What does your middle school-er do after school lets out?

[Anonymous]

Thanks, everyone. Our middle school is Silver Creek. Not sure about ability to self-supervise because this is new for us. We will reach out to the school, but I wanted some background to orient our and our expectations. Appreciate all of the responses!

[Anonymous]

I am mentally struggling with leaving middle schoolers unsupervised for long stretches of time. Of course they are CAPABLE of being alone . . . but aren't folks worried about the trouble they can get into? All I know is that I got drunk for the first time at 12 - walking home with a big group from middle school - one of the kids shoplifted a bottle of rum and we passed it around (I only had a teeny amount but that was enough!). MANY other times walking home from middle school we would shoplift from Safeway. Lots of kids would stop and smoke pot. I used to sneak out of the house at night. This was an upper middle class school/neighborhood. My parents had NO CLUE and I was a straight A student.

Maybe everyone on here was a good kid and can't imagine/doesn't remember the stuff you got up to? Maybe kids need to sneak around and do bad stuff as part of a maturing/growing up process?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am mentally struggling with leaving middle schoolers unsupervised for long stretches of time. Of course they are CAPABLE of being alone . . . but aren't folks worried about the trouble they can get into? All I know is that I got drunk for the first time at 12 - walking home with a big group from middle school - one of the kids shoplifted a bottle of rum and we passed it around (I only had a teeny amount but that was enough!). MANY other times walking home from middle school we would shoplift from Safeway. Lots of kids would stop and smoke pot. I used to sneak out of the house at night. This was an upper middle class school/neighborhood. My parents had NO CLUE and I was a straight A student.

Maybe everyone on here was a good kid and can't imagine/doesn't remember the stuff you got up to? Maybe kids need to sneak around and do bad stuff as part of a maturing/growing up process?

This. And back in my day, it was actually Junior High School which started in 7th grade. I just remember that time was the time that kids started experimenting. I don't feel comfortable leaving my kid at home by herself (or with her friends unsupervised) at age 11 not only because of this; but because she's uncomfortable staying at home by herself at this stage (she's young for her grade).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am mentally struggling with leaving middle schoolers unsupervised for long stretches of time. Of course they are CAPABLE of being alone . . . but aren't folks worried about the trouble they can get into? All I know is that I got drunk for the first time at 12 - walking home with a big group from middle school - one of the kids shoplifted a bottle of rum and we passed it around (I only had a teeny amount but that was enough!). MANY other times walking home from middle school we would shoplift from Safeway. Lots of kids would stop and smoke pot. I used to sneak out of the house at night. This was an upper middle class school/neighborhood. My parents had NO CLUE and I was a straight A student.

Maybe everyone on here was a good kid and can't imagine/doesn't remember the stuff you got up to? Maybe kids need to sneak around and do bad stuff as part of a maturing/growing up process?

Just different times. We have a rising middle schooler. I WFH several times a week, usually 3, and we've been hearing about lots of activities, plus we will keep her normal soccer schedule. We have a tight group of kids and parents in the neighborhood, most with flex work schedules. Kids are not left alone for large amounts of time.

I really can't relate to you story at all! I drank a little in high school, but it was always on weekend nights and a lot of times parents were around, just clueless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am mentally struggling with leaving middle schoolers unsupervised for long stretches of time. Of course they are CAPABLE of being alone . . . but aren't folks worried about the trouble they can get into? All I know is that I got drunk for the first time at 12 - walking home with a big group from middle school - one of the kids shoplifted a bottle of rum and we passed it around (I only had a teeny amount but that was enough!). MANY other times walking home from middle school we would shoplift from Safeway. Lots of kids would stop and smoke pot. I used to sneak out of the house at night. This was an upper middle class school/neighborhood. My parents had NO CLUE and I was a straight A student.

Maybe everyone on here was a good kid and can't imagine/doesn't remember the stuff you got up to? Maybe kids need to sneak around and do bad stuff as part of a maturing/growing up process?

Just different times. We have a rising middle schooler. I WFH several times a week, usually 3, and we've been hearing about lots of activities, plus we will keep her normal soccer schedule. We have a tight group of kids and parents in the neighborhood, most with flex work schedules. Kids are not left alone for large amounts of time.

