Help Children Move From Grade To Grade and School To School

School is the definition of change. Each year students must get use to the next grade, new teacher, and different classmates. Stress really multiples when kids make the great leap from elementary school to middle school and middle school to high school. Not only are the academics and extra personal responsibility more challenging, new middle-school students must learn to cope with puberty, peer pressure, and exposure to negative influence.

Through all these changes, big and small, your child will look to you for perspective, expectation, and advice. Here are some suggestions for helping your child with school changes according to Stephen C. George, in the September 2009 issue of "Better Homes and Gardens".

1. Nervous is normal - Let your child know it is normal to be nervous. Share a story about your own back-to-school jitters.

2. Get a conversation going - The last thing a kid wants is to hear a lecture, so look for opportunities to spark a conversation. Don worry about invading your child's privacy.

3. Don't do all the talking - Listen to the child once they open up to you. Help them think through the problem and let them solve it on their own if possible.

4. Tackle the touchy subjects - Talking about sex, drugs, and bullying with children is a tough job, but every parent has to when the time comes.

5. Get help - Sometimes, kids need someone else with the benefit of experience closer to their age. This is why many school districts have adopted buddy systems.

6. Say the "v" word - Every talk with your child is the opportunity to remind them of your values.