially important to kids.
• Make Sure You Set a Good Example Against Peer Pressure - Middle schoolers are known for “going with the crowd." Even when doing so goes against their parents’ rules and values.
• Teach Your Preteen To Value Compassion Over Popularity - Being popular might be more important to your child than you think.
• Stress Kindness, Courtesy & Other Positive Values - If your child shows upright character, she helps to make her school a better place to learn.
• Schools Rely on Parents to Build Their Children’s Character - How to build character in your child.
• Understanding the Value of Things Teaches Appreciation - Appreciation is a quality that must be nurtured in children.
• Let Conscience Guide Your Child When Making Decisions - People of good character are usually aware of their conscience, and act on it.
• Attending School Will Help Your Child Avoid Trouble - Your child’s education can open a world of possibilities, but walking through the school door is the first step.
• Middle Schoolers Need More Sleep To Do Better in School - The older kids get, the later parents let them stay up.
• Eating Breakfast Improves Behavior, Problem-Solving - The older children get, the harder it is to get them to eat breakfast.
• Encourage Good Nutrition, Exercise For School Success - Diets often change as children approach the teen years.
• It’s Not Too Early for Parents to Help Prevent Eating Disorders - Many parents don’t worry about eating disorders until their children reach high school.
• Encourage Your Child to Be Fit, Active During Teen Years - The middle school years can set the stage for a healthy body later in life.
• Make Physical Fitness Part of Your Child’s Healthy Lifestyle - School “works out” your child’s mind, but what about her body?
• Make Sure Your Middle Schooler Keeps Active - Too many kids today are overweight and out-of-shape, because they don’t get the exercise they need.
• Help Your Child Get Over Hurt Feelings - Some days, your child may feel as though you are the only friend she has. That’s especially true if members of a clique are teasing her or rejecting her.
• Motivate your middle schooler during the mid-year doldrums - It’s normal to fall into a rut once in a while, but you don’t want your child making a habit of it.
• Learning Disorders Can Be Diagnosed In Middle School - Experts say that middle school is a time when learning disorders can seriously hurt school performance.
• Learning Disabled Children Can Find Strategies for Success - Michael J. Fox, Cher, Jewel, Danny Glover—all had a learning disability. But they didn’t let it keep them from reaching the top.
• Help Your Middle Schooler Rise Above Worry & Anxiety - Young adolescents are often self-centered. They are preoccupied with their own worries and insecurities.
• Watch Out for the Summertime—or Anytime—Blues - There are many signs of depression: sadness, pessimism, eating and sleeping problems, irritability, inability to concentrate.
• Making Lists Can Help Keep Your Child’s Memory Sharp - Once, you had a child with a razor-sharp memory.
• Help Your Child Get Organized For a Successful School Year - Kids in middle school can be smart. They can work hard. Yet they can still fail.
• Help Your Middle Schooler Adjust - Starting at a new school, especially in the middle grades, can be tough.
• Help Your Middle Schooler Get a Little Better Organized - Is your middle schooler a little disorganized? If so, she’s normal.
• Help Your Middle Schooler Get Off to a Good Start This Year - It’s a new school year, and middle schoolers need help starting off on the right foot.
• Kids Can Manage Anxieties With Goals and Organization - Middle schoolers have lots of worries.
• Organization Helps Children Avoid Being Overwhelmed - One word that can sum up the transition from elementary to middle school is more.
• Help Your Middle Schooler Cope With Adolescent Stress - Did you have a stressful day? Well, you’re not the only one. Middle school isn’t exactly a carefree experience, so there’s a good chance your child gets stressed-out, too.
• Help Your Child Find a Good System for Taking Class Notes - There is no substitute for taking good notes.
• Tell Adolescent Girls They Don’t Have To Be Perfect - By the time they reach middle school, many girls have gotten a harmful message.
• Help Your Middle Schooler To Get a Little More Organized - How often does your child say things like, “Where’s my soccer uniform? or “I can’t find my homework!”
• Help Your Child Cope With the Middle School Social Scene - So many changes are happening during middle school that even the best adjusted children can feel disoriented.
• It’s Natural for Your Middle Schooler to Be Forgetful - One day your preteen locks herself out of the house. The next, she leaves her homework at home. What’s going on?
• Parents Can Help Middle Schoolers Feel More Powerful - Middle schoolers may long to be independent, but they depend on their parents for almost everything.
