Surviving Sixth Grade: Talking to Your Anxiety-filled Child About Middle School Jitters

We've all been there, and survived it: bullies, getting from class to class on time for the first time, showering in front of the other classmates. There are a lot of scary firsts in the sixth grade!

In my 18 months covering the education beat for a community newspaper, I came across a lot of fifth graders who were nervous about the upcoming move to middle school. For every anxious fifth grader, there was a parent or two who didn't quite know how to ease their child's fears.

Don't despair - talking about these anxieties with your child will go a long way in easing the stress they feel. To that end, you can get them excited about the new middle school experience. After all, they're growing up and should be excited about the new freedoms and responsibilities they'll be undertaking!

There are quite a few things children have every right to be nervous about. Television shows like "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Freaks and Geeks" certainly aren't helping matters, making middle school and high school out to be a veritable battleground. Let your kids know that what's on T.V. isn't so close to the reality of the middle school experience.

Below is a breakdown of some of the sources of anxiety preteens experience between elementary school and middle school, and ways you can address these fears. Luckily, most of the tips to alleviate the anxiety your child is likely feeling involves building upon skills and habits they've already been using in elementary school!

1. Bullies. In elementary school, your child and their friends ruled the school. But in middle school, they'll be the smaller fish in a bigger pond! Anxiety about bullies, teasing and hazing abounds! Not to worry though - eighth graders are usually so wrapped up in their own drama they don't pay much attention to their younger counterparts. Remind your child that he and his fifth-grade friends hardly noticed the first-graders at their old school. If your child is being bullied, let them know that there's nothing wrong with telling a school official.