Anonymous wrote:Both my kids have very different friend groups than they had in 6th grade

This is true but it happens slowly and not all at once. My younger DD is in 7th now and still struggling to find her people. Her ES friends decided they were too cool for her in MS. It’s been really hard. I’m sure their parents don’t care as long as their kid is popular.

Both my kids have very different friend groups than they had in 6th grade

Yes, especially in FCPS, the middle schools are so large that they may not have any classes (or even lunch) with their elementary friends. There are also a lot of brand new students in 7th grade. Everyone will be in same boat of needing to branch out.

My kid has made a bunch of new friends this year (and kept her old friends mostly). She's in a large school, so she has her core classes with different kids than she did in 6th grade so she socializes with them a lot.

In this area with the schools being so huge, some kids find a completely different group of friends. My child was new in 5th so never made any really good friends in ES anyway, so 7th was a great opportunity for her to meet new people.

I moved after grade 6 and got welcomed into a few likeminded groups - dance, 4h, honors classes, band, track.

Usually you add Interests-Based friends. As clubs and sports or school activities and electives kick in.

My kids are in FCPS, so 7th is the start of middle school. The both found new best friends. They are still friendly with friend groups from 6th, but their close friends are all new

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure it varies, but both of my kids branched out way more socially in 7th. In 6th, they mostly stuck with ES friends, but by 7th, I'd say it was mostly new friends.

Same with mine.
Seventh is a big time of social churn.

Is she in elementary in 6th or already in middle school. We’re in a FCPS middle that starts in 7th grade. The kids have kept some of the same friends but also met new people. If she wants to make new friends it will be a good opportunity.

Anonymous wrote:In my experience you stuck with the same and added some. This was both neighborhood friends and school friends. But, some kids are different so it's hard to say, I was much closer with my neighborhood friends.

This is how it's worked with my kid. Same friends from 6th, but they've added a bunch to the group.

I'm sure it varies, but both of my kids branched out way more socially in 7th. In 6th, they mostly stuck with ES friends, but by 7th, I'd say it was mostly new friends.

It depends on the kid, not the age.

Kids will make friends at any age.

In my experience you stuck with the same and added some. This was both neighborhood friends and school friends. But, some kids are different so it's hard to say, I was much closer with my neighborhood friends.

Do 7th graders tend to find new friends or stick with the same from 6th? I realize that's hard to generalize but DD is worried she won't make new friends next year-- two of her good buddies are moving (overseas) and another longtime friend just isn't her cup of tea anymore. I keep telling her she'll make new friends next year based on who is in her classes/doing the same activites...but is that really true? Thankfully she has great friends outside of school.