5 Valuable Lessons Every Girl Needs to Learn Before Middle School

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This year I will be sending one of my sweet daughters to middle school. I’ve not sent a child to middle school in over 13 years and I’ve not been in middle school in, well, let’s just say, in a long time. Middle school can be tough for both boys and girls.

With a new sense of independence and the unpredictable hormones, there are a lot of changes that kids have to deal with.

As a mom that has already sent one daughter to middle school years ago and am about to send another one, I’d love to share 5 Valuable Lessons Every Girl Needs to Learn Before Middle School.

Before I share my valuable lessons, as a parent, it’s important to understand that each of these lessons may or may not pertain to your daughter. I recently wrote What Not to Do When Raising a Teenage Daughter and got a little bit of slack from parents that did not realize that parenting tips are not for all parents and kids. 

• Remember Your Friends: This one is huge! When you are in elementary school you are pretty much surrounded by the same kids each year but when you are in middle school you are introduced to kids from a wide variety of elementary schools. With such a huge variety of kids, you will begin to make friends that love the same things that you love. In life, it’s healthy and normal to make new friends, but it’s important to remember your old friends. As the Scout song goes “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other, gold.”.
• Be Respectful: From the janitor to your teachers, to your the cafeteria employees, it’s important to remember to respect everyone. Please, Thank You and Hello go a long way. In addition, to elders, it’s important to respect your peers. Even though you may not know someone or ever speak to them, remember that they are a human being like you.
• Don’t Gossip: It’s so easy to get mixed up and involved in lunchtime gossip but it’s important to avoid gossip and not contribute to it in any way. Not only is it mean to talk bad about someone but it’s temporary. For example, if your friend Julie is mad at Allison and she is telling you what a horrible person she is and then you contribute to the conversation about Allision, next week when Julie and Allison are friends, Julie will tell Allison what you said and then they will both be mad at you. Trust me, it’s not worth it and sadly many adults need to be taught this lesson as well.
• Boys Will Be Boys: Once hormones kick in, it’s easy to ‘fall in love’. It’s fun to have a boyfriend or a crush but it’s important to know that ‘boys will be boys’. Don’t let a boy ruin your day, change your attitude, or break your spirits. Focus on you!
• Make a Friend: It’s never fun to be the kid that sits alone at the lunch table or that doesn’t have a partner in Science class. Step up and be a friend to those that don’t have any or are too shy to make one. You never know, you may find out that this person has a lot of similarities as you do.
• BONUS!!!! Love Yourself: Don’t let anyone try and make you change yourself. Be yourself! If you love to wear bows in your hair, or if you like to wear black t-shirts or a dress every day, don’t let anyone’s jealousy and rude comments make you think that you need to change who you are. Stand up, be strong, be you and most of all, love yourself! Doing this could also inspire someone else to do the same thing.

Middle school can be tough, but if you remember these valuable lessons, it might help you get through middle school a little easier. What valuable lessons can you share for girls entering middle school?