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11 Ways to Help Your Middle Schooler Have a Peaceful School Year

An Excerpt from The Kids' Guide to Working Out Conflicts: How to Keep Cool, Stay Safe and Get Along

By Naomi Drew

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

  • Never bully someone else. If you have already, consider making amends.
  • Have compassion for kids who are picked on. Offer kindness to them, and never join in when others are treating them cruelly. Even quietly laughing can add to the hurt.
  • Are You a Bully?

    Engaging in any of the following behaviors on a regular basis constitutes bullying. Do you do anything below regularly or often?

    • Try to make another person feel bad.
    • Make fun of a particular person.
    • Take part in lots of name-calling.
    • Purposely leave people out.
    • Cause physical pain to another person.
    • Threaten someone.
    • Try to make somebody feel like he or she isn't as good as I am.
    • Send mean notes, e-mails or instant messages about someone else.
    • Spread rumors about another person.
    • Try to get others to do any of these things.

    6. Let your child know the door is always open if he needs to talk. Make yourself available. Middle schoolers might act like they don't need us anymore, but they really do – a lot. Be there for your child, even if it's inconvenient.

    7. Identify other trusted adults your child can talk to. The middle school years are a time of growing independence. Your child might not want to come to you about every problem or insecurity he experiences. Beter to have someone else to talk to than keep the problem inside. Depression in children is growing. Having someone to talk to is key in preventing it. Help your child identify people he can reach out to – a relative, a family friend or someone at his school or your place of worship.


    Pages:  1  2  3  4  


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