Helping Your Child Navigate the Road to Middle School Success Be an Enlightened Parent, Not a Frightened Parent DO NOW: 1. Complete the top half of the workshop evaluation form. 2. Answer the following question on an index card: What questions or challenges do you face raising your tween?

Be an Enlightened Parent, Not a Frightened Parent Helping Your Child Navigate the Road to Middle School Success Tonight’s Agenda: Introductions Tonight’s Goals Life at the Crossroads: Introduction Tween Statistics Life at the Crossroads Videos – 6 th Grade and 7 th /8 th Grade Breakout Groups Parenting Tips Resources Questions & Answers

Goals for Workshop To enlighten parents about the current trends and issues faced by middle school tweens To learn strategies to build and maintain a healthy relationship with your tween To provide resources on recognizing and addressing at-risk behavior

What is a Tween? Preadolescent ages Onset of puberty Increased desire for independence Sense of self-identity Concern about appearance Spending more time with friends

Married couples with children only make up 25% of households.

Teens who eat with their families an average of 5 or more times per week are less likely to use drugs and alcohol, less likely to show signs of depression, and engage in less sexual behavior. They also have greater academic success.

46% of all 8-12 year olds own cell phone and 55% send text messages.

Approximately 1 in 7 children receive a sexual solicitation while online. Children are more likely to alert their parents when the computer is kept in a open environment.

More than 75% of American tweens spend about 9 hours online per week.

Only 7% of parents will acknowledge that their tween has gone further than kissing, when in fact 1/3 have done more than that.

1/3 of 12 year olds and 1/2 of 14 year olds have been to a party without adults present.

Life at the Crossroads Introduction

Life at the Crossroads Look For: What are these tweens greatest challenges? What are they asking for from their parents?

LOOK BACK AT YOUR INDEX CARD Have all of your questions and concerns been answered?

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