Embrace these Six Areas of Independence as Your Tween Heads to Middle School
First-time middle school mom, here. You caught me standing in amazement as my children mature into tweens before my very eyes. Far from its reputation as a daunting transition, starting middle school has proved to be the just-right next step for my 11-year-old twins. Since their graduation from elementary school, they have stepped up into the behaviors and level of responsibility expected of middle schoolers. As I gradually loosened the parenting reins over the last 12 months, I discovered that my kids were ready to embrace each type of independence I allowed. Every time I look up from my younger kids to check in on my sixth-graders, I discover some new, delightful development. Even their occasional puberty-inspired moodiness doesn’t seem so annoying when coupled with the joy of seeing them grow up. Plus, because they have handled the transition to middle school so well, it has freed me up to dive deeper into my own volunteer job as PTA President at our elementary school. My twin