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[quote=Anonymous]What don't you like?

The biggest challenge we faced during elementary years is the way peers and media start to influence behavior, not always for the best. Elementary was when the rudeness started to creep in, all the poop jokes. Plus some annoying behaviors like monologuing (just talking and talking without a break).

BUT none of this was all the time. And seeing some of the bad behavior picked up at school/activities made me double down on making sure my kid was not making any of those a habit. We were strict about manners, had big conversations when we saw rude behavior towards peers, and worked on making sure my kid had table manners and understood appropriateness (there is a time for fart jokes, but there is also a time where they aren't ok).

Putting that effort in means we have a teen who is kind, polite, and self-aware. It's great. But I didn't hate the elementary years. I embraced them. We also spent a lot of time together as a family during those years, hiking, going to museums, traveling, playing sports, reading in the evenings, listening to music. Great memories, and it was during those family experiences when the behavior was best anyway. Once your kid hits 12/13, you can still do that stuff but not as often and you do need to let go more.

So my advice is not to write off the elementary years or wait for it to get better in its own. These are formative years, and your last chance to really get in there and have a major influence in who your kid becomes. The more effort you put in, the better the results will be. And you want your kid to remember these years as a time where you were very present and invested in them-- it will support your relationship moving forward.[/quote]

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