Woodbury Reports, Inc.
Bonners Ferry, ID

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Middle School: The Inside Story

The Woodbury Report on K4HD.com
Tuesday, November 25, 2014- 12:00 noon
Our featured guest:
Cynthia Tobias, Author
Middle School- The Inside Story:
What Kids Tell Us, But Don't Tell You

Today on "The Woodbury Report", on K4HD.com, our featured guest Cynthia Tobias, the founder and CEO of Applied Learning Styles and the bestselling author of 8 books including "Middle School: The Inside Story "joined host Lon Woodbury to discuss the middle school years and why they are so challenging for both kids and their parents. "For this age group (10 to 14 year olds) it is a time of constant changes and a huge transition from elementary school to Middle School, where they are expected to think independently, move from classes to classes on their own and at the same time, figure out who they are, how to be cool and function in a whole new arena."

"So much is hitting them from so many different directions and yet they still have to navigate through the "unwritten rules" of middle school. They don't know what to say, what to do, how to interact with others and yet find their way without a GPS." In talking with this age group, they all agreed that this was the most agonizing part of Middle School. The fear of "looking stupid" is high on their Richter scale as well as being very self-conscious and having low self-esteem.

The key to understanding your middle schooler is communication- it is really important. Even though they can be moody and emotional, or it feels as if they are pushing you away, you need to hang on and strengthen the relationship- "don't let go of the wheel" Cynthia states. You want to groom them for growing up and stay involved in their lives…some decisions they can make and yet guide them in helping them figure things out. Same with discipline, they expect to know the boundaries, but also want you (as the parent) to start treating them like adults.

Middle schooler's are not bad kids… they are often misunderstood, moody and they really want their parents- but in a different way. They still need love and may push away the physical contact- but there are still ways to give them that physical touch. Sit with them while watching a movie, fist bump, an arm around their shoulders, they still want that. "This is a peer oriented time of their lives", Cynthia shared. "What middle schooler's want is to be listened to, understood and taken seriously."

Contact:
Cynthia Tobias
253-344-1088
ctapplest@gmail.com
www.CynthiaTobias.com

Listen to the full interview here: Middle School - The Inside Story