• Ask Your Child To Be Your "Reference Librarian" - Here’s a great way to teach your kids how to look for information.
• "Concentration" Can Help Middle Schoolers Learn - Do your children have trouble with geography, history, or other subjects where they must memorize facts?
• Asking What and Why Focuses Middle Schoolers' Learning - Children need to understand what they’re doing in school and why.
• Help Your Middle Schooler Establish Strong Study Skills - Middle school demands the best study skills in order to succeed.
• Organization Is Key to Success for Middle Schoolers - Organization is critical in middle school.
• Encourage Middle Schoolers To Write Letters to the Editor - It could be about the environment. It could even be about money for a new school building.
• Preteens Are Ready to Figure Out Some Things on Their Own - How to shift decision making on to your child.
• Controlled Choices Will Allow Your Child to Make Decisions - Now that your child is in middle school, nearly every decision should be based on his choice.
• Let Your Middle Schooler Make Some Decisions for the Family - How to teach your middle schooler about good choices.
• Encourage Children To Listen to Their Inner Voices Before Acting - The ability to think things through is critical to good decision making.
• Give Children Advice So They Can Solve Their Own Problems - It’s hard to take a “hands off” attitude when kids are making less-than-perfect decisions.
• Children Who Make Decisions Also Learn to Be Responsible - At this stage, it is very important that your child decide some things for herself.
• Help Your Child Use Five Steps for Making Decisions - Steps to helping your child learn to make decisions.
• ‘What If’ Game Can Help Your Child Make Decisions - As children grow older, they get to make more decisions.
• Find Out Why Your Preteen is Procrastinating, Find a Solution - Putting things off until the last minute is an easy habit to fall into.
• Effort, persistence contribute to success in middle school - By the time children get to middle school, they know who the so-called “smart kids” are supposed to be.
• Help Your Child Get Back On Track With Schoolwork - Even students who never had problems in elementary school may seem to struggle in the middle school years.
• Help Your Child Find Ways to Keep Busy Over the Summer - Kids who don’t have enough to do often do things they shouldn’t, especially when they’re unsupervised, as many are during summer vacation.
• Help Your Child Be an Achiever This School Year - Middle school is a time for students to develop strategies that lead to success.
• Encourage Middle Schoolers to Stick With Favorite Activities - Sometime in middle school, your child may tell you he wants to quit an activity you thought he loved.
• Peer Pressure Can Often Be More Positive Than Negative - Peer pressure has a bad name.
• Ask Questions That Get Your Child Thinking About Friends - Parents often worry about who their child’s friends are.
• Help Preteens Stay Strong When Peers Put Pressure On - Peer pressure is a real concern for parents, and it should be.
• Steer Your Child in the Direction of College - Parents and schools must work together to convince students to work harder in school
• Have Middle Schoolers Read About What Interests Them - By middle school, most children are competent readers.
• Be Clear, Consistent When You Assign Chores to Your Child - Sometimes giving children chores can feel like a chore.
• Break Down Large Goals Into Short-Term Goals for Success - How managing long-term goals starts with managing short-term goals.
• Support and Prepare Your Child For Babysitting Responsibilities - If you know families with young children, your middle schooler may be asked to babysit.
• Teach Your Child To Be Responsible Managing Money - Teach your child to be responsible about money now, and you’ll be giving him tools to make smart financial decisions later.
• Routine is the Backbone of Blossoming Independence - Essential to getting kids to be responsible is establishing a routine.
• ‘Do Cards’ and ‘Do Lists’ Help Middlers Keep Track of Tasks - Help adolescents keep track of "to dos."
• Students Who Don’t Give Up Achieve Academic Success - Few qualities will serve your child better than sticking to a job until she has done her best.
• Learning How To Make Good Choices Teaches Responsibility - A person becomes responsible when she learns to decide for herself what’s right.
• Help Disorganized Students by Planning, Setting Up Routines - Specific strategies to get your middle schooler organized.
• Neatness Can Help Your Child Improve Grades in School - Checklist for improving homework neatness.
• Help Your Child Identify Role Models, Set Goals for Future - Teach your child that responsibility contains two words—respond and ability.
• Teach Your Middle Schooler To Keep Study Areas Organized - Tips to keep study areas organized.
