Anonymous wrote:My daughter just loves middle school. She made so many friends. She loves changing g classes. She’s learned to speak up for herself. There are really fun clubs. It’s been a great few years.

Same. My shy-ish daughter absolutely blossomed in middle school. She’s having so much fun. It’s all about having the right attitude. Accepting that there will be weird friend drama but learning to be flexible, work to make new friends and get involved.

All of mine did, and I did as a kid too. Do you remember how LONG the day felt in elementary school--being in the same room with the same kids for an entire day? There was definitely an adjustment period, and some worries over getting to know the layout of the school ... but middle school was much better than elementary.

Anonymous wrote:Mine is as well. She was ready for the more advanced curriculum.

Lucky you! Our MS curriculum ("all honors") is a complete joke.

What a lovely thread.
- signed mom whose youngest child is heading to MS (and concerned this time around)

High school is even better than middle school, which is better than elementary. That's what happened in our family.

Usually children who are academically advanced tend to chafe in elementary, which goes incredibly slowly. Middle school is still slow, but less so, and high school is where it gets interesting.

Both my boys were. Fourth and fifth grade were sort of a wash academically- they were bored of school, bored of their friends, felt like same old same old. So MS seemed fun and exciting and grown up. Choices, clubs, sports, new kids. Hope it’s the same for your child, OP. (It wasn’t like this for my daughter, unfortunately... I wonder if it plays out along gender lines?).

OP here - this is great to hear. One of my concerns is that DD has not really found a group of close friends in elementary school. But it sounds like from these posts that some kids found their crew in middle school.

Both of mine. Until this year, I think some of it had to do with more/better lunch options

Definitely not waking up earlier though.

7th grade DS keeps telling his younger sister how much she will love middle school because he does. He keeps saying you have so much more freedom. He liked it when we were virtual and really liked it when he went back in person. Personally, I think he also liked branching out and seeing others than than same kids from elementary.

As for work, it’s more and that’s an adjustment. But he’s a kid who doesn’t worry if he does or doesn’t do assignments (yet) so this doesn’t bother him about MS.

My daughter was much happier. Had better friends and was in a better environment.

Mine loved MS. More diverse, better teachers, more independence

It does and clarifies now I understand what you are saying and it does make sense.

Both my kids liked MS more than ES.

New kids to hang out with, more diverse, less cliquey (yes, really!), sports, after school clubs, more independence.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both of my kids loved middle school a whole lot more than elementary school. According to them everybody in elementary school was treated like a child, when entered middle school treated like they were older and independent.

Everyone is elementary school was treated like a child? Lol that's because they are children, so are middle schoolers for that matter. Does your kid hate being a kid or something?

Let me clarify as I am the first poster. My kids felt everybody was treated the same whether you were in kindergarten or fifth grade. The adults in the middle school treated them like they were older independent kids. Of course to you or me they are children. But in their minds, they feel older and independent. Don’t you remember how you felt when you were 12 or 13? I hope that helps

Anonymous wrote:Both of my kids loved middle school a whole lot more than elementary school. According to them everybody in elementary school was treated like a child, when entered middle school treated like they were older and independent.

Everyone is elementary school was treated like a child? Lol that's because they are children, so are middle schoolers for that matter. Does your kid hate being a kid or something?