Middle school is a time to refine citizenship and social skills and to build strong study habits and time management and note-taking skills to prepare for success in high school and beyond.

A Transition Checklist for Parents

• Help your child understand the increased expectations on their study skills, behavior, and personal responsibility.
• Help your child see that while there may appear to be many new rules (parent, school-wide, team, teacher), these rules really define a straightforward code of conduct. Not knowing the rules is no excuse for inappropriate behavior.
• Help your child understand that consequences for inappropriate behavior are more and more defined with specific consequences.
• Visit the school. Meet with administrators, counselors, teachers, and staff who will be working with your child. Join the PTSA.
• Help your child deal with the increased scale of the school and interactions with an intimidating diversity of students (and adults).
• Know who your child's friends are. Friendships may change (and such changes are stessful). Help your child choose friends wisely.
• Encourage your child to get involved in school activities.
• Help your child build time management skills. Agree on a specific time and place to do homework each day. Be consistent. Don't accept "I don't have homework" responses from your child. Check the Binder Reminder or Homework Sheet or call the teachers.
• Periodically review with your child how to get help on their school work (make sure you know what resources are available). You do not need to be a math expert to help with math homework.
• If you and your spouse are separated or divorced, be sure to talk regularly with your child about the situation. Custody arrangements usually are stressful for everyone. New step-family relationships also may be stressful. All adults need to agree on the same, consistent groundrules. Children usually are reluctant to talk about the way they feel and have difficulty articulating their feelings and thoughts.