• Teach Your Middle Schooler the Importance of Being on Time - The downside of allowing your child to be late to school.
• Middle Schoolers Are Ready To Take on More Responsibility - Not only are chores wonderful for teaching your child responsibility, they also help keep the household running.
• Twelve Things That Will Affect a Middle Schooler’s Grades - Tips to getting better grades in middle school.
• Help Your Middle Schooler Learn the Value of Money - Teach your kids that money doesn't simply come from an ATM.
• Allow Your Child To Make, Learn From Mistakes - Watching a child fail at something she attempts can be painful.
• Follow State Guidelines if Your Child Is Home Alone - Deciding if your child is ready to stay home alone.
• Introduce Your Middle School Student to the Art of Cooking - If you haven’t already, now is the time to acquaint your child with “kitchen duty."
• Encourage Middle Schoolers To Stick With Commitments - Your child probably can’t devote time to an array of activities and still do her best in school.
• Help Your Child Do Homework Independently - By middle school, children should be able to do most of their homework on their own.
• Are You Raising a Child Who Is a Self-Manager? - Kids who do well in school are usually self-managers.
• Talk to Your Middle Schooler About Safety Concerns - Middle school children are becoming more independent.
• To promote learning, don’t interrupt the school day - Forging a strong parent-school relationship means more than just joining the PTA.
• Talk About Safety Issues With Your Middle Schooler - Schools today take extra steps to keep kids safe. But they need parents’ help.
• Allow Independence, But Encourage the Buddy System - Most middle school students want to “bring a friend” everywhere they go.
• Simple Activities To Build Interest in Science - If your middle schooler tells you science is boring, conduct an experiment of your own.
• Recommended Reads That Build an Interest in Science - Your child can learn more about science while reading for pleasure. Many books that middle schoolers might enjoy have scientific themes or content.
• Show Your Middle Schooler How to Start the Year Off Right - Few middle schoolers know how to set goals on their own.
• Alter Your Parenting Style During Middle School Years - Help your middle schooler become more independent.
• Talk About Your Expectations At Regular Family Meetings - You want your middle schooler to meet your expectations.
• Parents Who Monitor Children Influence Behavior & Grades - Now that your child is in middle school, you don’t need to hover over her every minute.
• Parents Should Hold High Expectations for Adolescents - Now that your child is a preteen or teen, should you expect him to become moody and rebellious?
• Make Sure Your Middle Schooler Is Academically Fit - Schools across the nation are raising their academic standards.
• Semester’s End is A Good Time to Review, Set Goals - Set aside some time to review the first semester of the school year with your child.
• Schedule Time to Review Goals, Expectations With Your Child - The end of the calendar year is a good time to review your goals and expectations for your child.
• Encourage your child to set goals for the future - Setting goals will help your child accomplish long-term tasks.
• Help Your Middle Schooler Think About the Future Now - Middle school is a time when kids focus on the present.
• ‘Cued’ Paper Can Help Your Preteen Take Better Notes - Taking notes is an important skill for middle schoolers.
• Successful Students Know That Good Listening Aids Learning - Most kids are visual learners. They learn by watching, reading and writing.
• Offer Guidance To Prevent Future Cheating - Middle school is a time when students are at risk of cheating.
• Help Your Underachieving Middle Schooler Improve - The end of the school year is near. Is your middle schooler still not making the grades?
• Complaining About Teachers is Normal in Middle School Years - “Don’t jump in at the first sign of trouble,” cautions noted child development expert Lawrence Kutner.
• Help Your Child Overcome Anxiety About Schoolwork - The greater demands of middle school can cause many children to become anxious.
• Middle Schoolers Still Need Help With Problems - Your child’s grade in a subject plummets. He never has homework . . . or has trouble with assignments. He’s afraid to go to school.
• Ten Ways To Help Your Child Deal With Peer Pressure - Tangible ways to help your child cope with peer pressure.
• Dealing with the Tough Issues . . . Popularity and Friendship Problems - Some children have no problems making friends.
• Try ‘Waging War’ Against The Television - Getting kids to read more usually means getting them to turn off the TV.
• Overcome ‘Stage Fright’ With a Dose Of Self-Esteem - Here are some ways teens can overcome stage fright.
• Self-Esteem Is Key to Success; Help Your Teen Develop It - Children with high self-esteem do better in school.
