S1 Ep003 Social Emotional Well-being During COVID - 19 (Middle School Edition)

The middle school years are among the most complex times of our lives. As a parent, it can be difficult to figure out how children in that age group feel or understand what they are thinking. Once again, I went to the source and had a conversation with my youngest son, an 8th grader who has his sights set on high school in the Fall. I feel he has been impacted the most by the disruption to the school year. He won’t have the typical 8th grade promotion ceremony and will not have the opportunity to say goodbye to his friends because they will not be going to the same high school. This conversation revealed how some things that are not necessarily on an adult’s radar are important to teens. The things and experiences they value may appear insignificant to others, yet is an important part of who they are. The unabashed uncertainty that this 13-year-old brings to light is refreshing because he is not overwhelmed by it. Listen in and use it to spark a conversation with an early teen in your life.