I really can't relate to you story at all! I drank a little in high school, but it was always on weekend nights and a lot of times parents were around, just clueless.

So we are in the thick of MS - and both of my boys come home from school, do homework, play video games, do some chores on the days that they don't go directly to sports practice or have an activity after school. They are unsupervised for about 2 hours after school on those days, and frankly, they need the downtime without adults hovering over them. I trust their judgment because they have never given me any reason not to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am mentally struggling with leaving middle schoolers unsupervised for long stretches of time. Of course they are CAPABLE of being alone . . . but aren't folks worried about the trouble they can get into? All I know is that I got drunk for the first time at 12 - walking home with a big group from middle school - one of the kids shoplifted a bottle of rum and we passed it around (I only had a teeny amount but that was enough!). MANY other times walking home from middle school we would shoplift from Safeway. Lots of kids would stop and smoke pot. I used to sneak out of the house at night. This was an upper middle class school/neighborhood. My parents had NO CLUE and I was a straight A student.

Maybe everyone on here was a good kid and can't imagine/doesn't remember the stuff you got up to? Maybe kids need to sneak around and do bad stuff as part of a maturing/growing up process?

Hahha, yes, I suppose times are different. I cannot imagine my almost 12 year old getting drunk or smoking pot. She still plays with dolls most days!!! Lol

[Anonymous]

I get it that parents have legitimate concerns about leaving middle schoolers at home unsupervised, but the reality is that enough people do it that there is no market for on-site after-school care at middle schools like they have at elementary schools. If you need your child to be supervised, hire a sitter or arrange your work schedule so you can be home. There are many of us who have taken on completely different careers because it just did not work to have both parents get home at 7 every night. This is the reality of working and parenting.

Middle schools will not accommodate your child care needs like elementary schools did because most children are more independent and there is just not the demand.

[Anonymous]

When I was in middle school my mother went back to college, so I came home on my own and was by myself for a few hours. My parents solution, since it was a new situation, was to have me call my fathers office and talk to him or his secretary to let them know I made it home on time. I was already babysitting other kids by that age though, so my parents weren't worried about me once I made it into the house safely.

[Anonymous]

Comes home via school bus, has snack, does homework. I drive him to his choir in the evening. He has Model UN at school one day a week, and I pick him up at school for that, but perhaps yours can also take a late bus (in MCPS it's called the activity bus).

[Anonymous]

There is a nice small group of middle school kids that take the school bus from Silver Creek MS to Moed at Ohr Kodesh aftercare a few days a week after school. It goes up to 8th grade with special programming for middle school students.

[Anonymous]

Op there is a summer social tomorrow with the PTA from 6:30 -8:30 pm , perhaps stop by: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/event.aspx?id=641260

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op there is a summer social tomorrow with the PTA from 6:30 -8:30 pm , perhaps stop by: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/event.aspx?id=641260

There is a social on Aug 15, in the event that you cannot make the one tomorrow:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/

[Anonymous]

Looks like Silver Creek does have an afterschool program here:

https://flexacademiessilvercreek.jumbula.com/#/welcome-

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am mentally struggling with leaving middle schoolers unsupervised for long stretches of time. Of course they are CAPABLE of being alone . . . but aren't folks worried about the trouble they can get into? All I know is that I got drunk for the first time at 12 - walking home with a big group from middle school - one of the kids shoplifted a bottle of rum and we passed it around (I only had a teeny amount but that was enough!). MANY other times walking home from middle school we would shoplift from Safeway. Lots of kids would stop and smoke pot. I used to sneak out of the house at night. This was an upper middle class school/neighborhood. My parents had NO CLUE and I was a straight A student.

Maybe everyone on here was a good kid and can't imagine/doesn't remember the stuff you got up to? Maybe kids need to sneak around and do bad stuff as part of a maturing/growing up process?

Exactly this. I was never left alone in middle school. I remember those days well enough to think it's not a good idea.

LOL at the clueless parents who think their special snowflake "doesn't need supervision".

[Anonymous]

Middle schools will not accommodate your child care needs like elementary schools did because most parents are uncaring and irresponsible and there is just not the demand.

FIFY