• Show Your Adolescent How To Become a Real Inventor - Inventing something can help people feel good about themselves.
• Arm Your Teen With a Big Dose of Self-Esteem - Arm your teen with the self-esteem that will carry her through tough times.
• A ‘Personal Success Portfolio’ Displays Your Teen’s Talents - Before teens can make choices about the future, they must look over the past and evaluate the most important events, experiences, and decisions in their lives.
• Build Your Teen’s Self-Esteem With These Acts of Love - There are hundreds of ways to tell a teen, “I love you,” without saying those words.
• Teenage Girls Often Have Low Self-Esteem; What Can You Do? - Several studies have shown that during middle and high school, girls begin to question their abilities and lose their sense of self-esteem.
• World Food Day Encourages Teens To Take Action - Help your teen get involved in a community service project.
• Help Teens With Learning Disabilities Build Self-Esteem - What parents of children with learning disabilities can do to make sure these children develop a positive sense of themselves.
• Adolescence Is a Critical Time To Help Girls Build Self-Esteem - How parents can help their daughters retain their sense of themselves.
• Checkpoint System Ensures Student Success at School - Tips to help school success.
• Combat Peer Pressure; Arm Your Teen With Self-Esteem - Experts agree that children who lack self-esteem can’t stand up as well to peer pressure.
• More Privacy Helps Children Grow Up, Do Better in School - As kids grow older, their need for privacy increases.
• You Can Help Your Teenager Develop Responsible Habits - Sometimes, the best way to teach a teen responsibility is to help her develop good habits.
• Let Your Child Learn From the Consequences of Her Actions - Let kids learn from natural consequences.
• Here’s How To Get Teens To Help You Around the House - When kids are old enough to really help around the house, they become teenagers and don’t want to help.
• TV Log Can Increase Student Awareness and Responsibility - A recent study found that eighth graders spent four times as many hours each week watching television as they did studying.
• Calm Talk, Agreeing on Home Chores Can Work Wonders - Helping teens build a sense of personal responsibility is one of the most important things parents can do.
• You Can Teach Your Teen Positive Financial Habits - There are four days before your teen’s allowance is due but she’s asking for a loan to carry her through.
• You Can Teach Your Teen How To Manage Time Effectively - The most successful students learn how to manage their time effectively.
• Give Your Teenager Some Responsibility This Holiday - Set aside time to talk about your family’s holiday plans.
• Do These Three Things After A Good Or Bad Report Card - When we think about student report cards, we are usually concerned about how to handle bad grades.
• Is Your Teen a Troubled Reader? Watch for Signs - A reading problem is the source of many school problems.
• Teachers Want Student Participation - The older kids get, the more their teachers want to hear from them.
• Help Your Child Adjust Socially - Finding the right niche can help your child feel happier at school.
• Understanding Grades and Grading - How you react to grades can affect your child’s success in school. It’s important to know what they represent—and what they don’t.
• What Kids Are Learning - Standards vary from state to state, but here’s a general look at what kids will be taught at each grade level.
• Managing Stress in Middle School - Middle school kids often worry about interactions with peers and their school performance.

6th Grade

• Grade 6 Curriculum Quiz - Are you as smart as your 6th grader? Take this quiz and find out what he'll be learning this year.
• 6th Grade Academics: What To Expect - Students will be using more sophisticated thinking skills, interpreting and synthesizing the information they’re learning.
• 6th Grade Social Changes: What To Expect - This is a year of transitions, from the physical and emotional changes of adolescence to the new environment of middle school.

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7th Grade

• 7th Grade Academics: What To Expect - Academic concepts continue to get more advanced, and students will really need to use their study skills this year.
• 7th Grade Social Changes: What To Expect - The beginning of the teenage years is a confusing time for many adolescents—and for parents trying to understand their behavior.

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8th Grade

• 8th Grade Academics: What To Expect - Classes get tougher, but students still have time to strengthen academic and organization skills before entering high school.
• 8th Grade Social Changes: What To Expect - In 8th grade, kids enjoy being the oldest students in school and look forward to the increased freedoms of high school.

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